AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan was on the Gold Coast on Tuesday to kick off celebrations marking Queensland’s 150-year anniversary of Australian football.

Flanked by SUNS captain Gary Ablett and his Lions counterpart Tom Rockliff, McLachlan was excited to be in Southeast Queensland ahead of the 2016 premiership season.

“I’m excited to be launching the season and also it’s good to be here with club and academy representatives, men and women as we celebrate 150 years of football in Queensland,” McLachlan told reporters at Burleigh Heads on Tuesday morning.

“There’s a proud history of football in this state, under Michael Conlan’s last year and Dean’s leadership now we’re 20 per cent participation growth.

“Extraordinary growth in women, 31 per cent growth in women’s football, and I know we’re looking to have a team in the national women’s league in 2017 representing one of the clubs and representing Queensland.”