The biennial Lismore Workers Masters Games is returning to our city in 2025. The 13th edition will bring three action-packed days of sport, friendship, and community spirit to Lismore from Friday, September 26, to Sunday, September 28.

The iconic event has been on Lismore’s sporting calendar since 1999, and this year it features nine exciting sports: Netball, Softball, Lawn Bowls, Oztag, Football (11-a-side), Cricket, Baseball, Golf and Hockey for those aged 30 and over.

The date coincides with another iconic Lismore sporting event on the social calendar, the 2025 Lismore Cup. Coincidentally, the Lismore Workers Club is also the naming sponsor of the Lismore Cup.

The Lismore Cup race day will occur on the afternoon of Friday, September 26.

"The people doing the organising are not fixturing any events on that Friday afternoon, so all the participants from all around New South Wales and South East Queensland can come down, play a bit of sport, and get out to the Lismore cup as well, if that's their thing," said Mayor Steve Krieg at today's launch.

"This will make it a really big community weekend where we all come together and have a good time, that's just what Lismore needs at the moment."

You don't have to be an elite athlete to participate in the Masters Games; you just need some friends and a willing attitude.

"It's just about getting your groups of mates together and having fun. Registrations only open today, so take four or five weeks, put your teams together, and register early. You'll save a bit of money," Mayor Krieg added.

Not only is the three-day sporting event loads of fun, it also generates a lot of revenue for Lismore at a time when our retail shops, cafe's and restaurants all need customers. The estimate from previous Masters Games is that $400,000 comes into our economy from 1,200 participants, 40% of whom are from outside the region.

Those numbers were from 2023, when Lismore was operating at about 50% capacity as we recovered from the 2022 big flood. 2025 should be a bigger result.

"If you look back to 2023, I think at that time we were speaking about it, there were about half of our accommodation beds available. Since then, the Bounty is up and running to full capacity, and The Gateway has reopened. All of our accommodation facilities are pretty much back up and running.

"One of the things that people did mention in 2023 is, staying in Casino or Ballina or Byron, because that's where the accommodation was. Now we're able to provide those facilities for those visitors, which is really, really good. You just have to walk around the CBD, and we do a CBD audit quite regularly, and see the businesses, both pre-flood and new businesses post-flood, coming into Lismore. It's only going to add more foot traffic for them as well. So it's really exciting."

It is not just local businesses that benefit, but our local sporting clubs too.

Lismore softball legend Dianne McGowen said, "The Masters Games makes a big difference to us. We don't have many tournaments, so when we have this, we run the canteen out at Albert Park, and it generates a hell of a lot of funds for us that we normally wouldn't have, which helps us to buy equipment and pay Council fees, and, to help any rep teams that go away, particularly our juniors. So, yes, financially, we need it..

Gary Rossington, cricket's ambassador for the Masters Games, agreed with Dianne that the extra funds would help out junior cricket. "We can help with development, with skills, and keep the game growing that the community loves playing," Gary said.

The Lismore Workers Club has once again proudly signed on as the major sponsor, with the Club also hosting the event headquarters, including the registration centre and social activities. The club’s long-standing support has been instrumental in shaping the Games into what they are today.

Lismore Workers Club President Ian Harmon said the Club is proud to continue its partnership with the Masters Games.

"We are proud to once again be part of this beloved event. The Lismore Workers Masters Games brings together the best of sport, community and mateship, and we’re honoured to be involved in something that brings so many people to Lismore.”

Early bird registrations are now open and will close on Monday, 14 July. Standard registrations will remain open until late August.

For more information and to register, visit www.lismoremastersgames.com.au.