Great Barrier Reef Arena to host two women’s T20 Internationals in 2024

Great Barrier Reef Arena is arguably the biggest winner of Cricket Australia’s international schedule announcement, with its standing among the nation’s regional venues now clear. DETAILS

Beth Mooney of Australia bats during game three of the Women's One Day International series between Australia and India at Great Barrier Reef Arena on September 26, 2021 in Mackay, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Australia’s international summer of cricket is going to begin in Mackay for the 2024/25 season.

Great Barrier Reef Arena has been named to host two women’s T20 Internationals between Australia and New Zealand on September 19 and 22 in 2024.

The matches will be the first home internationals of the summer, and will carry extra significance given the Women’s T20 World Cup is being played in October.

“It’s unbelievable, not only for the Great Barrier Reef Arena, but for the Mackay region, to be able to host such a high level of content,” said Harrup Park and Great Barrier Reef Arena CEO Adrian Young.

“It’s fantastic that we’ve been able to create something that Cricket Australia see as highly valuable to utilise.

The Queensland huddle during the Sheffield Shield match between Queensland and Victoria at Great Barrier Reef Arena. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

“That’s been shown over the past year and that will continue which is fantastic.”

The announcement arguably cements Great Barrier Reef Arena’s standing as the best regional cricket venue in Australia, given it will be the only ground outside of metropolitan areas hosting international cricket in Australia’s 2024/25 summer.

In the past year, the stadium has hosted WBBL games between the Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers, Marsh One Day Cup and Sheffield Shield fixtures between Victoria and Queensland, and Australia A matches against New Zealand A.

Jimmy Peirson of Queensland inspects the pitch ahead of the Marsh One Day Cup match between Queensland and Victoria at Great Barrier Reef Arena. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

It won’t be the first time international women’s cricket is played in Mackay, as the venue has previously hosted a three match Women’s ODI series between Australia and India in 2021.

“We delivered those (internationals) in a fantastic manner, we’ve obviously continued that with the completion of the Great Barrier Reef Arena and the delivery of some big games last year,” said Young.

“It’s just great that Cricket Australia see us as a legitimate international venue and trust us to deliver its content.

“We’re going to try and sell these games out and get thousands of people down to the Great Barrier Reef Arena ... they’re going to be action-packed games against New Zealand.”