A crocodile habitat in Queensland, Australia, has been approved as the host location for several 2032 Olympic rowing events.
Queensland’s Fitzroy River was formally selected Thursday by Olympic officials as the venue, after passing an independent assessment of its suitability
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In a statement Thursday, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) review of the river was complete.
“Rowing and canoe sprint will be in Rockhampton for the 2032 Games and deliver a lasting legacy for Central Queensland,” he said.
World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide also endorsed the Rockhampton flatwater course; its selection confirms it as the location for rowing, para rowing, canoe sprint and para canoe events for the 2032 Games.
“The Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) will now proceed with the detailed planning, design and construction for the Games,” a government news release said.
“The assessment included extensive on-water investigations and modelling to understand how the course would perform under a range of conditions, weather patterns, water levels and flood risk at both Games time and throughout the period leading into the Games,” it continued.
The Fitzroy River Flatwater Facility “is already a training and competition venue for flatwater sports, supporting school state championships, local regattas, and national team training camps,” according to GIICA’s assessment.
Croatia’s Martin Sinkovic (TOP L) and Croatia’s Valent Sinkovic cross the finish line in first place as they compete for the gold in the men’s pair final rowing competition at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Centre in Vaires-sur-Marne during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on August 2, 2024.
BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images
The river is home to about 500 crocodiles, according to media reports, and news of its approval as an Olympic venue has drawn an unusual amount of attention, including to Queensland’s annual rowing regatta, where students from across the state will gather this weekend to compete.
Jean-Christophe Rolland, president of World Rowing, reiterated that fair and equal conditions for athletes were the driver in requesting an assessment of the course for the 2032 Olympics.
“Based on the extensive analysis undertaken, we now know that the Fitzroy River is capable of providing fair competition conditions during the period of the Games, consistent with the requirements of Olympic and Paralympic Rowing,” Rolland said.
“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Brisbane 2032, GIICA, Paddle Worldwide, the IOC and IPC in the coming phases of venue planning.”
Thomas Konietzko, president of Paddle Worldwide, said the assessment had been characterized by a highly collaborative and transparent approach across all stakeholders.
“The quality and depth of the technical work undertaken has significantly improved our understanding of the field of play and provides confidence to us and our athletes that the course can deliver fair competition for Canoe Sprint athletes,” he said.
The Brisbane 2032 board president, Andrew Liveris, mentioned the presence of crocodiles last year.
“There are sharks in the ocean, and we’re still surfing… it’s a can do, not a can’t do – please change the mindset here,” he said at the time, the BBC reported.
On Thursday, speaking about the venue having been approved, he said: “The endorsement provides additional certainty as we move into the next phase of venue planning and Games delivery, ensuring all future design and operational work continues to focus solely on Rockhampton.”
Saltwater crocodiles live in the northeastern region of Queensland and can be found in rivers, lagoons, swamps, waterholes, mangroves, estuaries, beaches, coral reefs and the ocean and can grow up to six metres in length.
In 2021, Rockhampton Regional Council warned of a three metre-long crocodile along the river banks.
The Department of Environment regularly receives sighting reports along the Fitzroy River, the council said, and urges people to be “crocwise” whenever they are near the water.
There have been 50 crocodile attacks in Queensland since 1985; the most recent was a non-fatal attack in January. Of the total, 15 have been fatal attacks and 34 have been non-fatal.
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