Toowoomba Equestrian Centre: City’s bid for 2032 Olympic events to use Wagner Corp’s quarantine facility as athlete’s village
Toowoomba’s 1000-bed quarantine facility could house Olympic athletes and crew, if the city’s bid to secure a major event at the 2032 games is successful. Here’s why it could save the government $50m:
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The controversial Wellcamp quarantine facility could become an athletes village as part of Toowoomba’s proposal to host equestrian events at the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, in a move advocates say could save the government $50m.
Key proponents of the vaunted $54m Toowoomba Equestrian Centre (TEC) bid revealed new details about the pitch at a major event on Tuesday morning.
The proposal, which is being considered by an independent panel as part of a 100-day review of Olympic venues, would see the Toowoomba Showgrounds transformed into a world-class facility catering to international-level horse competitions regularly.
Premier David Crisafulli will announce the final slate of venues on March 25 at a gala event.
Speaking at a special breakfast at the showgrounds featuring representatives from all three levels of government, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise’s Olympic strategy and legacy project manager Mark Mason said a key component was Wagner Corporation’s offer to host athletes and supporting staff at the $233m Queensland Regional Accommodation Centre.
“I have supported their submission for the use of the Wellcamp Accommodation Centre as the athletes village,” he said of the 1000-bed facility.
“Effectively, if we are successful in our bid, we’ve got a ready-made above-spec athletes village ready to go.
“We’re primed and ready – that alone will save the state government probably in the order of $50 million because that facility exists.
“For us, it’s all about solving the problems of the Games, not just what we can take from the Games.”
Wagner Corporation, which owns the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, has also pledged to build an animal quarantine facility — a key logistic element in order to host hundreds of competition horses in one area.
Toowoomba residents, athletes to benefit from $54m facility
The Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland has been developing plans for the TEC for nearly a decade, with the view of addressing the state’s lack of capacity to host national and international horse events.
Along with the $12m that could be delivered by the games, RASQ chief executive Damon Phillips said the facility would inject millions into the economy both before and after the Olympics were held.
“The RASQ board determined with our work with EQ and the many user groups that are here that there was a definite need for equestrian facilities in this state and we just didn’t have facilities up to the standards,” he said.
“We’ve got 419 nominations for (an event) coming up, so his is the size of facility we need.
“The long term benefits will be to be able to attract national and international events to the showgrounds (and) currently we can’t do that – there is no facility in Queensland to do that.
“If we can develop a world class international standard facility in Toowoomba, we will be attracting big events, major international events to our region regularly.”
But Mr Phillips said a TEC would also mean a supercharged and upgraded showgrounds, which is heavily used by residents and local groups throughout the year.
“It’s not just about ‘let’s put some more arena surfaces, let’s build some better stables’, it’s about a better road network for people to get around, better parking infrastructure, improved amenities at the Glenvale Room, the Founders Pavilion and other pavilions to be then multi-use,” he said.
“That means new airconditioning and better roofing and better PA systems throughout the ground — better toilets and showers.
“It’s about delivering a much better showgrounds for Toowoomba, and that will enable us to attract more events.”
United campaign could pay off
Toowoomba is no guarantee to secure the equestrian element of the Olympics — but if it does, it will be due to the city’s united campaign in favour of the TEC.
Positive submissions to the government’s 100-day review have come from all levels of government, including the Toowoomba Regional Council, Queensland treasurer David Janetzki and Groom MP Garth Hamilton (both of whom did not attend the breakfast).
Various community, sporting, business and economic lobby groups across the region, including the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce, TSBE and Equestrian Australia.
Mr Mason said the unanimous advocacy would be crucial to convincing both the panel and the government that Toowoomba deserved to be part of the 2032 Games.
“It’s been business leaders, political leaders all the way across the spectrum, down to community and grassroots organisations that have supported this project,” he said.
“It is a really unique thing that doesn’t come along all the time for the whole of the community to get behind something.
“So I think an unspoken element is the voice of the community has spoken on this and we certainly have the full support of the community.”
If we get it – what happens next?
Toowoomba’s leaders face an extraordinary test of their leadership and organisational skills if the city’s bid for equestrian Olympic events is successful.
Converting not just the Toowoomba Showgrounds but the region into a place fit for potentially hundreds of thousands of visitors in 2032 will require significant investment, co-ordination and leadership from all three tiers of government.
Mr Mason said getting the green light on March 25 was hardly the moment to relax.
“Winning the bid is actually the easy part — the hard work starts the day after that announcement,” he said.
“The council will have a huge role in city preparedness and beautification programs, all of the things like ensuring our water, sewerage, all those services that we need to service the world are in place.
“The RASQ has got a monumental build ahead of them and they’ll be doing that while juggling business as usual.
“There is a mountain of work for us to get to as a community to make this successful and indeed make it the best equestrian Olympic Games ever.”
Tourism bodies say the lack of accommodation amenities will need to be addressed if the TEC bid is successful.
Homegrown Olympic hero throws support behind equestrian dream
The Toowoomba Showgrounds was the place where Christopher Burton realised he wanted to devote his life to equestrian.
The prospect it could also be a venue that hosts Olympic athletes is “spine-tingling” for him.
“I was inspired by equestrian right here — when I was really young and we’d come here, we’d see the cross-country fences that had been installed on a hill out there,” the Paris silver medallist said.
“That was like Christmas and Easter all rolled into one – I thought that was the coolest thing.
“There’s no doubt this is where it all started and I hope that we get the Olympics for Brisbane and wouldn’t that be exciting?”
The Toowoomba-born Burton, who has returned to Australia after more than a decade abroad, has thrown his voice behind the planned Toowoomba Equestrian Centre in a bid to strengthen the region as a horse sport powerhouse.
The 43-year-old said Toowoomba offered one advantage that other bids in the southeast corner could not, due to location.
“There are two very strong arguments — one is Toowoomba is at a higher altitude, is a drier climate than many of the coastal positions that could host it,” he said.
“So I think the ‘woke’ movement of the world going forward, it’s possible that animal welfare is at the forefront of this and should be at the forefront of the decisions made.
“I believe Toowoomba to be a more horse-friendly environment to run things like showjumping, dressage and certainly eventing.”
Burton also said the TEC proposal met a key criterion of the 2032 games, which was around delivering venues that would outlast the temporary event.
“The other reason, which I think is a slam dunk of an argument, is that what we’re proposing at Toowoomba is a legacy event that leaves a horse-loving community with a venue,” he said.
“At the Olympics I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in, it’s a terrible shame and to spend a huge amount of money on these pop up venues and not be linked with something afterwards, so I truly hope Toowoomba gets it.”
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