Designers announced for new sports precincts in Geelong

The Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games will see the construction of two new purpose-built sports venues in Geelong, with designers recently appointed to lead the design works. The Armstrong Creek Aquatics venue, which will host swimming, para swimming, and diving events, will be designed by Warren and Mahoney in partnership with Four18 Architecture. Meanwhile, ARM Architecture will lead the design of the gymnastics, weightlifting, and para powerlifting venue on Baanip Boulevard in Waurn Ponds.

The Victorian Government has committed up to $292 million towards the construction of the new venues, which will offer long-term benefits to the local community. According to Parliamentary Secretary for the Commonwealth Games, Darren Cheeseman, the venues will be “world-class sporting venues in Armstrong Creek and Waurn Ponds that local communities will enjoy for generations.”

The Armstrong Creek Aquatics venue on Barwarre Road will feature three pools, including competition, warm-up, and diving pools. After the Commonwealth Games, the Armstrong Creek venue will include multi-sport courts, a community pool, and open green space. Similarly, the Waurn Ponds venue will also feature multi-sport courts, a dance studio, and a regional-level gymnastics centre after the Closing Ceremony.

Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery, Jacinta Allan, believes that the Games will provide a welcome boost to the local economy, creating jobs and benefiting the community in the long run. Around 100,000 people are expected to come to Geelong for Victoria 2026, with the Games Village at Waurn Ponds Station Precinct set to host approximately 2,500 athletes and officials, and Kardinia Park to host the Closing Ceremony with 40,000 spectators.

Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Harriet Shing, expects the 2026 Games to create jobs in Geelong and drive economic growth, leaving an enduring legacy of accessible, inclusive, and fit-for-purpose housing and community infrastructure. The Games are estimated to contribute over $3 billion to Victoria’s economy, creating more than 7,500 jobs before, during, and after the Games.

Work on the design of both venues will begin immediately, with site investigations set to commence in the coming months. Geelong will be home to nine sports for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, including the closing ceremony being held at Kardinia Park, and with the Victorian Government investing in world-class sporting infrastructure, the local community is sure to enjoy the benefits for many years to come.