MUSEUM SET TO SCORE WITH RUGBY LEAGUE EXHIBITION

Cairns Museum will showcase the diverse and rich history of rugby league in Far North Queensland in a new exhibition “Played with Passion: Rugby League in Far North Queensland”.

Suzanne Gibson, manager of Cairns Museum, said the major exhibition opens on Friday 7 June and is expected to generate a lot of local and visitor interest.

 “Rugby league is synonymous with our region. The enthusiasm for the game ignited in 1918 here in the Far North and since then, League has remained Cairns’ most enduring and popular team sport.”

Dr David Phoenix of Cairns Museum led the research for the exhibition, talking to players, supporters, local clubs and Cairns and District Rugby League (CDRL) members to source memorabilia from across Far North Queensland.

“Rugby league was first played in Cairns 101 years ago. Local games were fiercely contested and drew big crowds to the Parramatta Park showgrounds, but it was the Foley Shield games between Cairns and Townsville that were the most hotly contested.

“We hope the exhibit has captured the passion and pride that went into those games and people enjoy seeing the collection on display. We’ve included the famous Foley Shield, as well as historic representative jerseys of Cairns, Australia and NAIDOC Week, all worn by local players” Dr Phoenix said.

The exhibition also features trophies, cups and photographs from the very beginnings of League right through to current days. There’s even a collection of Footy trading cards featuring local players.

The exhibition was supported through the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF), a partnership between the Queensland Government and Cairns Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.