Federal environmental authorities have cleared Brisbane’s 63,000-seat Olympic stadium at Barrambin/Victoria Park, after an application was submitted last year by the Yagara Magandjin Aboriginal Corporation and Save Victoria Park seeking protection of the site from major Olympic development.
The application, made under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act, sought long-term protection for Barrambin/Victoria Park as a significant Aboriginal area considered to be under threat of injury or desecration.
The federal environmental department has now determined the proposed Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park and the National Aquatic Centre at the nearby Centenary Pool site in Spring Hill “not a controlled action” under federal environment law.
According to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, a “not a controlled action” determination means the proposal is unlikely to have a significant impact on protected matters, regardless of how it is undertaken, and can proceed without further federal environmental assessment.
Cox, Hassell and Azusa Sekkei’s design for Brisbane Stadium was first unveiled in January as the city’s main Olympic venue, with its location, size and orientation near Gilchrist Avenue in Victoria Park confirmed in March 2026. The design team for the National Aquatic Centre is yet to be announced.
Preparatory works on the Brisbane Stadium site will commence following its transfer to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) on 1 June.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
