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Brisbane’s World Expo ’88 created South Bank and its iconic beach—now leaders are looking at what legacy the Olympics can leave the River City.
Using Games-related infrastructure for housing and increasing regional transport are among measures to be outlined in the latest Elevate 2042 planning documents.
It specifically looks at new precincts and increasing the number of affordable and social houses around Games venues.
This includes 2000 apartments to be built at Northshore Hamilton as well as creating new precincts and repurposing infrastructure after the event.
“Wherever there are Games events, training camps, venues or precincts, there will be opportunities for renewal and placemaking; creating more places and precincts local people love and where they can connect and spend time together,” the paper said.
Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games is expected to fast-track 20 years of housing supply in 10 years.
Newer projects on the cards include the Green Heart parklands in Robina, Gold Coast; Blue Heart waterway and mountain bike trails on the Sunshine Coast; and the Birkdale Community Precinct just south of Brisbane.
Planned for the Games are 37 competition venues—22 in Brisbane, seven on the Gold Coast, five in broader Queensland and two interstate.
Infrastructure projects connecting these sites would also be likely with “elevating regional transport connectivity” understood to be a driver and “considered fundamental to delivering a successful Games”.
Olympic and Paralympic Games minister and Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the event would be more than a few weeks of spectacle.
“Just as South Bank has been the lasting legacy of Expo ’88, this report details what the community wants the 2032 Games to achieve,” the premier said.
“It is about making the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide lasting benefits for our communities.
“We want 2032 to be the starting line—not the finish—for new investment, new industries, new opportunities, and a new golden era for Queensland.”
Council of Mayors SEQ chair and Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner said transforming the region was the driving force behind the city’s ambition to host the Games.
“We’re excited to see a commitment by all Games partners to a collaborative Brisbane 2032 Mobility and Transport Strategy for South-East Queensland that will ensure key improvements to the region’s transport system and operations are prioritised, integrated and delivered in time for the Games,” he said.
“South-east Queensland is growing quickly, so more convenient, faster and accessible travel choices will help to keep our region and its growing communities moving before, during and after the Games.”
More than 14,000 ideas were submitted through the Hopes and Dreams survey, Legacy Forum and Elevate 2042 consultation paper.
Games Delivery Partners undertook their own community engagement to explore priorities.
Those partners included the Queensland government, Australian government, Council of Mayors (SEQ), Brisbane City Council, City of Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast Council, Australian Olympic Committee, Paralympics Australia and the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee.
They will all play a key role in the next step, which is to map out the first Implementation Plan. It will be developed during 2024 in conjunction with each individual region, and will drive delivery of the early legacy activities up to 2029.
