State grants of $30k help secure top events for basketball, soccer and cycling in Albany and Gnowangerup

A $1.78m funding package from the State Government has included $30,000 grants for three major sporting events across the Great Southern. Albany will again host a NBL1 West basketball fixture and soccer’s Belt Up Regional Festival of Football while the Shire of Gnowangerup’s Wild Gravel cycling event will also benefit from the funding. Although the 2025 basketball clashes cost about $70,000 to stage, Perth Redbacks and Perry Lakes Hawks will renew their NBL1 West rivalry in Albany on July 4 in the competition’s Indigenous Round. The men’s and women’s matches last year were a huge success, attracting about 1000 spectators and a repeat was always on the cards. The grant will help towards advertising and signage, travel expenses, security and entertainment – though it’s likely the seating capacity will be reduced because of the expense and work involved in constructing and deconstructing grandstands. Albany Basketball Association president Tim Turnbull said there were lessons to be learned from last year. “It was so successful and was enjoyed by so many people – we were keen to do it again and the Perth people were keen too,” he said. “We know what it takes to organise and don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but we will make the most of our learnings from last time. “We haven’t put together the final piece of the puzzle around seating, but we won’t have such a big grandstand – it was such a huge undertaking to put together, both to get it built and to pull it down. “The facilities most NBL1 clubs have is one side of seating so I think we can work out something along those lines.” The inaugural Wild Gravel event in Gnowangerup was a huge success, attracting elite and social cyclists from all over WA. About 600 competitors descended on the town last October and with the Gravel World Championships taking place in Nannup from October 10-11 this year, organisers are hoping to tempt even more riders to Gnowangerup for their event on October 24. Shire of Gnowangerup president Kate O’Keeffe said the grant would help minimise the cost for participants. “We want as many people to come and take part as possible, so we are absolutely thrilled to get the money,” she said. “Now the event is on the gravel calendar there are extra expenses. “For example, there is always insurance to pay for and we now have to have official timekeepers, so to get grant funding is magic.” The Regional Festival of Football has come to Albany previously, in 2020 and 2023. This year it will run from May 11-16 and feature school clinics and workshops as well as men’s and women’s NPL matches at Retravision Stadium on May 16. The men’s contest will be in round 10 of NPL WA competition between mid-table sides Perth Glory and Bayswater City. The women’s round eight clash will feature the Hyundai Football West Academy against Perth Azzuri - the top two teams after the early stages of the competition. Sport and Recreation minister Rita Saffioti said WA has a reputation for delivering great sporting events. “These events encourage more Western Australians to get active, support local businesses and communities and create opportunities to connect through sport and recreation,” she said.