Remove this Banner Ad

News Gabba Upgrade & Olympics News

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.



At the end of the above video the Cairns MP (ALP) mentions no cost figure has been released other than a few years ago being $100 million

I also loved the MP for Leichardt (Labor) "accidental cough" at the end which the LNP would prefer to delete even though Tim Mander (LNP) had a giggle.
 
Last edited:
I also loved the MP for Leichardt (Labor) "accidental cough" at the end which the LNP would prefer to delete even though Tim Mander (LNP) had a giggle.
Matt Smith (the Labor MP) played basketball for the Cairns Taipans for four years, and the Marlins for another handful. Definitely biased. :D

At the end of the above video the Cairns Mayor (ALP) mentions no cost figure has been released other than a few years ago being $100 million
FYI Michael Healy is the state member for Cairns, not mayor.
 
FYI Michael Healy is the state member for Cairns, not mayor.
Thanks, fixed clearly stated MP not sure where the Mayor came from
Just another "having a mare moment" from me
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

Now that we know the location of VP Stadium. A revised look at how far each train station is from the Stadium.
I used the middle of the stadium as the start point. The same with the MCG and Carrara
All these distances mentioned are taken from Google Maps and are in a straight line.
Actual walking distance will be longer in most cases but not all.

I will start with Nerang Station to Carrara Stadium as a guide to what most people will or won't put up with.
The distance is 2120 meters. The walk takes about 25 to 30 minutes.
However, it's a flat and fairly straight walk with a good wide cemented pathway. Pretty good lighting for night games.
The walk has just 1 set of lights at Lakeview Drive. People ignore the lights if red, as you are not crossing the main road.

Very few people do this walk, they take the shuttle bus.
Possibly more people likely to walk to Nerang Station after the game over waiting for buses.
So that appears to be peoples upper limit in SEQ anyhow.

I don't know Melbourne very well at all. I may have missed some rail stations

The MCG
Jolimont Station:.......... 378 meters
Richmond Station:........ 681 meters
Flinders Street Station: 1450 meters

Marvel
Southern Cross Station: 505 meters

Carrara
Nerang Station: 2120 meters

Victoria Park Stadium

Train Wash Building:......480 meters
Exhibition Station:........1040 meters - Hills through the park. Arup will make this easier
Fortitude Vallet Station:.1410 meters - Hills and suburban streets. Maybe Arup can reduce the time somehow.
Roma Street Station:.....1440 meters - Arup will make this easier
Central Station:............1680 meters - Very hilly through the streets. Not a good option for most people

The Gabba
Southbank:.................1500meters

1773894414521.webp
 
Last edited:
Now that we know the location of VP Stadium. A revised look at how far each train station is from the Stadium.
I used the middle of the stadium as the start point. The same with the MCG and Carrara
All these distances mentioned are taken from Google Maps and are in a straight line.
Actual walking distance will be longer in most cases but not all.

I will start with Nerang Station to Carrara Stadium as a guide to what most people will or won't put up with.
The distance is 2120 meters. The walk takes about 25 to 30 minutes.
However, it's a flat and fairly straight walk with a good wide cemented pathway. Pretty good lighting for night games.
The walk has just 1 set of lights at Lakeview Drive. People ignore the lights if red, as you are not crossing the main road.

Very few people do this walk, they take the shuttle bus.
Possibly more people likely to walk to Nerang Station after the game over waiting for buses.
So that appears to be peoples upper limit in SEQ anyhow.

I don't know Melbourne very well at all. I may have missed some rail stations

The MCG
Jolimont Station:.......... 378 meters
Richmond Station:........ 681 meters
Flinders Street Station: 1450 meters

Marvel
Southern Cross Station: 505 meters

Carrara
Nerang Station: 2120 meters

Victoria Park Stadium

Train Wash Building:......480 meters
Exhibition Station:........1040 meters - Hills through the park. Arup will make this easier
Fortitude Vallet Station:.1410 meters - Hills and suburban streets. Maybe Arup can reduce the time somehow.
Roma Street Station:.....1440 meters - Arup will make this easier
Central Station:............1680 meters - Very hilly through the streets. Not a good option for most people


View attachment 2555587
Hand in hand with that, I reckon that no new train station can only mean massive upgrades of the busway stations.

I could see big wide plazas built over the busways at QUT and Herston Rd where crowds can pool and move down massive, wide staircases directly to the platforms.

Then they run the buses like trains. You’d have a gang of four or five Metros and buses all docking, loading, and departing simultaneously. While one lot is loading, you’d have the next groups already banked up down the busway lanes, ready to roll in the second the platform clears.

It also makes sense to split the load between the stations to keep things as simple as possible. All southbound buses go from QUT, and everything northbound goes from Herston Rd.

Still only part of the picture, they need to have great plans for all modes of transport. I would not at all be surprised if they do a deal with QUT to open more possibilities.
 
Bleijie heavily implied it would be located where Section 5 has it on the map above, on the driving range visible from QUT, at the presser announcing the stadium architects. We'll have to wait for the master plan to be released to have final confirmation that's where it'll be built though.
 
Last edited:
Hand in hand with that, I reckon that no new train station can only mean massive upgrades of the busway stations.

I could see big wide plazas built over the busways at QUT and Herston Rd where crowds can pool and move down massive, wide staircases directly to the platforms.

Then they run the buses like trains. You’d have a gang of four or five Metros and buses all docking, loading, and departing simultaneously. While one lot is loading, you’d have the next groups already banked up down the busway lanes, ready to roll in the second the platform clears.

It also makes sense to split the load between the stations to keep things as simple as possible. All southbound buses go from QUT, and everything northbound goes from Herston Rd.

Still only part of the picture, they need to have great plans for all modes of transport. I would not at all be surprised if they do a deal with QUT to open more possibilities.
This is basically what the Swans do - there's a reserved loop for post-game bus line ups at the SCG to send people back to Central. The line up is always crazy to get on, because you just can't load buses at the same speed that you can trains.
 
This is basically what the Swans do - there's a reserved loop for post-game bus line ups at the SCG to send people back to Central. The line up is always crazy to get on, because you just can't load buses at the same speed that you can trains.
Yeah, it's no silver bullet; everything has to be optimised. There needs to be a high-capacity walkway down to Gilchrist Avenue and then through to the Exhibition platform. There is currently a windy little bike and pedestrian path that runs under Bowen Bridge Rd, but there is no platform on that side of the tracks. That whole area is going to have to be nuked and completely redone.

The ICB pedestrian overpass and the wide shaded walkways along Gregory Terrace down to Roma Street and Central via Water/Edward all has to happen. And like I say, I'd be shocked if the QUT carparks and sporting fields in the northwestern corner end up looking anything like they do now. Not sure that will be transport, but who knows.
 
This is basically what the Swans do - there's a reserved loop for post-game bus line ups at the SCG to send people back to Central. The line up is always crazy to get on, because you just can't load buses at the same speed that you can trains.
Speaks to my concerns about using buses as a primary mode of transport to/from big events.

Thought the light rail did a decent enough job on Saturday night. It was pretty crowded but it looked like everyone was able to get on once they actually reached the platform.
 
Speaks to my concerns about using buses as a primary mode of transport to/from big events.

Thought the light rail did a decent enough job on Saturday night. It was pretty crowded but it looked like everyone was able to get on once they actually reached the platform.
When it's just the light rail, it doesn't work. They stopped running the buses at points last year and it was a failure, so it was good to see them back. Ultimately you've got buses + light rail + walking (~ 2km) to get back to Central to get people on to trains.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Bleijie heavily implied it would be located where Section 5 has it on the map above, on the driving range visible from QUT, at the presser announcing the stadium architects. We'll have to wait for the master plan to be released to have final confirmation that's where it'll be built though.
I'm probably wrong, but I reckon we'll get the draft Vic Park masterplan next week at the delivery plan update event. Penny Hall (Arup) spoke at an event last night, which I think is the first time she's done that since Arup was appointed. One of the things she spoke about was "what the Victoria Park precinct will become for Queensland".
 
Firstly, buses will be used for the Olympics in multiple ways.
The below comment is about when we are back in legacy mode.

As Grasshopper17 has previously mentioned Brisbane needs to get away from using large numbers of extra buses for sports and concert days. Some may not realize this, but the bus costs along with lots of other things like police, traffic controllers, ambulance etc are paid by us members via out ticket & membership prices. They are gameday venue hire costs passed on to the club who pass on to tickets & membership

On the inner northern busway i don't see them doing much to improve the width to line up buses in numbers needed.

Can possibly use some sections to park the buses outside the platforms but it's likely a safety concern.
There are a couple of arears busses could park outside the covered and underground sections and wait till called upon.

From Herston stop to QUT Kelvin Grove stop the busway is completely covered. Reason to stop errant golf balls at the time.
Also, buses go underground in 2 sections of the park. 284 meters & 135 meters.

It would be a political mistake to take part of the parkland to use for lining up buses 12 months of the year.
However, they could do this for the Olympics with a promise the sections used will revert back to parkland post Olympics

I don't believe we will have an excess of the new Metro buses to help in this area.
Any new metro busses added to the fleet would be used for already planned routes. So, you will have those ones that go via this inner northern busway.
It will have to be mostly normal buses as backup.

Also, there is likely a limit of how many buses can dock per hour in the CBD underground stations.
I don't know if the buses can get off before the Roma Street stop (now & the new coming soon station) and go via the city streets. Then they have to find a route to get back to VP. Any bus drivers on Lions BF that can advise.
 
I'm probably wrong, but I reckon we'll get the draft Vic Park masterplan next week at the delivery plan update event. Penny Hall (Arup) spoke at an event last night, which I think is the first time she's done that since Arup was appointed. One of the things she spoke about was "what the Victoria Park precinct will become for Queensland".
Hopefully they have some sort of draft as you say. Just awaiting a validation report on the costings that will take some time.

Arup have had a reasonable amount of time to enquire at and get answers for.
What land they can use from the parkland, Qld rail land, any local street and ICB crossings with likely approvals.
What's needed to greatly improve connectivity from athlete's village via VP to Roma Street parklands and rail/bus stations.
Street closures either permanent or temporary. Possibly a few house/business land resumptions
Found out what the athlete's village restricted area will be to plan around that.

Public transport should have been included but the Premier may have stipulated "plan on no new rail station for now".
If so, i hope Arup come back with it won't work properly without a venue train station
 
Should contract in Chinese companies to not only plan and build the stadium but also the public transport connectivity and servicing. Will never happen though.

Fully expecting some half arsed shitty job that has cost blowouts and every Tom, Dick and Jane either complaining or wanting some 'connection' to it all driven by financial gain.
 
Public transport should have been included but the Premier may have stipulated "plan on no new rail station for now".
If so, i hope Arup come back with it won't work properly without a venue train station
It probably will be considering they'll have to plan around the busway, ICB, and train lines through the park & the RNA, and how visitors use those when events are on and outside of events.
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Firstly, buses will be used for the Olympics in multiple ways.
The below comment is about when we are back in legacy mode.

As Grasshopper17 has previously mentioned Brisbane needs to get away from using large numbers of extra buses for sports and concert days. Some may not realize this, but the bus costs along with lots of other things like police, traffic controllers, ambulance etc are paid by us members via out ticket & membership prices. They are gameday venue hire costs passed on to the club who pass on to tickets & membership

On the inner northern busway i don't see them doing much to improve the width to line up buses in numbers needed.

Can possibly use some sections to park the buses outside the platforms but it's likely a safety concern.
There are a couple of arears busses could park outside the covered and underground sections and wait till called upon.

From Herston stop to QUT Kelvin Grove stop the busway is completely covered. Reason to stop errant golf balls at the time.
Also, buses go underground in 2 sections of the park. 284 meters & 135 meters.

It would be a political mistake to take part of the parkland to use for lining up buses 12 months of the year.
However, they could do this for the Olympics with a promise the sections used will revert back to parkland post Olympics

I don't believe we will have an excess of the new Metro buses to help in this area.
Any new metro busses added to the fleet would be used for already planned routes. So, you will have those ones that go via this inner northern busway.
It will have to be mostly normal buses as backup.

Also, there is likely a limit of how many buses can dock per hour in the CBD underground stations.
I don't know if the buses can get off before the Roma Street stop (now & the new coming soon station) and go via the city streets. Then they have to find a route to get back to VP. Any bus drivers on Lions BF that can advise.
Without a dedicated Victoria Park train station, the government will be forced to significantly upgrade the bus stations as part of a patchwork of transport options. The busway will simply have to do a lot of the heavy lifting. I can't see any other realistic alternative to manage that level of surge capacity.
 
Without a dedicated Victoria Park train station, the government will be forced to significantly upgrade the bus stations as part of a patchwork of transport options. The busway will simply have to do a lot of the heavy lifting. I can't see any other realistic alternative to manage that level of surge capacity.
I just don't see upgrading buses as being realistic, at a localised level (event) it would probably work but when you are moving that many people in multiple sessions that a lot will be international people its going to take a lot of buses!

The line in Paris exiting stade de france was still quite long (packed) and that's with one of the best metro systems in the world

In my opinion buses are fanciful for this type of event, with them banging on about "legacy" i have no idea why they wouldn't announce "legacy" rail at victoria park, "Olympic Station" for the next 50-100 years would be exactly that...legacy

On a side note, I reckon a good name to call the stadium apart from a naming rights stadium would be The Barra (Barrambin)
 
Last edited:
I live on the sunshine coast and had never really had a good look at Victoria park apart from gogole earth until our last home game i went for a walk through it before the match, Its going to be unbeleivable

Not sure whos picking up the spare million golf balls currently laying everywhere
 
Without a dedicated Victoria Park train station, the government will be forced to significantly upgrade the bus stations as part of a patchwork of transport options. The busway will simply have to do a lot of the heavy lifting. I can't see any other realistic alternative to manage that level of surge capacity.
Agree without a rail station that is their only option other than people walking.
It will cost a motza to do the busway anyhow not to mention the bus route disruption while taking years to complete.

The only sensible solution is a new rail station that will have no disruption to existing public transport.
They will have direct access to the site as VP will be a construction zone in a lot of designated places.
Maybe all VP will be a no person zone until finished

Even the high ups at Qld Rail knew a station was needed when they set aside the Train Wash Building area that got leaked the morning of the last LNP Olympic function update.

I am just hoping that the Crisafulli "no new stadium" ends up the same way as "new rail station not a preferred option".
Maybe it's his way to be against something to get on side (votes) and when an independent panel say otherwise, he has a good reason to change his mind.

I do get the feeling it's the costs of a new rail station is the main reason Crisafulli is hesitant.
Plenty of time to get the funds needed as long as he keeps the Coal super-profits-tax in place that he was against.
Unfortunately, what's happening in the Middle East just on "LNG gas" should greatly increase coal exports and tax collected by the State Government.
Countries using imported gas for electricity will have to use lots more coal in the older generators than anticipated.
Australia's LNG gas exports (inc Qld) will be needed in bigger quantities to help in the world shortfall. More tax collected
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top Bottom