Champion oarsman says Brisbane 2032 rowing risks becoming country regatta

Three-time Olympic gold medal winner Drew Ginn (center) races as part of Australia's Olympic coxless fours during a training session at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in May 2012. | REUTERS

REUTERS

Sep 18, 2026

Prominent Australian rowing figures have criticized the approval of Rockhampton’s crocodile-inhabited Fitzroy River as the venue for the sport at the Brisbane Olympics, arguing the course will require extensive investment and leave little lasting legacy.

Worries about the venue initially focused on the 500 crocodiles that live in and around the river but there are also concerns about the impact of river current on the fairness of competition and the lack of accommodation in the city of 80,000.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, however, announced in state parliament on Thursday that an independent technical review had found the course capable of hosting fair rowing and canoeing competitions in 2032.

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