At the IOC’s 146th Session in Lausanne on 25 June, an official posed the question that has dogged Brisbane 2032’s rowing plan since it was announced: “But the crocodiles will be behind a fence, won’t they?”

The remark, reported by The Australian, came during a discussion about staging rowing and canoe sprint on the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, roughly 600 kilometres from Brisbane. The same official warned that if an athlete were bitten, “this would be the end of the Games.”

The exchange brought international scrutiny to a venue that remains in its planning and approvals phase, with World Rowing yet to complete the technical assessment needed before any final sign-off.

What World Rowing Requires

World Rowing has kept the same line. In a statement from Lausanne in March 2025, the governing body said: “Fairness and safety are paramount for any venue hosting events of this scale and importance.” It then said that any international racing course has to meet its racing rules and technical requirements.

World Rowing president Jean-Christophe Rolland later said the federation was “appreciative of the engagement and assessment carried out to date,” but that “fairness and integrity of competition is our utmost priority.” Neither World Rowing nor the International Canoe Federation had received the technical-study information needed for final approval at the time of their most recent public comments.

The distinction between initial feasibility work and final technical clearance matters. GIICA, the Brisbane 2032 infrastructure body, announced in October 2025 that the Fitzroy had passed initial testing covering river flow, water levels, wind, and preliminary field-of-play suitability. World Rowing subsequently made clear that this did not constitute approval.

Beyond the Crocodiles

Saltwater crocodiles are a genuine operational concern. Queensland’s crocodile management plan identifies Rockhampton as the southernmost population centre for estuarine crocodiles, with targeted removal arrangements in parts of the Fitzroy catchment for animals two metres or longer. Wildlife officers have responded to large crocodiles in the river before.

But for the rowing community, the crocodile issue sits alongside a longer list of technical problems. The Fitzroy is tidal, subject to strong and uneven currents, exposed to crosswinds, and prone to flooding. Depth variation and sediment raise further questions about whether a 2000-metre course can deliver lane-by-lane fairness under championship conditions. Discussion at the IOC session also touched on how coxswains would exit boats and how para-rowers would safely leave the water.

A Change.org petition opposing the venue had attracted more than 6000 signatures. It argues the course is flood-prone, unfair for competition, and far from the roughly 80% of Queensland participants in rowing and canoe sprint who live in south-east Queensland.

Queensland Digs In

The state government has shown no interest in reconsidering. Sports minister Tim Mander said: “We are committed to it, we’re not looking at alternatives. The rowing will be at Rockhampton.” Deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie put it more bluntly: “If they don’t want it in Rocky, it ain’t happening.” Premier David Crisafulli framed the venue as a matter of regional equity, saying in April that “if it’s good enough for Queensland kids, it’s good enough for Pierre from Paris.”

The day after the Lausanne session, attorney-general Deb Frecklington told Nine: “I would row on the Fitzroy, absolutely.”

A Rival Bid Waiting

An alternative exists. The City of Moreton Bay formally released its Lawnton Lakes flatwater rowing precinct proposal in February 2026, pitching it as a purpose-built, international-standard venue accessible via Petrie rail station, about 30 minutes from Brisbane’s CBD and under 40 minutes from the airport. Rowing Queensland CEO Anthea O’Loughlin said the Lawnton proposal could transform the sport by securing a permanent home in south-east Queensland.

Bleijie rejected the Lawnton bid. The political question appears settled in Rockhampton’s favour, at least inside Queensland.

World Rowing and the ICF still hold the authority to approve or reject the course, and their assessment remains incomplete. GIICA lists the venue’s anticipated completion date as 2031, with the Australian and Queensland governments as funding partners and Rockhampton Regional Council as the venue owner.

Six years from the opening ceremony, the Fitzroy River plan has political backing, a project timeline, and local club support. It still needs approval from the sport’s governing body.