Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, lobbied for controversial plans to host 2032 Olympic rowing events on the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton, documents released by the Queensland government show. The plans to send rowers 600km north of host city Brisbane – to a river that is natural habitat for saltwater crocodiles – prompted significant backlash among the rowing and broader Olympic communities.
Decision Announced in March 2024
The Queensland government announced the relocation of rowing events to Rockhampton in March last year. The newly elected government conducted a venues review finalized in early 2025, which was used to justify breaking election promises not to build a new stadium. However, the decision to move rowing to Rockhampton went against the review's recommendations, which suggested rowing be relocated to Sydney and held at the existing facility near Penrith.
Concerns Beyond Crocodiles
Concerns about the Fitzroy River’s suitability extend beyond the presence of saltwater crocodiles, which are occasionally found in the water at Rockhampton, just above the Tropic of Capricorn. International and Australian rowing officials and competitors have raised various issues, including that a rowing facility built in Rockhampton would become a “white elephant.” There are also concerns any potential course would not meet strict technical requirements for international racing regarding weeds, water quality, and currents.
Brinkmanship and Political Stance
The situation has led to brinkmanship: Queensland deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie has said publicly that rowing would be held in Rockhampton or cancelled altogether. An undated letter from Rinehart to Bleijie, obtained by Brisbane Times but understood to have been sent prior to the government’s decision, lobbies for the relocation of rowing to central Queensland.
Rinehart's Letter
Rinehart, a key financial backer of the rightwing One Nation party with extensive mining and pastoral interests, said in the letter that hosting an Olympic event in the “beef capital” would “enable Queensland to tell the iconic Australian story of our pastoralists and farmers.” She added, “As a supporter of Australian rowing for more than a decade, I am aware that the Australian team often trains on the Fitzroy River and that Rockhampton annually hosts the Queensland state school championships. This rowing facility is world class and is already close to major infrastructure, so it offers the potential to save taxpayer money.” Rinehart also noted Rockhampton’s mining history: “As you would know too, Rockhampton has also always been a major mining town, the nearby Mt Morgan mine was once the biggest gold mine in the world. I am told that metals from this mine will produce the gold, silver, and bronze medals for the Olympics! To marry showing where the Olympic medals come from and having Olympic events nearby, sounds to me like a beautiful extra!”
