Days after plans for Hobart’s Macquarie Point stadium — slated to be the world’s largest timber‑roofed oval stadium — passed the lower house of Tasmania’s Parliament, the minister tasked with steering the project through both houses, Eric Abetz, has thrown his full support behind the $1.13 billion, 23,000‑seat venue.
“Can I put a dollar figure on it and say that’s going to be worth $1 or $10?” Abetz, who also serves as Treasurer, told a parliamentary committee, “No, I can’t. But when you look at the total picture and see the potential benefits, even if some of them don’t come off, but some of them do, Tasmania will be better off.”
Last week, the Liberal government, Labor opposition and two crossbenchers backed an “order” for the stadium. Funding commitments include $375 million from the Tasmanian government, $240 million from the Commonwealth, $15 million from the AFL, with the remainder to be financed through borrowings.
However, the “order” must now pass the upper house in a “make or break” vote on December 3rd, with the AFL meeting with influential crossbenchers in the weeks leading up to the vote.
Ahead of that meeting, Premier Jeremy Rockliff reiterated his view that the stadium will benefit the state. “It brings an AFL team, the Tassie Devils,” he said. “But also, it brings all the private investment needed surrounding the enabling infrastructure of a stadium to ensure the economy can grow.”
It comes after the Tasmanian Government last month revealed updated renders of the Macquarie Point stadium, the world’s largest timber‑roofed venue in planning, with Premier Jeremy Rockliff revealing plans for a hybrid timber roof that (supposedly) utilises Tasmanian-sourced glulam to line the underside, paired with metal deck cladding, steel rod bracing, and translucent ETFE pillows on the exterior.
The clearspan structure has an internal clearance of approximately 49 metres, as determined from ball-tracking data, making it extremely unlikely that cricket balls will strike the roof. This allows the venue to stage Test-level cricket, as well as AFL, soccer, and rugby, with the government saying the stadium will provide an “awe‑inspiring experience”, while the timber form reduces perceived bulk from street level and preserves key harbour sightlines.
- To learn more about the Macquarie Point Stadium, click here for Wood Central’s special feature.
