1300SMILES Stadium, formerly known as Stockland Stadium, Malanda Stadium and Dairy Farmers Stadium, was opened in 1994. Located in the Townsville suburb of Kirwan, it has been home to the North Queensland Cowboys since their inception in 1995.
The 26,500-capacity stadium consists of Western and Eastern grandstands and two hills on the northern and southern ends. In 1999, a record crowd of 30,302 would pack in to see the Cowboys play rivals the Brisbane Broncos, a record crowd that still stands to this day. Although the ground capacity has been reduced since 1999, the Townsville crowd is just as vocal in urging their team over the line.
In a ground that is now over 20 years old, a redevelopment is on the cards. Increasing the capacity and bettering the facilities would entice more people to the ground, creating an even more hostile environment in the league’s second furthest road trip for Sydney teams. A redevelopment would also entice a move to play an origin game in the state’s north.
Despite majority of the fans who attend 1300SMILES stadium travelling a significant distance to attend Cowboys games, the ground still boasts one of the higher average attendances in the NRL, demonstrating the importance of not only the club but the ground for the North Queensland community. Many believe that the imposing home record of the Cows owes a lot to the knowledge of how far some of their mob have travelled to see them play. With such a devoted fanbase, turning up at home each week has become a necessity for the Cowboys players, who wouldn’t dream of willingly disappointing their loyal supporters.
