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Chris Johnson Cup 2022

After two long years with no Chris Johnson cup, it was good to get behind the wheel again and travel through Cape York. We begin our journey in Cairns by congregating at AFL Cape York House for Girls then head to the boy’s house to start loading the vehicles. Once we were loaded up and ready to hit the road, our first stop is Lakeland it’s 251km away and over a 3-hour drive from Cairns, with lots of ground to cover we line the convoy up and fuelled up. Our next stop is lunch at Musgrave roadhouse where again gives us the chance to fuel our bodies and vehicles and get back on the road. This next part of the trip is the toughest roads in the Cape that see us travel through towns like Cone, Archer River and past Lockhart River.

After covering 335km on non-sealed roads we arrive in the darkness at Bramwell Tourist Park where we will camp for the night under the stars. Tuesday morning, we are up at the crack of dawn to pack up camp then to tackle more non-sealed roads on our way to Bamaga which is over 200km away. Over this last part of the journey, we will need to get a cross the Jardine River that is occupied by some of the biggest crocodiles to be kwon in Cape York, to cross Jardine River we need to put our vehicles onto a ferry. With only an hour to travel to our camp site and after covering over 1000km on sealed and non-sealed roads we are at the most northern part of Australia, once camp is set up, we head to the Tip of Australia to have lunch. 

Through several family leaders within the schools in Bamaga the convoy of 40 students and 10 staff members spread themselves across, Peninsula State College – Bamaga Campus, Northern Peninsula State College – Injinoo Campus, Northern Peninsula State College – Secondary, New Mapoon Day Care Centre to deliver football clinics as part of the no school no play program.

CJ cup best player We would then invite all the students to come down to the oval after school where the Chris Johnson cup will be played the next day to participate in a coloured fun run with a community BBQ with lots of give aways. It would see us engage with over 300 youth it the coloured fun run it was a great outcome for all involved. The day has arrived for the Chris Johnson cup the temperature was sitting at 34 degrees which makes for great conditions for footy to be played with representation from Tagai college from Thursday Island, Northern Peninsul state school, AFL Cape York house for Girls & Boys. We saw some good football played over the day then it was time to pack up to make the last ferry over Jardine River to then head to Fruit Bat falls for a well disserved swim. Once everyone had cooled off, we then head straight back to Bramwell Tourist Park for our last night before heading back into Cairns. Over the journey we covered over 2000km engaged with 6 schools, 1 day care centre and over 300 youth. Giving the kids the opportunity to participate in some activities and showing then a new sport in AFL gives them the chance to come a enjoy themselves in a structured environment.

afl cape york house

AFL Cape York House “Chris Johnson Cup”

2018 Chris Johnson & Angie Nadredre Cup Video – produced by Aaron & Jake from the Herald Sun.

Chris and Uncle Mick

Managing director Chris Johnson joined Uncle Mick and Eric Edwards at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix with the Long Walk to open the Grand with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony.

About Chris Johnson Cup

2018 Chris Johnson & Angie Nadredre Cup Video – produced by Aaron & Jake from the Herald Sun. The video follows the 2000km convoy from Cairns to Bamaga (return), setting up Camp at Bramwell Station & Loyalty Beach, both the No School No Play Program as well as the CJ & AN Cups themselves as well as speaking with Chris Johnson himself and AFL Cape York General Manager, Rick Hanlon about the program and it’s purpose.