Research to shape Brisbane 2032 Games legacy

With close to six years to go to the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games, Sunshine Coast Council and the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) 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 identify local Olympians and Paralympians, 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 Sunshine Coast 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 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.”

If you are an Olympian or Paralympian on the Sunshine Coast or would like to contribute to Dr Kirby’s history-capturing research project email [email protected]

Building a sporting legacy

Professor Bartlett thanked 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.” 

Discover more about the 2032 Games Legacy on Council's website.