Regional venues feature in Brisbane 2032 infrastructure plans

Yesterday’s announcement of the Games Delivery Plan for the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics has included plans for events to be held outside south-east Queensland with Rockhampton to host rowing on the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, Townsville and the Whitsundays to co-host sailing while football and basketball will be played in Cairns, with the possibility of cricket if it is included in the Games.

Rowing on the Fitzroy River
The plan for infrastructure to be developed on the Fitzroy River to host rowing and canoe sprints - not a recommendation of the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) - has generated the most attention due to the River being a haven for crocodiles.

However, the biggest obstacle to the plan will be that it will have to be agreed by World Rowing and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Prior to Queensland Premier David Crusafulli announcement on Games infrastructure, the ABC reported Rowing Australia Chief Executive, Sarah Cook, as saying her organisation was concerned the Fitzroy River would not meet World Rowing technical specifications.

The ABC published Cook’s comments that a “key criteria” of a standard international course was that “there should be no stream”, noting “the issue for us at this point is that we know that World Rowing and the IOC have not yet been consulted in relation to that venue.

“So, we simply don’t have the technical assessment to know whether it is a viable option or not.”

The Australian rowing team trained in the Rockhampton waterway before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and plans to do so again before the Los Angeles Games.

Barlow Park
The Delivery Plan says Football and basketball will be played in Cairns - with the possibility of cricket if it is included in the Games - with the city’s Barlow Park stadium to be upgraded with a new grandstand to increase its capacity to 5,000.

Other venues outside of Brisbane
The Gold Coast will be home to an athletes village at Royal Pines while new indoor sport centres will be built at Logan and Moreton Bay, alongside a new whitewater rafting centre in the Redlands.

An equestrian centre of excellence will be built at the Toowoomba showgrounds, while Maryborough will host archery.

On the Sunshine Coast, an athletes village will also be built at Maroochydore, where there will also be a new arena and cultural precinct while the Sunshine Coast Stadium will be upgraded for the football tournament

In addition to venues for the events, the Queensland Government has promised to deliver an improved transport network.

It will include new rail lines and stations, northern and eastern Brisbane bus corridors, upgrades to the Pacific Motorway and faster rail from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

A rail line running from Beerwah to Birtinya, called The Wave, will link with metro services which will run from the Sunshine Coast Airport to Maroochydore.

Community Sport
The Plan is also complemented by a $250 million investment in grassroots sporting clubs across Queensland through the Games On! program and will leverage Queensland’s 20-year tourism plan, to ensure the whole of Queensland benefits from a strong Games legacy.

Premier David Crisafulli said the 2032 Delivery Plan had been set through a clear process, which would now be implemented to deliver a Games Queenslanders would be proud of.

He advised “to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and we’ll make it count for Queensland with a lasting legacy.

“Transport, infrastructure, tourism and grassroots sport will all be part of the lasting legacy for a Games we can all be proud of.

“We now have the gameplan for 2032 and beyond, and it’s time to put it into action.”

Images: The Fitzroy River will be the venue for rowing and canoe sprints (top, credit: Rockhampton Fitzroy Rowing Club), an aerial artist impression of the Redlands Whitewater Centre concept (middle, credit: Queensland Government) and the Sunshine Coast Stadium will be upgraded for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games (below, credit: Sunshine Coast Council).