ABC News (AU)
· collected 2026-09-18 · by Emma Johnson, Aaron Kelly, and Stephen Clarke
Plans to host Olympic rowing in Rockhampton for the 2032 Brisbane Games are pushing ahead despite months of fierce debate over the Fitzroy River's suitability, including its status as a crocodile habitat.
asserted
Plans → host → habitat
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week signed off on the river to host rowing and canoe sprint events, following an independent technical assessment, endorsed by World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide.
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Committee → sign → Rowing
The technical assessment has not yet been released publicly.
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assessment → release → ?
The Queensland government says Rockhampton passed "with flying colours", but the decision has still drawn widespread international media attention.
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decision → say → attention
So is the Fitzroy the right call, and will athletes have to compete alongside crocodiles?
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athletes → have → crocodiles
North and far north Queensland are regions notoriously known as "croc-country".
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Queensland → know → country
Rockhampton and the Fitzroy River fall into this region, but have "exponentially" fewer crocodiles than northern areas like the Cape York Peninsula.
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Rockhampton → fall → Peninsula
Modelling from the Department of Environment and Science (DETSI) in 2019 recorded about 0.2 crocodiles per kilometre in Rockhampton.
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Modelling → record → Rockhampton
Applying this ratio to the Fitzroy River, which is 480 kilometres long, would result in about 96 crocodiles total.
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which → apply → crocodiles
John Lever has been catching, nurturing, breeding, showing and selling crocodiles from his central Queensland farm since 1981.
The Koorana Crocodile Farm owner said the crocodile concerns were just a media beat-up.
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concerns → catch → 1981
"I would be more concerned about having a vehicle accident on the way to put your boat in than I would about the crocodiles," Mr Lever said.
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Lever → have → crocodiles
"The crocodile side of [the rowing] has been blown out of all proportion."
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side → blow → proportion
The crocodile expert also dismissed reports the river was home to 500 crocodiles and said that figure was "about 50".
Is the river safe?
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river → dismiss → crocodiles
From crocodiles, Mr Lever said yes.
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Lever → say → crocodiles
"There's very few crocodiles in the freshwater section of the river — I think we've had four removed in 40 years — so there's no great threat there," he said.
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he → be → years
"School kids are out there rowing every day of the week and if it was considered to be a danger, they wouldn't allow those school kids out there."
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they → row → kids
A DETSI spokesperson told the ABC: "There has never been a documented negative interaction between humans and crocodiles in the Rockhampton region."
However, University of Queensland crocodile expert, Emeritus Professor Craig Franklin, said it was a "foolish and misguided decision" to host the rowing event in croc country.
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it → tell → country
"Simply, it is not OK to canoe or row where estuarine crocodiles live and breed,"Emeritus Professor Franklin said.
"
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Franklin → canoe → ?
Fitzroy passes independent technical assessment
Premier David Crisafulli said the river's endorsement from World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide had proven doubters wrong.
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doubters → pass → Rowing
The independent technical assessment, undertaken by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) and WaterProof Marine Consultancy and Services B.V., tested river flows, water levels, wind and wave conditions.
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assessment → undertake → flows
World Rowing president Jean-Christophe Rolland said the results showed the river could provide "fair competition conditions".
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river → say → conditions
The Queensland government said the assessment confirmed the location was capable of supporting a full-length international flatwater course, with "consistent and athlete-focused competition conditions".
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location → say → conditions
Queensland Row Union president Gary Merritt said he still had concerns.
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he → say → concerns
"When there is no rain for a long period of time and the barrage is closed, there is no current," Mr Merritt said.
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Merritt → be → time
"But if there is a rain event anywhere in that catchment, which is three and a half times the size of the Netherlands, then that can affect flow in the different lanes.
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that → be → lanes
The barrage was built in 1970 and separates the river into saltwater and freshwater sections.
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barrage → build → sections
Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has labelled the barrage "Rockhampton's secret weapon", saying it helps to form a racing environment on the water by creating a mid-river dam.
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it → label → dam
What infrastructure will be needed?
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infrastructure → need → ?
According to the Queensland Government's Games Delivery Plan, upgrades to the existing Fitzroy River course will be delivered ahead of 2032.
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upgrades → accord → 2032
The upgrades will include "enhanced permanent infrastructure and amenities", but no plans or details have been finalised.
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plans → include → infrastructure
Mr Merritt said some areas will likely need to be cleared for spectator grandstands and the boating park, but flooding may cause problems.
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flooding → say → problems
"At the moment they've passed the course, but the next phase of the project validation review is to look at the infrastructure on the banks," he said.
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he → pass → banks
"There's a very strong risk that the course will be washed away in a flood."
"Once it's used in Rockhampton in 2032, it probably won't get much use again for the rest of its life.
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it → be → life
Not yet, but the industry says there will be before 2032.
The region's peak tourism body, Capricorn Enterprise, has flagged in recent years the need for an extra 1,200 short-term accommodation rooms by 2032, for current and future demand, not including Olympic tourism requirements.
The body's chief executive, Mary Carroll, said she is now "confident" that the target will be met in the next six years.
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target → say → years
"There are commercial in-confidence discussions underway for new short-term hotel accommodation in the region," Ms Carroll said.
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Carroll → be → region
"This announcement has once and for all let everyone know that this is happening, so investors have been watching closely."
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investors → let → all
The Fitzroy is playing host to this year's Rowing Queensland Schools' Championship Regatta this weekend.
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Fitzroy → play → Regatta
Up to 800 athletes from Queensland and interstate are expected to compete, with races set to take place on the river north of the barrage.
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races → expect → barrage
The event's safety management plan refers to the presence of crocodiles in the river and the possibility of a sighting.
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plan → refer → sighting
A call of "crocodile, crocodile, crocodile" is to be made in the event of a sighting with racing suspended until the risk has been assessed.
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risk → make → sighting
The Aporia
