Muddies Rugby Union kicked out for two seasons over toxic clean-up

A South East Queensland rugby union club has been blindsided after the local council evicted it from its homeground site while it spends more than $30 million cleaning up the area.

Redlands ‘Muddies’ Rugby Union Club president Michael King said his club has been kicked out of its Birkdale premises for two years while Redland council spends $34 million to clean up toxic waste under its playing fields. Picture: Judith Kerr

A local footy club, built on a reclaimed rubbish dump, has been kicked out of its home grounds for two years while a bayside council cleans up toxic leachate from seeping into Ramsar-listed wetlands.

Redland City Council has forced the Redlands Rugby Union Club, known as “The Muddies” out of its Birkdale base after signing a $34 million contract in late December to clean up legacy leachate at Judy Holt Park Tip.

The clean-up, led by Adelaide-based McMahon Services, begins on Monday, with the grounds off-limits until late 2026 or early 2027.

The decision blindsided the club and the community, leaving them scrambling for alternative venues just weeks before January sign-ons.

It came as all councils across the state brace for hikes to the state government’s waste levy and cuts to state government waste rebates to councils.

Club president Michael King said he was shocked about the abrupt eviction and said original remediation was planned to start in 2026, giving the club more time to prepare.

Muddies Rugby Union Club president Micheal King says the club will have to move out of its clubhouse premises while the council’s $34 million works are undertaken. Picture: Contributed

“You can’t just close down for two years and expect to reopen in 2027 as if nothing happened,” Mr King said.

“There are financial implications, equipment investments, and community commitments.”

He said the club was first told the fields and clubhouse would be unavailable for six months, from April to September 2026, aligning with the end of the rugby season.

But in early December, they were informed the entire site would be off-limits from February 2025 until late 2026.

“On December 5, we were informed that the contractor requested the entire site to be handed over,” Mr King said.

“This was a shock as we suddenly had two weeks over Christmas to notify 300 members, which is obviously difficult.”

The club’s lease was terminated just days before the contractor’s start date of February 17. Urgent negotiations with Redland councillor Tracy Huges and the nearby Muddies Cricket Club secured temporary use of the cricket grounds at Judy Holt Park for training, but challenges remain.

Plans for the works will result in grounds that are second only to Ballymore. Map Image: Redland City Council

The club has limited access to its clubhouse until April 17, allowing some income from the canteen.

But Mr King said he was concerned about the lack of clarity about the project’s timeline and the contractor’s site access needs.

“We’ve repeatedly asked the council to arrange a meeting with McMahon Services but we’re still in the dark,” he said.

The playing fields were built on the former Birkdale tip landfill site, which is now deemed toxic. Image: Redland City Council

Councillor Huges revealed a series of “council bungles” leading to the crisis, calling the situation “disrespectful” and leaving the club “beside themselves”.

She said the council had known about the toxic contamination for more than six years and described the clean-up as “the biggest job the council’s ever done” to protect nearby wetlands.

Initial plans were to complete the works in two stages, allowing the club to vacate the fields for one season in 2026.

However, Cr Huges said the council changed the scope when it unexpectedly signed up McMahon Services in December, bundling the works into one large contract without adequate communication.

Redland City councillor Tracey Huges with Muddies president Micheal King outside the clubhouse which sill shut for two years while toxic waste is removed from the Birkdale tip landfill site. Picture: Contributed

She said the $34 million cost would be funded through the $41.88 a year landfill levy.

“Muddies had no notice they were going to lose their fields for two years, and it was panic stations – absolute panic with sign-ons scheduled and over $200,000 in sponsorships and contracts on the line,” she said.

“The abrupt council decision impacted not only the club’s financial stability but also the livelihoods of local families dependent on the canteen business.”

The club is also concerned about the future useability of the upgraded fields, as existing lighting and irrigation systems won’t suit the expanded boundaries.

“The council says the lighting will be ‘like-for-like,’ but expanding the fields means the old system won’t work,” Mr King said.

“Without proper lighting and irrigation, the new facility will be unusable in 2027.”

Redland City Council has yet to publicly address the community and club’s concerns.

Originally published as Muddies Rugby Union kicked out for two seasons over toxic clean-up