From1923totoday
HutchiesreturnstoBrisbaneShowgrounds
Some projects feel bigger than construction. The Brisbane Showgrounds Main Arena Upgrade is one of them.
When the sod was turned on 9 September 2026, Hutchies officially returned to a site that has been part of our story for more than 100 years.
Back in 1922, the Governor of Queensland laid the foundation stone for a new grandstand at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground. Hutchies built it. The Ernest Baynes Stand opened in time for the August 1923 Exhibition, seating 5,000 with room for 7,000, and it still stands over the Main Arena today.
The connection never really ended. The Showgrounds became part of Hutchies’ own traditions, hosting our 90th, 95th and 100th birthday celebrations there. In 2012 we marked our own centenary at the Showgrounds, with the Ernest Baynes Stand behind us.
Now, as Queensland celebrates 150 years of Ekka, we've been appointed as builder for RNA’s next chapter.
#Where we started
ScottHutchinson,Chairman/HutchinsonBuilders"I’m really proud of my great-grandfather’s work on the Ernest Baynes Stand, and I’m delighted Hutchies is back working at RNA. The Ekka is Brisbane's rock – it wouldn't be Brisbane without it."
#What we're building
The project is delivered by the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA) in partnership with the Queensland Government, and designed by Populous.
The 20,000-seat Main Arena is the centrepiece. Alongside it comes a new Machinery Hill grandstand and a new multi-storey horse pavilion. The horse pavilion goes vertical, replacing ageing stables and keeping the same event space on less land.
Accessibility runs through the whole project. New pathways will connect Brookes Street and O'Connell Terrace down to arena level, for Paralympic athletes in 2032 and for every Ekka crowd after them.
We started with demolition of the existing Machinery Hill grandstand and enabling infrastructure in August 2026. Completion is expected in 2028.
JackHutchinsonJnr,Director/HutchinsonBuilders"I am quite sentimental about us being awarded this project. I went to the Ekka every year as a kid, and for my eighteenth birthday I was given an RNA life membership by my old man. I now take my own kids to the Ekka, and to be able to explain to them that we built a significant part of it is something to look forward to.
It is a really exciting time for Brisbane leading up to 2032. Hutchies is delighted to be playing our part in getting the infrastructure built."
Building around a 150 year old show
One of the more interesting parts of this project is that the show goes on. The Ekka will be held at the Brisbane Showgrounds every year of construction.
The only year it will not run is 2032, when the precinct hosts the Brisbane Athlete Village.
That means sequencing the works around Queensland's largest annual event, year after year. It's the kind of problem our teams enjoy.
RussellFryer,ManagingDirector/HutchinsonBuilders"This is a proud moment for Hutchies. Few builders can match our longevity across Queensland. We've built places that still stand a century on, and now we're back at the RNA to build again."
More than infrastructure
This project is about preserving Queensland history, supporting local businesses and creating opportunities for apprentices.
At Hutchies we build from within. Some of the company members starting on site in August will still be here at handover.
As a Queensland builder founded in Brisbane in 1912, there are few projects that feel more meaningful. For Hutchies, this isn't just another project. It's a chance to come home.
