The Goulburn Regional Hockey Centre in NSW was originally scheduled to welcome the country’s best regional hockey talent from 5-12 August. However, the tournament has been relocated to Shepparton which hosted the Country Championships in 2019.
“The Goulburn Mulwalee Council has been open and transparent about the challenges related to the redevelopment of their hockey centre and we fully support their desire to deliver a completed and first-class facility for future national championships,” said Hockey Australia Senior Event Manager Simon Butterly.
“We are grateful for the support and willingness of the Greater Shepparton City Council to take on the hosting of this event.”
“Shepparton has a strong sporting and hockey community and there is no doubt they will put on a fantastic Country Championships for participants, officials and everyone who attends.”
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, said it was wonderful to again host the popular national event after running a successful championships in 2019.
“Our Sports City precinct has enabled us to host some amazing events such as this one to bring people from around Australia to play hockey in Greater Shepparton,” said Cr Sali.
“These events strengthen our reputation as the leading sporting and events capital of regional Australia and keep our local economy strong and businesses thriving. This event is expected to generate $1.5 million dollars towards our local economy.
“We look forward to partnering with Hockey Australia and the Goulburn Valley Hockey Association to deliver a first-class event for all of our residents and visitors.”
Goulburn Valley Hockey Association (GVHA) President, Cameron Druitt said the community is eagerly awaiting the return of the Australian Country Championships to the Shepparton Regional Hockey Centre in August.
“We look forward to continuing our strong track record of hosting events over recent years, from the Australian Country Championships and Victorian Premier League in 2019, Junior State Championships in 2021 and Victorian Premier League again in 2022,” said Druitt.
“Since the success of hosting the Country Championships in 2019, Goulburn Valley communities have experienced significant challenges; from Shepparton being the most locked down regional city through Covid-19 and more recently the devastating October 2022 floods.
“The GVHA sees the return of the Country Championships as not only an economic boost to the region, but also as an opportunity to advance hockey in the region and provide an enjoyable social environment for our members and visitors at a time when we are being challenged as a sport.”
“We thank Greater Shepparton City Council and Hockey Australia for the opportunity to once again host the championships and warmly welcome players, staff and supporters from all over the country.”
Last year’s Hockey Australia Country Championships were held in Albany, Western Australia, where Queensland Maroon won both the men’s and women’s competitions.
