QSAC in Mt Gravatt Risks Embarrassing Australia on World Stage, Warns Olympic Great

Olympic champion Sally Pearson has cautioned that Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, or the QSAC in Mt Gravatt, the chosen athletics stadium for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, could embarrass Australia internationally due to its small size and lacklustre facilities. The warning comes as the Paris 2024 Olympics concluded, setting a high bar for future host cities.



Pearson highlighted that QSAC’s 40,000-seat capacity pales in comparison to recent Olympic venues.

The Stade de France, which hosted the Paris 2024 athletics events, boasts an impressive 80,000 seats. Looking ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Games, the Memorial Coliseum will accommodate 77,500 spectators. 

In stark contrast, QSAC offers only 40,000 seats, with a mere 14,000 being permanent. This significant disparity has raised concerns about Brisbane’s ability to create the electric atmosphere that Olympic athletes and spectators have come to expect.

Photo Credit: Olympics.com.au

The gold medallist hurdler, expressed deep concern about the stadium’s capacity to generate the same level of excitement and energy seen in previous Games. Pearson, drawing from her personal experiences at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics, emphasised the crucial role that a packed, enthusiastic crowd plays in an athlete’s performance.

“I attended two Olympics. Beijing in 2008 in the outstanding Birds Nest arena where I won a famous silver medal and London in 2012 where I won gold,” Pearson wrote.

“Both of these stadiums had the capacity to seat 80,000 people. Now I’m not sure of the exact number of people that were in attendance on those nights but I can tell you the empty seats were hard to spot from the track.

“The sound from the crowd was electric, it was deafening and it was exciting, it gave you the lift that you needed to perform at your best.”

Planned expansion of the QSAC in Mt Gravatt
Photo Credit: BCC

Defending the QSAC Choice

Despite mounting criticism, Premier Steven Miles continues to defend QSAC as Queensland’s best option for the 2032 Games. Miles argues that the venue offers the most suitable legacy for athletics, pointing out that IOC Vice President John Coates explicitly recommended it. He maintains that QSAC is the only choice that provides permanent track and field facilities, ensuring a lasting impact on the sport beyond the Olympic event.

Miles has dismissed alternative proposals, including a $3.4 billion plan for a new inner-city stadium at Victoria Park. He contends that these alternatives would only deliver a new cricket oval without offering any tangible benefits for athletics. 

The Premier’s stance reflects a broader shift in the Queensland government’s approach, prioritising cost of living relief measures over investing billions in new Olympic venues.

The debate surrounding QSAC has sparked a growing chorus of concern from Australia’s sporting elite. 

Growing Concerns from Sports Community

Olympic swimmer Cate Campbell has joined Pearson in voicing her worries about Brisbane’s preparedness for the 2032 Games.

Cate Campbell
Photo Credit: Cate Campbell/Instagram

Campbell stressed the need for Brisbane to “step up its game,” urging the government to think bigger and more proactively about the city’s future. Both athletes emphasised the importance of showcasing Brisbane’s unique qualities to the world, arguing that the Olympics present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to define the city’s identity on a global stage.

Campbell’s comments, made during a radio interview, highlighted the potential long-term benefits of investing in world-class facilities. She argued that while the cost of living is a pressing issue, the legacy of the Olympic Games extends far beyond the event itself, potentially shaping the city’s growth and development for decades.



The controversy surrounding QSAC has ignited a broader debate about balancing fiscal responsibility and the ambition to host a truly memorable Olympic Games. With eight years remaining, stakeholders from across the sporting and political spectrum are calling for a renewed focus on creating an Olympic experience that will not only avoid embarrassment but also leave a lasting, positive legacy for Brisbane and Australia.

Published 13-Aug-2024

Upgrades Foreseen at the QSAC in Nathan for the 2032 Olympics

Queensland intends to transform the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) in Nathan into the main stadium for the 2032 Olympic Games. This decision marks a significant change in direction, sidelining the proposed redevelopment of The Gabba and a new stadium at Victoria Park, despite recommendations for these venues. 



Instead, QSAC, a legacy of the 1982 Commonwealth Games, could undergo a comprehensive $1.6 billion upgrade, heralding a new era for the historic site and its surrounding community.

Background and Controversy

After a $450,000 taxpayer-funded review of the Olympic venues led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk advocated for a new stadium at Victoria Park, Premier Steven Miles announced the cabinet’s endorsement for QSAC’s redevelopment. This comes despite the review’s critique of QSAC’s suitability due to transport challenges and limited legacy benefits.

“QSAC Stadium should not be used as an Olympic and Paralympic Games venue to host the track and field events,” Mr Quirk’s panel recommended. 

“Transport and access to the QSAC Stadium during the Games will be extremely challenging and costly to facilitate.

“Site topography makes this challenge even harder, noting significant Games operational requirements to safely support the number of spectators, athletes and officials.

“Griffith University would need to be used for bus access, so bushland would need to be cleared and the pathway to the QSAC Stadium widened,” the panel’s findings further cited.

Financial Implications and Alternatives

The decision to invest $1.6 billion in QSAC, defying the independent review’s suggestions, has sparked debate. 

With an initial budget to overhaul QSAC and additional funds allocated for Suncorp Stadium and the Gabba upgrades, questions about fiscal responsibility and the best use of public resources have emerged.

Consequently, rejecting a new $3.4 billion Victoria Park stadium highlights the prioritisation of existing infrastructure over new constructions.

A New Vision for QSAC

The proposed redevelopment involves demolishing and rebuilding significant portions of QSAC, including constructing an 8,000-seat western grandstand and additional permanent seating. This plan aims to elevate QSAC to Olympic standards whilst considering the site’s challenging topography and access issues. 

The ultimate goal is a versatile 14,000-capacity stadium that serves both the Olympics and the community post-Games.

Griffith University, located next door to the QSAC, endorses investigating the upgrades.

“Brisbane has benefitted vastly from the facility since it opened in time for the Commonwealth Games in 1982,” Griffith Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans said in a statement

QSAC Commonwealth Games in the 1980s
Commonwealth Games 1982
Photo Credit: QSAC/Facebook

“It has been home to major sporting fixtures and teams and as a venue for international musical acts such as Madonna and Billy Joel.

“The uses for QSAC will only grow as we approach the Olympics and well after they are finished.

“Additionally, improved transport connections to the area will benefit many thousands of people living in Brisbane’s southern suburbs.”



The decision to focus on QSAC for the 2032 Olympics represents a bold commitment to utilising existing infrastructure, fostering community legacy, and managing financial resources wisely. Whilst the move has its critics, particularly concerning the review’s recommendations, it sets the stage for an Olympic transformation that could redefine Brisbane and its approach to major sporting events.

Published 19-March-2024