A crocodile-inhabited river is reportedly set to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games rowing events.
The 2032 Olympics will be held in Brisbane and it is already creating headlines and talking points despite being years away.
When the Queensland government unveils its final infrastructure plan on Tuesday, Rockhampton will likely be named as the host of rowing events, The Courier Mail reported.
Crocodiles are a regular sight at Rockhampton Fitzroy River, which is 630km north of Brisbane, and two years ago a four metre croc was trapped by rangers.
Politicians have argued it would save the state millions of dollars rather than an alternative.
The relocation of the crocodiles will be another dilemma to be discussed.
In January, Nationals Queensland Senator Matt Canavan said: “We believe that moving the rowing and canoeing to an existing facility in the centre of Rockhampton can save probably up to $100 million [Australian dollars].”
Rowing Australia and Rowing Queensland reportedly sent an urgent letter to the state government on Sunday pushing the argument of keeping the rowing event in the state rather than it being moved to an existing facility in Penrith in Sydney’s West.
They also pointed out that any venue the government selects needs to comply with ‘the stringent technical requirements required for fair and exciting racing’.
Previously a 100-day review was set up by premier David Crisafulli in November 2024 about the Games’ infrastructure.
The plan which is still subject to cabinet approval will be presented to the Liberal National Party of Queensland frontbench on Monday.
In July 2021 the International Olympic Committee Members voted to elect Brisbane as the host of the 2032 Games.
It will be the third time Australia has hosted the Summer Olympics. Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.
Hosting an Olympic Games is deemed an honor for most countries but it is also a costly affair.
Crisafulli said the Government is overhauling the multibillion dollar plans after ‘chaos and crisis’.
A rebuild of Gabba – the Brisbane Cricket 42,000 stadium – was proposed in 2022 which would have cost upwards of $3.4 billion (£1.65bn) but the project was later dropped.
Now Queensland are set to announce their third Olympic stadium plan in four years.
A 60,000 seat venue at Victoria Park which will consume a large green space near the inner city.
But a group backed by former premier Campbell Newman, two former lord mayors and Indigenous elders say they will brief barristers to block any proposal to build in the parkland.
