The North Queensland Sports Foundation (NQSF) is proud to announce a new partnership with Olympic Gold Medallist, and 5-time Olympian Nat Cook OAM OLY and the Aussie Athlete Fund (AAF), unlocking new opportunities in funding and education to support emerging athletes across the region.
This collaboration will help connect athletes from across the Foundation’s 23-member councils to funding pathways and financial education, ensuring that promising talent can continue to compete and thrive on the national and international stage. The annual NQ Sportstar Awards, now in their 35th year, will play a key role in identifying the region’s next generation of champions.
The AAF, founded by Nat Cook, provides education to athletes and families to teach them how to fundraise and create financial sustainability. Additionally, through a number of campaigns (including the $1Million Challenge) they provide opportunities for businesses and individuals to support specific Aussie athletes either via one-off or long-term financial support.
The 5-time Olympian is no stranger to the NQSF, having participated in the 2000 North Queensland Games just months before winning Gold in Sydney.
Quotes attributable to Alexander J. Fisher, CEO of the NQSF:
“The North Queensland Sports Foundation was founded to promote sport and pathways in the region. I’m buoyed by the outstanding drive and support that Natalie Cook, and by extension the Aussie Athlete Fund team, has had for these pathways and young athletes in Regional Queensland. This partnership is a game-changer both for The Foundation, and for multiple young athletes that would otherwise struggle to meet the financial constrains imposed on them simply from existing in and competing out of North Queensland.”
There’s simply nobody better than Nat – a five-time Olympian from Townsville who earned Gold at Sydney 2000 – to walk with us on this journey.”
Quote attributable to 5-time Olympian and Founder of the Aussie Athlete Fund Natalie Cook
“As a proud girl from Townsville, I’m excited to support the next generation in the green and gold and work with the North Queensland Sports Foundation to ensure their financial wellbeing as they pursue their sporting dreams”.
While further details of the partnership will be revealed in the lead-up to the NQ Sportstar Awards on at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre on October 25th 2025, the announcement marks a significant step forward in strengthening pathways for junior athletes in North Queensland.
For more information about the North Queensland Sports Foundation, the Aussie Athlete Fund, and the 2025 NQ Sportstar Awards, visit nqsports.com.au.
You can donate to the Aussie Athlete Fund via their ASF Page.
