In the 1980s, women’s football membership in Bundaberg and in the Wide Bay area was low.

However, Bundaberg was home to star player, Connie Byrnes (Later Connie Selby), at the time. Connie played for Queensland from 1981-82 and for the National team the following year. Connie is pictured third from the right in the front row of the 1982 Queensland Team.

In 1978 Connie had captained the Matildas at the World Women’s Invitational Tournament in Taipei (Taiwan). She was awarded ‘Miss Football’ for Australia. In an interview with the World Game SBS, she recalls “We just played the game and had fun but looking back we were part of something huge and fantastic.”  Her partner Jim Selby had coached the national side.