Tasmania will not be capable of hosting an event of that size on their own.

The most likely scenario is that Victoria and Tasmania will host it in a partnership, with Melbourne as the senior host city, and Hobart in a junior role.

Expect the MCG to be the central venue for the Opening and Closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics, just like with 2006. The MCG can host 100,000 spectators, while Tasmania's largest venue, Bellerive Oval can hold 20,000 spectators at best.

One disadvantage of Tasmania is that you can only get there by air or ferry (Geelong - Bass Strait, hopefully calm - Devonport), reducing the appeal for interstate visitors.

Looking likely the games will come to Victoria with many of the events being held around the key regional areas like Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.  Will tghe current system of V/Line slowmo trains and delays need examining and correcting before the games can be hosted?

Looking likely the games will come to Victoria with many of the events being held around the key regional areas like Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.  Will tghe current system of V/Line slowmo trains and delays need examining and correcting before the games can be hosted?

No, because hardly anyone will bother attending.  I'm wondering if the Commonwealth will still even exist in 2026...

Looking likely the games will come to Victoria with many of the events being held around the key regional areas like Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.  Will tghe current system of V/Line slowmo trains and delays need examining and correcting before the games can be hosted?

No, because hardly anyone will bother attending.  I'm wondering if the Commonwealth will still even exist in 2026...

the shape of the Commonwealth in 2026 will depend in no small part on who is on the throne.

The following stadiums are to be used:

• Mars Stadium Ballarat
• Kadina Park Geelong
• Locations in Bendigo

Time to extend trains to a new station at Mars?

The following stadiums are to be used:

• Mars Stadium Ballarat
• Kadina Park Geelong
• Locations in Bendigo

Time to extend trains to a new station at Mars?

Time to extend trains to a new station on Mars!

The following stadiums are to be used:

• Mars Stadium Ballarat
• Kadina Park Geelong
• Locations in Bendigo

Time to extend trains to a new station at Mars?

Time to extend trains to a new station on Mars!

Quick, get on the phone to Elon Musk!

Seriously, a simple platform, myki transponders, and a pedestrian crossing across the Midland Hwy at that location should be a no-brainer.  And have it operational only for events - i.e. when the stadium is being used for AFL footy, concerts, Commonwealth Games etc.

The following stadiums are to be used:

• Mars Stadium Ballarat
• Kadina Park Geelong
• Locations in Bendigo

Time to extend trains to a new station at Mars?

Time to extend trains to a new station on Mars!

Quick, get on the phone to Elon Musk!

Seriously, a simple platform, myki transponders, and a pedestrian crossing across the Midland Hwy at that location should be a no-brainer.  And have it operational only for events - i.e. when the stadium is being used for AFL footy, concerts, Commonwealth Games etc.

Not being in any way familiar with the location: would this new station be more or less direct access to the stadium?  Or would people need to go up (or down) a level on both sides of the road to access the stadium?

Skyrail? Underground station?  Either would save one climb each way to access the train (assuming it's needed).

A platform on the Ararat (Wendouree) line would only be about 350 - 400 metres away, less than MCG - Richmond. About the same as South Geelong - Kardinia Park.

Either would would probably require some track straightening. Shuttle buses from Wendouree or Ballarat seem more likely.

A platform opposite the standium is required with a raised walkway between the standout and the station. Total cost maybe $5m and provides benefits all year around and for the football.

Much housing out that way now ?

So Dan Andrews is doing a press conf in Ballarat today announcing the 2026 Commonwealth Games.  Mars Stadium pretty much locked in as the athletics stadium etc.

It'll be interesting to see if any mention is made of a platform being built at Nth Ballarat...

More info: https://www.vic.gov.au/victoria-2026-commonwealth-games

I would have thought Kardinia Park in Geelong would be a better bet to host the Athletics considering it's capacity by then will be 40,000 compared to Mars Stadium, which currently holds 11,000.

Athletics is actually one of the interesting/competitive events in the games considering the strength of some of the African and Caribbean countries that are still in the Commonwealth.

And yes to a station in North Ballarat. Would only need to be 1 platform like the Melbourne Showgrounds spur. This would be good for other sports that are occasionally held in Ballarat (AFL, A-League & Cricket).

Quality tweet from press conference:

I would have thought Kardinia Park in Geelong would be a better bet to host the Athletics considering it's capacity by then will be 40,000 compared to Mars Stadium, which currently holds 11,000.

Kardinia Park could only hold athletics if the races were contested over revised distances of 80m, 160m etc and the javelin was scored in terms of how many rows up the grandstand it lands.

Northern Oval (it will certainly lose Mars branding for the event) is almost big enough and has empty ground at the southern end to allow it to be expanded to fit an athletics track. Capacity could be boosted with some of the Grand Prix grandstands brought in temporarily.

Mildura has come out this morning complaining about being left off the list of regional cities to host competition.  On review so has Wodonga.

Mildura just too far?

Mildura has come out this morning complaining about being left off the list of regional cities to host competition.  On review so has Wodonga.

Mildura just too far?

I guess it is too far from Melbourne but would not be for bendigo and ballarat and a missed opportunity for an SG shuttle service between Ballarat and Mildura for the games?

I guess it is too far from Melbourne but would not be for bendigo and ballarat and a missed opportunity for an SG shuttle service between Ballarat and Mildura for the games?

Mildura's population has absolutely boomed over the past 10+ years, currently

and will be well in excess of 120,000 by 2026. Moreover its growth rate has averaged out at 8% per year over the past 10 years...

https://www.population.net.au/mildura-population/

Bendigo's population, average growth over the past 10 years of 2% and predicted to be


https://www.population.net.au/bendigo-population/

Ballarat's population, projected to be 124,492 by June this year, average growth over the past 10 years of 4% are both on current trends forecast to be EXCEEDED by Mildura by around 2032.

https://www.population.net.au/ballarat-population/

If that strong population growth is not a case for the reinstatement of passenger rail services, currently around $100.00 return by V/Line, $400+ return over this Easter by Rex, then Mildura will unlikely see a regular passenger train in my lifetime.

However I'm not that pessimistic and believe this will not remain the status quo for very many more years, especially with the strong local advocacy for reinstatement of the passenger train service.

Like Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong, Mildura has some excellent facilities for staging Games events.

Mike.

I agree that Mildura is the forgotten corner of Victoria.  No doubt about it.

Time to drag the 2010 Business case out of the filing cabinet again... https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/35133570/mildura-rail-feasibility-study-public-transport-victoria

I agree that Mildura is the forgotten corner of Victoria.  No doubt about it.

Time to drag the 2010 Business case out of the filing cabinet again... https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/35133570/mildura-rail-feasibility-study-public-transport-victoria

Mildura is 650km away, land based transport is not a viable means. The runway is rated to 737 standard so they would fly them in. Olympic games in Qld, i believe the govt will fund internal flights for officals and athletes.

No one is going to want to spend half to 3/4 of a day on any train or bus option. Atheltes have training.

What sports are suitable to be hosted up there?

How much accomdation is available?

I agree that Mildura is the forgotten corner of Victoria.  No doubt about it.

Time to drag the 2010 Business case out of the filing cabinet again... https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/35133570/mildura-rail-feasibility-study-public-transport-victoria

Mildura is 650km away, land based transport is not a viable means. The runway is rated to 737 standard so they would fly them in. Olympic games in Qld, i believe the govt will fund internal flights for officals and athletes.

No one is going to want to spend half to 3/4 of a day on any train or bus option. Atheltes have training.

What sports are suitable to be hosted up there?

How much accomdation is available?

Closer to 500km from Melbourne, so easy to check Google Maps and as Mildura is a regional holiday destination it has a plethora of all kinds of accommodation. Perhaps go there and see as you are wandering around the countryside.

My point, lost it seems, is that Mildura deserves rail public transport, for the reasons I stated above. I said nothing about athletes travelling by V/Line to Mildura.

Mike.

I agree that Mildura is the forgotten corner of Victoria.  No doubt about it.

Time to drag the 2010 Business case out of the filing cabinet again... https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/35133570/mildura-rail-feasibility-study-public-transport-victoria

Mildura is 650km away, land based transport is not a viable means. The runway is rated to 737 standard so they would fly them in. Olympic games in Qld, i believe the govt will fund internal flights for officals and athletes.

No one is going to want to spend half to 3/4 of a day on any train or bus option. Atheltes have training.

What sports are suitable to be hosted up there?

How much accomdation is available?

Closer to 500km from Melbourne, so easy to check Google Maps and as Mildura is a regional holiday destination it has a plethora of all kinds of accommodation. Perhaps go there and see as you are wandering around the countryside.

My point, lost it seems, is that Mildura deserves rail public transport, for the reasons I stated above. I said nothing about athletes travelling by V/Line to Mildura.

Mike.

Distance, ok my whoops i was using the rail distance, yes by road 541 km

I've actually spent two nights in Mildura and stayed in a local hotel. Yes it was nice, but we are not talking accommodate for a few people, it was in overall reference to the Com' Games (maybe this point isn't clear).

Athletes
Coaches
Team support
Team Officals
Event organisers
Sport support
Media
Supporters

Never said you did, just highliting some of the issues involved in using Mildura. Those other locations, Ballarat etc are all bus distance and have also resonable RPT.

I think my record in supporting return of RPT rail to Mildura and how I believe this should be done is on record.

For those who wise for Com games event(s) to be held at Mildura, which one(s) do you propose?

I'm not against the idea, but there are numerous logistically challenges to hold an event with even 100 atheltes and their hangers on in a small town 541 km from Melbourne and over 350 km from not much else.

Yes for any event the govt could employ QF/Vermin/REX to operate 737 class air craft for a short period to provide that part of the logistics supply chain. Drives up costs, but not impossible Queensland will use i think Townsville and Cairns, but these are reasonable sized cities with additional accomdation regionally around them.