InfrastructureLindsay SaundersWed 05 Aug 26
Brisbane’s $287m Showground Overhaul to Begin Next Month
Construction is to begin next month on a $287.5-million overhaul of Brisbane’s RNA Showgrounds, at the conclusion of this year’s Ekka.
The upgrade, to be delivered by the Queensland Government in partnership with the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA), will transform the Bowen Hills precinct ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games while ensuring the annual Ekka remains at its historic home throughout construction.
At the centre of the project is a redevelopment of the 20,000-seat Main Arena, alongside a new Machinery Hill grandstand, a new horse pavilion and accessibility upgrades across the site.
Queensland builder Hutchinson Builders has been appointed to deliver the works, with demolition of the existing Machinery Hill grandstand and enabling infrastructure scheduled to begin after the 2026 Ekka, from August 8 to 16.
The redevelopment follows earlier works completed in 2025, including restoration of the heritage-listed Ernest Baynes and John MacDonald grandstands and planning and design work for the Main Arena upgrade.
The RNA confirmed the Ekka will continue to operate at the Brisbane Showgrounds during construction, except for 2032 when the site will be integrated into the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games precinct.
The showgrounds will host the Brisbane 2032 Athletes Village, which is planned to accommodate thousands of Olympic and Paralympic athletes and officials. Following the Games, the village will be repurposed into a mixed-use residential precinct, adding new housing to the inner-city Bowen Hills urban renewal area.
The athlete village is one of several Olympic infrastructure projects planned for Brisbane's inner north.
Together with nearby transport upgrades, Victoria Park Stadium and urban renewal initiatives around the Cross River Rail precinct, the redevelopment is expected to reshape one of the city's fastest-growing mixed-use precincts.
For the RNA, the investment also expands the commercial role of the 22ha Brisbane Showgrounds, which has evolved into a year-round events, exhibition and entertainment venue alongside its agricultural heritage. The upgraded Main Arena is expected to increase the precinct’s capacity to attract concerts, sporting events and major exhibitions outside the annual Ekka.
The showgrounds project forms part of the Queensland Government’s $3.5-billion athlete villages program for the Brisbane 2032 Games.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the redevelopment would secure the long-term future of the Ekka while expanding the precinct’s role as a major events destination.
“This is about securing the future of an iconic Queensland institution while creating a world-class precinct for events, entertainment and inner-city living,” Bleijie said.
RNA chief executive Brendan Christou said the investment would ensure the Ekka remained at its birthplace while strengthening the precinct's capacity to host major events.
“As Queenslanders celebrate 150 years of Ekka this year, this announcement ensures that our iconic and beloved show remains here, at its birthplace, for another 150 years,” Christou said.
The Brisbane Showgrounds has undergone significant redevelopment over the past two decades, including the creation of the King Street mixed-use precinct, residential towers, commercial offices and retail space.
The Main Arena upgrade represents the next stage in the site’s long-term evolution from an annual showground into one of Brisbane’s key mixed-use event and entertainment destinations, while preserving its role as the home of Queensland’s largest agricultural show.
