List of Australian rugby union stadiums by capacity
Overview -- Former Grounds
Table:
Rank

Stadium

City

Image

Use(s)

Capacity

1

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Melbourne, Vic

Wallabies internationals

100,024

2

Adelaide Oval

Adelaide, SA

2003 Rugby World Cup
Adelaide Sevens (IRB Sevens World Series) (2007–April 2011)

53,583

3

Sydney Cricket Ground

Sydney, NSW

Wallabies internationals

48,000

4

Dairy Farmers Stadium

Townsville, Qld

2003 Rugby World Cup
Queensland Reds

26,500

5

Carrara Stadium

Gold Coast, Qld

Queensland Reds (pre-season)
East Coast Aces (ARC)

25,000

6

Ballymore Stadium

Brisbane, Qld

Ballymore Tornadoes (ARC)
Queensland Reds (APC)

24,000

7

WIN Stadium

Wollongong, NSW

2003 Rugby World Cup

23,000

8

Parramatta Stadium

Parramatta, NSW

Western Sydney Rams (ARC)

21,500

9

Central Coast Stadium

Gosford, NSW

2003 Rugby World Cup
Central Coast Rays (ARC)
New South Wales Waratahs APC

20,059

10

Aurora Stadium

Launceston, Tas

2003 Rugby World Cup

21,000

11

North Sydney Oval

Sydney, NSW

Sydney Fleet (ARC)

20,000

Concord Oval

Sydney, NSW

West Harbour RFC

20,000

13

Olympic Park Stadium

Melbourne, Vic

Melbourne Rebels (ARC)

18,500

14

Manuka Oval

Canberra, ACT

Canberra Vikings (ARC)

15,000

15

Viking Park

Canberra, ACT

Tuggeranong Vikings (ACT Premiership)
Brumbies (APC)

8,000

Drawing on the accompanying table and the textual context listed below.

Respond to the question below: What makes the Australian city unusual that contains the stadium that is located in the Tuggeranong Valley suburb Wanniassa and is used by The Brumbies ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground ( MCG ) , also known simply as The G , is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park , Melbourne , Victoria . Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club , it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere , the 11th largest globally , and the second largest cricket ground by capacity . The MCG is within walking distance of the city centre and is served by Richmond and Jolimont railway stations , as well as the route 70 tram . It is adjacent to Melbourne Park and is part of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct . Since it was built in 1853 , the MCG has undergone numerous renovations . It served as the centrepiece stadium of the 1956 Summer Olympics , the 2006 Commonwealth Games and two Cricket World Cups : 1992 and 2015 . Noted for its role in the development of international cricket , the MCG hosted both the first Test match and the first One Day International , played between Australia and England in 1877 and 1971 respectively . It has also maintained strong ties with Australian rules football since its codification in 1859 , and has become the principal venue for Australian Football League ( AFL ) matches , including the AFL Grand Final , the world 's highest attended league championship event . Home to the National Sports Museum , the MCG has hosted other major sporting events , including international rules football matches between Australia and Ireland , international rugby union matches , State of Origin ( rugby league ) games , and FIFA World Cup qualifiers . Concerts and other cultural events are also held at the venue with the record attendance standing at 143,750 for a Billy Graham evangelistic crusade in 1959 . Grandstand redevelopments and occupational health and safety legislation have limited the maximum seating capacity to approximately 95,000 with an additional 5,000 standing room capacity , bringing the total capacity to 100,024 . The MCG is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and was included on the Australian National Heritage List in 2005 .
Melbourne ( /ˈmɛlbən/ ( listen ) MEL-bərn ) [ note 1 ] is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria , and the second most populous city in Australia and Oceania . Its name refers to an urban agglomeration of 9,993 km2 ( 3,858 sq mi ) , comprising a metropolitan area with 31 municipalities , and is also the common name for its city centre . The city occupies much of the coastline of Port Phillip bay and spreads into the hinterlands towards the Dandenong and Macedon ranges , Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley . It has a population of 5 million ( 19% of the population of Australia ) , and its inhabitants are referred to as Melburnians . [ note 2 ] The city was founded on 30 August 1835 , in the then-British colony of New South Wales , by free settlers from the colony of Van Diemens Land ( modern-day Tasmania ) . It was incorporated as a Crown settlement in 1837 , and named Melbourne by Governor General Richard Bourke on 10 April 1837 in honour of the British Prime Minister , William Lamb , 2nd Viscount Melbourne . In 1851 , four years after Queen Victoria declared it a city , Melbourne became the capital of the new colony of Victoria . In the wake of the 1850s Victorian gold rush , the city entered a lengthy boom period that , by the late 1880s , had transformed it into one of the world 's largest and wealthiest metropolises . After the federation of Australia in 1901 , it served as interim seat of government of the new nation until Canberra became the permanent capital in 1927 . Today , it is a leading financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region and ranks 15th in the Global Financial Centres Index . Melbourne is home to many of Australia 's best-known landmarks , such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground , the National Gallery of Victoria and the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building . It is also the birthplace of Australian impressionism , Australian rules football , and the Australian film and television industries .
Victoria ( abbreviated as Vic ) is a state in south-eastern Australia . Victoria is Australia 's smallest mainland state and its second-most populous state ( after New South Wales ) , making it the most densely populated state . Most of its population lives concentrated in the area surrounding Port Phillip Bay , which includes the metropolitan area of its state capital and largest city , Melbourne , Australia 's second-largest city . Victoria is bordered by Bass Strait and Tasmania to the south , [ note 1 ] New South Wales to the north , the Tasman Sea ( a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean ) to the east , and South Australia to the west . The area that is now known as Victoria is the home of many Aboriginal people groups , including the Boon wurrung , the Bratauolung , the Djadjawurrung , the Gunai/Kurnai , the Gunditjmara , the Taungurong , the Wathaurong , the Wurundjeri , and the Yorta Yorta . There were more than 30 Aboriginal languages spoken in the area prior to the European settlement of Australia . The Kulin nation is an alliance of five Aboriginal nations which makes up much of the central part of the state . With Great Britain having claimed the half of the Australian continent that is east of the 135th meridian east in 1788 , Victoria formed part of the wider colony of New South Wales . The first European settlement in the area occurred in 1803 at Sullivan Bay , and much of what is now Victoria was included in 1836 in the Port Phillip District , an administrative division of New South Wales . Named in honour of Queen Victoria , who signed the division 's separation from New South Wales , the colony was officially established in 1851 and achieved self government in 1855 . The Victorian gold rush in the 1850s and 1860s significantly increased both the population and wealth of the colony , and by the time of the Federation of Australia in 1901 , Melbourne had become the largest city and leading financial centre in Australasia . Melbourne served as federal capital of Australia until the construction of Canberra in 1927 , with the Federal Parliament meeting in Melbourne 's Parliament House and all principal offices of the federal government being based in Melbourne .
The Australia national rugby union team , nicknamed the Wallabies , is the representative national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of Australia . The team first played at Sydney in 1899 , winning their first test match against the touring British Isles team . Australia have competed in all eight Rugby World Cups , winning the final on two occasions and also finishing as runner-up twice . Australia beat England at Twickenham in the final of the 1991 Rugby World Cup and won again in 1999 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff when their opponents in the final were France . The Wallabies also compete annually in The Rugby Championship ( formerly the Tri-Nations ) , along with southern hemisphere counterparts Argentina , New Zealand and South Africa . They have won this championship on four occasions . Australia also plays Test matches against the various rugby-playing nations . More than a dozen former Wallabies players have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame .
Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide , South Australia , located in the parklands between the city centre and North Adelaide . The venue is predominantly used for cricket and Australian rules football , but has also played host to rugby league , rugby union , soccer , tennis among other sports as well as regularly being used to hold concerts . Austadiums.com described Adelaide Oval as being one of the most picturesque Test cricket grounds in Australia , if not the world . After the completion of the grounds most recent redevelopment in 2014 , sports journalist Gerard Whateley described the venue as being the most perfect piece of modern architecture because it 's a thoroughly contemporary stadium with all the character that it 's had in the past . Adelaide Oval has been headquarters to the South Australian Cricket Association ( SACA ) since 1871 and South Australian National Football League ( SANFL ) since 2014 . The stadium is managed by the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority ( AOSMA ) . Its record crowd for cricket was 55,317 for the Second Ashes Test on 2 December 2017 and its record crowd for an Australian rules football match was 62,543 at the 1965 SANFL Grand Final between Port Adelaide and Sturt .
Adelaide ( /ˈædəleɪd/ ( listen ) AD-ə-layd ) is the capital city of the state of South Australia , and the fifth-most populous city of Australia . The demonym Adelaidean is used to denote the city and the residents of Adelaide . Adelaide is situated on the Adelaide Plains north of the Fleurieu Peninsula , between the Gulf St Vincent in the west and the Mount Lofty Ranges in the east . Its metropolitan area extends 20 km ( 12 mi ) from the coast to the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges , and stretches 96 km ( 60 mi ) from Gawler in the north to Sellicks Beach in the south . Named in honour of Queen Adelaide , consort to King William IV , the city was founded in 1836 as the planned capital for the only freely-settled British province in Australia . Colonel William Light , one of Adelaide 's founding fathers , designed the city centre and chose its location close to the River Torrens , in the area originally inhabited by the Kaurna people and known as Tarndanyangga ( place of the red kangaroo ) . Light 's design , now listed as national heritage , set out the city centre in a grid layout , interspaced by wide boulevards and large public squares , and entirely surrounded by parklands . Early colonial Adelaide was shaped by the diversity and wealth of its free settlers , in contrast to the convict history of other Australian cities . Until the post-war era , it was Australia 's third-largest city . It has been noted for its leading examples of religious freedom and progressive political reforms , and became known as the City of Churches due to its diversity of faiths . Today , Adelaide is noted for its many festivals and sporting events , its food and wine , its coastline and hills , and its large defence and manufacturing sectors . Adelaide 's quality of life has ranked consistently highly in various measures through the 21st century .
South Australia ( abbreviated as SA ) is a state in the southern central part of Australia . It covers some of the most arid parts of the country . With a total land area of 983,482 square kilometres ( 379,725 sq mi ) , it is the fourth-largest of Australia 's states and territories by area , and fifth largest by population . It has a total of 1.7 million people , and its population is the second most highly centralised in Australia , after Western Australia , with more than 77 percent of South Australians living in the capital , Adelaide , or its environs . Other population centres in the state are relatively small ; Mount Gambier , the second largest centre , has a population of 28,684 . South Australia shares borders with all of the other mainland states , and with the Northern Territory ; it is bordered to the west by Western Australia , to the north by the Northern Territory , to the north-east by Queensland , to the east by New South Wales , to the south-east by Victoria , and to the south by the Great Australian Bight . The state comprises less than 8 percent of the Australian population and ranks fifth in population among the six states and two territories . The majority of its people reside in greater Metropolitan Adelaide . Most of the remainder are settled in fertile areas along the south-eastern coast and River Murray . The state 's colonial origins are unique in Australia as a freely settled , planned British province , rather than as a convict settlement . Colonial government commenced on 28 December 1836 , when the members of the council were sworn in near the Old Gum Tree . [ citation needed ] As with the rest of the continent , the region has a long history of human occupation by numerous tribes and languages .
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England . Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand , all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Union and Rugby World Cup Limited . The pre-event favourites were England , regarded by many at the time as the best team in the world . New Zealand , France , South Africa and defending champions Australia were also expected to make strong showings , with New Zealand being second favourites after victory in the southern-hemisphere Tri-Nations championship . The tournament began with host nation Australia defeating Argentina 24-8 at Stadium Australia in Sydney . Australia went on to defeat New Zealand 22-10 in the semi-final , to play England in the final . Along with a try to Jason Robinson , Jonny Wilkinson kicked four penalties and then a drop-goal in extra time to win the game 20-17 for England , who became the first northern hemisphere team to win the Webb Ellis Cup .
The Australia Sevens is an international rugby sevens tournament that was first played in 1986 . Currently hosted as the Sydney Sevens , the event is part of the World Rugby Sevens Series . The tournament was held in Brisbane , in Adelaide , and on the Gold Coast in previous seasons .
The World Rugby Sevens Series is an annual series of international rugby sevens tournaments run by World Rugby featuring national sevens teams . Organised for the first time in the 1999-2000 season as the IRB World Sevens Series , the competition was formed to promote an elite-level of international rugby sevens and develop the game into a viable commercial product . The competition has been sponsored by banking group HSBC since 2014 . The season 's circuit consists of 10 tournaments that generally begin in November or December and last until May . The venues are held across 10 countries , and visits five of the six populated continents . The United Arab Emirates , South Africa , Australia , New Zealand , the United States , Canada , Hong Kong , Singapore , France and England each host one event . Each tournament has 16 teams - 15 core teams that participate in each tournament and one regional qualifier . Teams compete for the World Rugby Series title by accumulating points based on their finishing position in each tournament . The lowest placed core team at the end of the season is dropped , and replaced by the winner of the Hong Kong Sevens . New Zealand had originally dominated the Series , winning each of the first six seasons from 1999-2000 to 2004-05 , but since then , Fiji , South Africa and Samoa have each won season titles . England , Australia and the United States have placed in the top three for several seasons but have not won the series title . The International Olympic Committee 's decision in 2009 to add rugby sevens to the Summer Olympics beginning in 2016 has added a boost to rugby sevens and to the World Sevens Series ; this boost has led to increased exposure and revenues , leading several of the core teams to field fully professional squads .
The Sydney Cricket Ground ( SCG ) is a sports stadium in Sydney , Australia . It is used for Test , One Day International and Twenty20 cricket , as well as Australian rules football , rugby league football , rugby union , and association football . It is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team , the Sydney Sixers of the Big Bash League and the Sydney Swans of the Australian Football League . It is also the temporary home of the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League and the NSW Waratahs of Super Rugby , during the redevelopment of the Sydney Football Stadium . It is owned and operated by the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust . Until the 44,000 seat Sydney Football Stadium opened in 1988 , the Sydney Cricket Ground was the major rugby league venue in Sydney .
Sydney ( /ˈsɪdni/ ( listen ) SID-nee ) is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia and Oceania . Located on Australia 's east coast , the metropolis surrounds Port Jackson and extends about 70 km ( 43.5 mi ) on its periphery towards the Blue Mountains to the west , Hawkesbury to the north , the Royal National Park to the south and Macarthur to the south-west . Sydney is made up of 658 suburbs , 40 local government areas and 15 contiguous regions . Residents of the city are known as Sydneysiders . As of June 2017 , Sydney 's estimated metropolitan population was 5,230,330 and is home to approximately 65% of the state 's population . Indigenous Australians have inhabited the Sydney area for at least 30,000 years , and thousands of engravings remain throughout the region , making it one of the richest in Australia in terms of Aboriginal archaeological sites . During his first Pacific voyage in 1770 , Lieutenant James Cook and his crew became the first Europeans to chart the eastern coast of Australia , making landfall at Botany Bay and inspiring British interest in the area . In 1788 , the First Fleet of convicts , led by Arthur Phillip , founded Sydney as a British penal colony , the first European settlement in Australia . Phillip named the city Sydney in recognition of Thomas Townshend , 1st Viscount Sydney . Penal transportation to New South Wales ended soon after Sydney was incorporated as a city in 1842 . A gold rush occurred in the colony in 1851 , and over the next century , Sydney transformed from a colonial outpost into a major global cultural and economic centre . After World War II , it experienced mass migration and became one of the most multicultural cities in the world .
New South Wales ( abbreviated as NSW ) is a state on the east coast of Australia . It borders Queensland to the north , Victoria to the south , and South Australia to the west . Its coast borders the Coral and Tasman Seas to the east . The Australian Capital Territory is an enclave within the state . New South Wales ' state capital is Sydney , which is also Australia 's most populous city . In March 2019 [ update ] , the population of New South Wales was over 8 million , making it Australia 's most populous state . Just under two-thirds of the state 's population , 5.1 million , live in the Greater Sydney area . Inhabitants of New South Wales are referred to as New South Welshmen . The Colony of New South Wales was founded as a British penal colony in 1788 . It originally comprised more than half of the Australian mainland with its western boundary set at 129th meridian east in 1825 . The colony then also included the island territories of New Zealand , Van Diemen 's Land , Lord Howe Island , and Norfolk Island . During the 19th century , most of the colony 's area was detached to form separate British colonies that eventually became New Zealand and the various states and territories of Australia .
The Willows Sports Complex , currently known as 1300SMILES Stadium through sponsorship , is a grass football stadium situated in Townsville , Queensland , Australia . It has been a predominantly rugby league ground as the home ground of the North Queensland Cowboys National Rugby League club . The ground has also been used for rugby union and soccer . From 2009 to 2011 , A-League football club North Queensland Fury called it home . Since inception as a rugby league ground , the ground has had sponsored naming rights : Stockland Stadium ( 1995-97 ) , Malanda Stadium ( 1998 ) and Dairy Farmers Stadium ( 1999-2013 ) . The last ever NRL match to be played at 1300Smiles Stadium was on Thursday 29th August 2019 at 7:50pm between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs ( Fulltime Score : 15-8 )
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland , Australia . Townsville is Australia 's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast , with a population of 180,820 as of June 2018 . Considered the unofficial capital of North Queensland by locals , Townsville hosts a significant number of governmental , community and major business administrative offices for the northern half of the state . It is in the dry tropics region of Queensland , adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef . The city is also a major industrial centre , home to one of the world 's largest zinc refineries , a nickel refinery and many other similar activities . The Port of Townsville is also being expanded to allow much larger cargo ships from Asia and the world 's largest passenger ships to visit . It is an increasingly important port due to its proximity to Asia and major trading partners such as China . Popular attractions include The Strand , a long tropical beach and garden strip ; Riverway , a riverfront parkland attraction located on the banks of Ross River ; Reef HQ , a large tropical aquarium holding many of the Great Barrier Reef 's native flora and fauna ; the Museum of Tropical Queensland , built around a display of relics from the sunken British warship HMS Pandora ; Castle Hill or as it was originally known Cootharinga , the most prominent landmark of the area and a popular place for exercise ; The Townsville Sports Reserve ; and Magnetic Island , a large neighbouring island , the vast majority of which is national park .
Queensland ( locally /ˈkwiːnzlænd/ KWEENZ-land , [ note 1 ] abbreviated as Qld ) is the second-largest and third-most populous state in the Commonwealth of Australia . Situated in the north-east of the country , it is bordered by the Northern Territory , South Australia and New South Wales to the west , south-west and south respectively . To the east , Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean . To its north is the Torres Strait , with Papua New Guinea located less than 200 km across it from the mainland . The state is the world 's sixth-largest sub-national entity , with an area of 1,852,642 square kilometres ( 715,309 sq mi ) . As of 15 May 2018 , Queensland had a population of 5,000,000 , concentrated along the coast and particularly in the state 's South East . The capital and largest city in the state is Brisbane , Australia 's third-largest city . Often referred to as the Sunshine State , Queensland is home to 10 of Australia 's 30 largest cities and is the nation 's third-largest economy . Tourism in the state , fuelled largely by its warm climate , is a major industry . Queensland was first inhabited by Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders . The first European to land in Queensland ( and Australia ) was Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon in 1606 , who explored the west coast of the Cape York Peninsula near present-day Weipa . In 1770 , Lieutenant James Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for the Kingdom of Great Britain .
The Queensland Reds is the rugby union team for the Australian state of Queensland that competes in the Southern Hemisphere 's Super Rugby competition . Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland . With the introduction of the professional Super 12 competition they moved to a model where players are contracted to the Reds through the Queensland Rugby Union rather than selected on the basis of club form . From 1996 to 2005 they were one of three Australian teams competing in the Super 12 competition , alongside the New South Wales Waratahs and the ACT Brumbies . Queensland finished as minor premiers in 1996 and 1999 . From 2006 to 2010 , they competed in the expanded Super 14 competition as one of four Australian sides . Beginning in 2011 , they are one of five Australian sides in the expanded and renamed Super Rugby , winning the competition in its first season in its new format . In 2012 they finished first in the Australian conference .
Carrara Stadium ( known commercially as Metricon Stadium ) is a sporting venue on the Gold Coast in Queensland , Australia , located in the suburb of Carrara . The venue is primarily used for Australian rules football , serving as the home ground of the Gold Coast Suns , who compete in the Australian Football League . In addition , the venue is used occasionally for cricket , including Big Bash League matches . Carrara Stadium received substantial redevelopment work prior to the entry of the Brisbane Bears to the VFL/AFL in 1987 , but following the Bears relocation to the Brisbane Cricket Ground in 1993 , it was used for other sports including rugby league , rugby union and even baseball . The stadium has hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Commonwealth Games as well as the athletics competitions .
The Gold Coast is a coastal city in the Australian state of Queensland , approximately 66 kilometres ( 41 mi ) south-southeast of the state capital Brisbane and immediately north of the border with New South Wales . With a estimated population of 679,127 , at June 2018 ( including 76,779 in the adjacent Tweed Valley of New South Wales ) , the Gold Coast is the sixth-largest city in Australia , making it the largest non-capital city , and Queensland 's second-largest city . Gold Coast is a major tourist destination with its sunny subtropical climate and has become widely known for its surfing beaches , high-rise dominated skyline , theme parks , nightlife , and rainforest hinterland . The city is part of the nation 's entertainment industry with television productions and a major film industry . The city hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games which ran from 4 to 15 April 2018 .
Queensland Country is an Australian rugby union football team that competes in the National Rugby Championship ( NRC ) . The team is one of two Queensland sides in the competition , the other being Brisbane City . Queensland Country is organised and managed by the Queensland Rugby Union ( QRU ) , with the coaching and training programs used at the Queensland Reds extended to players joining the team from the Reds , Premier and Country rugby teams . The Queensland Country team in the NRC draws its identity from the Queensland Country representative team that has played in regular City-Country fixtures in Queensland since 1902 . The same colours have been adopted for the team in the NRC competition and , while the Heelers ' cattle dog logo is not used , an emblem based on the traditional Cooktown Orchid logo of the Queensland Country Rugby Union has been adopted . The Queensland Country uniform is blue and white , with a crest of the orchid logo inside Queensland Rugby 's traditional Q on the jersey 's chest . The NRC was launched in 2014 , reinstating the national competition after the Australian Rugby Championship ( ARC ) was discontinued following the first season in 2007 . The Queensland Country NRC team plays in various Queensland regional centres . Existing QRU staffing roles and infrastructure are utilised , and the training base for the team is at QRU 's headquarters at Ballymore .
The Australian Rugby Championship , often abbreviated to the ARC and also known as the Mazda Australian Rugby Championship for sponsorship purposes , is a now-defunct domestic professional men 's rugby union football competition in Australia , which ran for only one season in 2007 . It was the predecessor to the current National Rugby Championship . The competition , similar to New Zealand 's ITM Cup and South Africa 's Currie Cup , aimed to bridge the gap between existing club rugby and the international Super Rugby competition then known as Super 14 . The ARC involved eight teams : three from New South Wales , two from Queensland , and one each from the Australian Capital Territory , Victoria and Western Australia .
Ballymore is a rugby union stadium situated in Herston , a suburb of Brisbane , Australia . It is the headquarters of Queensland Rugby Union and the home ground of the Brisbane City team in the National Rugby Championship . It is also used as a training facility for the Queensland Reds and Australian Wallabies rugby teams . The stadium was the home ground of the Reds until they moved to Suncorp Stadium in 2006 . The Brisbane Strikers football club also played at the ground prior to 2003 . Ballymore was used as a training facility and headquarters for A-League club Brisbane Roar from 2008 to 2014 .
Brisbane ( /ˈbrɪzbən/ ( listen ) ) is the capital of and the most populated city in the Australian state of Queensland , and the third most populous city in Australia . Brisbane 's metropolitan area has a population of approximately 2.5 million , and the South East Queensland metropolitan region , centred on Brisbane , encompasses a population of more than 3.6 million . [ failed verification ] The Brisbane central business district stands on the historic European settlement and is situated inside a peninsula of the Brisbane River , about 15 kilometres ( 9 miles ) from its mouth at Moreton Bay , a bay of the Coral Sea . The metropolitan area extends in all directions along the hilly floodplain of the Brisbane River Valley between Moreton Bay and the Taylor and D'Aguilar mountain ranges . It sprawls across several of Australia 's most populous local government areas ( LGAs ) - most centrally the City of Brisbane , which is by far the most populous LGA in the nation . The demonym of Brisbane is Brisbanite , whilst common nicknames include Brissy , River City and Brisvegas . One of the oldest cities in Australia , Brisbane was founded upon the ancient homelands of the indigenous Turrbal and Jagera peoples . Named after the Brisbane River on which it is located - which in turn takes its name from Sir Thomas Brisbane , the Governor of New South Wales at the time of the city 's founding - the area was chosen as a place for secondary offenders from the Sydney Colony . A penal settlement was founded in 1824 at Redcliffe , 28 kilometres ( 17 mi ) north of the central business district , but was soon abandoned and moved to North Quay in 1825 , opening to free settlement in 1842 . Brisbane was chosen as the capital when Queensland was proclaimed a separate colony from New South Wales in 1859 . During World War II , Brisbane played a central role in the Allied campaign and served as the South West Pacific headquarters for United States Army General Douglas MacArthur . A diverse city with 32.2% of its metropolitan population being foreign born , Brisbane is ranked as a world city , and ranks highly in ratings of livable cities .
Brisbane City is an Australian rugby union football team based in Brisbane that competes in the National Rugby Championship ( NRC ) . The team is one of two Queensland sides in the competition , the other being Queensland Country . Brisbane City is organised and managed by the Queensland Rugby Union ( QRU ) , with the coaching and training programs utilised by the Queensland Reds being extended to players joining the team from the Reds and Queensland Premier Rugby teams .
The Australian Provincial Championship , or APC , is a now-defunct rugby union football competition played in Australia . It was one of several provincial competitions since the late 1960s , including the Wallaby Trophy and Ricoh National Championship , that have not continued . The Australian Provincial Championship was played as a single round-robin , with the top two teams playing off in a final for the title . Teams in the APC were the ACT Brumbies , New South Wales Waratahs , Queensland Reds , and Western Force . The APC ran for just one season in 2006 before the competition was replaced by the Australian Rugby Championship for the 2007 season .
Wollongong Showground , known as WIN Stadium for sponsorship reasons , is a multi-purpose stadium located in Wollongong , Australia . The stadium was officially opened in 1911 . From 1982 until 1998 it played host to every home match for the Illawarra Steelers NRL team , and is still the team 's home ground in the lower grade competitions . It is now used as one home ground of the St George Illawarra Dragons rugby league side and Wollongong Wolves of the National Premier Leagues NSW .
Wollongong ( /ˈwʊlənɡɒŋ/ WUUL-ən-gong ) , informally referred to as The Gong , is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales , Australia . Wollongong lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean , 68 kilometres ( 51 miles ) south of central Sydney . Wollongong had an estimated urban population of 302,739 at June 2018 , making it the third-largest city in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle , and the tenth-largest city in Australia . The city 's current Lord Mayor is Gordon Bradbery AM who was elected in 2018 . The Wollongong metropolitan area extends from Helensburgh in the north to Shell Cove in the south . It sits within the Wollongong Statistical District , which covers the local authority areas of Wollongong , Shellharbour and Kiama , extending from the town of Helensburgh in the north , to Gerroa in the south Geologically , the city is located in the south-eastern part of the Sydney basin , which extends from Newcastle to Nowra . Wollongong is noted for its heavy industry , its port activity and the quality of its physical setting , occupying a narrow coastal plain between an almost continuous chain of surf beaches and the cliffline of the rainforest-covered Illawarra escarpment . It has two cathedrals , churches of many denominations and the Nan Tien Temple , the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere . Wollongong has a long history of coal mining and industry . The city attracts many tourists each year , and is a regional centre for the South Coast fishing industry . The University of Wollongong has around 37,000 students and is internationally recognised . The name Wollongong is believed to mean seas of the South in the local Aboriginal language , Tharawal , referring to NSW 's Southern Coast .
Parramatta Stadium was a sports stadium in Parramatta , New South Wales , Australia , 23 kilometres west of Sydney 's central business district . The stadium was the home ground of several western Sydney-based sports teams , at the time of closure the most notable were the Parramatta Eels of the National Rugby League and the Western Sydney Wanderers of the A-League . Cumberland Oval was the local name for the cricket , motor sports and rugby venue that had existed prior to Parramatta Stadium being built , with the area having been used for recreational activities since 1788 , the founding year of the British colony in New South Wales . The stadium also hosted numerous other sporting and cultural events since its opening in 1986 . Michael Jackson performed there during his Bad World Tour on 20-21 November 1987 , and Paul McCartney concluded the Australian leg of The New World Tour with two shows there on 22-23 March 1993 . In 2015 the NSW Government announced that the stadium would be demolished and replaced , and to that end , Parramatta Stadium was demolished in February 2017 , with the new Western Sydney Stadium built in the same location .
Parramatta ( /ˌpærəˈmætə/ ) is a suburb of the City of Parramatta , in Greater Sydney which is located in the state of New South Wales , Australia . It is located approximately 24 kilometres ( 15 mi ) west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River . Parramatta is the administrative seat of the City of Parramatta and is often regarded as commercial centre for both the Greater Parramatta region as well as the broader Greater Western Sydney region . Parramatta , founded by the British in 1788 , the same year as Sydney , is the oldest inland European settlement in Australia and the economic capital of Greater Western Sydney . Since 2000 , government agencies such as the New South Wales Police Force and Sydney Water have relocated to Parramatta from the centre of Sydney . Established in 1799 , the Old Government House is a world heritage site and museum within Parramatta Park and is Australia 's second oldest surviving building after Wiebbe Hayes Stone Fort . It is also commonly referred to as the cradle city because of its significant farming contribution to help feed the whole colony . Parramatta is a major business and commercial centre , and home to Westfield Parramatta , the tenth largest shopping centre in Australia . Parramatta is also the major transport hub for Western Sydney , servicing trains and buses , as well as having a ferry wharf and future light rail and metro services . Major upgrades have occurred around Parramatta railway station with the creation of a new transport interchange , and the ongoing development of the Parramatta Square local government precinct .
The Greater Sydney Rams , originally known as the Western Sydney Rams , is a former rugby union team from Australia that was disbanded in 2018 . The Rams won the minor premiership in the 2007 Australian Rugby Championship ( ARC ) , and then competed in the National Rugby Championship ( NRC ) from 2014 to 2017 . The Greater Sydney Rams team in the NRC took took its identity from the Rams side that was founded in 2007 . Australia 's national competition was discontinued following the first season in 2007 but , after an absence of six years , the ARC was relaunched as the NRC in 2014 . The revived Rams team for 2014 was backed by a syndicate of private investors in partnership with four Sydney rugby clubs ; Parramatta , Penrith , Southern Districts and West Harbour . The Eastwood club was initially included in the partnership but withdrew prior to the 2014 season . In 2017 the Rams were taken over by the Eastwood Rugby Union Club , for what was to be their last season in the competition . A restructure for the 2018 season removed the Rams from the NRC , leaving only two sides from New South Wales in the competition ; the Rays and the Eagles .
Grahame Park , previously named Bluetongue Stadium due to sponsorship by Bluetongue Brewery , is a sports venue in Gosford , on the Central Coast of New South Wales , Australia . The stadium is home to the Central Coast Mariners association football club which competes in the A-League . The stadium also hosts rugby league and rugby union fixtures on an ad hoc basis as well as other major social events . The stadium was originally designed to be the home stadium for the North Sydney Bears rugby league football club . The stadium is rectangular and is unusual in that seating is located on only three sides of the ground . The southern end is open giving filtered views of Brisbane Water through a row of palm trees . With an all seater capacity of 20,059 it was as of 2012 [ update ] the second smallest stadium in the A-League . It is within walking distance of the Gosford CBD and Gosford railway station . The Central Coast Leagues Club and League Club Field are adjacent to the stadium , across Dane Drive .
Gosford is a New South Wales suburb located in the heart of the Central Coast Region , about 76 kilometres ( 47 mi ) north of the Sydney CBD . The suburb is situated at the northern extremity of Brisbane Water , an extensive northern branch of the Hawkesbury River estuary and Broken Bay . The suburb is the administrative centre and CBD of the Central Coast region , which is the third largest urban area in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle . Following its formation from the combination of the previous Gosford City and Wyong Shire Councils , Gosford has been earmarked as a vital CBD spine under the NSW Metropolitan Strategy . The population of the suburb was 3,499 in the 2016 census . but there were 169,053 people in the Gosford area in 2016 .
Sydney is an Australian rugby union team that competes in the National Rugby Championship ( NRC ) . Formerly known as Sydney Rays , the team is one of two sides from New South Wales in the competition ; the other being the NSW Country Eagles .
The New South Wales Waratahs ( /ˈwɒrətɑːz/ or /ˌwɒrəˈtɑːz/ ; referred to as the Waratahs , are an Australian rugby union team representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super Rugby competition . The Riverina and other southern parts of the state , are represented by the Brumbies , who are based in Canberra , Australian Capital Territory ( ACT ) . The Waratahs name has historically been the name for the New South Wales Rugby Union ( NSWRU ) representative team , and became the name for the New South Wales team when it entered the Super Six , Super 10 and Super 12 competitions . The name and emblem comes from the waratah , the state flower for New South Wales . Until 2019 , their home ground was Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney . With this closed for demolition and rebuilding , in 2019 home games will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Western Sydney Stadium .
York Park is a sports ground in the Inveresk and York Park Precinct , Launceston , Australia . Holding 19,500 people - the joint-largest capacity stadium in Tasmania - York Park is known commercially as University of Tasmania Stadium and was formerly known as Aurora Stadium under a previous naming rights agreement signed with Aurora Energy in 2004 . Primarily used for Australian rules football , its record attendance of 20,971 was set in June 2006 , when Hawthorn Football Club played Richmond Football Club in an Australian Football League ( AFL ) match . The area was swampland before becoming Launceston 's showgrounds in 1873 . In the following decades the grounds were increasingly used for sports , including cricket , bowls and tennis . In 1919 , plans were prepared for the transformation of the area into a multi-sports venue . From 1923 , the venue was principally used for Australian rules football by the Northern Tasmanian Football Association , and for occasional inter-state games . Visiting mainland football clubs regularly played mid-season or end-of-season matches at the ground . Other sports such as cricket , tennis , bowling , cycling and foot-racing have been played at the venue . Hawthorn has played between two and five AFL matches each season since 2001 , and the St Kilda Football Club played two games a year between 2003 and 2006 . In 2007 , the Tasmanian Government signed a $ 16.4 million , five-year sponsorship deal with Hawthorn , under which the club will play four regular season games and one National Australia Bank Cup pre-season match at the venue each year . Throughout its history , York Park has hosted major pop concerts and other entertainments .
Launceston ( /ˈlɒnsɛstən/ ( listen ) or /ˈlɔːnsɛstən/ ( listen ) ) is a city in the north of Tasmania , Australia , at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River ( kanamaluka ) . With a population of 87,328 , Launceston is the second most populous city in Tasmania after the state capital , Hobart , and the twelfth-largest non-capital city in Australia . Settled by Europeans in March 1806 , Launceston is one of Australia 's oldest cities and it has many historic buildings . Like many places in Australia , it was named after a town in the United Kingdom - in this case , Launceston , Cornwall . Launceston also had the first use of anaesthetic in the Southern Hemisphere , it was the first Australian city to have underground sewers , and it was the first Australian city to be lit by hydroelectricity . The city has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons . Local government is split between the City of Launceston and the Meander Valley and West Tamar Councils .
Tasmania ( /tæzˈmeɪniə/ ; abbreviated as TAS , nicknamed Tassie ) is an island state of Australia . It is located 240 km ( 150 mi ) to the south of the Australian mainland , separated by Bass Strait . The state encompasses the main island of Tasmania , the 26th-largest island in the world , and the surrounding 334 islands . The state has a population of around 533,308 as of March 2019 [ update ] . Just over forty percent of the population resides in the Greater Hobart precinct , which forms the metropolitan area of the state capital and largest city , Hobart . Tasmania 's area is 68,401 km2 ( 26,410 sq mi ) , of which the main island covers 64,519 km2 ( 24,911 sq mi ) . It is promoted as a natural state , and protected areas of Tasmania cover about 42% of its land area , which includes national parks and World Heritage Sites . Tasmania was the founding place of the first environmental political party in the world . The island is believed to have been occupied by indigenous peoples for 30,000 years before British colonisation . It is thought Aboriginal Tasmanians were separated from the mainland Aboriginal groups about 10,000 years ago when the sea rose to form Bass Strait . The Aboriginal population is estimated to have been between 3,000 and 7,000 at the time of colonisation , but was almost wiped out within 30 years by a combination of violent guerrilla conflict with settlers known as the Black War , intertribal conflict , and from the late 1820s , the spread of infectious diseases to which they had no immunity . The conflict , which peaked between 1825 and 1831 , and led to more than three years of martial law , cost the lives of almost 1,100 Aboriginals and settlers .
North Sydney Oval is a multi-use sporting facility in North Sydney , New South Wales , Australia , owned and operated by North Sydney Council . First used as a cricket ground in 1867 , it is also used for rugby league and rugby union and soccer .
The Sydney Stars is a former Australian rugby union football team that competed in the National Rugby Championship ( NRC ) in 2014 and 2015 . The Stars team was established as a joint venture between the Sydney University and Balmain rugby clubs , and was one of four New South Wales teams in the competition .
Concord Oval ( also Waratah Stadium ) is a rugby stadium in Concord , Australia , in the inner west of Sydney . It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches , and it was used for eight matches during the 1987 Rugby World Cup . It also hosts football matches . The stadium is able to hold 20,000 people and was opened in 1985 . It is the home ground of West Harbour RFC in the Shute Shield rugby union competition , and the Greater Sydney Rams in the National Rugby Championship . It is also the training and administration base for the Wests Tigers rugby league club . Football club Inter Lions SC also play games at the ground .
The West Harbour Rugby Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield , the premier club rugby union football competition in New South Wales . The club is based in Concord in the Inner West of Sydney , and plays home matches at Concord Oval . Concord holds a place in rugby history as a venue for the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 . West Harbour 's major sponsor is Burwood RSL and post match functions are held at Club Burwood .
Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne . The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics , a short distance from the MCG ( Melbourne Cricket Ground ) , which served as the Olympic Stadium . Over the years it was the home of rugby league side , Melbourne Storm and the A-League team , Melbourne Victory ; throughout its life the stadium played host to athletics . Olympic Park Stadium was located in Olympic Park , which is part of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct . Olympic Park Stadium was demolished in 2011 , and replaced with an Australian rules football ground . This new ground , Olympic Park Oval , has been used by the Collingwood Football Club for training purposes , it being adjacent to the Holden Centre . As of the 2016 season , Collingwood are using Olympic Park ( under the sponsored name Holden Centre ) as one of their home grounds for the VFL side of the club .
The Melbourne Rebels ( formerly known as the RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels for sponsorship reasons ) is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Melbourne . They made their debut in SANZAR 's Super Rugby tournament in 2011 . They were the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia , until 2017 when shares in the franchise were returned to the Victorian Rugby Union . The club shares its name with a former Australian Rugby Championship team , but is unrelated , The team plays it 's home matches in AAMI Park .
Manuka Oval ( branded UNSW Canberra Oval for Greater Western Sydney Giants home games in the Australian Football League ) is a sporting venue in Canberra , the capital of Australia . It is located in Griffith , in the area of that suburb known as Manuka . Manuka Oval has a seating capacity of 13,550 people and an overall capacity of 16,000 people , although this is lower for some sports depending on the configuration used . The area on which the ground is situated has been used for sport since the early 20th century , but was only enclosed in 1929 . It has since undergone several redevelopments , most recently beginning in 2011 . Currently , Manuka Oval is primarily used for cricket ( during the summer months ) and Australian rules football ( during the winter months ) . The ground was previously also used for rugby league and rugby union matches , but there are now more suitable venues in Canberra for those sports . As a cricket ground , Manuka Oval is the home venue for the ACT Comets ( men 's ) and the ACT Meteors ( women 's ) teams , and has also hosted a number of international matches , including at the 1992 and 2015 World Cups . As an Australian rules football ground , Manuka Oval 's primary tenant is the Eastlake Football Club , which plays in the North East Australian Football League ( NEAFL ) . Australian Football League ( AFL ) games are played at the ground on a semi-regular basis . The Greater Western Sydney Giants have used the oval as a secondary home ground since the club entered the AFL in 2012 and AFL Women 's in 2017 . Other AFL clubs had previously hosted games at the venue , most notably the North Melbourne Football Club from 1998 to 2006 .
Canberra ( /ˈkænbərə/ ( listen ) ) is the capital city of Australia . Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation , it is Australia 's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall . The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory ; 280 km ( 170 mi ) south-west of Sydney and 660 km ( 410 mi ) north-east of Melbourne . On 1 January 1901 , federation of the colonies of Australia was achieved . Section 125 of the new Australian Constitution provided that land , situated in New South Wales and at least 100 miles ( 160 km ) from Sydney , would be ceded to the new federal government . Following discussion and exploration of various areas within New South Wales , the Seat of Government Act 1908 was passed in 1908 which specified a capital in the Yass-Canberra region . The land was transferred to the Commonwealth by New South Wales in 1911 , creating the Australian Capital Territory , two years prior to the capital city being founded and formally named as Canberra in 1913 . It is unusual among Australian cities , being an entirely planned city outside of any state , similar to Washington , D.C. in the United States or Brasília in Brazil . Following an international contest for the city 's design , a blueprint by American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was selected and construction commenced in 1913 . The Griffins ' plan featured geometric motifs such as circles , hexagons and triangles , and was centred on axes aligned with significant topographical landmarks in the Australian Capital Territory . The city 's design was influenced by the garden city movement and incorporates significant areas of natural vegetation . As the seat of the government of Australia , Canberra is home to many important institutions of the federal government , national monuments and museums .
The Australian Capital Territory , formerly known as the Federal Capital Territory until 1938 and commonly referred to as the ACT , is a federal territory of Australia containing the Australian capital city of Canberra and some surrounding townships . It is located in the south-east of the country and is an enclave within the state of New South Wales . Founded after Federation as the seat of government for the new nation , all important institutions of the Australian federal government are centred in the territory . On 1 January 1901 , federation of the colonies of Australia was achieved . Section 125 of the new Australian Constitution provided that land , situated in New South Wales and at least 100 miles ( 160 km ) from Sydney , would be ceded to the new federal government . Following discussion and exploration of various areas within New South Wales , the Seat of Government Act 1908 was passed in 1908 which specified a capital in the Yass-Canberra region . The territory was transferred to the Commonwealth by New South Wales in 1911 , two years prior to the capital city being founded and formally named as Canberra in 1913 . While the overwhelming majority of the population reside in the city of Canberra in the ACT 's north-east , the territory also includes some surrounding townships such as Williamsdale , Naas , Uriarra , Tharwa and Hall . The ACT also includes the Namadgi National Park which comprises the majority of land area of the territory . Despite a common misconception , the Jervis Bay Territory is not part of the ACT although the laws of the Australian Capital Territory apply as if Jervis Bay did form part of the ACT . The territory has a relatively dry , continental climate experiencing warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters . The Australian Capital Territory is home to many important institutions of the federal government , national monuments and museums .
The Canberra Vikings , formerly the Canberra Kookaburras , is an Australian rugby union football team that competes in the National Rugby Championship ( NRC ) . The team is based at Viking Park in Wanniassa , and is backed by the Tuggeranong Vikings Group as the licence holder , with the Brumbies and University of Canberra as non-financial partners . The coaching and training programs used by the Brumbies for Super Rugby are extended to players joining the NRC team from the Brumbies , the local ACTRU Premier Division club competition , and the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union catchment area .
Viking Park is an 7,000 capacity ( 1,000 seated ) multi-sport stadium located in the Tuggeranong Valley suburb Wanniassa , Canberra , Australia . It has a rectangular playing surface which is used primarily to host rugby union matches but additionally has hosted rugby league , Association football and baseball . It is home to the Tuggeranong Vikings and all matches of the ACTRU Premier Division finals , the Canberra Vikings who compete in the National Rugby Championship and the Tuggeranong Vikings Baseball Club . Viking Park is also regularly utilised by ACT-based Super Rugby club The Brumbies , who use the venue for training and who used to play home matches in the Australian Provincial Championship there .
The Tuggeranong Vikings are a rugby union club based in Tuggeranong , Australian Capital Territory . It is supported by 5 licensed clubs based in Wanniassa , Greenway , Conder , Chisholm and Narrabundah . The club has been successful in local and national competitions . The Tuggeranong Vikings were the premiers of the ACTRU Premier Division competition in the 2009 season , defeating the Queanbeyan Whites .
The ACTRU Premier Division is a rugby union club competition based in Canberra , Australia , and conducted by the region 's governing body , the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union . It contains four Senior Grades of competition plus Colts , and is competed by the seven ACT Premier Division clubs , plus ADFA , which fields teams in Colts and 3rd Grade only . First Grade teams compete for the John I Dent Cup . The silver cup , which was first played for in 1938 , was a gift to the union by the pastoralist John I Dent . The competition finals are now held at Viking Park .
The Brumbies ( for sponsorship reasons known as the Plus500 Brumbies and formerly known as the ACT Brumbies ) is an Australian professional rugby union based in Canberra , Australian Capital Territory ( ACT ) , The team competes in Super Rugby and named for the wild horses which inhabit the capital 's hinterland . The team represents the ACT and southern New South Wales ( NSW ) regions . The Brumbies were formed in 1996 to provide a third Australian franchise for the newly formed Super 12 ( now Super Rugby ) competition . It was predicted that the Brumbies , made up of so-called 'reject ' - players not wanted by the other two teams - would perform poorly . Since then , they have enjoyed more success than all the other Australian teams combined , reaching six finals and winning two . The Brumbies play in navy blue , white and gold kits . The team plays at GIO Stadium ( formerly known as Bruce Stadium and Canberra Stadium ) in Canberra and is currently coached by former Wallabies fly-half Stephen Larkham . Larkham shared the coaching duties with Laurie Fisher as Director of Football , after the unexpected departure of Jake White in September 2013 , who had two years left on his contract , until Fisher left to become head coach of Gloucester Rugby after the 2014 season .