Gold Coast AFL Stadium

Transforming Carrara for the AFL.

When the Gold Coast Suns joined the AFL in 2011, Carrara Stadium was selected for a major redevelopment to create a venue suited to AFL competition and major events.

Originally opened in 1987 for the Brisbane Bears, the stadium was almost entirely rebuilt, with only its six original light towers retained. The $144 million stadium, designed by Populous, provides seating for 25,000 spectators, expandable to 40,000 for major events. Facilities include an open concourse with views to the field, capacity for 2,000 corporate guests, dedicated team and officials’ areas, and a high-definition video screen.

New transport infrastructure, including an event-day bus station and pedestrian overpass, was also delivered to support safe and efficient crowd movement.

Programming against a fixed deadline.

The stadium needed to be ready for the Suns’ inaugural AFL season, leaving little margin in the construction programme.

RCP was engaged as Audit Programmer, providing independent review and monitoring of the construction programme against the required opening date. RCP tracked critical path activities, key milestones and emerging programme risks, providing early visibility of issues that could affect completion.

This independent oversight supported timely decision-making and helped maintain focus on the activities critical to having the stadium ready for the Suns’ first AFL season.