For months now, Rocky has weathered a barrage of attacks from southern media trying to undermine our place as host of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic rowing and canoeing events.
First, it was man-eating crocodiles who would take out anyone who dares to row on the river. That was until we showed them the 700 kids who row on the Fitzroy River at state championships every year.
Then they said ‘tidal flows’ meant the course was unsuitable for any Olympic-level events, until we pointed to the barrage which seals the course from tides.
And then in a desperate final attempt they tried to claim that streamflow would disqualify the Fitzroy River from the 2032 Olympic Games.
Last week those naysayers fell silent as their efforts to undermine Rocky’s Olympic future fell flat.
At the Australian Infrastructure Summit in Brisbane, the new Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) CEO Simon Crooks said that data coming out of the feasibility study has been very positive.
GIICA has been studying the streamflow of the Fitzroy River rowing course over the past few months, and rather than sounding the alarm bell, GIICA has given us the green light. There is no longer any barrier to hosting the Olympic and Paralympic rowing and canoeing events in Central Queensland.
And while this may be shocking news for the Brisbane-based commentariat, this is well known to locals in the region.
In winter months when the Olympics will be held, the Fitzroy River is more like a dam than a typical river. If Jesus Christ ever came back to this world, the Fitzroy River would be a great place for him to come because it’s flat enough to walk on. It is flat as a tack.
For years, the Fitzroy River has been used for school state championships, local regattas, and national team camps. It was originally built ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympics for the Canadian Olympic team to train on.
Just a few years ago our own Australian men’s rowing coach Andrew Randall said, “It’s very rare to find an eight-lane, buoyed course which is so well mapped out anywhere in the world. So this is really a piece of gold for us to train on.”
The Fitzroy River is a serious professional venue that is passing the Olympic test in flying colours.
So instead of complaining and undermining, the Central Queensland LNP team have been meeting with the CQ32 Rowing Legacy Advisory Committee as well as locals, stakeholders and businesses about ways to maximise this Olympic-sized opportunity.
We are committed to work across local, state and Federal Governments to not only deliver a world class Olympic event, but to deliver a legacy for all Central Queenslanders.
Part of the plan for the games is to build a 1000 bed athletes’ village at the old railway workshops. This will revitalise an eyesore at the heart of our city and leave a legacy of affordable housing for locals.
We can also use the games as a springboard for other community infrastructure that we need. We should have a convention centre (most other regional towns do) that could be used for the games but also during Beef Week and to attract other major events.
Our CBD could be revitalised to make the visitor experience a great one during the games.
When the Crisafulli Government was first elected, regional Queensland was going to completely miss out on the 2032 legacy. But Donna Kirkland was tireless in her advocacy for Rocky to get the rowing and canoeing.
Now thanks to Donna, and the whole LNP team, regional Queensland will benefit from the Games. Along with the rowing and canoeing in Rocky, North Queensland is hosting the sailing, Maryborough the archery and Toowoomba the equestrian.
The rowing and canoeing events will only be in Rockhampton for a few weeks in 2032, but its legacy will provide benefits for the years and decades beyond.
