Coates helps Tamworth Regional Council deliver largest Koori Knockout ever

Turnkey event solutions support the successful delivery of this iconic rugby league for the first time in Tamworth 

The project

Often described as a modern-day corroboree, the Koori Knockout is one of Australia’s biggest annual gatherings of Indigenous peoples – a four-day celebration of culture, community, kinship and sport. It brings together over 170 rugby league teams, across men’s, women’s and junior divisions, and more than 30,000 attendees.

Now in its 53rd year, the 2025 event was held over the October long weekend (October 3–6) at the Riverside Sporting Complex in Tamworth, Gamilaroi Country, NSW. Tamworth Regional Council engaged Coates to provide a turnkey solution for its dry hire requirements.

“We have multiple relationships in different departments of the council, but events have been a challenge to break into,” said Joe Roper, Account Manager at Coates. “With Tamworth hosting the Koori Knockout for the first time, it was an excellent opportunity to showcase Coates’ experience and capabilities in supporting major events.”

Tamworth Regional Council hosted the event for the first time at the Riverside Sporting Complex

The challenge

Delivering the largest Koori Knockout ever required scale, speed and flexibility to coordinate changing equipment requirements, manage logistics and work seamlessly alongside other contractors and stakeholders during setup. After the event, the staged removal of all equipment had to be completed in one week.

As with any major event, requirements were dynamic and evolving, with last-minute changes to programming and requests for additional equipment – often in high-demand categories. To meet these challenges, the Tamworth branch team tapped into Coates’ extensive fleet and national branch network to source additional gear, ensuring every need was met quickly and efficiently.

“Our Tamworth branch team combined local knowledge of the area, logistics and other event partners with the strength of Coates’ regional branch network. This allowed us to respond quickly to evolving requirements and source everything the customer needed,” said Joe.

The solution

Coates delivered a full turnkey solution, including scoping and planning, equipment hire, project management, delivery, installation and removal of equipment. This included:

• General hire: 4t telehandler, 2t forklift and 12m all-terrain scissor lift

• Power & HVAC: Generators (9kVA to 100kVA), distribution boards, extension leads and on-site electrical support

• Traffic Solutions: Armorzone barriers, temporary fencing and VMS boards

• Portable Solutions: 16-pan event toilets, freshwater flush toilets, accessible toilets and ticket office

 

“In the early stages, the Coates team provided power solutions based on a mud map of tents,” said Anton Logan, Operations Manager – Sport and Recreation at Tamworth Regional Council. “Coates’ on-site electrician checked equipment daily and was invaluable in reacting to the ever-changing requirements as each day panned out.”

“The install of over 1.8 kilometres of temporary fencing only took two days, with little to no impact on other simultaneous event preparation actions happening around the precinct,” he added.

Coates also partnered with BackTrack Works for labour during installation and YgD Group, a 100% Indigenous-owned and operated business initiative of the Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council, for demobilisation labour. Both organisations employ staff from local Indigenous communities.

“As a proud part of the Tamworth community, we value working alongside local First Nations businesses,” said Joe. “Through our Innovate 2.0 RAP, we’re focused on building stronger relationships with communities and partnering with Indigenous businesses to foster economic growth. As an Australian-owned business with more than 145 branches across the country, Coates is particularly keen to ensure these opportunities extend to regional and remote communities.”

Multiple generators, ranging from 9kVA to 100kVA, provided reliable temporary power for the largest Koori Knockout in history

The impact

Coates’ end-to-end support reduced Tamworth Regional Council’s operational risk and the resources required to stage the event, allowing the council to focus on delivering a culturally significant event for the community.

Throughout the event, Coates demonstrated its extensive experience in large-scale event delivery, said Anton.

“Tamworth Regional Council could not have been happier with the service delivery we received. Having Joe as our single point of contact through all stages of the event – preparation, site establishment, event operations, site de-establishment and invoicing – streamlined communication and organisation processes.

“Joe and his team were a critical solution-focused partner in the overall success of the event. We look forward to further opportunities to collaborate on and deliver large-scale events for the Tamworth region,” said Anton.

 

Discover how Coates can support your next event – contact us today