With close to six years to go to the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games, Sunshine Coast Council and the University of the Sunshine Coast are working together to celebrate a strong culture of sport and inclusion.  

As part of Council’s commitment to a lasting Games legacy, UniSC historian Dr Kate Kirby has received funding to document the region’s proud sporting pedigree and explore how inclusive sport will create opportunities for future generations.  

UniSC Swimming’s medal-winning para-athletes helped celebrate the Games countdown and newly funded research alongside Mayor Rosanna Natoli, UniSC Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Helen Bartlett, and Dr Kirby.  

The gathering at UniSC’s Olympic-class Aquatic Centre highlighted how health, fitness, inclusion and competitiveness are central to the character of the Sunshine Coast. 

Mayor Rosanna Natoli said Council was proud to fund the UniSC research project as part of its commitment to creating a meaningful and lasting Games legacy for the Sunshine Coast.  

“The legacy of Brisbane 2032 is not built in 2032. It starts now, through projects that connect our community with the people, places and achievements that make our Sunshine Coast so special,” Mayor Natoli said.  

“This research will help capture the stories of local high-performance athletes, identify Olympians and Paralympians in our region, and explore how those achievements can inspire pride, participation and opportunity for generations to come.  

“By celebrating these stories, we are strengthening the Sunshine Coast’s culture of sport in the lead-up to Brisbane 2032 and helping build a legacy that will continue long after the Games.”

UniSC Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Bartlett thanked Sunshine Coast Council for its legacy investment and shared vision for a better tomorrow. 

"UniSC is proud to be a leader in advancing para sport and inclusivity that transcends into all areas of our approach as an organisation,” Professor Bartlett said. 

"Knowing full well the wonderful work our researchers conduct, this backing by the council will help the region’s sporting history ‘jump from the pages’.” 

Alongside UniSC senior lecturers Dr Sarah Casey and Dr Amy Clarke, Dr Kirby has been funded $39,264 to create a chronicle abundant in detail and heartwarming memories.  

“Part of the heritage and legacy project will be compiling comprehensive lists of elite sportspeople linked to the Sunshine Coast, but equally important will be unearthing and preserving remarkable human experiences,” Dr Kirby said. 

“It might be stories of the canteen convenor who volunteered for decades to give others a sporting chance, retracing and celebrating the accomplishments of long-lost relatives, or acknowledging individuals and teams that endured against all odds. 

“From sunrise to sundown, and even into the night, we see all around us how pivotal sport is to the unity and identity of the Sunshine Coast.” 

Nine members of the UniSC Swimming squad were on hand, some freshly back from the Commonwealth Games and others set for the upcoming Pan Pacs. 

UniSC is a recognised Swimming Australia (SA) and Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) high performance hub, with SA coaches overseeing the swim program and QAS performance staff delivering support to embedded programs and swimmers.

"With just six years until Brisbane 2032, the QAS is focused on building the athletes and high-performance system that will help Queensland shine on the world's biggest sporting stage,” QAS Chief Executive Officer Troy Ayres said. 

“On the back of one of our strongest Commonwealth Games campaigns, our footprint on the Sunshine Coast is a vital part of that vision, providing athletes with access to world-class coaching, performance support and facilities in an environment where they can thrive. 

“The partnership between the Queensland Academy of Sport, Swimming Australia and UniSC has created one of Australia's leading high-performance swimming environments.  

“It's a model that's producing results now while strengthening Queensland's legacy beyond 2032.” 

Swimming is just one area where UniSC displays elite expertise in para sports, as it does in basketball, rugby, athletics and cycling. 

UniSC Director of High Performance Sport Associate Professor Mark McKean noted results in the competitive arena were reflective of a wider focus on excellence. 

“High performance athletes need high performance facilities and high performance research, which informs high performance sports science and coaching,” Dr McKean said. 

“The way UniSC caters to para athletes – including with purpose-built facilities – ensures a holistic consideration of their lives. 

“Athletes can train, study, refuel, undertake in or assist research, and engage in the community all within a convenient, world-class precinct. 

“Our programs are 100 percent built upon a shared love of sport and a firm belief in the power of equal opportunity.” 

Those wanting further information about Dr Kirby’s history-capturing research project are encouraged to email kkirby@usc.edu.au