Brisbane Olympics 2032: Toowoomba tourism body hopes equestrian bid will spark accommodation development

Toowoomba is missing a key element currently if it wants to host Olympic events in 2032, as the countdown begins as to whether the city will be directly involved:

Securing equestrian events at the 2032 Olympics could spark a wave of new accommodation development in Toowoomba, which is sorely needed according to tourism authorities.

Queensland Country Tourism chief executive Peter Homan has lent his support to the city’s unified bid to host all horse events in Toowoomba as part of the games.

It comes as the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland revealed it was finalising its submission for the planned Toowoomba Equestrian Centre to Qld government’s 100-day review this week.

The bid, which is back by representatives from all levels of government in Toowoomba, faces still competition from the RNA Showgrounds and the Gold Coast Turf Club.

Mr Homan, who recently met with new sports minister Tim Mander to discuss the Olympics, said Toowoomba was still dealing with a shortage in accommodation options that would need to be rectified within eight years.

Peter Homan, Queensland Country Tourism CEO.

“The killer is that we don’t have the accommodation for it and that’s been the challenge with attracting any other sports,” he said.

“The building of motels is so expensive — it’s about incentives, so if you have the right prospectus and put it in front of the right people, they could get their plans ready for council.

“While we don’t want too much motels and hotels, we do need more.

“It won’t be about the two weeks of the Olympics and Paralympics, it will be in the years and months leading up with the games personnel, and then in the months after that.”

A successful bid would ensure Toowoomba played a direct role in the games, following the debacle around Clive Berghofer Stadium that saw the previous state government pull $80m worth of funding.

The main arena of Toowoomba Showgrounds, Thursday, December 12, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

But with the stadium in East Toowoomba currently reaching the end of its life over the next five to six years, Mr Homan said there was still “a glimmer of hope” around a potential upgrade.

“I went and saw Tim Mander on December 19 and spoke to him at some length,” he said.

“I know TSBE (Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise) and council are very keen on the equestrian centre and we’ll always support what is being put forward, but I did talk to them with the stadium.

“The biggest problem for the LNP was they inherited a lot of ageing infrastructure. What do they own that they could do up?

“I still think there’s a glimmer of hope.”

Hamilton backs TEC bid in Olympic submission

Garth Hamilton MP. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Toowoomba’s federal MP Garth Hamilton has thrown his support behind the bid to secure equestrian events at the city’s showgrounds for the 2032 Olympics.

Mr Hamilton, who was a vocal opponent of a planned $80m upgrade of Clive Berghofer Stadium in 2024, joined the chorus of local voices uniting over a games-ready Toowoomba Equestrian Centre proposal by the Queensland Agricultural Society of Queensland.

In his submission to the state government’s new 100-day Olympic review, Mr Hamilton said Queensland needed to be “bold, ambitious and willing to deliver to make the games work for our state”.

“The goodwill of the people of Queensland, and in this instance, the people of the Toowoomba region has been abused by Olympic leaders, officials, and politicians,” he wrote.

“This can be repaired by ensuring investment that will deliver other, long anticipated and supported infrastructure such as a sporting excellence precinct, south west indoor stadium, Equestrian Centre of Excellence, or upgrades to other sporting assets such as hockey, netball, rugby league, rugby union and more.

“Furthermore, there are a range of proposals for other investment opportunities such as Wellcamp and the Toowoomba CBD as put forward by the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce.

“I note the TRC’s support for the upgrade of the Toowoomba Showgrounds feature a world- class Centre of Excellence for Equestrian (TEC) in a bid to host Olympic events.

“I would lend my support to this approach.

“I urge the review to give strong consideration to Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, as well as the greater south west for investment and use as an Olympic host.”

Residents urged to lodge submission to games review

Toowoomba locals still have a few days to lodge a submission to the Queensland government’s 100-day review into the 2032 Olympic Games.

Mayor Geoff McDonald said he wanted to see even more endorsements of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland’s proposal for a Toowoomba Equestrian Centre at the showgrounds.

“It has been heartening to see our local state and federal parliamentary representatives commit their support for the proposal, in addition to one of our most decorated equestrian competitors, 2024 Paris Olympics silver medallist, Chris Burton, who is formerly from Jondaryan,” he said.

“There is no doubt that the construction of a Toowoomba Equestrian Centre would enhance our Region’s standing as a competitive equestrian hub. Research shows a new centre would double the estimated events held at the Toowoomba Showgrounds to 126 events per year with more than 20,000 horses in competition.

“This has the potential to increase the associated tourism benefits associated with the project to an estimated 65,000 visitor days each year compared with the current 10,000 visitor days.”

People can lodge their submissions www.gamesreview.com.au.