Queensland is facing the largest infrastructure investment in its history with a $7.1 billion venue program plus massive transport upgrades for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. This creates both challenges and opportunities for logistics operators, with impacts already ramping up through 2030. This blog takes you through the major projects and how their development will impact road-based logistics businesses.
Key Infrastructure Projects Affecting Road-Based Logistics Operations
Here are the key transport network upgrades happening across Queensland:
Southeast Queensland:
- New Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park will see major city center disruptions
- Sunshine Coast Rail ("The Wave"), a heavy passenger rail line from Beerwah to Birtinya to Maroochydore to Airport
- Gold Coast Faster Rail, with upgrades from Kuraby to Beenleigh
- M1 Motorway upgrades, a critical freight corridor
- Gateway Motorway upgrades including Old Cleveland Road interchange
- Northern and Eastern Brisbane bus corridors
- The Cross River Rail completion has been moved from 2026 to 2029
Regional Queensland:
- Bruce Highway upgrades Brisbane to Cairns (building improvements to safety, flood resilience, and capacity)
- Tiaro Bypass
- Rockhampton Ring Road
- Goorganga Plains improvements
What Logistics Companies Need to Know to Curb Business Disruptions
Staff disruptions
The 2026 to 2027 period will pose the most disruption to road-based logistics businesses due to an expected shortage of construction workers, slowing the progress of the projects. At the same time, there will be more construction than in the year prior, meaning more areas will be impacted.
What to watch out for:
- Intensified competition for drivers and warehouse staff as construction, housing, health, and Olympics projects all compete for workers
- Wage pressures are already pushing construction wages 6-7% higher annually, which may impact driver wages
- Material and equipment shortages affecting delivery schedules
Road disruptions
Every Olympics establishes what’s called a Games Route Network (GRN), which is a dedicated road network connecting venues and providing priority access for Olympic vehicles during the games period. For Brisbane, this will be July to August of 2032.
During this time, there will be temporary changes to traffic management, which can change daily or even hourly as venues are used. There’s potential for significant delays on major freight corridors, so it’s advised to check your routes against the game matches and times.
Each host city uses its unique infrastructure to develop its GRN. For example, Sydney relied heavily on its bus network in 2000. As Brisbane has limited rail network capacity compared to recent host cities, it will have heavier reliance on its road-based transport, increasing pressure on freight corridors.
What Logistics Companies Need to Prepare For
Taking a look at the run up to the 2032 games, here are the major phases logistics businesses can prepare for in advance:
2026 to 2032 Construction
In a tale as old as time, construction is expected to continue right up until the games start. This will see disruptions across:
- Road access issues, with quickly changing conditions
- Reduced lane capacities on major arterial roads, causing increased congestion
- Construction worker and driver shortages may impact operations and wage costs
- Specific hotspots include the Victoria Park precinct, M1 corridor, Gateway Motorway, and Bruce Highway
July to August 2032 Games
During the games, watch out for the GRN disrupting your routes as roads may open and close sporadically. Delivery windows to CBD areas or areas close to venues may be restricted.
Despite these possible restrictions, it’s expected that demand for deliveries will increase! Event logistics, food and beverage, hospitality, waste, and temperature controlled goods are all high-demand during large events like the Olympics.
2032 and Beyond
The Bruce Highway, the Wave heavy rail, and the Logan to Gold Coast Faster Rail Project are all permanent infrastructure projects that will benefit Brisbane city well past the Olympics.
They also come with improvements to traffic management systems and routing opportunities. Once they’re fully operational and no longer impacted by the temporary Games, logistics companies who perform both dynamic and periodic routing will need to evaluate how these projects might permanently change
How to Prepare for the Disruptions
Every challenge is an opportunity. Get ahead of the disruptions and spot how your business might actually come out with a gold medal at the end!
Prepare yourself by getting up to speed with the 2032 Delivery Plan and identifying what’s going to impact your business. Engaging with the Organising Committee and joining the Brisbane 2032 Supplier Portal are great ways to not just mitigate disruptions to your business, but use this period of change as an accelerant for growth.
The GRN is organised by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA), who have an industry newsletter worth signing up to for the latest updates.
Technology can also help you adapt to the changing conditions. Real-time traffic monitoring, predictive analytics for demand forecasting, and route planning and optimization tools will be the ace up your sleeve when you need to react to something, fast.
Furthermore, Queensland overall has net-zero goals. Transitioning your fleet to EVs may help you pick up some new business with government organisations (or even the Olympics themselves!)
The final preparation is to communicate any expected delays to your customers. Keep them in the loop with when their deliveries will be made and if there are significant delays, make sure to explain what’s happening to them so they feel informed.