An Indigenous group has launched a legal challenge to halt construction of a massive new stadium in Brisbane, slated to be the showpiece for the 2032 Olympics. The Queensland government's $2.5 billion plan would see a 63,000-seat venue rise in Victoria Park—a large green space in central Brisbane, and, according to the Yagara Magandjin Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), a site rich in cultural heritage. YMAC, joined by the Save Victoria Park group, is urging Australia's federal environment minister to designate the 60-hectare park as a culturally significant location, per the BBC. They say the area contains ancient trees, important ecosystems, and possibly ancestral remains.
"We have so little left of our history, our culture, our social life that we cling to it. And we want to share that with non-Aboriginal people as well," Yagara elder Uncle Steven says, per the Guardian. "Once Victoria Park is gone, it's gone forever." There are also plans to develop a 25,000-seat national aquatic center and other infrastructure at the site, also known by its Turrbal name of Barrambin.
The federal government says it's reviewing the request under heritage protection laws, and will consult with all stakeholders as part of the process. The stadium, if it moves ahead, would host the Olympic and Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies before becoming the new home for the Australian Football League and cricket in Queensland. Earlier plans to rebuild the aging Gabba stadium drew criticism over the $2 billion cost and community impact. A subsequent review called for a new stadium at Victoria Park, but leaders hesitated amid rising living costs. The latest premier, David Crisafulli, revived and fast-tracked the plan by exempting Olympic venues from standard planning rules.
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