Help get Queensland rowing again

Measures to get rowing in Queensland back on its feet are under way. Australia’s state of Queensland, and especially its largest city Brisbane, was hit by devastating floods last week which destroyed many boat houses and docks. The floods also impacted on Bundaberg and Rockhampton.

Now rowing supporters from around the country are rallying. Katherine Murray and Emma McCarthy are organising a fundraiser in Melbourne, Victoria.

“We are setting up a fund for donations to go to Rowing Queensland to help the clubs rebuilt,” says Murray. “We will be hosting a fundraising dinner in Victoria at Mercantile Rowing Club with an auction and raffle on the 5th of February.”

The fundraiser is aimed at rowers in Australia who have been affected by the flooding. “We are aiming to raise
$20,000. At this stage the extent of  the damage to sheds, equipment, rowers houses and the long term effect the disaster will have on sport in areas affected is currently being assessed so the best possible way to distribute the use of the funds that we  raise is still to be decided,” says Murray.

“The support of the World Rowing Community has been tremendous already,” says Murray. “We have had rowers and rowing businesses from New Zealand all the way across to Canada offering their support. Clubs in Victoria and New South Wales have opened their doors to let rowers affected by flooding use their facilities free of charges as well as billeting athletes with rowing families.”

High Performance Manager of Rowing Queensland, Chad King, commented that the flood’s impact on Central Queensland and Brisbane is devastating. “Every rower in Queensland is going to be affected in some way by the flooding and Brisbane River is likely to be un-rowable for at least three weeks due to levels of toxins and debris.”

There are over 25 clubs and rowing schools in Queensland and all but a few have lost their pontoons which makes access to the water difficult. The Queen's Cup Eight, used in the prestigious Interstate Regatta at the end of the National Championships was destroyed along with dozens of other club and school boats. The foundations of the University of Queensland Boat Club have been eroded and it is possible that the entire shed may have to be condemned.

Centenary Rowing Club, the newest rowing club along the Brisbane River, recently upgraded their facilities and was the hardest hit. The club is unrecognisable at the moment due to the metre-high layer of mud that now lies within and around its walls. The town of Rockhampton, which was hit hard by the floods three weeks ago still have their sheds underwater as the water slowly recedes.

It is also possible that no junior athletes will compete in Brisbane’s main rowing season this year. This is a huge blow for school rowing, however the schools are still trying to maintain the continuity of the rowing by holding senior schoolboy regattas only.

“The impact that this natural disaster will have on rowing in Queensland is huge and we want to help,” says Murray. “Some rowers have had to bear the cost of relocating interstate to continue to train for the Australian National Rowing Championships, whilst others, who are unable to do so, battle to fit training around their cleanup efforts. In some cases athletes are having to come to terms with the fact that their seasons will be severely limited as they may not afford the costs associated with rowing, on top of the cost of trying to rebuilding their homes or businesses.”

“Our thoughts must also now go to New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania,” says Murray, “where the flood waters are starting to rise causing more devastation to the rowing community of Australia.”

For donations and contributions contact Katherine +61 (0)424 633 474 or rowersrelief@hotmail.com

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