- Olympic and Paralympic LIVE sites are activating across Queensland this weekend for the start of the Paris Games
- Big screens will be erected in LIVE sites at South Bank in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton, Longreach, Mackay, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay
- This weekend's action includes LIVE Games broadcasts of Men's Basketball, Men's Hockey, replays of Women's Hockey and competition highlights.
Queenslanders from the beach to the bush will be gathering at special LIVE sites to cheer on an Aussie gold rush starting this weekend.
Matilda Way at Longreach will be in on the action when Outback locals gather at Edkins Park to cheer on the Matildas in a Round 2 match against Zambia from 3-5am on Monday 29 July.
The buzzing riverside locations of Brisbane's South Bank and Rockhampton's Quay Street will be the first to begin backing Team Australia from Friday evening.
Weekend events are set to follow at five other locations for rebroadcasting of the Paris 2024 opening ceremony on the River Seine and the start of competition.
As a future host state, Queensland is the best place in Australia to celebrate Paris 2024 and the eight-year countdown to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The South Bank LIVE site, overlooking the Brisbane River and featuring a four-storey tribute to the Eiffel Tower, will bring Paris to Brisbane starting from 6pm Friday with pre-Games coverage. The LIVE site will be open daily from 6.30am to midnight until the Olympics end on August 11.
Rockhampton's Quay Street, in the city's Riverside Precinct, will host a LIVE site as part of the city's annual River Festival, starting from 5pm on Friday and running across the weekend.
Weekend LIVE site activations will follow from Saturday at the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Mackay, Longreach and Cairns.
The celebrations will start in Longreach on Saturday and keep pumping through to the special early morning LIVE event at Matilda Way where locals will come together for their watch party.
LIVE site will also activate in Townsville and Hervey Bay next weekend (2-4 August) and sites across Queensland will activate again for the Paralympic Games.
The South Bank LIVE site is being supported by the Queensland Government and South Bank Corporation with other LIVE sites supported by both the Queensland Government and local Councils.
Paris 2024 goes LIVE from 27 July to 12 August (AEST) for the Olympic Games and 29 August to 9 September (AEST) for the Paralympic Games.
As stated by Minister for State Development and Infrastructure Grace Grace:
"Queenslanders right across the state are getting together to celebrate the inspirational sporting performances of our Aussie athletes.
"What could be better than cheering on from Matilda Way, under South Bank's Paris tribute tower or at a beautiful beach or riverside park.
"It's also great to see Hervey Bay getting its own LIVE site and I want to thank the local member Adrian Tantari for his advocacy in helping to bring this about.
"The LIVE sites springing up across Queensland are a great chance to cheer on our athletes as they seek to bring home gold."
As stated by Minister for Tourism and Sport Michael Healy:
"The Far North community loves its sport and being able to gather like this and get behind Australia is a fantastic way to share that passion.
"The LIVE sites across the state will play an important role in harnessing that shared excitement of the Olympics to encourage more Queenslanders to be more active, more often.
"These sites will be some of the best places, outside Paris itself, for Queenslanders to watch our homegrown athletes take on the world and inspire local hopefuls who dream of wearing the green and gold in Brisbane in 2032."
As stated by Games Venue and Legacy Delivery Authority interim CEO Emma Thomas:
"Paris 2024 is giving all Queenslanders a taste of the excitement and the opportunities coming our way when we get our chance to host the Games in 2032.
"LIVE sites are the perfect places to come together as a community to back our athletes and show our support.
"I'm hoping many people will be inspired by the action they see on LIVE big screens to take on a new sport or even strive to compete in our home Games in 2032."
As stated by three-time Olympian and gold medallist Bronte Barratt:
"The Games are on! It's truly an exciting time, we're right at the beginning of it all and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds in Paris."
"Having these live sites both here in South Bank and across Queensland gives us all a great opportunity to come together and cheer on the Aussies as they give it their all."
"I know there will be moments of inspiration that will captivate the nation and ignite a spark within our youth to get them on a pathway to Brisbane 2032."
As stated by Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Matt Carroll:
"The AOC is pleased to announce the opening Olympics and Paralympics LIVE sites across Queensland in conjunction with the Queensland Government.
"Sites from Brisbane all the way up to Cairns will bring Queenslanders together united in support of the Australian Olympic and Paralympic Teams in Paris broadcast live and free on Nine at the Live sites.
"This is a great opportunity to use the power of sport to inspire our youth to be the best they can be, as we head to our home Games, Brisbane 2032."
As stated by Australian Paralympic Team co-captain Curtis McGrath:
"It's fantastic to know that our friends, families and fans will have the opportunity to cheer on the Australian Paralympic Team at Paralympics LIVE events around Queensland.
"I encourage everyone to get out to a Paralympics LIVE event or host a watch party to support our team as we compete in Paris."
