Australian-first field of dreams kicks goal for Gympie's flood recovery
In late-February 2022, Gympie was gripped by arguably their worst flood on record.
More than a week of constant rain caused widespread flooding across the entire Mary River catchment.
The river, already swollen by heavy rain from the remnants of a cyclone in January, peaked at 22.96 metres, the highest level seen since 1893.
Unsurprisingly, Gympie was swamped.
The impacts on homes, businesses, roads, electricity, sewerage, water, communications, and the environment were enormous.
And community assets such as sporting fields weren’t spared either.
As home to two football clubs, a cricket club, and a BMX club, the One Mile Sports Complex is an important part of Gympie’s social fabric.
The versatile location offers approximately 10 hectares of playing surface that's configured into various playing fields throughout the year.
It’s also a valued community space used for many different recreation and fitness activities.
But that was all at risk when the February 2022 floods completely inundated the complex, including all three sporting clubhouses, two amenity blocks and a canteen.
Recovery work at the complex has been extensive and has included the levelling and renovation of all fields, drainage works to mitigate future damage, and the building of a new amenities block.
The jewel in the crown, however, has been the field renewal project on the pitch known by the local football community as ‘Field One’.
A collaborative effort by Gympie Regional Council and Gympie United Football Club (GUFC) has delivered a natural turf, competition-grade sports field considered a first-of-its-kind in Australia.
Field One received a comprehensive overhaul, with the oval relevelled and cutting-edge turf IronCutter – an elite hybrid Bermuda grass – installed.
IronCutter’s dense, fine, vertical leaf promotes quicker play, and with reduced thatch build-up the field requires less maintenance and will hold up against very high wear.
The end result laid in full a significant milestone for the local football community, and Gympie as a whole, enhancing the city's growing reputation as a regional sporting centre that can comfortably host higher-level games.
With assistance from the jointly funded Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), work commenced in November 2023.
By March 2024 the steel toe boots on the ground had been replaced by the studded variety, just in time for the new football season.
On 5 March 2024, GUFC played their first competition match on the redeveloped surface against southern rivals Maroochydore Football Club.
The renewal of Field One and the other reconstruction works completed at the One Mile Sports Complex are recognised as important achievements in Gympie’s flood recovery efforts, buoying community spirit and the local economy.
