Redland Whitewater Centre
The Redland Whitewater Centre will be a unique addition to sport and recreation facilities on Redlands Coast.
Designed for all ages and abilities, the Redland Whitewater Centre is proposed to offer activities like tubing on calm waters, learning water safety, beginner paddling, and even tackling rapids for canoeing, kayaking, and rafting. This year-round venue will be a great spot for families, emergency services, and athletes. It is earmarked to host the Canoe Slalom events for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Redland Whitewater Centre is jointly funded by the Australian Government and Queensland Government. The Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) will lead project delivery, and Council is implementing the Birkdale Community Precinct Master Plan, which includes enabling works for the Redlands Coast’s 62-heactare parkland.
The total area for the Birkdale Community Precinct is 62 hectares, which comprises a 36-hectare conservation area. The proposed Redland Whitewater Centre will encompass about eight per cent of the total area of the precinct.
Council will soon refer the Birkdale Community Precinct, which includes the proposed Olympic venue site, for assessment under the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999.
Project update
GIICA has completed initial assessments to confirm the Redland Whitewater Centre project’s feasibility and potential to deliver lasting benefits for the region. With this work now done and funding committed, GIICA can progress the required approvals and continue developing the design for this important investment in community infrastructure for our city.
The Redland Whitewater Centre project’s design, procurement and construction will be delivered by GIICA, as part of the $7.1 billion Games Venues Infrastructure Program jointly funded by the Queensland and Australian Governments. GIICA has subsequently opened Expressions of Interest (EOI) for a Principal Consultant to lead design of this key community asset.
Read the Redland Whitewater Centre project fact sheet.
Further information is available on GIICA’s website at: https://giica.au/.
Legacy benefits
Being an event venue city will create opportunities to enhance our Redlands Coast lifestyle, create jobs, boost the local economy and continue to advocate to bring forward important transport infrastructure including the completion of the Eastern Metro to Capalaba.
Brisbane 2032 is forecast to drive more than 90,000 jobs per year, $3.5 billion in social benefits and more than $4.5 billion in tourism and trade boost for Queensland.
A major boost for the Redland Whitewater Centre is the important partnerships between Council, the Queensland Government, Australian Government and professional emergency service providers whose future access for emergency and resilience training and education would help augment the long-term value of the facility.
Council also acknowledges its partners and key stakeholders including the International Canoe Federation, Paddle Australia and Paddle Queensland, who continue to work with us to progress the Olympic-standard Redland Whitewater Centre.
The Redland Whitewater Centre will form a key addition to the naturally wonderful Redlands Coast, which already encompasses tens of thousands of years of Aboriginal canoeing culture, approximately 335km of coastline and 400km of recreation trails.
The Redlands Coast 2032 Legacy Working Group will help amplify this once-in-a-generation opportunity presented by Brisbane 2032.
What is Canoe Slalom?
The sport of Canoe Slalom, in which competitors in canoes and kayaks navigate a series of whitewater rapid challenges, was modelled from ski slalom and began in Switzerland in 1932. In its early days, it was first performed on flat water but later switched to whitewater rapids. In Canoe Slalom the boats are small, light and agile, allowing for greater manoeuvrability through rapids.
Canoe Slalom made its debut at the 1972 Munich Games. Slalom racing did not compete again in the Olympic Games until the 1992 Barcelona Games. Canoe Slalom racers compete in four events, three for men and one for women, over the same course.
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Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games