Ballymore National Rugby Training Centre

Australia's newest dedicated home for women’s rugby and the home of women’s rectangular sport. The facility will play a significant role in sport and in the community – including the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Spiritual home of rugby re-opened

The official opening of the National Rugby Training Centre (NRTC) proudly serves as the new home for the esteemed Queensland Reds, Buildcorp Wallaroos, Buildcorp Reds Academy, and other renowned sports teams. Additionally, the centre welcomes visiting clubs, making it a hub of rugby excellence. This project was recognised at the Master Builders Queensland 2024 Housing & Construction Awards, taking home the win in the Sporting facilities category.

Designed with a focus on developing high-performance athletes and fostering a strong sense of camaraderie among male and female rugby players, the National Rugby Training Centre offers world-class amenities.

Highlights of the facility include a newly reconstructed McLean Stand with a seating capacity of 3,010 spectators, an aquatic recovery centre and sauna equipped with separate facilities for men and women, and an expansive 800m² high-performance gymnasium—Queensland's largest sports team gym.

In addition, the centre features a versatile 77-person capacity auditorium, a comfortable 120-seat players' lounge, and function spaces available for public hire. Multiple changing rooms and administrative offices are also housed here, serving as the headquarters for the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) and Rugby Australia's women's and referee programs.

Unlike traditional high-performance training facilities, the NRTC is uniquely designed to foster a sense of unity among players, coaching staff, and administrators. The interconnectedness of the various spaces encourages collaboration and a shared sense of purpose.

Location

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Client

Queensland Rugby Union (Queensland Reds)

Project Value

$30m

Project Status

Completed

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The architectural design of the centre is elegant and inviting, where the roofscape seamlessly integrates with the grandstand and surrounding grounds through a striking composition of angular, almost origami-like forms.

The interior space is an equally innovative design, with areas that are visually and physically connected to the outside environment. One standout feature is the high-performance gymnasium - the largest part of the facility and a focal point for training and fitness.

With a seating capacity for over 3,000 spectators, the grandstand and corporate suites offer an exceptional viewing experience for various events, from Wallaroo internationals to club and school rugby finals. Ballymore, where the NRTC is located, will undoubtedly become a vibrant community venue, creating a festive and family-friendly atmosphere.

Spectator capacity

3000

high-performance gym area

800 sqm

auditorium capacity

77

Providing multi-disciplinary services to deliver a transformative project

WSP is proud to have worked alongside the Queensland Rugby Union (Queensland Reds) and our project partners – Buildcorp, Blight Rayner Architecture, RPS, Rider Levett Bucknall, McKenzie Group Consulting and SPORTENG - to deliver this project.

Our team provided design services throughout the project in areas including structures, civil, flood engineering, electrical, mechanical, hydraulics, fire engineering, vertical transport, traffic, acoustics and specialist lighting.

See what WSP can offer as a partner for major sporting and cultural events and venues for a community to thrive – click to explore what’s possible.

Images: Christopher Frederick Jones