Gina Rinehart lobbied for controversial plan to move 2032 Olympic rowing to crocodile-inhabited river
Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, advocated moving the 2032 Olympic rowing events to the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton, a saltwater crocodile habitat, sparking widespread criticism.
Documents released by the Queensland government show that Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, lobbied for controversial plans to relocate the 2032 Olympic rowing events to the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton. The plan, which would send rowers 600 kilometers north of host city Brisbane, was announced by the Queensland government in March 2025. The river is a natural habitat for saltwater crocodiles, prompting significant backlash from the rowing and Olympic communities.
The newly elected Queensland government conducted a venues review finalized in early 2025. The review was used to justify breaking election promises not to build a new stadium, but the decision to move rowing to Rockhampton went against the review's recommendations, which suggested relocating the events to Sydney's existing facility near Penrith.
Concerns about the Fitzroy River's suitability go beyond crocodiles. International and Australian rowing officials and competitors have raised issues such as the potential for a "white elephant" facility in Rockhampton and doubts about meeting strict technical requirements for weeds, water quality, and currents.
The situation has led to brinkmanship: Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has publicly stated that rowing will be held in Rockhampton or canceled altogether.
An undated letter from Rinehart to Bleijie, believed to have been sent before the government's decision, lobbies for moving rowing to central Queensland. Rinehart, a key financial backer of the right-wing One Nation party with extensive mining and pastoral interests, says in the letter that hosting an Olympic event in the "beef capital" would "enable Queensland to tell the iconic Australian story of our pastoralists and farmers."
She notes that the Australian team often trains on the Fitzroy River and that Rockhampton annually hosts the Queensland state school championships. She describes the facility as world-class and says it offers potential savings for taxpayers. Rinehart also highlights Rockhampton's mining history, mentioning that metals from a local mine will produce Olympic medals, calling it a "beautiful extra."
