First look at premiere Great Barrier Reef Arena vision

Concept designs unveiled for Harrup Park project

ARENA PROJECT: An aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef Arena. Picture: Cox Architecture

A NEW vision for a game-changing community leisure, recreation and events precinct in Mackay has been revealed.

For the first time, the Daily Mercury can exclusively unveil concept designs for Harrup Park Country Club's Great Barrier Reef Arena project.

Harrup Park has engaged Cox Architecture - the business responsible for masterpieces such as the North Queensland Stadium in Townsville, the Queensland Museum refurbishment and the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Revitalisation in Sydney - to design the arena.

With the inclusion of new amenities, the arena is expected to be one of the nation's premiere boutique sporting venues, capable of hosting major matches in the Big Bash, Women's Big Bash and international cricket formats.

It could also bring Australian Football League matches, state league, AFLW and home and away season ­fixtures.

Its new grandstand is envisioned to be deeply rooted into the landscape and conceived as "actually growing out of the landscape", Cox Architecture's design report reads.

"The roof's simplicity of a curve gradually rising evokes images of a platypus, a ­boomerang, a sting ray or the ranges," the report stated.

More on Our Future Mackay Sport

ARENA PROJECT: An artist's impression of the Great Barrier Reef Arena. Picture: Cox Architecture

The arena also would boast new community leisure facilities and green spaces capable of hosting a variety of community events such as market days, festivals and corporate events.

Other new amenities flagged in the plans include international standard media and players facilities, food and beverage outlets, female change rooms and 2000 extra permanent arena seats.

Our Future Mackay

Harrup Park Country Club chairman Terry Doolan said the arena would be an exciting development for the Mackay community.

"We are entirely focused on delivering a nation-leading regional community leisure, recreation and sporting precinct," Mr Doolan said.

"Great Barrier Reef Arena will hugely increase Mackay's attraction to visitors from Queensland and interstate and we will be working directly with our regional tourism authorities to create a whole range of event and holiday packages that will be a boon for local businesses and ­employers.

"You only need to look at similar precincts around the country - in Coffs Harbour, Ballarat, Redcliffe - to understand the enormous benefits a facility of this nature can ­deliver."

The Federal Government has already committed $10 million to the project; however, a matched $10 million from the State Government is required to make the arena a reality.

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ARENA PROJECT: An aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef Arena's green spaces. Picture: Cox Architecture

HPCC chief executive Matt Cielens said the club had received great support from local federal and state MPs, and was confident of achieving a positive contribution from the State Government in the near future.

"Importantly, this will release the $10 million of Federal funding already committed and, together with the club's own significant level of current and future investment, enable the Great Barrier Reef Arena project to proceed and realise over $20 million in local investment," he said.

 

BY THE NUMBERS

How the Great Barrier Reef Arena stacks up:

 

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

- Delivering $6.1 million to the Mackay Region annually

- 43 new jobs

- $4.4 million in gross regional product

- No construction or operating costs to ratepayers

- Event/holiday tourism packages supporting local business

 

MAJOR EVENTS

- More than 25 per cent of event attendees are forecast to be overnight visitors to Mackay

- Major cricket events including BBL, WBBL, Sheffield Shield, Internationals

- AFL matches including AFLW, JLT Series, Gold Coast Suns matches

- Entertainment acts from Australia and overseas

- Large scale community and cultural events

- National and State senior and junior sporting championships