Hundreds gather in Brisbane to protest demolition of Gabba stadium

Hundreds of furious Queenslanders have gathered to protest the demolition of an iconic Australian venue, with some seen carrying “Sack Ana” signs.

Hundreds of angry Queenslanders have gathered outside Gabba stadium to protest the demolition of the iconic Brisbane sporting venue.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles unveiled the plans for a new stadium, which is set to be the centrepiece of the $2.7 billion Brisbane 2032 Olympic infrastructure project.

The Gabba is set to be torn down and potentially rebranded as the East Bank in what has been described as Queensland’s biggest urban renewal since 1988’s World Expo.

Protesters called on Queensland Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk to rethink the development, arguing that the billions of dollars earmarked for the new stadium should be put towards the state’s housing and cost of living crises instead.

Dozens marched outside the Gabba stadium, protesting the demolition and redevelopment project Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Demolition work is set to start after the Ashes Test in 2025, 130 years after the Brisbane sporting venue was first established. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The project is expected to cost $2.7 billion and there is a 90 per cent chance it will be delivered on budget, Deputy Premier Steven Miles said. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“The Gabba is good enough,” many signs read.

Some protesters went further, calling for the Queensland Premier to resign or be “sacked” over the decision.

Several families were also protesting the demolition of East Brisbane State School, which is included in the development project.

Demolition work will begin after the 2025 Ashes Test, and construction is expected to take four years.

The state government expects the new Gabba will host events by 2030 in the lead up to the 2032 Olympics.

The stadium’s capacity would be boosted to 50,000 from 42,000, which the government expects will attract large artists to perform at the city.

Three new pedestrian bridges will also be constructed over adjoining roads and the development will also include 880 new apartments, new retail, dining and open spaces.

A common theme among protesters was that the money should be spent dealing with the cost of living crisis. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“Sack Ana” signs were seen at the rally, referring to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The protests were a family affair. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The Gabba will also be linked to the nearby Cross River Rail station with its own concourse.

Unveiling the plans on Friday, Mr Miles said that there was a 90 per cent likelihood of the project being delivered within budget.

“That project validation report assessed four possible options for the Gabba and identified that a demolition and rebuild provided the best possible outcome, the best value outcome for the city,” Mr Miles said.

“It will be a well-connected stadium but, most importantly, it will trigger the urban renewal that we want to see … it will be one of the best parts of the city to live in.”

Originally published as Hundreds gather in Brisbane to protest demolition of Gabba stadium