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Dairy Farmers Stadium

1300SMILES Stadium
1300SMILES Stadium.jpg
14-05-2005-dairy farmers at dusk.JPG
Former names Willows Sports Complex
Stockland Stadium
Malanda Stadium
Dairy Farmers Stadium
Location Golf Links Drive, Kirwan, Queensland
Coordinates 19°18′58″S 146°42′43″E / 19.31611°S 146.71194°E / -19.31611; 146.71194Coordinates: 19°18′58″S 146°42′43″E / 19.31611°S 146.71194°E / -19.31611; 146.71194
Owner Queensland Government
Operator Major Sports Facilities Authority
Capacity 26,500
Record attendance 30,302 – Cowboys vs Brisbane, 1999
Surface Grass
Construction
Broke ground 1994
Opened 1994
Construction cost A$11.03 million (2005–06 redevelopment)
Tenants
North Queensland Cowboys (1995–present)
North Queensland Fury (2009–2011)

The Willows Sports Complex, currently known as 1300SMILES Stadium through sponsorship, is a grass football stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It has been a predominantly rugby league ground as the home ground of the North Queensland Cowboys National Rugby League club. The ground has also been used for rugby union and soccer. From 2009 to 2011, A-League football club North Queensland Fury called it home. Since inception as a rugby league ground, the ground has had sponsored naming rights: Stockland Stadium (1995–97), Malanda Stadium (1998) and Dairy Farmers Stadium (1999–2013).

Prior to 1995, the stadium site was occupied by the Willows Sporting Complex. It hosted trotting paceway nights, and was the main pacing venue for the Townsville District. With the admission of the North Queensland Cowboys to the Australian Rugby League competition in 1995, the Willows site was transformed into a basic rugby league venue with a western grandstand as well as eastern side terraces. The northern and southern ends had sloped grass hills.

The Willows Sports Complex was renamed "Stockland Stadium" in 1995 through sponsorship linked with the North Queensland Cowboys. A contract was signed by the Stockland Trust Group for three years giving them the naming rights of the venue. The Joint Board of the old Willows Sports Complex (Townsville City Council and Thuringowa City Council) sub-leased the facility to the Cowboys Rugby League Football Limited, who manage the venue on a day-to-day basis. The first stage of development was funded by a combination of borrowings by the Joint Board, the Queensland Government Grants and a considerable amount of community and business donations.


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