The Quidditch Post has exclusively learned that the sixth annual QUAFL will be hosted on 3-4 Dec. at Kelburn Park in Wellington, New Zealand.
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| Kelburn Park | Image via: Wikimedia |
Bidding for the tournament recently closed, but in a shock twist, Quidditch Australia announced a re-opening of the bids due to a desire to see a “bigger and better QUAFL than previous years”. Teams and state bodies were urged to consider submitting a bid that would see a rise in the quality of the tournament, and a surprising winner emerged.
Despite the name Quidditch Australia, it appears the organisation is branching out and including all its Oceania counterparts, as the sixth Australian nationals makes it way out of Sydney for only the second time - and into Wellington, New Zealand.
“We are very excited to see the championship leave its comfortable state and present more of a challenge as teams continue to improve. New Zealand is just getting on its feet and we can't wait to see where they go and how this will help them” said Nicholas Hirst, Quidditch Australia Media and Marketing Director .
“The Victoria University of Wellington Quidditch Club is delighted to have the opportunity to host this prestigious event, and excited about the future it presents for Wellington quidditch,” said Emma Humphrey, President of the Quidditch Association of New Zealand.
“It is not just New Zealand that stands to benefit - players can gain a lot from this interstate experience,” said Hirst. “It is time for quidditch in Australia to go back to its roots - back to the original spirit of quidditch. Travelling to a developing quidditch nation will only help in this regard, and players can be reminded of what is really important - having fun. Wellington also provides a picture perfect backdrop for Australia’s leading tournament, as well as some class A travelling opportunities including film locations for the Lord of the Rings movies.”
"The board's main concern was the same as last year's - travel costs. But after seeing the number of people that are willing to travel interstate for State of Origin, and more recently the number of people flying to Frankfurt to support the Dropbears for the July World Cup, we have realised that maybe we were too conservative with our estimates” said Matt Ingram, Quidditch Australia Membership Director.
The Wellington bid won out against three other bids, including a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Other bids included the idyllic Rottnest Island in Western Australia, and the Ayres Rock Resort Recreation Centre in Northern Territory. New South Wales also exceeded expectations with a bid for “somewhere.”
Editor's note: The dates have been corrected from 2-3 Dec. to 4-5 and Matt Ingram's title has been corrected. The Quidditch Post regrets the error
Despite the name Quidditch Australia, it appears the organisation is branching out and including all its Oceania counterparts, as the sixth Australian nationals makes it way out of Sydney for only the second time - and into Wellington, New Zealand.
“We are very excited to see the championship leave its comfortable state and present more of a challenge as teams continue to improve. New Zealand is just getting on its feet and we can't wait to see where they go and how this will help them” said Nicholas Hirst, Quidditch Australia Media and Marketing Director .
“The Victoria University of Wellington Quidditch Club is delighted to have the opportunity to host this prestigious event, and excited about the future it presents for Wellington quidditch,” said Emma Humphrey, President of the Quidditch Association of New Zealand.
“It is not just New Zealand that stands to benefit - players can gain a lot from this interstate experience,” said Hirst. “It is time for quidditch in Australia to go back to its roots - back to the original spirit of quidditch. Travelling to a developing quidditch nation will only help in this regard, and players can be reminded of what is really important - having fun. Wellington also provides a picture perfect backdrop for Australia’s leading tournament, as well as some class A travelling opportunities including film locations for the Lord of the Rings movies.”
"The board's main concern was the same as last year's - travel costs. But after seeing the number of people that are willing to travel interstate for State of Origin, and more recently the number of people flying to Frankfurt to support the Dropbears for the July World Cup, we have realised that maybe we were too conservative with our estimates” said Matt Ingram, Quidditch Australia Membership Director.
The Wellington bid won out against three other bids, including a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Other bids included the idyllic Rottnest Island in Western Australia, and the Ayres Rock Resort Recreation Centre in Northern Territory. New South Wales also exceeded expectations with a bid for “somewhere.”
Editor's note: The dates have been corrected from 2-3 Dec. to 4-5 and Matt Ingram's title has been corrected. The Quidditch Post regrets the error
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