Work has officially kicked off on the $130 million redevelopment of Launceston’s 23,000-seat York Park (now known as UTas Stadium), which will see the Centre West Stand and other grandstands demolished and rebuilt using a striking timber-concrete hybrid system.
Starting today, local builder Fairbrother—also responsible for Tasmania’s tallest mass timber building, St Luke’s in downtown Launceston—will race the clock to complete the works ahead of the Tasmanian Devils’ first AFL season in 2028:
“This is more than just bricks and mortar,” said Nick Duigan, Tasmania’s Minister for Sport. “It’s about building a future for Tasmanian sport, including the entry of the Tasmania Football Club into the AFL and AFLW competitions.”
Designed by Populus and Philip Lighton Architects, the new roof and seating structure will combine mass timber panels made from Australian-grown radiata pine with precast concrete slabs – with Wood Central, in April, revealing that the decision to use timber and not steel will reduce on-site construction time through off-site fabrication, while also lowering the project’s carbon footprint.
If all goes to plan, the new stadium will reopen for the 2027 AFL season—12 months before the Tassie Devils enter the competition, with Jeremy Rockliff, Tasmania’s premier, last month confirming that the club will play its full roster of home games at the redeveloped venue before splitting fixtures with Hobart’s fast-tracked Macquarie Point Stadium, the world’s largest timber-roofed stadium.
“I can’t wait to see my beloved Richmond Tigers play the Tassie Devils at the upgraded venue,” said Catherine King, Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. “I’m looking forward to cheering on the Devils at the upgraded world-class stadium with a significantly increased crowd capacity,” added Jess Teesdale, the Federal Member for Bass. “Launceston already has a great sporting legacy, and this project will ensure that continues for generations to come.”
- To learn more about the two Tasmanian stadiums that will host Tassie Devils AFL games and (potentially) cricket, NRL and rugby union, click here for Wood Central’s special feature.
