Gabba Precinct Works Begin as Victoria Park Stadium Site Locked In

Early works have begun on Brisbane’s Gabba Entertainment and Housing Precinct as the location and design direction of a major stadium at Victoria Park is revealed. 

It is a significant step forward in the city’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games preparations.

Geotechnical drilling is now under way at Woolloongabba, signalling the transition of the former Cross River Rail worksite into a new mixed-use precinct anchored by a 17,000-seat indoor arena. 

Two consortia have been shortlisted for the Brisbane Arena project, which will be developed as a public-private partnership.

The Brisbane Entertainment Alliance Consortium—comprising Capella Capital, Lendlease, AEG and Legends Global—and the Gather Brisbane Consortium, which includes Plenary Group, Live Nation and Oak View Group, will now move to the next stage, submitting detailed design proposals ahead of a preferred proponent being named later this year. 

Construction on the arena is expected to begin in the first half of 2027.

The broader precinct has been earmarked for thousands of new homes alongside retail, commercial and entertainment uses, positioning the area as one of Brisbane’s most significant urban renewal opportunities.

The drilling program will test ground conditions to inform foundation design for the arena, with enabling works expected to begin in the middle of the year. 

The precinct is planned as a transit-oriented hub, leveraging its connectivity to the Cross River Rail station and surrounding transport infrastructure.

The state has also unveiled the proposed location of a new Brisbane stadium within Victoria Park, providing further clarity on the city’s long-term venue strategy.

New imagery shows the stadium positioned centrally within the park, with one edge running along Gilchrist Avenue, preserving large areas of open space, and creating pedestrian connections to the Herston medical precinct and RNA Showgrounds. 

The stadium will be embedded into the site’s natural topography and feature a playing field comparable in size to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, reflecting its intended role as a premier venue for both cricket and AFL. 

Preparatory works at Victoria Park are expected to begin once land tenure is transferred to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority in June.

▲ The stadium would provide pedestrian connections to the medical precinct at Herston, the RNA Showgrounds, and Fortitude Valley.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the projects were a co-ordinated push to deliver legacy infrastructure for the state.

“The Gabba Entertainment and Housing Precinct is a once-in-a-generation development that will transform Brisbane and leave an economic, cultural and social legacy well beyond the 2032 Games,” he said.

Industry has also backed the dual announcements, with Urban Development Institute of Australia Queensland chief executive Kirsty Chessher-Brown noting the Gabba precinct’s potential to unlock new housing supply and investment.

“As with all major projects, speed and certainty are critically important to delivering the confidence the industry needs to support renewal,” she said.

The Gabba redevelopment and the new Victoria Park stadium will link major event infrastructure with housing delivery and transport-led urban renewal in the lead-up to 2032.