Forming the Queensland Sports Turf Managers Association
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland (GCSAQ) is proud to announce that at its recent Special General Meeting, members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of merging with the Sports Turf Association of Queensland (STAQ) to form the Queensland Sports Turf Managers Association (QSTMA).
A similar Special General Meeting was held with members of the Sports Turf Association of Queensland (STAQ), who also voted overwhelmingly in favour of merging. With the motion carried by both, each Committee selected a sub-committee to work through the particulars of the redeveloped Constitution, confirm a new (combined) Committee, and how the newly formed Association would operate.
This landmark decision marks an exciting new chapter for sports turf management in Queensland. The formation of QSTMA will provide an enhanced platform to support professionals across all sporting and recreational turf facilities, promoting best practice, professional development, and advocacy for the industry.
On behalf of GCSAQ, I extend my sincere thanks to our members for their continued support and commitment to the growth of the profession. I would also like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of the GCSAQ Committee members, who have navigated this complex change with vision and professionalism.
We also wish to thank the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA) for their guidance and support throughout the merger process, which has been invaluable in helping us achieve this outcome.
We look forward with enthusiasm to the opportunities ahead as part of the QSTMA, working collaboratively to strengthen the future of sports turf management in Queensland.
Keith Johnson
President, Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland (GCSAQ)
QSTMA to host Mechanics Education Day – 9th June 2026
The Queensland Sports Turf Managers Association is hosting a Mechanical Education Day at Keperra Golf Club, on Tuesday 9th June, 2026.
To find out more about the event, or to register, click here
Great Barrier Reef Arena In Mackay Hosts NICC Ahead Of Historic Test Match In August
International eyes will be on regional Queensland city Mackay in mid-August when Australia and Bangladesh play a historic Test match and for Harrup Park Head Grounds Manager Peter Kazakoff and his crew, the recent National Indigenous Cricket Championships played from April 14-19 provided the perfect preparation for what’s to come.
Male and female indigenous state teams descended on the city’s premier sporting facility last week at Harrup Park with a total of 35 games played across five ovals – including Test match venue Great Barrier Reef Arena – in a fast-paced round-robin T20 tournament.
The state-of-the-art North Queensland venue has also secured the competition for 2027 with a two-year hosting arrangement announced in January.
Kazakoff – who spent 17 years at The Gabba before venturing north to take on the head curator role in Mackay – was delighted by the work and preparations for the championships.
A washout in between the championships was also expertly navigated by the crew who ensured the tournament could proceed the next day.
“We had excellent weather in preparation for the championships; five match wickets and four practice wickets were sealed five days out from the start of the competition at 8mm with the final height of cut of the wickets at 6mm,” he says.
“All wickets held together extremely well over the weeklong competition with next to no cracking providing good consistent pace and bounce. We had planned to put more moisture into the wickets and reseal them on the fourth day which was a rest day, however the third day was a complete washout with just under 30 millimetres of rain keeping the wickets under cover for 36 hours.”
Great Barrier Reef Arena hosted both semi and grand finals on days five and six with the decks ensuring entertaining, high-scoring but even matches to conclude the male and female tournaments.
“A second wicket on Great Barrier Reef Arena was sealed two days before the start of the championships for the semi and grand final on days five and six being rolled between matches through the week,” Kazakoff says.
It will be the last time cricket is played on the ground before the Test match in August with Great Barrier Reef Arena to switch into Australian rules mode.
The venue will host its first match on May 9 in the highly rated AFL Mackay competition with a senior men’s and women’s double-header, with Kazakoff bumping up the outfield from 10mm to 12mm in preparation.
Story: Nick Creely, Pictures: Peter Kazakoff
Australian & New Zealand Stadiums Up For International Awards
Two of Australia’s busiest multipurpose stadiums, Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, have been recognised globally after being nominated for The Stadium Business Awards 2026 in June, while Eden Park’s Turf Team in New Zealand have also been shortlisted.
Key notes
- Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and Marvel Stadium in Melbourne shorlisted
- Eden Park’s Turf Team in New Zealand have also been shortlisted
- Winners will be announced on 3 June at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester
Established in 2010, TheStadiumBusiness Awards recognise leadership, innovation and achievement in the delivery, operation and management of sports facilities globally. The winners will be announced on 3 June at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
Led by seasoned turf manager Blair Christiansen (pictured below), the Eden Park crew in Auckland were named as a finalist for the Unsung Hero Award category – the only nomination to come out of New Zealand. Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner was full of praise for Christiansen and his team.
“Our Turf Team is exceptional, and this recognition is incredibly well deserved. Their work allows Eden Park to operate at a level that is unique in New Zealand and rare globally. Increased utilisation of the stadium depends on the capability of our people, and our Turf Team is central to that. They are the reason we can move from football to rugby to community events and back again, all while maintaining a surface that meets the expectations of athletes, performers and fans alike. To have the Eden Park Turf Team named as the only New Zealand finalist is something we are all very proud of.”
Suncorp Stadium’s four consecutive nights of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (pictured top) from 12-15 February was recognised in the Event of the Year category with one of seven nominations. Marvel Stadium received two separate nominations, including the coveted Venue of the Year award alongside five other stadiums across the world, while Marvel general manager Scott Fitzgerald was among the shortlisted nominations for Executive of the Year. Ocean Protect Stadium, the home of NRL club Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, was the other Australian venue to receive a nomination in the Sponsorship, Sales & Marketing category.
Story: Nick Creely, Pictures: Matthew Oliver and Jason Oxenham