The first evidence of football in the Wide Bay region appears in 1888 when players from Maryborough put together a representative team.

The 1890s brought interest from other Towns in the region. In 1893, a Gympie representative team played a match against a Brisbane team which resulted in a 4-1 defeat. A few years later in 1896, the small mining town of Torbanlea team appeared to have formed a team, playing multiple intercity games against Bundaberg and Rockhampton. The Bundaberg team appears to have been formed around this time as well, going to to play matches throughout the late 1890s. The Howard Rovers also emerged at this time, playing matches against the neighbouring towns such as Maryborough. 

In the early 1900s, teams continued to play intercity matches. By the 1920s Bundaberg had “eight clubs and 114 players.” During the 1930s, Bundaberg’s local competition continued to grow, with new clubs continuing to form and a representative team continuing to play intercity matches.

In the 1950s, Bundaberg won the Buxton cup consecutively for three years (1954-1956). 

The Wide Bay area currently has 21 clubs and just over 4,500 registered players as of 2016. You can find the current clubs fielding teams on the Wide Bay website.

Do you have information about men’s football in the Wide Bay zone between the 1960s and present day? Contact us. 

Read a more in depth history of the region below.