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State of PlaySport, Recreation & Event Facilities
SPORT • RECREATION • EVENTS

State of Play

Sport, Recreation & Event Facilities

Explore the condition, capability, accessibility and future needs of Mackay's facility network.

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NETWORK SNAPSHOT

A region-wide evidence base

Facility audits provide a consistent view of Mackay's sport, recreation and event infrastructure and help identify where renewal, optimisation and targeted investment can have the greatest impact.

154venue audits completed
284fields of play inspected, including courts and other playing areas
225buildings assessed
42,655recorded audit responses across completed venues
AUDIT COVERAGE

Explore audit status across Mackay

Pan and zoom to view venues in the September 2026 audit export. Select a marker to see the venue name, suburb and audit status.

154 Completed23 Incomplete177 venues with coordinates; one test record has no location and is excluded.

Loading interactive map…

Light map highlights audit coverage and venue locations. Status reflects the source export, not venue condition. Map data: SFA Mackay audit export, September 2026. Base layer credits appear on the map.

EXPLORE THE EVIDENCE

Five views of facility performance

♿

Accessibility

Can everyone arrive, move through and participate at our facilities?

◎

Player & umpire facilities

Are amenities inclusive, flexible, accessible and fit for contemporary sport?

▤

Buildings

How well are pavilions, social spaces and supporting facilities performing?

◫

Fields of play

What is the condition and capability of Mackay's sporting surfaces?

⚑

Event & safety

Which venues have the infrastructure needed to safely support events?

STATE OF PLAY

What the data tells us

Select one of the themes above to see how the audit evidence can be translated into a clear story for Council, clubs and the community.

FACILITY EXPLORER

Explore completed site audits

Search the 154 sites marked completed in the September 2026 audit export. Select a site to view its recorded observations across access, playing areas, buildings, change facilities and events.

Select a completed audit

Start typing a venue or suburb to see the observations recorded in the audit.

Responses describe observed features at the time of audit. They are not a compliance assessment or a priority ranking. Some questions were not applicable or were left unanswered.

COUNCIL VENUES

Six venues with direct Council responsibility

Site audit observations inform the infrastructure gaps and potential upgrades below. These are preliminary actions for Council review, not an adopted capital works program.

Memorial swimming pool and shade structures

Memorial Swim Centre

Milton Street · DMR Leisure

Recorded audit: 5 June 2024

Infrastructure gaps

  • Neither recorded car park has security lighting or CCTV.
  • No purpose built spectator seating is recorded.
  • The third building’s administration, social room and kiosk areas are rated “Needs immediate renewal”.

Potential priority upgrades

  • Plan renewal of the third building’s deteriorated internal areas.
  • Assess car park lighting and security improvements.
  • Consider modest, accessible spectator seating with shade.
View recorded audit (PDF) ↗
Pioneer Swimming Pool entrance and pool

Pioneer Swim Centre

Malcomson Street · Belgravia Leisure

Recorded audit: 5 June 2024

Infrastructure gaps

  • Car park security lighting and CCTV are not recorded.
  • Both assessed change rooms lack accessible showers; one is rated Moderate and recorded as not inclusive.
  • Audit notes excessive wear in high use grass and weeds through a hard surface.

Potential priority upgrades

  • Plan accessible shower and inclusive change room improvements.
  • Treat worn surfaces and weed growth, with condition review.
  • Assess car park lighting and security improvements.
View recorded audit (PDF) ↗
Mackay Aquatic Recreation Complex entrance sign

Mackay ARC

Boundary Road, Ooralea · Belgravia Leisure

Recorded audit: 22 August 2025

Infrastructure gaps

  • Spectator wayfinding is rated Moderate.
  • The athletics field audit records no long jump sand pit.
  • The achieved lighting level for the athletics field is marked Unsure.

Potential priority upgrades

  • Improve event and spectator wayfinding after a site review.
  • Test demand and feasibility for long jump provision within the athletics precinct.
  • Measure athletics lighting and address any verified shortfall.
View recorded audit (PDF) ↗
Mirani Swimming Pool and spectator seating

Mirani Swim Centre

Mirani · DMR Leisure

Recorded audit: 22 August 2025

Infrastructure gaps

  • Car park security lighting and CCTV are not recorded.
  • No spectator first aid station or first aid room is recorded; the main building has no visible defibrillator.
  • Site and playing area lighting use metal halide fittings.

Potential priority upgrades

  • Confirm first aid and defibrillator provision, then address any gap.
  • Assess car park security lighting and CCTV.
  • Review lighting renewal to efficient fittings when due, with required performance verified.
View recorded audit (PDF) ↗
BB Print Stadium grandstand and rugby league field

BB Print Stadium

Casey Avenue

Recorded audit: 22 August 2025

Infrastructure gaps

  • Both player change rooms are recorded as not inclusive and without accessible showers; the away room lacks accessible entry.
  • No visible defibrillator is recorded in the assessed building.
  • The achieved field lighting level is marked Unsure.

Potential priority upgrades

  • Plan accessible, inclusive player change room upgrades.
  • Confirm defibrillator location and install or improve visibility as needed.
  • Measure field lighting against the intended competition level.
View recorded audit (PDF) ↗
Sugar Bowl skate facility and covered spectator area

Mackay Sugar Bowl

Norris Road Park Access, North Mackay · Community facility

Recorded audit: Inspection incomplete (1 May 2025)

Infrastructure gaps

  • Car parking is recorded as inadequate for facility needs.
  • Seating is not weather protected and no formal shaded spectator area is recorded.
  • The hard surface audit notes algae growth and vandalism.

Potential priority upgrades

  • Inspect and treat affected riding surfaces and markings.
  • Assess parking demand and safer access during busy periods.
  • Explore shaded, weather protected spectator space.

Audit incomplete: actions are preliminary and require site verification.

View recorded audit (PDF) ↗

Photos and findings: supplied site audit reports (2024–2025). The Sugar Bowl inspection is incomplete. Confirm current conditions, scope, costs and priorities with Council and venue operators before investment decisions.

INDOOR COURTS

An early view of indoor playing spaces

The completed audit export marks 41 playing-area entries as indoor across 17 venues. This is a broad category that includes courts and pitches as well as darts areas, pools, bowls greens and other spaces. It is not a count of 41 indoor courts.

5

McDonald’s Mackay Multi-Sports Stadium

Indoor basketball court entries. All are rated Good, with lighting and digital scoreboards recorded.

1 + 1

PCYC

One indoor basketball court rated Good and one separate indoor physical education area rated Excellent.

6

Mackay Indoor Sports Arena

Indoor cricket, football and netball pitch entries rated Good and marked as multi-sport compatible.

3

School playing areas

One multi-sport hall at Sarina State Primary School and two basketball areas named “undercover areas” at Swayneville and Walkerston State Primary Schools.

Next steps for indoor courts

Mackay Regional Council will assess demand for additional indoor court space for community sport. Ongoing audits of school courts will clarify existing provision and help identify opportunities for shared access and joint partnership arrangements.

Source: SFA Mackay audit export, September 2026. Counts refer to individual playing-area records in completed venue audits; school access has not been confirmed.

FROM EVIDENCE TO ACTION

Building a local Places to Play Plan

The Australian Sports Commission identifies local government Places to Play Plans as a national priority. Mackay’s facility audits provide a starting point: a consistent picture of condition, accessibility, functionality and venue capability. Combined with participation, utilisation, school access and community insights, this evidence can guide where to make better use of existing places, renew facilities and plan for genuine gaps.

01

Understand the network

Use the audits to map facility provision, condition, access and capability across Mackay.

02

Connect people and places

Test audit findings against participation, growth, utilisation and community needs.

03

Optimise and share

Explore better use of existing venues and shared access with schools and other partners.

04

Plan targeted investment

Prioritise renewal and new provision where evidence shows the strongest participation benefit.

Aligned with the ASC’s Places to Play: Australia’s National Community Sport Infrastructure Plan (PDF), including its national priority for local Plans and its focus on optimising existing facilities.

ABOUT THE EVIDENCE

How to read these findings

Figures summarise responses to specific audit questions. The number of valid responses varies between measures, and a recorded observation is not a formal accessibility or standards compliance assessment. Venue observations and priority projects require Council review before use for funding or delivery decisions.

Update pathway: validate source records and definitions → recalculate measures with their valid-response denominators → review venue hierarchy and use → confirm projects and staging → publish a dated version.