Deadly Day Out: Building connections through community and sport
Ruve Kent
Sport4All Inclusion Coach, Rockhampton, QLD
On 29 and 30 September 2026, I attended Deadly Day Out, a free school holiday event hosted by Bidgerdii Community Health Service in Rockhampton. The event brought First Nations children, families, community members and local services together to celebrate healthy lifestyles, wellbeing and community connection.
A community space built for connection
Across the two days, families enjoyed face painting, balloon making, inflatables, a giant slide, spinning cups, a sausage sizzle and a range of community stalls. Sporting activities, including footy throwing and active games, were also a strong part of the event and created an easy, relaxed way for children, families and local services to connect.
Sport as a natural starting point
Being present at the event was extremely valuable in my role as Sport4All’s First Nations Inclusion Coach. Instead of introducing the program through a formal email or presentation, I could meet people face-to-face, have genuine yarns and learn more about what sport looks like within their communities. It gave people the opportunity to ask questions in a familiar environment and allowed relationships to begin naturally, without pressure.
Sport can be a powerful way to bring people together, but meaningful inclusion starts with listening and building trust. Community events like Deadly Day Out allow Sport4All to connect with First Nations families in a place where they already feel comfortable, surrounded by local mob and trusted services.
These conversations also help us understand what people enjoy about sport, what may prevent participation and where clubs and schools may need support to become more welcoming and inclusive.
Opening pathways into Woorabinda
One of the strongest outcomes was the connections made with community members and service providers who have links across local sport, schools and the First Nations community in Woorabinda. Those yarns provided valuable contacts, greater local understanding and a starting point for introducing Sport4All to organisations within the community.
In my work connecting with Woorabinda, taking the time to build relationships before approaching clubs, schools or services is essential. The event created opportunities for warm introductions and future conversations, rather than relying only on cold emails or asking organisations to engage with a program before they know who we are.
What successful engagement looked like
Deadly Day Out reinforced that successful First Nations engagement is not always measured by how many surveys are completed on the day. Sometimes the most meaningful outcome is meeting the right person, having an honest conversation and being welcomed back for another yarn.
By showing up, listening and following through, Sport4All can build stronger community relationships and work alongside First Nations people to support greater inclusion and participation in sport.
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