How the Hinze Dam is on track to becoming a rowing venue in lead-up to 2032 Olympic Games

What’s the biggest gift the Gold Coast could be handed from the 2032 Olympics. Light rail upgrade or new indoor arena? It might actually come from the sport of rowing. This is what’s been going on behind the scenes to make the city the sport’s home.

What is the biggest gift our city will get from the 2032 Olympics? It was going to be light rail to the border. The most likely now is the Gold Coast indoor arena.

But there’s a sleeper sport – rowing on the Hinze Dam in the Coast’s hinterland.

Even if we fail to secure the event, we will be a winner by transforming the dam into a rowing venue and future home for southeast Queensland competitors.

The Crisafulli Government, after its recent Olympic review, wants to host flatwater rowing on the Fitzroy River, about 5kms from the Rockhampton CBD.

Rowing Australia was cautious in its response – the facility is suitable for training but not undergone any technical feasibility study

A rowing crew during a training session on the Fitzroy River.

Mayor Tom Tate says he “respects” the decision. The Hinze Dam provides our water supply, and this week he asked the Government to get Seqwater to remove red tape and allow regattas there.

This is a Steven Bradbury moment. Do you remember when the veteran rank outsider missed a pile-up of top contenders to take gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics?

Experienced rowers have contacted your columnist about the Fitzroy. While they enjoyed the steaks and cold beer in Rocky, they deliver a consistent verdict on the river for racing.

The Fitzroy is tidal in parts, and its stability worsened by lacking boulder walls on both sides.

“There were eddies (circular currents) in the lanes. Because the boats are so light, it tosses them around. The steering went haywire,” a veteran rower says.

“Technically, I’d be surprised if World Rowing gave Rocky a big tick. It needs to be on a course like the Hinze Dam. We rode the Hinze Dam in the Australian Rowing championships in 1981. It was terrific, plenty of room – you never see a wave or chop on the dam.”

A submission by rowing’s peak bodies to the review calculates across a ten year period, by hosting major championships and school’s events, the sport adds $100 million to the economy.

Glenn Tozer has been working behind the scenes for more than a year with Charles Hartley from Gold Coast Masters Rowing on a plan to improve out city’s facilities including the dam.

Potential rowing courses at the Hinze Dam. The graphic is from a report to the Gold Coast City Council as part of a plan to get the event for the 2032 Olympics.

Rowing lacks a home in Queensland, Their report shows how the dam can easily become one, with craft unloaded from an unused quarry.

“The economic impact of rowing and paddle sports can’t be underestimated – it’s a sport undertaken by some of the most affluent schools and clubs in Australia but is actually really accessible to everyone. I mean, every gym has a rowing machine, right,” Mr Tozer says.

Flashback: The Somerville House team winning the Head of the River Rowing competition at Hinze Dam.

At the Olympics, a City source says: “When you combine rowing and paddle, the athlete cohort is the biggest of any Olympic sport including athletics. This fact was confirmed to us directly by Rowing Australia.”

There is another factor which gives the Hinze Dam a sharp edge over Fitzroy. Officials will not have to, like they do now before events, go and check for crocodiles.

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Originally published as How the Hinze Dam is on track to becoming a rowing venue in lead-up to 2032 Olympic Games