Toowoomba Olympics 2032: Details of new equestrian centre at showgrounds to be revealed within 12 months
Despite mounting local excitement, crucial details about Toowoomba's Olympic equestrian centre remain unresolved. Here’s when we’ll know more:
Toowoomba residents have been urged by the state government to show “patience” around news of progress on the city’s massive new equestrian centre for the 2032 Olympic Games.
The Garden City was treated to a rare visit from the Brisbane 2032 organising committee (OCOG) this week, which included federal sports minister Anika Wells and her state counterpart Tim Mander.
At the Toowoomba Showgrounds on Friday, Brisbane 2032 president Andrew Liveris used the occasion to announce the launch of four new advisory panels covering local government, athletes, Indigenous communities and commercial opportunities.
But few details could be shared by anyone about one of the signature regional venues of the Olympic Games, which will see thousands of athletes, supporting crew, horses and spectators pack out Toowoomba for a number of weeks.
At present, detailed designs for the Toowoomba Equestrian Centre (TEC) are not complete and the project doesn’t have an itemised construction budget as a result.
Mr Mander acknowledged the excitement for the games locally, believing more information would be available within “six to nine months”.
“The city is abuzz with excitement with regards to the games and I reckon the Toowoomba Showgrounds were built for the Olympics and Paralympic Games — it is a perfect location,” he said.
“The delivery plan was only handed down about four months ago, and we are getting on with the work that’s required for all the venues.
“It’ll be over the next six to nine months that you’ll get more information about what the delivery plan will look like here locally.
“Be rest assured, things are going according to schedule, and we’re very comfortable with that process at the moment.”
Mr Liveris also weighed in, saying he saw “no barriers” to delivering the TEC on-time.
“The International Federation for Equestrian Sports has been here already, we are obviously working closely with them and they love what they’ve seen (from Toowoomba),” he said.
A major logistic challenge still unsolved will be the quarantining process for all animals before they can compete.
Ms Wells said the federal government was looking at several possible strategies, including Wagner Corporation’s plan for its own animal quarantine facility at Wellcamp Airport.
“There are a range of safeguards and measures that are required, as they always are,” she said.
“These (safeguards) are very familiar to people who have the privilege of getting to do equestrian and the Australian government will continue to work with Andrew and OCOG alongside our commitments with the International Federation to make sure those are all in place.
“The Australian Government is (looking at the Wellcamp proposal), because we have a number of different branches that work together to make sure that we equip ourselves with all of our obligations internationally.
“We are well practised in this space, and I would also say that being out here hosted by the mayor, it is very evident to me watch is a great place for us to do this.”
Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald, who will be part of the host mayors advisory group to OCOG, argued the region would need new transport infrastructure like passenger rail from Brisbane to fully grab the opportunity.
“Our value proposition for the Toowoomba region is quite clear – we can feed, we can host and we will embrace,” he said.
“We are Queensland’s largest agricultural producer, we’ve hosted international activities right here at this ground, and of course we embrace visitation — right now we’re in the final days of the 76th Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.
“But we also need to look past the sporting area and what I’m talking about there is around infrastructure and transport infrastructure is critically important for us.
“Having a passenger rail from Toowoomba to Brisbane is something that was on the books when this conversation (around Olympics) started way back in 2015 with the Council of Mayors Southeast Queensland.
“We’re ambitious – the Toowoomba region is a place where ambition meets opportunity, and so we love the fact that mayors will have a seat at the table in the advisory committees for Brisbane 32.”
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Originally published as Toowoomba Olympics 2032: Details of new equestrian centre at showgrounds to be revealed within 12 months
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