GIO Canberra Stadium – stadium description

Located in Canberra’s western suburb of Bruce (Hus the initial name Bruce Stadium), the stadium is part of the Australian Institute of Sports. It dates back to 1977, when it opened its doors for the first time as an athletic stadium.

With its athletic track and considerable size it was soon rebranded as the National Athletic Stadium and hosted major events. Two of them were the Pacific Conference Games and IAAF World Cup in Athletics.

In late 1980s the running track was removed and gave room for sports played at oval fields, most notably the Australian football. Attempts to hold cricket games here also happened, but remained fewer.

The stadium switched from oval to rectangular (or football/rugby-specific) in 1997, ahead of the 2000 Olympics, during which the stadium saw two football games. Stands were now sunken lower into the ground and brought closer, but remodeling cost seven times the early estimates, causing huge controversy.

Two football clubs grabbed tenancy of the stadium, Canberra City FC and Canberra Cosmos, but both were dissolved not long afterwards. Third attempt came in 2009 as A-League franchise was to be given, but Canberra lost the race to Sydney and Melbourne.

The stadium has been subject to demolition plans over the last several years, but so far none of them came to fruition.