It’s official. The Brisbane 2032 Athletes Village will be at the RNA Showgrounds with a new 20,000-seat stadium; a new National Aquatic Centre will be constructed on the site of the Centenary Pool at Spring Hill (in place of the Brisbane Live Arena), and the Athletics will be hosted at a 63,000-seat multi-purpose stadium at Victoria Park, not the Gabba or the “politically easier” QE2.
These are just some of the several new venues Premier David Crisafulli announced this afternoon, where on stage, Mr Crisafulli took full responsibility for his broken “no new stadium” promise from last year’s state election.
“By being honest and copping that on the chin. I have to own that, and I will, and I am sorry, and it’s my decision, and I accept that decision,” he said. Mr Crisafulli said a slew of major stadium, arena and infrastructure developments were “fully funded” and will tap into public-private development partnerships, including the $300m Athletes Village, which will be developed Lendlease at the showgrounds.
First revealed by Wood Central in May 2023, the Palaszczuk and Miles plans for the Athlete’s Village—a new building at Hamilton Northshore to be built out of mass timber—will move to the site of the Brisbane Ekka with the Queensland Government to save at least $2 billion in sewerage, water, and power.
In a statement provided by the RNA (the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland) and Lendlease last week, both confirmed they had submitted a proposal to the GIICA to develop the ‘village: “As a location, the Brisbane Showgrounds has the potential to deliver an exceptional experience for the world’s greatest athletes, showcase the best of Queensland and deliver a positive legacy for the whole state.”
With the Village now moving from Hamilton Northshore to the Showgrounds (as well as Royal Pines on the Gold Coast and a third site in Maroochydore), a site dotted with a series of commercial and apartment towers—including 25 King Street, for a time, the world’s tallest timber building—the government will onsell parcels spend on other venues, including a new aquatic centre in Spring Hill.
The ‘best aquatic centre in the globe’ to be built in Brisbane!
Cristafulli said the new plans will include a new national aquatic centre with a capacity of 25,000 people at Centenary Pool in Spring Hill—a legacy project expected to see Olympic and Paralympic sports move their headquarters to Brisbane permanently. “I can confirm it will be the best aquatic centre in the globe,” Cristafulli said, adding that the Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson would undergo a “major upgrade,” including a 3,000-seat arena and 12 courts.
Outside Brisbane, Cristafulli said that football, basketball, and possibly cricket would be hosted in Cairns. Townsville and The Whitsundays will co-host sailing, Maryborough will have archery, and Logan, Moreton Bay, and Redlands will receive major indoor sports centres.
“Let me assure you that with this plan, we will be ready, Crisafulli said. “When the eyes of the world turn to Queensland, let them see the great people that call this state home. Let them see that we’re not Paris, we’re not LA. This will be better and it will be the Queensland way.”
In order to build a legacy, Brisbane needs smarter timber design
Earlier this month, Wood Central spoke to Professor Keith Crews – Director at the Australian Research Council’s Research Hub to Advance Timber for Australia’s Future Built Environment – who said that Brisbane had a “once in a generation” opportunity to use smarter timber design to leave a lasting legacy for Queensland post-games – which could see increased timber use in everything from meeting rooms to reusable timber seating.
“There are so many things that we could be looking at that we can use timber with the idea that we’re going to repurpose it, and so when we’re designing it, in the first instance, we’re designing with two uses in mind, we’re taking account of the fact that we’re going to disassemble it and then reassemble it into something new.”
Professor Keith Crews – also the chair of the World Conference on Timber Engineering – on the potential for smarter use of timber design for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
Below is the list of venues announced for the Brisbane Games:
New Brisbane Stadium:
Events to be held: Athletics
The government’s announcement included a new 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park on the north side of the Brisbane CBD. After the Games, it will become a new home for AFL and cricket.
New National Aquatic Centre:
Events to be held: Swimming, artistic swimming, diving, water polo
The existing Centenary Pool at Spring Hill will be redeveloped to become a new national hub for Australia’s four peak aquatic sports. With temporary seating, it will hold more than 25,000 spectators for the Brisbane Games, more than Paris’s La Défense Arena held in 2024.
Queensland Tennis Centre:
Events to be held: Tennis
The existing tennis centre at Tennyson will receive a substantial upgrade, creating a new 3,000-seat show court and 12 new match courts.
RNA Showgrounds:
Events to be held: TBA
The Brisbane Showgrounds will receive an upgrade to allow it to hold 20,000 people, though no events have been confirmed for the venue yet. The Brisbane athletes’ village will also be within the Showgrounds precinct.
Redland Whitewater Centre:
Events to be held: Paddlesports
A new whitewater rafting centre will be constructed in the future Birkdale Community Precinct.
Logan Indoor Sports Centre:
Events to be held: TBA
A new multi-sport venue to be constructed, which could host a number of indoor events.
Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre:
Events to be held: TBA
A new multi-sport venue to be constructed in Petrie, which could host a number of indoor events.
Anna Meares Velodrome and Brisbane BMX Centre:
Events to be held: Track cycling and BMX
Both venues, situated within the Chandler Sports Precinct, are already of international standard and will require only minor works to be ready for the Games.
Sunshine Coast Stadium:
Events to be held: TBA
The existing stadium within the Kawana Sports Precinct will receive an upgrade from 1,046 to 10,680 permanent seats.
Toowoomba Showgrounds:
Events to be held: Equestrian
The showgrounds will receive an upgrade to enable it to host equestrian events during the Games.
Brisbane International Shooting Centre:
Events to be held: Shooting
Already of an international standard, the indoor range will receive a minor upgrade to enable temporary seating for up to 2,000 spectators.
Gold Coast Hockey Centre:
Events to be held: Hockey
The existing centre will receive a significant upgrade to allow it host hockey events during the Games.
New Gold Coast Stadium:
Events to be held: TBA
Para-sport Facility:
Events to be held: Various para-sports
The existing Chandler Sports Precinct will be upgraded to become a hub for para-sports during the Games and a leading training facility beyond 2032.
Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre:
Events to be held: TBA
The existing centre in the Parklands Conservation Park will receive an upgrade.
Barlow Park Stadium:
Events to be held: Football
The existing Barlow Park ground in Cairns will receive a major upgrade with a new 5,000-seater grandstand and will host football during the Games.
North Queensland Stadium:
Events to be held: Football
The existing North Queensland Stadium in Townsville will not require any upgrades to host football during the Games.
Harrup Park:
Events to be held: Cricket (if chosen as an Olympic sport)
Mackay’s Harrup Park will receive an upgrade to allow it to host cricket during the Games, should it be selected as an Olympic sport for 2032 by the IOC.
Other confirmed locations:
Sailing events will be held in Townsville and the Whitsundays, while the rowing and canoe sprint events will be held on Rockhampton’s Fitzroy River. Maryborough will host archery and the triathlon will be held through the Gold Coast.
To read more about the Queensland Government’s plans, click here for the full renders.
