Barlow Park

Summary

Barlow Park is a multi-sports facility and stadium in Parramatta Park, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.

Barlow Park
Map
LocationCrn Scott & Severin St, Parramatta Park, Cairns, Queensland
Coordinates16°55′49″S 145°46′2″E / 16.93028°S 145.76722°E / -16.93028; 145.76722
Capacity16,700 (1,700 seated)
Tenants
Northern Pride RLFC

The Park is home of the Northern Pride RLFC offices, Cairns District Rugby Union, Cairns and District Athletics Association, Australian Sports Commission Development, Oztag, and formerly Cairns FC and Cairns District Rugby League.[1]

Since 2008 it has been the home ground for the Northern Pride rugby league team who play in the State Competition Queensland Cup.[citation needed]

Venue edit

The ground comprises an IAAF international athletics facility, turf sports fields at the main Barlow and West Barlow parks, and a capacity of 15,000 people including a 1,700 seat grandstand with corporate and media facilities.[1]

History edit

The Cairns Sports Centre (Barlow Park) was officially opened on Saturday the 5th of December 1987. It was named after James Aloysius Barlow, an alderman with Cairns City Council from 1955-1970. It has had various upgrades over the course of time, notably the stadium extension was opened on 13 August 2003.[citation needed] In 2024 a $10.9 million project installed LED lighting which increased the lighting capacity from 500 lux to broadcast standard 1800 lux and also installed a large video screen for scoring and replays. Prior to the development of the sporting complex, Barlow Park was a cricket ground, and in 1978 hosted a match between the West Indies and Cavaliers XI.[citation needed]

Events edit

Barlow Park has hosted athletic events, rugby union, soccer, and rugby league matches, and a 1997 Midnight Oil concert.[citation needed]

Athletics edit

The Oceania Area Championships have been held at Barlow Park in 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2015. These events attracted athletes from around the world compete, as well as international sports people such as Sir Sebastian Coe. The venue also hosted the 2018 Australian All School Athletics Championships.[2]

Rugby Union edit

Cairns District Rugby Union edit

CDRU play matches at Barlow Park.[citation needed]

Queensland Rugby Union edit

Date Home Team Score Away Team Tour
15 July 1992 Queensland B   13 – 32   All Blacks Chivas Regal Rugby Series
27 April 1994 Queensland B   12 – 23   Waikato Mooloos

Super Rugby edit

There have been three Super Rugby pre-season trial games at Barlow Park.[citation needed]

Date Home Team Score Away Team
29 January 2011 Queensland Reds   42 – 15   Canterbury Crusaders
11 February 2012 Queensland Reds   27 – 20   ACT Brumbies
31 January 2015 Queensland Reds   13 – 28   Melbourne Rebels

International Rugby Union Games edit

On 21 June 1989 Queensland B played the British Lions during their tour to Australia.[citation needed]

Soccer edit

National Premier Leagues Queensland edit

The FNQ FC Heat, later Cairns FC, played their National Premier Leagues Queensland home games at Barlow Park between 2012-2018.[citation needed]

FAA Cup edit

Four FFA Cup matches have been held at Barlow Park.[citation needed]

Date Home Team Score Away Team Attendance
27 July 2016 FNQ Heat 0 – 3 Edgeworth Eagles 1,379
1 August 2018 Cairns FC 4 – 0 Armadale SC 971
21 August 2018 Cairns FC 1 – 2 Sydney FC 3,950
15 September 2021 Edge Hill United 0 – 2 Gold Coast Knights 1,946

A-League edit

Two A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup matches have been played at Barlow Park.[citation needed]

Date Home Team Score Away Team Attendance
6 August 2005 Brisbane Roar FC 0 – 0 Sydney FC 4,500
22 September 2013 Brisbane Roar FC 4 – 1 Sydney FC 4,707

Rugby League edit

Cairns District Rugby League edit

The CDRL play their grand final at Barlow Park. Prior to the development of Barlow Park in the 1980s, CDRL and Foley Shield rugby league games were played at Parramatta Park (now the Cairns Showgrounds).[citation needed]

Queensland Cup edit

The Cairns Cyclones Rugby League Football Club played 32 home games at Barlow Park between 1996 and 2000.[citation needed]

Since their inception in 2008, the Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club have played their Queensland Cup home games at Barlow Park. Average crowds were around 2,300, with attendances over 4,000 for matches against the PNG Hunters.[citation needed]

NRL Pre-Season Trials edit

The North Queensland Cowboys have played more than a dozen NRL pre-season trial matches. The record attendance at the venue was set at the 2004 Cowboys v Sea Eagles trial which attracted a crowd of 20,000.[3]

Date Home Team Score Away Team Attendance
28 February 2003 NQ Cowboys   24 – 30   Newcastle Knights 11,200
20 February 2004 NQ Cowboys   22 – 22   Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 19,950
25 February 2005 NQ Cowboys   18 – 30   Melbourne Storm 17,000
18 February 2006 NQ Cowboys   26 – 10   New Zealand Warriors 15,000
3 March 2007 NQ Cowboys   12 – 24   Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 12,500
23 February 2008 NQ Cowboys   22 – 30   Gold Coast Titans
28 February 2009 NQ Cowboys   18 – 18   Penrith Panthers 12,000
20 February 2010 NQ Cowboys   6 – 28   New Zealand Warriors 10,000
26 February 2011 NQ Cowboys   22 – 24   Gold Coast Titans
16 February 2013 NQ Cowboys   28 – 22   St. George Illawarra Dragons 12,036
21 February 2015 NQ Cowboys   30 – 10   Gold Coast Titans
17 February 2018 NQ Cowboys   16 – 30   Wests Tigers
22 February 2020 NQ Cowboys   18 – 16   Brisbane Broncos
19 February 2022 NQ Cowboys   24 – 12   South Sydney Rabbitohs 7,128
12 February 2023 NQ Cowboys   22 – 22   Dolphins 8,922

NRL Telstra Premiership edit

Seven NRL Telstra Premiership Games have been held at Barlow Park. The first was on 16 June 2013 between South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Gold Coast Titans, which attracted a crowd of 16,118.[4] Two other NRL Telstra Premiership matches were played in Cairns at Cazalys Stadium in 2001.[citation needed]

Date Home Team Score Away Team Attendance
16 June 2013 South Sydney Rabbitohs   30 – 24   Gold Coast Titans 16,118
3 August 2014 South Sydney Rabbitohs   50 – 10   Newcastle Knights 11,578
26 April 2015 South Sydney Rabbitohs   22 – 30   Canberra Raiders 8,713
3 July 2016 South Sydney Rabbitohs   0 – 20   NQ Cowboys 14,923
16 July 2017 South Sydney Rabbitohs   10 – 23   NQ Cowboys 11,217
1 July 2018 South Sydney Rabbitohs   21 – 20   NQ Cowboys 7,195
12 August 2023 South Sydney Rabbitohs   26 – 14   St George Illawarra Dragons 8,378

International Rugby League Games edit

The stadium hosted three matches in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, including a double-header.[5] Other international matches have been played, including the 1990 Les Chanticleers Tour, a trial match with New Zealand in 1994, and a qualifying match in the 2009 Pacific Cup.[6]

Date Home Team Score Away Team Attendance
14 June 1990 QLD Country   9 – 16   France Chanticleers 5,000
23 October 1999 Cairns Aborigines   32 – 10   Papua New Guinea 5,200
17 October 2009 Cook Islands Aitu, Kuki's   22 – 20   Toa Samoa 4,261
29 October 2017 Ireland Wolfhounds   36 – 12   Italy Azzurri 9,216
29 October 2017 Mate Ma'a Tonga   50 – 4   Scotland Bravehearts 9,216
11 November 2017 Toa Samoa   14 – 12   Scotland Bravehearts 4,309

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Barlow Park". Cairns Regional Council. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Barlow Park on the Athletics Track Directory". Archived from the original on 29 March 2021.
  3. ^ "NRL Pre-Season: Cowboys v Sea Eagles - Austadiums". www.austadiums.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  4. ^ Gavin Broomhead (16 June 2013). "South Sydney Rabbitohs remain top of the NRL ladder after win over Gold Coast Titans in Cairns". Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  5. ^ https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/venues/barlow-park/results-world-cup.html
  6. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20091019115213/http://www.nrl.com/newsviews/latestnews/newsarticle/tabid/10874/newsid/57129/cook-islands-progress-to-pacific-cup/default.aspx

External links edit

  • Barlow Park at Austadiums
  • Barlow Park rleague.com
  • Barlow Park cricinfo.com