Myth: Victoria Park is the Only Site Which ‘Makes Sense’
The claim that Victoria Park is the “only” suitable location suggests a lack of rigorous and creative analysis of alternatives. Brisbane and its surrounds have several underutilised industrial or brownfield sites, which, with the right investment, could serve as better locations without destroying invaluable green space. There are 6 main reasons why a stadium at Victoria Park / Barrambin actually makes zero sense -
1. Topography
Victoria Park’s steep terrain and flood-prone areas make it financially and logistically impractical for large-scale infrastructure like a stadium. The costs of leveling land, creating flood mitigation systems, would significantly disrupt the natural environment and escalate project costs.
2. Hospital Impact
A major stadium next door to Queensland’s largest hospital, the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) which employs over 9,000 people and provides over 1 million health episodes of care each year is absolutely untenable and jeopardises patient care and outcomes.
3. Traffic Chaos
The park is surrounded by multiple schools (Brisbane Grammar, Brisbane Girls Grammar, Gregory Terrace, Kelvin Grove primary and high school, UQ Medical School, QUT campus) and the largest public hospital in Australia (just shy of 1,000 beds; 9,000 staff; over a million patient episodes treated each year) plus the RNA show grounds - which all generate their own traffic demands on the road infrastructure. Herston Road and Bowen Bridge Road slow to a snails pace during peak hour.
4. Loss of Inner City Green Space
Among Australia’s capital cities, Brisbane has the least inner-city green space per capita. A 2017 Domain article highlights that Brisbane's inner-city green space is significantly less than that of other major Australian cities and Brisbane’s population has already grown since this article was published. This shortage raises concerns about Brisbane's liveability, as green spaces are essential for recreation, urban cooling, and residents' well-being. This lack of greenery is felt acutely in the inner city, where residents rely on parks for recreation, cooling, and respite from the built environment.
World-leading cities understand that green spaces are not optional, they are essential for creating environments where people can thrive. As Brisbane aspires to host global events like the Olympics, protecting and enhancing inner-city green spaces like Victoria Park is critical to maintaining its competitiveness and liveability on the world stage.
5. Lack of Nearby Dining / Entertainment Precincts
The surrounding area of Victoria Park / Barrambin is primarily an educational and medical precinct. It includes 7 schools, 2 universities, 1 ballet academy, 5 childcare centres, Queensland’s largest research and teaching hospital, and a significant medical hub. Unlike other parts of Brisbane, this area offers minimal dining and entertainment options to cater to stadium visitors.
To provide a comparison with Brisbane’s existing stadiums both Suncorp Stadium and The Gabba are well-integrated into areas with established hospitality infrastructure. Suncorp Stadium in Milton is surrounded by the restaurants, bars, and pubs of Caxton Street, Latrobe Terrace, and The Barracks, making it a natural hub for pre- and post-event crowds. Similarly, The Gabba benefits from its close proximity to dining and entertainment options in Woolloongabba and surrounding areas.
Victoria Park lacks this level of hospitality infrastructure, meaning a stadium in this location would face significant challenges in providing visitors with the same level of experience while simultaneously disrupting vital educational and medical services in the precinct.
6. No Allowance for Counter Terrorism Measures
Many of the Victoria Park stadium designs propose a stadium platform to be built over the Inner City Bypass, which raises significant concerns regarding counterterrorism measures and public safety. Modern stadiums require comprehensive security protocols, including secure perimeters, crowd control zones, and vehicle exclusion areas to mitigate potential threats such as vehicular attacks or other incidents. However, constructing a platform directly above a major traffic artery like the ICB compromises these measures by allowing uncontrolled access beneath the structure. This design flaw creates vulnerabilities that are difficult to address, as traffic flow cannot be easily halted or rerouted, and it limits the ability to establish secure zones critical for counterterrorism strategies. Consequently, such proposals prioritise engineering ambition over essential safety considerations, posing unacceptable risks to public security.