Dubbo will host six regional or state-level sporting events over the next three months

Over the summer months, Dubbo will host a pair of cricket and athletics carnivals along with the NSW Country Swimming Regional Meet and the NSW Touch Junior State Cup Northern Conference making it a wonderful time for sports lovers around town.

The under 15s NSW Youth Championships southern pool cricket competition will hit Dubbo next week and will act as the first event on the calendar with sides coming from across the state to compete at Lady Cutler and Victoria Park over four days.

Regional Events manager for Dubbo Regional Council Kim Hague believes the influx of sporting competitions will be huge for the city.

"We've got a number of events particularly in December, January and February from different industries which are coming to Dubbo," she said.

"It's massive for the economic value of the town which is really good for Dubbo."

Dubbo is no stranger to hosting junior regional or state-level events with the Cricket NSW State Challenge being held here in the past as has the Under 13s NSW Rugby State Championships over the last two years.

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With families also expected to travel with their children, Hague believes businesses and attractions around Dubbo will benefit greatly during summer.

"The last couple of years have been a bit of a rollercoaster for events in general, just to have some consistency back for events coming to Dubbo and in particular the sporting industry (is great)," she said.

"Some are having state or regional events, just having all of those people coming to Dubbo to spend a few days here is great.

"Those particular events are great for Dubbo because they are family events, they are youth events. It isn't just one person coming to Dubbo for three days, it's that child with their siblings and family.

"They may go and spend some time out at the (Taronga Western Plains) Zoo and they really get to experience Dubbo.

"These events are great for Dubbo, especially at this time, this can be a shorter season from a tourist and accommodation point of view."

Having hosted an NRL match in 2021 and 2022, Hague believes going forward the council will keep looking at bringing underage events to Dubbo.

"As a council, we actively target those events when we know it's a lower period, the NSW Touch Junior Northern Conference State Cup is a perfect example," she said.

"It's at the end of February and we are talking 10,000 people with over $7 million of economic value, that is amazing for Dubbo to have that kind of event.

"December and January is a great time to have people here because it is school holidays and people don't need to rush back."

Hague believes more than 10,000 people will visit Dubbo thanks to the carnivals over the summer and estimates it will bring great economic value.

"It's particularly what we are trying to do and build relationships with these events that we know work very well for Dubbo," she said.

"We work with them not just each year but we are looking for that long-term relationship so they continually come back to us for the next two, three or five years."

"Around six events with 15,000 people could bring in $10 or $11 million in economic value to Dubbo over the next three months," she said.

"There are a lot of different types of sport so it is really diverse, it's not just the one genre of sport so to speak."

Dubbo Sports Council president Neil Webster was delighted the city has the opportunity to host a wide variety of codes, something which will help local families out.

"It's great to get the big carnivals coming to Dubbo for the obvious reasons like the influx of people and the places they stay benefit," he said.

"Not only that, it gives the local sporting clubs and players that opportunity at home which is a bonus as well.

"There is less cost for the local teams, there are a lot of benefits."

Being located near the centre of NSW, Webster believes it is likely Dubbo can continue to host more events going forward due to its location.

"Dubbo is such a central location in the state so there is a big attraction for a Country Championships or regional event," he said.

"It's a good place to stage carnivals because of that, when people come they have to travel here on a Friday for the weekend so there are a few overnight stayers."

Part of the Dubbo Touch Association board, Webster admitted he has seen first-hand just how much work the council do in targetting these events.

"Dubbo Regional Council put in for these carnivals with local clubs and associations whoever the sport may be," he said.

"Council are really proactive in getting these carnivals, there is a lot involved in putting applications and it is also quite competitive."

In January, Dubbo will host the Cricket NSW under 14 State Challenge, Athletics NSW Country Championships and the NSW Country Swimming Regional Meet.

The following month, NSW Touch Junior State Cup Northern Conference will be in town before the Little Athletics NSW State Combined Championships is held at Barden Park in March.

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