Santos has announced its flagship two-day regional sports event, the Santos Festival of Rugby, will return to Narrabri in 2025.
A fixture on the national and regional rugby calendars, the Festival of Rugby has grown across four years to become one of the biggest annual football and community events in regional Australia and has delivered millions of dollars in economic benefit to its two homes of Narrabri and Roma.
The fifth edition will take place on the weekend of September 20-21, 2025, drawing top-rated male and female players from across Australia and the region.
The centrepiece of the festival will once again be a game between the Queensland Reds and New South Wales Waratahs Super Rugby teams who will face off for the Santos Cup, in a standard-setting hit-out.
The announcement of the latest edition of the popular festival by the Queensland Rugby Union and New South Wales Rugby Union was made at the Narrabri Rugby Club late last week with representatives of Santos, the Blue Boars, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds and Narrabri Shire Council in attendance.
Santos executive vice president – Eastern Australia and Papua New Guinea Brett Darley said he was immensely proud of the festival for its impact drawing families and communities, valuable economic activity and first-rate rugby to Narrabri and the Northern NSW region.
“Preparations are well underway to once again make Narrabri the rugby capital as we host the Queensland Reds and New South Wales Waratahs for a showdown in ‘Tahs Territory,” Mr Darley said.
“It’s one of the biggest events of the year in Narrabri – not just for rugby fans – but for businesses and tourism.
“The Festival of Rugby injects up to a million dollars into the local economy during each event so it’s a significant boost to the community.”
Queensland Rugby Union chief executive David Hanham said the festival’s reputation and pulling power had grown with each event.
“The Santos Festival of Rugby has truly carved out a place with the way it has brought top-tier rugby and the grassroots game to regional centres,” Mr Hanham said.
“We are proud to be delivering this unique event alongside Santos. The commitment to develop the game for rugby fans and families in the bush so they can enjoy it on and off the field is something we both strongly believe in.
“To have Australian rugby’s oldest rivalry between Queensland and NSW underpinning it is something all sports lovers can relate to.
“We are grateful to Santos for their ongoing support of a wonderful event.”
Each festival is estimated to deliver an economic impact to the region of more than $1 million.
Economic modelling from the inaugural festival in Narrabri shows an economic impact of $1 million, including more than $375,000 in indirect spend to the town, another $375,000 spent on local suppliers for field works and festival related products and services, and an additional $200,000 on infrastructure upgrades.
The two previous festivals held in Roma in Queensland’s Maranoa region are estimated to have injected almost $2 million into the local economy, drawing more than 6000 visitors who have made significant contributions spending on food, beverages, accommodation, and fuel.
Players and visitors to the festival will see two-days of matches and events, including the Queensland Reds and NSW Waratahs teams clash in both men’s and women’s matches at Dangar Park, home of the Narrabri Blue Boars.
Beyond the playing fields, the festival includes family entertainment, live performances, junior coaching clinics, school visits, and a celebration of the region.
Narrabri Rugby Club president Daniel Kahl said the festival, similar to the Blue Boars, is about the community.
“It’s about families coming together and enjoying a social occasion. The festival is a great example of that on a bigger scale,” Mr Kahl said.
“It’s a great way to bring everyone together and that’s really important for us in regional communities.”
Councillor Brett Nolan echoed similar sentiments to Mr Kahl and described the festival as a massive economic injection for the town.
“It’s huge. It brings people from out of town here to Narrabri so we can not only showcase the Festival of Rugby but the town itself,” Cr Nolan said.
Cr Nolan also praised the benefits the festival brings to the business community.
Santos regional manager onshore Andrew Snars described the event as a celebration of rugby and community.
“We’re looking forward to seeing Narrabri once again overflowing with people excited to be here,” Mr Snars said.
“Sport is key to our social fabric and overall wellbeing but the benefits of having an event like this here are far more wide-reaching. The Santos Festival of Rugby provides a significant boost to the local economy through visitor spend and that does a lot for the businesses who operate here and the people who live here.
“This is what it’s all about. Getting everyone together, giving something back to the community which Santos has been a part of for more than a decade. As more people become aware of the Narrabri gas project, they’re realising its value for the entire region in terms of energy security, jobs and long-term economic benefits.”
Narrabri is home to Santos’ Narrabri gas project, which the company has said is 100 per cent committed to the domestic gas market and could supply about 50 per cent of New South Wales’ natural gas needs.
In 2024, Santos spent more than $9.3 million on local goods and services across the Narrabri and Gunnedah regions.
Mr Darley said the Santos Festival of Rugby was testament to Santos’ commitment to investing in projects and initiatives that strengthen and empower communities and help create a better world for everyone.
“Gas is good for NSW. It’s good for the future. And it’s good from the ground up. Each year, Santos invests tens of millions of dollars to support local communities because we are passionate about creating a positive legacy where we operate.
“The community here is behind us. They back Narrabri, they back energy for NSW and that’s a sentiment we’re hearing more and more across the state.”
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