Commonwealth Games 2018: Stunning aerial images show off Gold Coast’s showpiece venues
WITH 18 days to go until the Gold Coast hosts the biggest event ever staged in Queensland, these photos offer a bird’s eye view of the city’s showpiece Commonwealth Games venues.
Commonwealth Games
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WITH 18 days go until the Gold Coast hosts the biggest event ever staged in Queensland, these pictures offer a bird’s eye view of the city’s showpiece Commonwealth Games venues.
The Queen’s Baton’s arrival in Queensland this month marked the home stretch of its 230,000km, 388-day trip around the world as the 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth begin the countdown to the opening ceremony on April 4.
QUEEN’S BATON ON HOME STRETCH TO GOLD COAST
As these stunning aerial images show, the city and its facilities are ready for their starring role in the biggest show the state has ever seen.
Games events will be staged in 17 world-class sporting venues across the Gold Coast and event cities Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville.
The sprawling Gold Coast Sports Precinct will be the Games’ signature venue precinct, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, athletics, badminton, weightlifting and wrestling competition.
As these pictures show, the site has been transformed into a showpiece arena after a major upgrade that began in 2015.
The redevelopment included the addition of the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, a new, world-class multipurpose indoor facility boasting a show court and seating for up to 5000 people and 15 basketball/netball courts for community use.
The centre will be the host venue for badminton and wrestling events during the Games.
The precinct is also home to Carrara’s Metricon Stadium, the venue for Commonwealth Games athletics events and the opening and closing ceremonies.
Work to transform the Gold Coast Suns’ home ground into a venue fit for a (future) king included upgraded broadcast and lighting facilities and an extra 15,000 temporary seats to take the stadium’s capacity from 25,000 to 40,000.
The precinct includes the site on the southern side of Nerang Broadbeach Road, adjacent to the stadium, which has been redeveloped to incorporate three new community sporting fields and supporting infrastructure.
Already a hit with swimmers after it hosted the Australian National Swimming Championships, the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre on Marine Parade at Southport makes a splash-tastic addition to the city’s skyline viewed from above.
The first GC2018 venue to be completed in June 2014, the $41 million centre on the banks of our beautiful Broadwater will host the swimming and diving competition.
As these aerial images show, the venue’s new 50m competition pool, refurbished 25m pool, 50m pool, dive pool and new dry dive facility and 12,500 temporary spectator seats have transformed it into a world-class outdoor venue like no other.
The venue’s legacy additions include a new learn-to-swim pool and children’s play pool, cafe, gym, function rooms and crèche.
Opened in May 2016, Village Roadshow Studios’ new Sound Stage 9 will see sporting greats replace movie stars on the Oxenford lot during the Games.
The facility will host squash, boxing and table tennis competition during the Games — and show off the city’s film and television production facilities to the world.
‘It was a kick up the bum professionally’
A role at the Commonwealth Games gave this worker the ‘kick up the bum professionally’ she needed to help decide what she wanted to with her life.
Volunteer credits the Comm Games for her career
This Coast resident put in almost 18 months volunteering for the Commonwealth Games - and along with getting an experience of a lifetime, it has paid off career-wise.