New Convention and Exhibition Centre

If you have any questions about the RNA Showgrounds Redevelopment Project or how it will benefit Queensland, you may find your answer in the following FAQs.

If you still have any questions please contact 1800 148 019 for construction enquiries.

For enquiries relating to the RNA or the Royal Queensland Show please contact the RNA on (07) 3253 3900 or redevelopment@rna.org.au.

Click on the links below to jump to each section:

 

WHAT IS HAPPENING

Q. What is happening to the Industrial Pavilion?

A. The Industrial Pavilion is being transformed into a world-class exhibition and convention centre.

Q. Why does the RNA Showgrounds Industrial Pavilion need to be updated?

A. This is the largest and most iconic building within the RNA Showgrounds and is also known as the sample bag (showbag) pavilion. The design and condition of the existing pavilion limits the kind of events that can be held there. The new centre will be designed to hold a variety of different events, such as banquets, conferences, exhibitions and seminars.

Q. How will the new building improve on the existing one?

A. The new building will provide an additional 10,000 square metres of floor space (increasing the total size to approximately 22,000 square metres) by incorporating a new suspended floor that will be used for events and shows throughout the year.

Q. Is the RNA Industrial Pavilion heritage protected? What will be preserved?

A. The Industrial Pavilion has two facades that have significant heritage value. These two facades will be repaired and incorporated into the design of the new building.

Q. Will the building/access be altered?

A. Access won't be changed.

Q. Will the Industrial Pavilion be relocated at the Showgrounds?

A. The Industrial Pavilion will not be relocated. We are transforming the existing building.

Q. What is the design idea behind the pavilion?

A. We plan to create a new world-class, multi-functional, multi-level conference and exhibition facility that maintains column-free flat floor spaces and a lower level public carpark. The proposed facility will be designed to accommodate many different types of events throughout the year.

Q. What are the defining features of the new pavilion?

A. The defining feature of the new convention and exhibition centre is its new 3,200 square metre (approx.) clear span exhibition hall, complete with a clear, nine-metre high ceiling space. This will offer the RNA greater flexibility to host a broad range of events within the building.

Q. What is the new pavilion's total floor space when complete? Does this differ from the existing pavilion?

A. The floor area of the new and improved pavilion is around 22,000 square metres. The additional floor in the new building creates an additional 10,000 square metres (approx.) of floor space.

Q. What will the new pavilion be used for?

A. The new convention and exhibition centre will be used to accommodate a variety of events including:

  • Banquets
  • Exhibitions
  • Sporting events
  • Dinners

Q. What is the value of the project?

A. The value of the Industrial Pavilion refurbishment is $59 million. This is the first stage of a $2.9 billion project.

 

WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN

Q. When will construction commence?

A. Construction started in early April 2011.

Q. What is the expected completion date?

A. Construction is scheduled to be completed by late 2012.

Q. What happens if there are delays to the project?

A. It is important for everyone that the project is completed on time. The most common factor that can affect construction progress is inclement weather and we have allowed for that in our planning. In addition, all opportunities, such as overlapping different trades and areas, will be maximised to offset any potential delays.

 

WHO IS DOING THE WORK

Q. Who is doing the refurbishment work?

A. Lend Lease's project management and construction group.

Q. Why did the RNA hire Lend Lease?

A. Lend Lease has a long history of working in partnership and redeveloping inner city areas around the world into lively new places for people to visit, live and work. Lend Lease has a proven track record of success in sustainable property development.

 

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Q. How will the local community benefit from the new pavilion?

A. The new facility will hold new exhibitions and events (such as banquets, conferences, exhibitions and seminars) throughout the year, which will be of interest to many members of the community.

Q. How will local businesses in the area be affected and communicated with throughout the project?

A. Minor traffic changes throughout the construction period and noise from construction activities may temporarily impact local residents and businesses. We will keep our site neighbours regularly informed of any significant site activities to ensure they are kept up-to-date as the project progresses. Community information sessions will also take place throughout the project and the development website (www.rnaredevelopment.lendlease.com.au) will be updated with construction information.

 

SITE INFORMATION

Q. Where are the RNA Showgrounds located?

A. Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills, Brisbane. The site is about 1.6km from the Brisbane CBD.

Q. What will the hours of construction be?

A. The Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) have approved construction hours of Monday - Saturday, 6.30am - 6.30pm (excluding Sundays and Public Holidays), however the average completion time on Monday to Fridays will be 4.30pm and Saturdays will be 2.30pm.

Q. Will there be any disruptions to the area during construction? E.g. traffic, parking etc.

A. There may be some changes to the flow of local traffic, with partial road closures to Gregory Terrace and Costin Street. There will be no full road closures, except for short periods when large trucks are delivering materials. Street parking and pedestrian pathways will also be affected.

Any changes will be managed so that traffic access is not impeded; however it is possible there may be minor delays or disruption to normal routes.

We have developed a Traffic Management Plan (TMP) that has been approved by the Brisbane City Council and the Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA). The TMP will be updated as necessary to manage construction traffic to minimise its impact on neighbours and the local community.

Q. How will safety issues be managed - on site and for the surrounding public?

A. As with all construction sites, we will follow health and safety legislation and protocols at all times.

Lend Lease will implement a comprehensive Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) Plan that not only complies with legislative requirements, but also promotes an incident and injury free attitude among construction workers, project stakeholders and the broader community.

Regular training is a key element of the EH&S Plan. A qualified Workplace Health and Safety Officer will monitor the site to ensure the highest standards of EH&S is maintained on site.

Q. What recycling efforts will be adopted on site?

A. Waste minimisation and recycling is a key element of the sustainable vision for the RNA Showgrounds regeneration.

Before work starts on site, procedures will be implemented to ensure that waste is minimised on site.

Recyclable materials will be placed into special recycling bins. These bins will then be taken off site to a specialised waste recycling facility, where the materials will be separated in accordance with their properties and ready for transport to various industries for recycling. Some of the existing timber and brickwork within the building may be salvaged and reused within the overall redevelopment of the RNA Showgrounds.

Recycling statistics will be maintained to monitor the recycling levels being achieved.

Q. How noisy is construction of the Industrial Pavilion going to be?

A. All construction work creates some level of noise, but we will make sure that infrastructure works will strictly adhere to local council and State Government noise restriction guidelines. During the construction phase, we will be considerate of how noise levels may affect nearby businesses and residences and will accommodate, where possible, their needs to operate as normal.

Q. How many trucks will be on the roads to and from the site?

A. The works will take 22 months to complete. During our construction hours its projected there will be one truck movement per hour on average.

Q. How many cranes will be on site?

A. All construction activities requiring crane lifts will be undertaken by mobile cranes, which will be brought to site on an 'as needed' basis. There could be up to three or four cranes on site at any one time; however there will be no fixed cranes on site.

 

JOB CREATION

Q. How many people will work on the project?

A. There will be approximately 120 employees on site for the duration of the project. Most will be sourced from within Queensland, except where the required expertise does not exist.

Q. Who are the architects and why were they chosen for the job?

A. Award-winning national architecture company, Cox Rayner, has been appointed to the project. The firm was selected for its extensive experience in designing leading convention and exhibition buildings such as the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Sydney Exhibition Centre and the Beijing Exhibition Centre.

Q. What other consulting and contracting staff will be required for the project?

A. The other key consultants associated with the project include Structural/ Civil - Robert Bird Group and Services - Norman Disney Young.

 

FIND OUT MORE

Q. How can I find out more about the new RNA Industrial Pavilion?

A. For construction related enquiries please contact Lend Lease on 1800 148 019. For other enquiries about the new RNA Industrial Pavilion, email redevelopment@rna.org.au, or visit the RNA website at www.rna.org.au for more information.

Q. How can I keep track of the construction progress?

A. Visit the project website at www.rnaredevelopment.lendlease.com.au or contact rnaredevelopment@lendlease.com.au.