Bid to stop construction on Victoria Park stadium rejected by Murray Watt

“This decision follows consultation with interested parties and acknowledges the area is of particular significance to the Turrbal and Jagera people in accordance with their traditions.”

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Watt’s department was still assessing three applications to make declarations under the heritage protection act.

The design of the centrepiece stadium for Brisbane 2032 was revealed earlier in January.

Save Victoria Park spokeswoman Rosemary O’Hagan said the renders’ “latest tranche of greenwashed computer imagery” was not real.

“What’s real are the ancient trees, rolling hills and native wildlife the government intends to obliterate for what could become one of history’s most environmentally disastrous Olympic Games,” she said.

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Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has described the Save Victoria Park group as “loopy”.

“The Save Victoria Park group are just a bunch of NIMBYs that don’t want anything to happen,” he said.

“They believe this park has been activated for years. It wasn’t. It was a golf course. Before it was a golf course, it was a dump, for goodness’ sake.”

Bleijie said earthwork would begin midyear and the stadium’s planned 63,000-seat capacity could be increased – if it could be delivered within the existing budget.

“If we can squeeze more out of the budget, add a few more seats, make it happen,” he said.

“But the budget’s not changing.”

In September, Arup was announced as the firm behind the master plan for the precinct, which would take in Victoria Park and the nearby RNA Showgrounds.

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