Regional Rivalries: Sport, spectacle and community in regional Australia

Lawn mower racing, rock climbing, dry river-bed boating, mountain biking, disc golf and pickleball are some of the unique and emerging sports played across Australia.

Regional Rivalries celebrates the diversity of Australian sporting culture through unique and unexpected competitions and events. About 28% of Australians, nearly ten million people, live in regional or remote communities. In these areas, sports and competitive events play an important role in bringing the community together.

Many of these events are specific to particular regional locations and are based on long-term traditions. Some are new and just gaining popularity. Others are creative takes on mainstream sports like the Olympic Games, the Henley Royal Regatta in England, and the Melbourne Cup for communities located far away from major cities. These events are also ways to raise funds for local charities.

Between 2024 and 2026 the Library commissioned the Regional Sport and Competitive Events Photography Project. The project aimed to document disappearing, emerging and often unusual sports and competitive events in regional and rural areas that were not already represented in the Library’s collection. This exhibition showcases highlights from this collection.

Scroll down to see a selection of the images from the exhibit coming soon to the Treasures Gallery, learn more about the collecting project, and dive into the full collection online on Trove.

This exhibition is curated by Dr Karen Schamberger.

Exhibition highlights

Four individuals race ride-on lawn mowers on a grassy field. A fire truck is visible in the background.

Mark Jesser, Ben Reusch and Matthew McWhinney fighting for the lead during the Australian Ride on Lawn Mower Racing Association's race, Cobram, Victoria, 9 March 2025, nla.obj-3640189333

A rock climber is scaling a large, textured rock face outdoors. Cliffs featuring green foliage are visible in the background.

Simon Carter, Sammy Zammit leading Hypothermia on Lunch Ledge, near Walls Lookdown near Walls Lookdown, Grose Valley, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, 21 January 2025, nla.obj-3610374961

A group of young people laugh as they participate in an outdoor race on a dusty riverbed.

Sara Maiorino, A team of four competitors racing up the Todd Riverbed with their feet strapped to ski blades during the 2025 Henley on Todd Regatta, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, 16 August 2025, nla.obj-3909732276

A mountain biker wearing full protective gear rides a bike down a rugged, grassy trail under an overcast sky. The landscape features rolling hills and rocky outcrops.

Mandy Lamont, Remy Blair riding in the All-Mountain Enduro race during the Cannonball Mountain Bike Festival, high alpine Panorama trail, Thredbo, New South Wales, 11 February 2025, nla.obj-3613430477

A woman is playing pickleball on an outdoor court. She is mid-swing, focused on hitting the ball, while other players stand nearby. The court is surrounded by a fence with trees in the background.

Matthew Edwards, Naomi Pou, Stephanie Jones, Susan Kenny and Sally Baker-Jones playing pickleball at Get Stump'd, Toowoomba, Queensland, 25 February 2025, nla.obj-3640689874

A young person sits on a ride on lawn mower while repairs are conducted on it. A group of other people look on.

Mark Jesser, Troy Osgood, with his daughters, Sky and Kiana, fixing their ride on lawn mower before heading back to the track during the Australian Ride on Lawn Mower Racing Association's race, Cobram, Victoria, 9 March 2025, nla.obj-3640182359

A dynamic scene featuring two large boats engaged in water displays on a dry riverbed.

Sara Maiorino, The Pirates and the Navy boats drenching each other in water in the Battle Boat Spectacular on the dry riverbed during the 2025 Henley on Todd Regatta, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, 16 August 2025, nla.obj-3909732931

A woman in a yellow shirt and denim shorts is climbing an indoor bouldering wall.

Michael Blowers, Lilly Spotswood testing a new climb to provide a different perspective at Beta Park, Launceston, Tasmania, 10 January 2025, nla.obj-3628384555

A disc golfer stands on one leg, their disc mid-flight towards the basket. A second golfer standing next to a tree behind them watches on.

Matilda Jones, Anita Weber completes her putt during the 2025 Crater Lakes Classic Disc Golf Tournament, Crater Lakes Disc Golf Park, Mount Gambier, South Australia, April 2025, nla.obj-3690253455

A man is using a chainsaw to cut through a piece of wood, generating a cloud of sawdust. Several other people are also using saws. A crowd watches in the background.

Grant Wells, Henry Maine competing in a chainsaw race during the Waratah Woodchopping Carnival, Waratah, Tasmania, 8 February 2025, nla.obj-3610517044