Trading card game group finds new home in Ballina

A BALLINA group dedicated to the fantasy trading card game Magic: The Gathering has found a new home, with the Virtual Golf Centre now hosting weekly games as membership continues to grow.

Games are held every Thursday night, with organiser Stephen McQueen hoping the club is just the beginning of bigger plans, including a dedicated gaming store in Ballina and school-based clubs across the region.

The group was formed after McQueen recognised there was nowhere in Ballina for Magic: The Gathering players to meet regularly, despite the game’s popularity around the world. He also hopes to form a partnership with Unplugged Games in Lismore, which hosts its own weekly events.

Created in 1993, Magic: The Gathering is the world’s most popular fantasy trading card game. Players build customised decks featuring creatures, spells and magical abilities before competing in strategic matches that reward strategy, planning and problem-solving.

McQueen said the game appealed to people from all walks of life and had become just as much about community as competition.

“When I first started the group, I was hoping six or maybe 10 people would come along,” he said.

“We’ve got people from all different backgrounds, but once you’re sitting around the table playing cards, you’re just having fun together.

“That’s what it’s about, building a community and accepting everybody as they come.”

The move to the Virtual Golf Centre has provided the growing group with a spacious long-term venue, benefiting both players and the business by bringing extra patrons through the doors on Thursday nights.

Players also enjoy collecting the game’s artwork and building customised 100-card decks, often spending months refining strategies before putting them to the test against other players.

“I’d love to see it become big enough one day to support a dedicated gaming store in Ballina where people can buy products, play games and hold tournaments,” he said.

“I don’t know how viable that is yet, but it’s certainly not out of reach.”

McQueen also hopes to introduce the game into local schools, saying it develops maths, reading comprehension and critical thinking skills while encouraging social interaction.

“It’s full of maths, reading and comprehension,” he said.

“You have to calculate resources, understand the cards and think strategically.

“I’d definitely be interested in talking to schools about starting clubs once we’ve established ourselves.”

Anyone interested in learning Magic: The Gathering is encouraged to attend a Thursday night session at the Virtual Golf Centre, with experienced players on hand to teach newcomers the basics.