Regional Rivalries: Sport, spectacle and community in regional Australia Exhibition

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. With more than 10 million people living in regional and remote areas, sport 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 and events.

Between 2024 and 2026, the National Library of Australia commissioned the Regional Sport and Competitive Events Photography Project, aiming to document sports and competitive events not already represented in the Library's collections. This exhibition showcases highlights from this collection.

See a selection of the images from the exhibit coming soon to the Library's Treasures Gallery, learn more about the collecting project, and dive into the full collection online on Trove.

'Regional Rivalries' runs from 22 September 2026 to 19 September 2027 and is exclusive to Canberra. This free exhibition is curated by the Library's Karen Schamberger.