18 November 2022
The Shire of Broome is celebrating sport’s ability to bring the community together after the grand opening of its new skate park attracted more than 1,000 people and encouraged new participants to get active.
Video courtesy Shire of Broome/Surge Films
The northern WA town’s two-day SKATE festival received a $40,000 Regional Sport Events Fund grant from the Australian Sports Commission. The festival included workshops and demonstrations from professional skaters, BMX and scooter riders, as well as competitions.
SKATE is widely considered one of the best events the Shire has delivered, and the Shire looks forward to delivering events of a similar calibre in the future.
The event, on 30 September to 1 October, was designed to ensure everyone could participate through creating a safe environment and having equipment available to hire, free of cost.
Music, circus activities, dance and art helped introduce new participants to skate boarding, BMX and scootering.
Along with the professional skaters, the show featured young indigenous rapper Lyrical Instinct, unique Theatre Kimberly unicyclists, young local skaters and a multi-generational dance crew.
The event helped boost visitor numbers to the region during the tourist shoulder season and provided local suppliers such as food vendors and sporting equipment suppliers with additional business.
Video courtesy Shire of Broome/Surge Films
The skate park is now a favourite facility for young people in Broome who continue to support these local businesses and stay connected with their local community. Several local community groups were also able to build on their relationship with the Shire and reach out to local youth.
Visitors to the region praised the new facilities and word of the event’s success has since spread to other local governments, keen to mimic the event format in their own areas.
The Regional Sport Events Fund is investing $1.9 million to support Local Government Councils in regional and remote Australia to host sporting events.
Events have ranged from ‘come and try days’ to larger events including elite sporting exhibitions and state level competitions that reinvigorate local economies, engage communities, and encourage greater visitation to regional Australia.
Read more about how the ASC is supporting sport in Australia on the Grants and Funding page.