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Multi-purpose sports facility in Brisbane, Queensland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC /ˈkjuːzæk/ KEW-zak, formerly known as the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Sports Centre) is a multi-purpose sports facility in Nathan, Queensland, located 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) south-east of the Brisbane CBD. Its main stadium – formerly known as QEII Stadium, and later ANZ Stadium under a naming rights agreement with ANZ – accommodates 48,500 spectators, while its smaller State Athletics Facility accommodates 2,100 spectators. Both stadiums feature Rekortan running tracks and natural grass fields. The Queensland Academy of Sport, Queensland State Netball Centre, and a complex of beach volleyball courts are also housed at the facility. QSAC is owned by the Queensland Government, and its main stadium and State Athletics Facility are operated through its agency, Stadiums Queensland.
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 Exterior of the main stadium from Kessels Road, photographed in November 2009 | |
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| Former names | Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Sports Centre (1977–1993) |
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| Location |
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| Coordinates | 27°33′30″S 153°3′44″E |
| Owner | Queensland Government |
| Operator | Stadiums Queensland |
| Capacity |
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| Record attendance | 58,912 (1997 Super League Grand Final) |
| Opened | 1975 |
| Tenants | |
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As a track and field venue, the main stadium hosted competitions at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, 2001 Goodwill Games, and eleven editions of the Australian Athletics Championships; most recently its 2022–23 edition. It is currently planned to be renovated to host competitions at the 2032 Summer Olympics. As a rugby league venue, the main stadium was home to the Brisbane Broncos from 1993 to 2003, when the club left Lang Park and subsequently returned following its redevelopment. During this tenure, it hosted the 1994 World Club Challenge and the only Super League Grand Final in 1997, amid the Super League war. The main stadium has also hosted numerous concerts, occasional soccer matches, and a semi-final of the 1999 Davis Cup in tennis.
The facility opened in 1975, providing a synthetic running track for athletics competitions that was unaffected by wet weather, the first in Queensland. It was officially named Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Sports Centre by the Queen in 1977 to mark her Silver Jubilee.[1] It was constructed in close proximity to both the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital and Griffith University campus, which provided athlete accommodation.
Originally, the section of the stadium covered by roofing was intended to be the only permanent seating facility. The remainder of the stadium seating was built as "temporary" seating and was intended to be removed after the Commonwealth Games had finished. Public opinion resulted in the unroofed temporary seating being retained as permanent.[citation needed]
The stadium was named ANZ Stadium from 1993 to 2003 when it was the home of the Brisbane Broncos rugby league football team. The stadium currently has a capacity of 48,500 people,[2][3][4] although the record crowd is 58,912, set during the 1997 Super League Grand Final which saw the Broncos defeat the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 26–8.[5] The capacity can be increased to 60,000 with the use of extra temporary seating in front of the Eastern and Western grandstands. These were removed when the running track was relaid for the 2001 Goodwill Games.
In 1999, ANZ Stadium hosted eventual champions Australia in their Davis Cup Semi-Final win over Russia 4–1. Temporary grass courts were erected up one end of the field and temporary stands on 3 sides. The crowd capacity for this event was 10, 600. 1999 Australian Open Champion and Russian Davis Cup player Yevgeny Kafelnikov described the court "like playing on a potato field" and "that court is just not acceptable for this kind of event."[6]
In 2002, ownership transferred to the Queensland Government Major Sports Facilities Authority[7] and the venue was given its present name.
While the athletics facilities are well utilised, the stands at the stadium have largely stood empty and unused[8] since the Broncos returned to a redeveloped Lang Park in 2003.[9]
The stadium has hosted a number of events, including:
The stadium is still actively used by athletes at a local, State and National level. Many local clubs such as Thompson Estate and Eastern Suburbs Athletics[13] use it regularly for training.
The stadium has also permitted students of the neighbouring Griffith University (Nathan campus) to use its expansive carpark, free of charge. This is due to the relatively low availability of parking as well as the cost of parking on the campus (there is no free parking). Students who don't mind the ten-minute walk from the stadium take advantage of the large carpark.
In April 2023, a Right to Information application by Brisbane Times revealed plans for QSAC to be modified to become a temporary home for the Brisbane Lions AFL club while their home stadium, the Gabba, is demolished and rebuilt for the 2032 Summer Olympics.[14]
It is planned that the athletics events at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics will be held at the stadium.[15]
| Date | Result | Attendance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 March 1993 |  Parramatta Eels def.  Brisbane Broncos 12–8 | 51,517 | 1993 NSWRL season Rd.3 Brisbane Broncos first game at ANZ Stadium |
| 27 August 1993 |  St George Dragons def. Brisbane Broncos 16–10 | 58,593 | 1993 NSWRL season Rd.22 Brisbane Broncos all-time minor round home attendance record |
| 1 June 1994 |  Wigan def. Brisbane Broncos 20–14 | 54,220 | 1994 World Club Challenge World Club Challenge attendance record |
| 19 May 1997 |  New South Wales def.  Queensland 23–22 (gp) | 35,570 | Super League Tri-series Final Longest professional rugby league game in history (104 minutes) |
| 20 September 1997 | Brisbane Broncos def.  Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 26–8 | 58,912 | 1997 Super League Grand Final Brisbane Broncos all-time home attendance record. QSAC all-time attendance record. |
| 1 July 2001 | Queensland def. New South Wales 40–14 | 49,441 | 2001 State of Origin series Game III This match was notable as Allan Langer made his Origin comeback, despite playing for Warrington Wolves in the Super League at the time, inspiring the Maroons to a series-deciding victory on home soil.[16] |
| 5 June 2002 | Queensland def. New South Wales 26–18 | 47,989 | 2002 State of Origin series Game II This was notably Justin Hodges' debut match for Queensland. Despite two in-goal blunders, the Maroons won the match.[17] |
| 18 May 2003 | Brisbane Broncos def.  Melbourne Storm 36–16 | 15,867 | 2003 NRL season Rd.10 Brisbane Broncos last game at ANZ Stadium |
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