The Gabba

Lore & Background

The land was set aside for cricket in 1895, with the first match held on 19 December 1896 between Parliament and The Press. The first Test match at the Gabba was played between Australia and England from 29 November to 5 December 1928. Between 1993 and 2005, the Gabba was redeveloped in six stages at a cost of A$128,000,000. The venue is slated for demolition following the 2032 Summer Olympics, to be succeeded by the future Brisbane Stadium in Victoria Park.

In Their Own Story

The air at the Gabba was thick with humidity and anticipation as the sun dipped low over the stands. A new ball gleamed under the floodlights, promising trouble for the batsman at the crease. The crowd roared in unison, a sea of yellow and green rising to their feet as the bowler ran in from the end. It was a moment frozen in time: the crack of willow against leather echoed across the oval, followed by the collective gasp of a nation holding its breath.

Reader's Guide

The seating capacity was 42,000 in 2010, reduced in recent times due to new electronic scoreboards and corporate facilities. For international cricket matches, the capacity is reduced to 36,000 due to new scoreboards and the addition of a pool deck, as well as wider sight screens. For AFL matches the capacity is slightly larger at 37,478. The dimensions of the playing field are 170.6 metres (east-west) by 149.9 metres (north-south).

Did You Know?

• The Gabba was the first Australian venue to host an international Twenty20 cricket match.
• Cricket's first-ever tied Test took place at the Gabba in December 1960 between Australia and the West Indies.
• Queensland clinched its first-ever Sheffield Shield title at the Gabba in March 1995.
• The Gabba hosted the 2020 AFL Grand Final.