Patterns of Queensland’s sport and recreation heritage: enhancing community access to sport history knowledge via the Queensland Heritage Register

This research presentation discusses the representation of sport and recreation heritage within the Queensland Heritage Register, exploring how sporting pasts are recognised, interpreted, and, at times, overlooked in official heritage frameworks. Methodologically, the project combines analysis of entries in the Queensland Heritage Register with archival research at the State Library of Queensland and fieldwork conducted across regional, rural, and metropolitan locations. The findings are organised into five evaluative scenarios, ranging from exemplary heritage listings that effectively articulate sporting significance, to cases where sport is underrepresented or absent in significance statements and historical narratives.