The City of Gold Coast says its $80 million Pimpama Sports Hub has exceeded expectations, delivering strong participation, broad community benefits and a model for future large-scale public infrastructure as Redland City Council considers whether to pursue its own major sports precinct.
City of Gold Coast Division 1 Councillor and Deputy Mayor Cr Mark Hammel said community uptake of the Pimpama Sports Hub since opening had been a clear indicator of success.
“The community response to the Pimpama Sports Hub has been overwhelmingly positive, and the clearest evidence of that is the level of use we’ve seen since it opened,” Cr Hammel said.
“Attendance has grown year on year – from around 190,000 visits in the first year (December 2021 – November 2022) to more than 450,000 visits (December 2024 – November 2025), which shows the facility is being actively embraced by the local community. That’s growth of almost 140 per cent in a few short years.”
He said the hub’s gym, group exercise programs and aquatic facilities had been a success, supporting physical and mental health outcomes across all age groups.
“The gym and group exercise programs have been particularly popular, delivering real physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages, while the aquatic facilities continue to support learn-to-swim, rehabilitation, and general safety and wellbeing,” he said.
Beyond sport and fitness, Cr Hammel said the precinct had become an important social hub.
“Just as importantly, the community centre spaces available for community groups, along with the café, playgrounds, barbecue areas and events held across the precinct, have created a place for people to connect, socialise and feel part of their local community,” he said.
“The hub was designed to be accessible for users of all abilities, and that inclusive approach has also been central to its success.”
Cr Hammel said the investment had delivered on its original promise, providing social, recreational and sporting outcomes at scale.
“The investment has met community expectations and delivered exactly the outcomes City of Gold Coast set out to achieve,” he said.
“The Pimpama Sports Hub supports health, fitness, social connection and organised sport, and the strong participation across gym programs, group exercise, aquatics and community activities shows it is delivering on all fronts.”
He said world-class netball and tennis facilities had supported both grassroots and elite sport, while the precinct had also proven capable of hosting major events.
“It’s also proven capable of hosting major events, such as the recent Australian National Pickleball Championships, which attracted around 1,200 participants and demonstrated the scale and flexibility of the precinct,” he said.
Cr Hammel also highlighted the hub’s sustainability credentials, describing it as a national benchmark.
“The hub is a landmark project for sustainability, designed to be Australia’s first 100 per cent energy self-sufficient sports precinct,” he said.
“Through large solar arrays, battery storage, cogeneration and rainwater harvesting, the facility generates more energy than it uses each year, heats its pools sustainably, includes EV charging and provides extensive green parkland for the community.”
As Redland City Council debates whether to proceed with the proposed Heinemann Road Sports Precinct, Cr Hammel said the Gold Coast experience offered clear lessons.
“The key lesson from Pimpama Sports Hub is that demand for sport, recreation and community space in fast-growing areas like the far northern Gold Coast arrives quickly and continues to grow, so the need to start planning early is critical because facilities like these aren’t built overnight,” he said.
“Facilities that combine sport, fitness, health programs, community spaces and events deliver far greater social value than single-use infrastructure.”
He said designing for accessibility, flexibility and sustainability from the outset, along with early community engagement, was pivotal.
“Designing for accessibility, flexibility and sustainability from the outset creates a precinct that serves the whole community and stands the test of time,” Cr Hammel said.
“Early engagement to understand community needs, along with clear communication about what the facility offers and its long-term health, social and environmental benefits, is critical when delivering projects of this scale for local communities.”
