Passing Muster
The NRL's Cowboys and Broncos stage the first NRL fixture at Townsville's new Queensland Country Bank Stadium. All images courtesy of Blair Hughes.
Blair Hughes measured the excitement as Townsville’s new stadium hosted the Cowboys’ first NRL fixture
T
he dawn of a new era has begun in Townsville with the NRL’s North Queensland Cowboys and the local region having hosted the inaugural sporting event at Australia’s newest major venue, Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Built by North Queenslanders for North Queenslanders in a home-grown effort involving the Queensland and Federal Governments, Townsville City Council and close to 500 local businesses, the $290 million venue facility represents a proud moment for the city. Having experienced rough times in recent years, the new Stadium, which stands on the Wulgurukaba traditional owners’ land in the heart of the Townsville CBD, acts as a catalyst for economic rejuvenation and urban regeneration and from experiencing this first hand it is clearly set to revitalise the local community and surrounding regions. On a rollercoaster opening weekend of the 2020 NRL season in the middle of March when Coronavirus concerns began to bite, and amid some uncertainty as to whether this first event would be called off, I was able to experience the impressive features of the Stadium and the Cowboys’ game day fan experience as they played their first fixture at the new venue against the Brisbane Broncos. Fan Engagement Arriving early at the venue on a scorching hot Friday afternoon to do a pre-game walk around, it was clear from first impressions that the venue exudes a uniquely North Queensland identity which has been designed with the fan experience at the forefront. The Cowboys ‘fan first’ approach starts well before the match as I joined hundreds of fans in the first ever ‘Cowboys Stampede’ march to the Stadium from the Cowboys Leagues 20 Australasian Leisure Management Issue 138
club. This was an exciting experience on the night and a tradition that looks set to continue on game days into the future. The pre-game fan engagement continues outside the ground as fans can experience the ‘Captain’s Walk’ where names of Cowboys legends and supporters are etched into pavers while fans were also instantly captivated by the chance to get photos with the life-size bronze statue of Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston that was designed by local artist Jane Hawkins to honour his contribution to North Queensland sport. Impressive screen content, engaging performances and promotions and at last count seven mascots kept fans entertained all night long inside while outside fans of all ages enjoyed a dedicated fan engagement zone as well as receiving a free Cowboys flag on entry to commemorate the opening game. Transport Transport was a seamless experience from the CBD with free game day express event buses organised to transport fans around while multiple park and ride or walk options made it simple for those fans wishing to park the car nearby and access the venue with free parking also available after 2pm in the CBD. Ride share and taxi zones as well as accessible pick up and drop off areas ensured every patron can easily access the venue. However, with the stadium located in the heart of the city, walking was also seen by the majority of fans to be the easiest way to get to and from the venue. Architecture Designed by Cox Architecture and constructed by WATPAC on the banks of Townsville’s Ross River, the centrally located Stadium was delivered on schedule and to budget and has a
