Not even the threat of crocodiles nor the historic hydrogeological risk were enough to stop the project.
The Olympic and Paralympic rowing and canoe speed competitions for the Brisbane 2032 Games will officially take place along the Fitzroy River. The announcement came directly from the Premier of Queensland, David Crisafulli, after formal approval granted by the International Olympic Committee and World Rowing.
The decision to focus on Rockhampton — center located approximately 600 kilometers north of the state capital, and not in the southern Gold Coast region — has overcome a long trail of skepticism. What worried athletes and professionals were above all the permanent presence of saltwater crocodiles and the unpredictability of the waterway, already the scene of violent floods in 2023 and the catastrophic flood of 2011, which caused 38 victims.
However, the doubts, formalized by various national representatives (including the United Kingdom and Germany) during the last summit of the world federation, did not affect the organizing committee’s plans. The petition signed by 542 athletes – including multiple Olympic champion Drew Ginn – who called for the construction of an alternative facility in the south-east of the country was also rejected.
Crisafulli responded to the objections by branding the protests as interference by the “elites” to the detriment of the local territory, claiming the technical goodness of the basin: a straight stretch of 2.7 kilometers capable of abundantly guaranteeing the 2,000 standard meters required by international standards. An approach also finally endorsed by the president of World Rowing, Jean-Christophe Rolland, who confirmed the green light through an official note.