The Queensland Government has confirmed it will no longer proceed with plans to use the former Visy glass factory site in South Brisbane as a key Olympic venue, with the future of the riverfront land now under renewed consideration.
Purchased in 2022 for $165 million, the seven hectare industrial site was originally planned to host the International Broadcast Centre for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, a recent 100 day review by the Games Infrastructure Authority found the plan was not financially viable, pointing to flood risk and a lack of due diligence in the original acquisition.
Infrastructure Minister Jarrod Bleijie said the government was now exploring alternative uses for the site. “The world is our oyster in terms of the Visy site,” he said. “It might be housing, it might be economic development, it might be community infrastructure, it might be a parkland.” He confirmed a formal planning process would begin soon, involving Brisbane City Council and other parties.
The announcement marks a change in direction for one of Brisbane’s most prominent future urban renewal areas, located on Montague Road near the South Bank precinct. While Olympic infrastructure will now be delivered at other locations, the state government has indicated it remains committed to ensuring the Visy land is used for long term public benefit.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the site still holds potential to become a new civic destination. “It does not change the vision that we have had for a long time to make this area a new South Bank,” he said. Schrinner noted that council had not contributed financially to the purchase and was waiting for the state to outline the next steps. “We have always said we want to work with the state government to deliver a great outcome,” he added.
The site sits beside the former Parmalat milk factory, another state owned parcel, creating an opportunity for coordinated planning across a large section of Montague Road. Both sites fall within the Kurilpa Riverfront Renewal strategy, a planning framework aimed at opening up more public space and mixed use development across South Brisbane and West End.
No timeframe has been given for the redevelopment. The government has not announced whether any temporary uses or early works will take place while planning is underway.
Although the broadcast centre will be relocated to an existing facility, the Visy land remains one of the most strategically positioned development opportunities in inner Brisbane. The challenge now lies in ensuring the site supports long term city shaping goals beyond the short term pressures of the Olympic timeline.
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The river banks should have been preserved for green space a long time ago. Nothing to see but unit blocks up and down the river now, apart from Southbank and New Farm Park. This makes a tour down the river somewhat uninteresting. Flooding should always be planned for. Preservation of the Visy site is step in the right direction.
Rivers must have rights, too. We need more natural spaces and rehabilitation of our polluted river systems. Bring back the mangroves and slow the flow of the river.There is a wealth of memory, history and knowledge held by Indigenous First Nation’s peoples. The river needs equal rights with humans, as we are facing a climate catastrophe. Liberate our rivers from human abuse and disrespect. No more cramming of humans into high rises that impose strain on our floodplains. Hard scaping interferes with absorption of water into the water table and that threatens us with cycles of flooding and water scarcity.