Page 92 - AFL QUEENSLAND 2012 YEAR IN REVIEW

THE CHRIS JOHNSON AND ANGIE NADREDRE CUPS
The annual Chris Johnson and Angie Nadredre Cups were again held at New Mapoon in the top end of North Queensland. The event is a highlight of the AFLCY calendar and highly anticipated by secondary students from Cairns, Cape York and the Torres Strait.
Five troop carriers and 40 people, including Chris Johnson and his family, set off from Cairns on Monday October 15 to tackle the 2000 km round trip by road. The first three hours of the trip are on sealed bitumen road with the remainder being gravel and sand, suited to 4x4 vehicles. We drove for 10 hours on the first day, arriving at Bramwell Station Road House late in the evening to set up tents and prepare dinner.
A 6.30am start the following morning (Tuesday) was needed so that we could get to Bamaga before lunch. Although it is only 200 km from the Road House to Bamaga it takes over three hours by 4x4 vehicles. After a quick trip across the Jardine River on the ferry we arrived in Bamaga around lunch time.
From there we continued on to the tip of Australia, the most northern point of mainland Australia which can only be accessed by walking the final 500 metres overland.
On arrival at our accommodation, at the NPA Secondary Campus, we set up our rooms and headed down to the New Mapoon AFL field, the most northern AFL field on mainland Australia. There we conducted a ‘No School No Play’ carnival night. Up to 60 primary age students attended which was followed by a community BBQ.
Following dinner we returned back to the college where we conducted lifestyle discussions with Chris Johnson and other AFLCY staff.
Wednesday was game day. Students were arriving from Thursday Island by ferry and the Weipa students by air charter. Competition commenced around 10am and from the first game we were very pleased with the standard of both the Under 16 boys and Under 17 girls.
Djarragun College won the boy’s championship and Tagai College, Thursday Island took out the girls division.
Following the closing ceremony we quickly packed the troop carriers and headed off to catch the ferry across the Jardine River and to try and make Bramwell Station before dark.
Camp at Bramwell Station was still intact when we arrived so dinner was high priority for the hungry travellers.
Thursday was our final day so it was an early start to pack up camp and hit the road back to Cairns.
The event was our best yet; the conduct of the participants was outstanding and sets the bar high for the 2013 event.
We were able to select two strong squads for the Under 17 Crusader girls playing in the State Championships in Cairns and Under 16 Crusader Boys for the 2013 Queensland Country Championships.
RICK HANLON
CAPE YORK DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
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2012 Year in Review