Focus on juniors as Timberjacks carnival returns

FAR North Coast Baseball Association will host its annual Timberjacks carnival as the season builds on strong junior performances at state level.

The Timberjacks event will be held at the Albert Park Baseball Complex in Lismore from July 10–12.

It attracts teams from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with registrations to close on May 30.

The carnival will feature under-12, under-14, under-16 and under-20 age groups.

The focus is on participation and providing another pathway for local juniors to experience a major tournament environment on home soil.

Far North Coast Baseball Association has had multiple teams compete at state level this season, with its junior league finishing fourth at the championships in Sydney.

“This is one of the few facilities in Australia that has four diamonds and it’s an ideal place for tournaments,” a Far North Coast Baseball Association spokesperson said.

“The junior tournaments are a major financial boost, and the association has a great reputation in hosting and sending teams away for competition.”

The tournament was first held in 1980 with just four Lismore teams.

It has grown significantly over the decades, now attracting future representative players from across Queensland and NSW.

The event has previously welcomed visiting international teams from Guam and New Caledonia, with the facility recognised as one of the best in the country.

The Far North Coast association has worked to rebuild and maintain its competition pathways following the floods in 2022.

The Timberjacks carnival returned in 2024 after extensive repairs to the complex, which has since also hosted multiple national junior and senior tournaments.

Far North Coast players will also have the chance to compete in the NSW Country Championships, with under-16, under-18 and women’s matches at Wollongong next month.