Fitzroy River in central Queensland approved as Brisbane 2032 rowing venue
The International Olympic Committee approved the Fitzroy River in central Queensland as the rowing venue for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics on Thursday, the Queensland government said. World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide also supported an independent technical assessment of the course.
The decision ends months of controversy that began when the state government first pitched the regional river as a rowing site in March 2025. Opponents pointed to the Fitzroy’s status as a crocodile habitat and to strong currents that raised questions about compliance with World Rowing regatta standards. Delegations from Britain, New Zealand and Germany reportedly raised athlete concerns about fairness, safety and sustainability at a recent World Rowing congress. An open letter signed by 542 rowers, including Olympic gold medallist Drew Ginn, urged the venue be located in southeast Queensland, while a Moreton Bay proposal was promoted as a world-standard alternative at roughly half the cost.
Queensland premier David Crisafulli announced the IOC endorsement in parliament and framed the outcome as vindication, saying: “The Fitzroy has passed with flying colours.” He added: “It’s official, signed, sealed and delivered,” and challenged critics by asking the opposition: “Why the long faces?” Crisafulli had previously described some objections as coming from “elites” who were thumbing their nose at a regional centre.
Critics had warned that flooding and heavy silt loads would require ongoing dredging and repairs to maintain an Olympic-standard course. Deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie told parliament that analysis showed the river could accommodate a full-width course with eight lanes plus start and finish areas and said there would be “no widening, no dredging needed.” He added the site contained a “2.7km long section, providing sufficient distance for a standard 2000-metre rowing race.”
The state government said the IOC’s approval followed a comprehensive and independent technical assessment carried out by “internationally renowned marine engineering experts.” World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide reviewed the expert data and conducted site inspections before backing the findings. “We now know that the Fitzroy River is capable of providing fair competition conditions during the period of the Games,” World Rowing president Jean-Christophe Rolland said in a statement, and Paddle Worldwide president Thomas Konietzko said the analysis had improved understanding of the field of play and provided confidence in the course.
The Queensland government said the endorsement ensures the Fitzroy will host rowing, para rowing, canoe sprint and para canoe events for the Brisbane Games. Rockhampton mayor Tony Williams said he was “thrilled – but not surprised – by the IOC nod” and told AAP: “It’s something that we’ve always known, that Rockhampton and the Fitzroy River would be the perfect venue for rowing in 2032.”
The Games authority will now proceed with the detailed planning, design and construction for the competition, the Queensland government said. Rockhampton mayor Tony Williams added: “Now it’s time to get on with starting to look at the infrastructure and secure the work that needs to be done.”