Karumba Hockey Carnival and Sports Festival

Hockey began in the Gulf Savannah Region of Far North West Queensland in 2001 and the program has developed with the community support and the partnership with Gulf Sport and recreation Association.

There are a number of aspects to the Hockey Program

• Active Participation in the form of coaching clinics for young people 
• Active Acter School programs
• Vacation care Program
• Coach Education Program
• Competitions
• Talent Identification Program
• Development Camp

The Karumba Hockey Carnival and Sports Festival celebrates the culmination of the hockey program through-out the year and encourages the young people from all Gulf Communities to participate in  a spirit of fun and sportsmanship.

The Hockey program has been developed to accommodate the unique facilities, condition and enviroment prevailing in the remote and indigenous communities. Skill development is a priority and must be accommodated but modifications are necessary and are integrated in he coachign process.

The Hockey Carnival has grown and in 2008, in excess of 140 young people from communities as far east as Mount Surprise and as far west as Bourketown participated with communities such as Mornington Island isolated by the Gulf of Carpentaria participating with Karumba, Normanton and Croydon.

The Karumba Golf and Recreation Club supported this Competition in 2008 by allowing 2 fields to be constructed on the 1st fairway. This gave the young people additonal opportunity to produce the hockey skills they have been developing through the skills programs within their own community programs.

Talent Identification Squads are selected each year and it is hoped to conduct a Development Camp and play a Cape Squad in 2009/2010 to continue the progression of the Gulf Identified Players towards State Championship selection.