By Kerry Larsen

Years of lobbying for lighting at Port Douglas Sports Complex’s main oval looks like it’s finally over following the allocation of $210,000 from Cairns Regional Council (CRC) for long-awaited flood lights.

It comes as part of CRC’s capital works budget handed down last week, and could possibly see future Port Douglas Crocs AFL and Port Douglas Muddies night matches hosted at the venue.

The main ground of the complex currently has two training lights on the roof of the clubrooms, which unevenly lights half the ground during evening training sessions.

Port Douglas Crocs president, Scott Ewert, said that while he had not yet been notified of the allocation of funds, it was welcome news for all clubs using the facility.

Mr Ewert said the Crocs, who compete in the Cairns AFL competition, had been lobbying to secure $400,000 in funding for 100 lux lighting. In comparison, the CAFL’s main ground – Cairns’ Cazaly’s Stadium - uses 1000 lux lighting, which is sufficient for hosting AFL fixtures.

“We were allocated $170,000 by Council a couple of years ago, so this $210,000 brings us close to the amount of funding we need to get this lighting,” Mr Ewert said.

CRC Division 10 councillor, Julia Leu, said the funding could purchase one of four different lighting options, some capable of being bright enough to host night matches.

“The success of the recent Queensland Bulls Masters cricket match really highlighted how much the oval could be far better utilised,” she said.

“The ground currently gets used well during the day time, but this additional lighting may mean that night matches could be played in the future.”

Funding for lighting has been a long-fought process for the Crocs and comes at the legacy of former president, Andy Smith, and former football manager, Ruben Miles, who had both spent numerous years lobbying several tiers of government.

Douglas Cricket Association vice-president, Steve Doble, says the lighting could open up opportunities for night cricket games, such as Twenty20 matches within the Cricket Far North season or six-a-side community games on Friday nights. 

Port Douglas Reef Raiders’ home ground, which adjoins the AFL/cricket ground, has lighting capable of hosting night matches, while Douglas Netball Association’s courts (at the rear of the main ground and clubrooms) has sufficient lighting for its weekly Tuesday night competition.

Last week’s Council budget also allocated $1.6 million of lighting upgrades at Cairns’ Barlow Park.