Guidance for Brisbane 2032 games venues and precincts Prioritising the delivery of high quality and well-designed places

There is clear evidence that the form, function and quality of our living environments can support people to adopt healthy behaviours. Now, more than ever, we need to prioritise delivering high quality and well-designed places that preference physical and mental health outcomes and encourage social connectivity to build resilient, productive and economically viable communities.

The significant infrastructure planning and investment to deliver the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Games) provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to accelerate and amplify delivery of built environments that support people to adopt active and healthy behaviours.

Why prioritise walking?

Walkability is the basis of a sustainable city and provides numerous social and health benefits at an individual, community and population level.

Walking provides an accessible, affordable and enjoyable form of exercise for the majority of people and is an effective and efficient mode of transport for shorter distances.

Regular walking is proven to provide both physical and mental health benefits. Walking at least 30 minutes per day helps maintain a healthy weight and can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke by 35% and Type 2 diabetes by 40%. It also helps improve balance and coordination and maintain bone density.

Walking improves our daily mood which cumulatively leads to better mental health.

Highly walkable environments will be essential to facilitate the safe, effective and efficient movement of locals and visitors both within our Olympic and Paralympic Games venues as well as to and from and between venues, precincts and public transport hubs.

Our connected network of walking infrastructure will also deliver long term health, economic and social benefits for Queenslanders.

What the data tells us about walking

• In Queensland - 68.8% of Adults and 34.6% of children (5–17 years).
• Between 2004 and 2024 self-reported adult obesity increased by 45.5% and parent-reported child overweight and obesity increased by 10.3%.
• In 2024, 44.5% of adults and 50% of children did not meet the national physical activity guidelines in Queensland.
• If no additional action is taken to tackle obesity in Australia, it will cost $88 billion in direct and indirect costs over 10 years.

Why maximise shade?

Queensland’s enviable climate encourages an outdoor lifestyle however, with a high UV environment all year-round Queenslanders experience high sunburn and skin cancer rates. In fact, unprotected skin can be damaged after just 10 minutes in the sun during high UV periods.

While we can’t control UVR levels we can significantly reduce exposure risk through provision of well-designed built and natural shade. High quality and effectively planned shade can reduce UVR exposure by up to 75%.

Queensland will be welcoming over three million people to our Olympic and Paralympic Games precincts in 2032. Many of these will be international athletes and their support teams, officials and spectators who may be unaware of Queensland’s harsh UV environment and may have skin types that will be sunburnt quickly.

Providing high quality shade in areas where people are required to queue for long periods of time, external plazas and along footpaths both within the venue and connecting active travel routes will reduce UVR exposure, sunburn risk and create cooler and more comfortable environments for patrons.

What the data tells us about shade

• Queensland has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with two out of every three people likely to be diagnosed in their lifetime.
• More people die from melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer each year than through road accidents.
• In 2024, 44.5% of adults and 50% of children did not meet the national physical activity guidelines in Queensland.
• The diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, which is largely preventable, cost the Australian health care system over $2.3 billion in 2022–23.