Last week Badu Island hosted the first AFL Cape York Development Camp in the Torres Strait. The program saw students from Horn, Hammond, Thursday and Badu Islands come together for the inter-school sports AFL carnival.
The camp started early Monday morning for travelling participants, with Time and Tide providing the early morning ferry charter for 20 students from the inner islands. As soon as the students arrived they were straight over to the renowned Badu Art Centre for a tour and got to see first hand the creation of Lino Print artwork.
After that the students met their counterparts from Badu Primary and the 65 grade 4/5/6 students were ready to play!
“We’re incredibly lucky to have access to the only AFL oval in the entire Torres Strait here on Badu," AFL Cape York Development Coordinator KieranSciberras said.
"Thanks to the AFLQ facilities team, who organised brand new goal posts to be installed at the school.
"What better way to celebrate that than by hosting an event like this on Badu Island.”
Throughout the day students were either playing fast paced footy, attending vaping education workshops with TCHHS or learning about nutrition with CEQ.
The carnival wrapped up with a handful of individual award winners but the real focus of the carnival was skill development, building relationships between students and fun.
After a long day of AFL and learning, participants then headed to the town oval for a waterslide, AFL kick around and colour run.
These events were provided at no charge and were open to the entire Badu community to attend with more than 80 people joining in on the colour fun action.
This event would not be possible without the outstanding support of our partners: Time and Tide Transport FNQ, Torres Strait Island Regional Council, Torres Health, Badu Kulpiyam RLFC , Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, Island and Cape, Badu Art Centre, Dhadhin Geai Warriors, Gur A Baradharaw Kod, CEQ - IBIS, Tagai State College, Lady Of The Sacred Heart School & Hinterland Aviation. Thank you to AFL Queensland for donating hte goal posts and Sea Swift for the subsidised freight to get them there.
After the successful carnival on Badu, AFL Cape York also ran in-school clinics for the younger classes on Badu before heading via helicopter to Ugar Island where the Outer Islands Clinic continued.