The decision to hold the Championships on Yuwibara Country in Mackay follows recent discussions with State and Territory Governments about the opportunity to collaborate with CA about hosting events and national tournaments over the next seven seasons.
The NICC was held on Arrernte Country in Mparntwe, Alice Springs for eight years. This move aligns with CA’s new Reconciliation Action Plan and the aim to sustainably strengthen opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to play, attend and follow cricket.
The 2025 Championships will be contested at Great Barrier Reef Arena and Harrup Park which has become a regular venue for international cricket, including two of the three CommBank Women’s T20Is between Australia and New Zealand played in September 2024 and the Men’s A-Series match between Australia and India later this month.
Queensland Cricket’s support of the NICC will further strengthen their commitment to their own Reconciliation Action Plan as well as supporting existing programs including the Eddie Gilbert Program, Western Rivers Cup (Toowoomba), Stan Albert Sheild (Rockhampton), Rainforest Cup (Tully), Phillip Minniecon Cup (Cairns) and T20 Harmony Shield.
This decision was made in close collaboration with NT Cricket, CA’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cricket Advisory Group and following feedback from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players who have expressed a desire to connect with country, cultures and communities in other regions.
We would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to NT Cricket, the Imparja Cup community, Alice Springs Cricket Association, Northern Territory Government and Alice Springs Town Council.
All were exemplary hosts of the NICC which emanated from the Imparja Cup which has been running for 31 years and will continue as Australia’s biggest Indigenous cricket festival.
Joel Morrison Executive General Manager, Events & Operations said:
“It is exciting that the National Indigenous Cricket Championships will be contested at Great Barrier Reef Arena for the first time this season.
“We are grateful to the Queensland Government, Mackay Regional Council, Harrup Park and Queensland Cricket for their ongoing support in staging significant international and domestic cricket events such as this tournament in Mackay, which is fast becoming a regular feature on the Australian cricket calendar.
“We would also like to express our thanks and gratitude to NT Cricket, the Imparja Cup and Alice Springs cricket communities, the Northern Territory Government and Alice Springs Town Council for the significant role they have played in growing the NICC since its inception, and greatly enhancing the tournament’s cultural significance and level of on-field competition.
“The Imparja Cup will continue to remain the centrepiece for Indigenous cricket in the Territory, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with NT Cricket on growing community participation and maintaining a strong connection between the Imparja Cup and NICC.
The NICC is supported by CommBank, a proud partner of Cricket Australia’s ‘A Sport for All’ Program, which champions inclusion and diversity in cricket and the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) Foundation, as the NICC’s official Inclusion Partner.