A crocodile sighting on the banks of the Fitzroy River in Brisbane has reignited debate on the venue's suitability for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
The sighting was reported by North Rockhampton Golf Club as the croc sat near hole 11.
The 2032 Brisbane Olympic rowing events are to be held on the Fitzroy river Rockhampton. It's home to approximately 500 saltwater crocodiles. Recently a 3 metre crocodile was found opposite the rowing club. Imagine Olympic rowers being eaten by a crocodile. How very Australian 🐊
— Pez 🐦 (@Pezzamystic1) November 3, 2026
Australians across the country were ecstatic in late July of 2021 when Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk signed the Host Contract for the 2032 Olympic Games.
The news came at the height of the Covid lockdown - as Aussies were able to catch a small break from watching the daily case number reports with some happy news.
Preparations in all sectors are underway for the games in Brisbane, including proposals for hosting venues.
In March of this year, the Queensland government put forward Fitzroy River as a venue for the rowing events to take place.
The selection drew the attention of many, as the Fitzroy is known to be home to approximately 100-500 saltwater crocodiles.
But the Queensland government were not so naive, conducting months of technical reviews and assessments to ensure the safety of athletic participants, as well as the marine life.
Additionally, the Fitzroy River currently hosts the Queensland school rowing championships, and is where the Fitzroy Rowing Club is based.
In September, the River was officially approved to host the rowing and canoe sprint events, much to the dismay of 6000 people and Rowing Queensland who have signed a petition against the venue.
The petition criticises the use of the venue for the Olympic heats, and instead proposes the development of a flatwater centre at Lawnton Lakes in the Moreton Bay region.
Criticisms of the Fitzroy regard the course as prone to flooding and the current making some lanes more favourable than others.
The petition also recognises the location of Rockhampton as being "more than 600 kilometres from Brisbane, making it the most geographically distant ... venue from its host city in modern Olympic history. This distance isolates athletes from the host city / region and dramatically reduces spectator attendance for a sport that traditionally draws some of the largest crowds at an Olympic Games."
The regional city is home to around 200 rowers, nothing compared to the 5,000 rowers across South East Queensland, as the petition puts it.
However, current Queensland Premier David Crisafulli raises his own criticism about the regional location.
In support of the proposal, he's backed the decision: "Let's be honest, let's scratch beneath the surface and call it for what it is. It's a group of interstate and overseas elites who don't want to go to a regional area."
It's safe to assume that some organisers (and maybe even Olympians) are still recovering from the blunder in Tokyo in 2021, when large fish continually leapt out of the water and even made complete contact with Olympians.
