Meet the contenders vying to pinch 2032 Olympic rowing from Rockhampton’s Fitzroy River

Rowing and paddle sport insiders insist the Fitzroy’s logistical challenges – which include tidal flows, strong currents, man-eating reptiles and flooding fears, could see the controversial choice scuttled, leaving officials to decide between a host of alternatives for a replacement venue.

Technical studies and costings of the Fitzroy River site are currently being undertaken by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority ahead of a formal assessment by World Rowing in the coming weeks.

After Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate last week personally met with officials from Seqwater to lobby the case of the city’s Hinze Dam, The Sunday Mail can reveal several other groups have also met Seqwater to stake their claims.

As custodians of southeast Queensland’s water supply, Seqwater needs to sign off on major activity on the region’s dams.

The mayors of Scenic Rim Regional Council – home to the original Olympic choice Wyaralong Dam, and Somerset Regional Council – home to the massive Lake Wivenhoe, are pushing for their assets to enter calculations, while there has also been a case made for Lake Kurwongbah north of Brisbane.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie and Rockhampton Mayor Tony Williams remain adamant the rowing will stay where it is, but Scenic Rim Mayor Tom Sharp said Wyaralong was “the best outcome for the rowing fraternity in Queensland”.

“It’s in the heart of southeast Queensland, it’s surrounded by four million people and it’s within 90 minutes of the proposed athletes’ village,” he said.

“There is not a more central access point and it is already the home of Queensland rowing.

“Without taking anything away from Rockhampton, how much money will need to be invested in a place which stands to deliver virtually zero legacy?

“The rowers (elite competitors) aren’t there, they don’t want to go there and it’s looking increasingly likely that they won’t go there.”

Wyaralong has been hit with a hurdle of its own with a recent schools regatta cancelled due to hazards associated with water flowing over the spillway, but Mr Sharp said he was confident those concerns could be easily addressed in the future.

Somerset Regional Council Mayor Jason Wendt said he would “love to see” Lake Wivenhoe emerge as an Olympic rowing site, reigniting the venue’s association with elite water sports stretching back to days as a training hub ahead of the Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney Olympics’.

“This aligns with the guiding principle of the Olympics – maximising the use of existing infrastructure while delivering legacy benefits,” he said.

“Wivenhoe’s inclusion would create lasting economic, social and environmental benefits for Somerset and the wider South East Queensland community.

“We want to see this incredible asset being used to its fullest potential, building on its legacy and connection to the Olympics by putting it on the world’s stage.”

Lake Kurwongbah has also been flagged as a potential venue for elite rowing to Seqwater, though a spokesperson for Moreton Bay City Council said they were not aware of any specific push for the venue.

Rowing Queensland CEO Anthea O’Loughlin said she “acknowledged” the choice of Rockhampton and “eagerly awaited” the outcome of testing processes currently underway.

“Rowing Queensland is committed to securing a lasting legacy for our 5500-strong rowing community across Queensland, of which 80 per cent reside and participate in South East Queensland,” she said.

“We welcome the opportunity to work with the Queensland Government to ensure the once-in-a-generation opportunity presented by the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games delivers meaningful outcomes for the future of rowing in Queensland.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Mr Bleijie said “rowing will be in Rockhampton, because we back regional Queensland to host key Games events”, while Mr Williams was similarly optimistic.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our region and we’re grabbing it with both hands,” he said.

During submissions to the state government’s 100-day review of Olympic venues, representatives for Rowing Australia and Paddle Australia urged organisers to deliver generational legacy infrastructure which could serve as “an event revenue generator before, during and after Brisbane 2032”.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Rowing Australia declined to elaborate on the submissions or commentary already in the public domain.

“Rowing Australia won’t be engaging publicly on this until there is further clarity on the technical assessment of the Fitzroy River from the various stakeholders and organisations,” the statement said.

Originally published as Meet the contenders vying to pinch 2032 Olympic rowing from Rockhampton’s Fitzroy River