Overview
- World Rowing, Paddle Worldwide and the IOC formally endorsed the Fitzroy River site this week after an independent assessment by GIICA and WaterProof that modelled flows, wind and flood scenarios.
- The approval is conditional and requires a Project Validation Report plus confirmation of technical details, athlete services and venue facilities before final government and Games authority sign‑off.
- The river lies in estuarine crocodile habitat but population estimates differ widely; organisers are developing monitoring, targeted capture or relocation and exclusion measures for the 2,000‑metre race corridor.
- Organisers and critics cite practical risks to fairness and delivery, including the site’s roughly 600 km distance from Brisbane, short-term accommodation shortfalls, and the potential for flood-driven lane variability.
- Local rowing clubs and regional leaders welcomed the decision at a schools regatta this weekend while some crocodile experts and national rowing figures urged stricter safety and legacy planning ahead of the GIICA validation.