Cairns Amateurs Club Info
- The Far North Queensland Amateur Turf Club Inc. is a not-for-profit amateur horse racing club that operates the annual Cairns Amateurs Carnival. The Carnival runs over 4 days (Thursday to Sunday) and comprises two days of horse racing and a number of social events around and during the racing.
- The race meeting prize money draws interest Queensland wide and attracts large race fields each year, both new and returning participants. The two-day race meeting has always been held at Cannon Park Race Course, however the social functions that surround the Carnival vary from style and venue. The Club aims to provide events that appeal to the Community as a whole as well as to Members and their Guests.
- Each year the events evolve to suit the requirements and requests of Members and the public accordingly. The social events are the premier functions held in Cairns each year and see locals mixing with Governors, Premiers mixing with celebrities and business leaders mixing with fashionistas.
- Economic Surveys conducted in 2012, again recognised the Cairns Amateurs Carnival as the event which injects the most money into the Cairns economy each year.
- Among the key findings by economist Bill Cummings were:
The 2012 Cairns Amateurs Carnival contributed over $13 million to the Cairns economy.
Attendees to various events, race days and the corporate sector were surveyed to determine that the carnival saw an increase of 13.5% of visitation from outside the region.
More than $5.95 million in income came into the region from outside Cairns.
15,600 visitor nights were attributed to the Cairns Amateurs, this figure has nearly doubled since the Amateurs began working with Events Queensland and the Queensland Government in 2010.
Sundry spending generated away from the track was over $6 million an increase of $2.1 million from 2011.
- The Club values our long-term associations with our Sponsors and welcomes new Sponsors to the Amateurs family. The Club aims to further develop relationships within the business community on a national level and encourages inquiries from interested parties. Sponsors are afforded VIP treatment in appreciation of their contributions and support.
- Our Club is determined to keep abreast with the advances in tourism and population growth and to provide the necessary infrastructure at our Carnival that offers first class racing and social events that capture the interest of all Australians as well as remaining a viable drawcard for the advancement of Cairns. The 40th Anniversary of the Far North Queensland Amateur Turf Club in 1998 was commemorated with the publication of a limited edition book covering the history of the Carnival.
