Redlands Coast’s First Nations history and culture will be celebrated on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) this week as the Hostplus Cup Indigenous recognition match returns to Ron Stark Oval at Dunwich.
The BMD Wynnum Manly Seagulls Rugby League Club has been bringing games to the venue since 2014 to pay tribute to the Quandamooka people on Minjerribah and recognise the club’s Indigenous legends, such as the late Lionel Morgan.
This year’s match, to be held on Saturday 31 May against the Central Queensland Capras, is once again being delivered in partnership with Redland City Council, Yulu Burri Ba Aboriginal Health Corporation, and Deadly Choices.
You may also like these stories
A range of free activities, market stalls, health checks, and activations for children will be available during the day, with the Hostplus Cup game kicking off at 2pm.
Redland City Mayor Jos Mitchell said Wynnum Manly had a long list of First Nations greats and Indigenous representatives, including NRL Hall of Fame inductee Lionel Morgan.
“Mr Morgan blazed a trail for Indigenous footballers across Queensland and beyond, playing more than 100 matches for Wynnum Manly between 1959-1968,” the Mayor said.
“He also represented Queensland and was the first Indigenous man to play rugby league for Australia, making his debut against France in 1960.
“His connection to our city continues through his family, with Mr Morgan’s granddaughter Jessica currently working with us here at Council.”
Jessica said she was proud of her grandfather for all he had achieved in the sport and was looking forward to this being celebrated during the Indigenous recognition match.
“Pop was named in the 2008 Indigenous Team of the Century and was inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame (inductee 116) in 2024, which was an incredible achievement for his football career,” she said.
“Pop paved the way for our Indigenous youth, setting an example not only within the football world but also sitting on the Murri Court board.
“Our family has a strong connection to the Seagulls dating back several decades, with my dad, uncles, brother and nephews all representing the club at different stages.
“We are also planning to get my son involved in the club next year when he is old enough to start playing juniors.
“The family now has the honour of selecting and presenting the man-of-the-match award for the Indigenous recognition game every year.
“This award is named after Pop to recognise his contributions to the sport and honour the legacy he has forged for current and future generations of footballers.”
Division 2 Councillor Peter Mitchell said the Indigenous recognition game was a significant event for Redlands Coast and would be another great day out for the community.
“Hosting a game of this calibre is great for tourism to the island and helps to showcase our city as a major event destination,” Cr Mitchell said.
“This is the 12th time the game has been played on the island since 2014 and it has quickly grown into one of the biggest events on our sporting calendar.
“As a former Wynnum representative myself, it’s always great to see the team swap Kougari for Minjerribah to play this match on our beautiful Redlands Coast.
“I’d also like to thank the Straddie Sharks for co-hosting the event on their home field every year and helping to make this a great occasion for our community.”
Wynnum Manly Seagulls CEO Wayne Weekes thanked all the partner organisations for helping to bring the event together.
“This event is something that we are really proud to host each year. It’s been 12 years now, and the big focus has been promoting health across the local community,” Mr Weekes said.
“We’re surrounded by some great people across these organisations, and this event certainly couldn’t happen without them.”
Council has supported this year’s recognition match with $1500 in Quandamooka awareness funding and a further $15,000 through round one of the 2024–2025 Sponsorship Program.
The game will be held during National Reconciliation Week, giving the community an opportunity to come together and celebrate the First Nations history and culture of Redlands Coast.
The theme for the week is ‘Bridging Now to Next’, encouraging the community to reflect on the past, present and future and step forward on the reconciliation journey together.
Entry to the Indigenous recognition match and associated events is free.
Ron Stark Oval is located at 2 Ballow Road, Dunwich, just a short walk from the ferry terminal.
