A landmark deal has been finalised between Cricket Tasmania and the Tasmanian government for the future of elite-level cricket in Hobart with the development of a major stadium at Macquarie Point. The agreement comes after years of negotiations and design revisions, and it opens the door for international T20s, One-Day Internationals and perhaps even Test matches to be played under one roof in Tasmania.
The stadium project has been driven by dual ambitions: to provide Tasmania with a world-class sports venue and to give Tasmanian cricket a long-term home capable of hosting top-tier matches previously beyond its reach. Cricket Tasmania had raised concerns early on that the proposed stadium designs would be unfit for cricket—especially the fixed roof structure, which risked casting shadows across the pitch and interfering with play. The stadium cannot serve cricket’s needs unless players can see the ball clearly throughout the daylight hours.
The key breakthrough was a revised roof design. The new structure is described as a dome-shaped, hybrid of steel and Tasmanian-timber (glulam) framing, supporting a translucent ETFE pillow cladding system. This material combination allows natural light to flood in, while the transparency and geometry are engineered to disperse shadows rather than cast them. As a result, cricket authorities believe the earlier “shadow risk” has all but been eliminated, paving the way for accreditation and scheduling of elite-level games.
Under the deal, Macquarie Point will become multi-functional — hosting not just cricket but AFL, concerts and major events — yet its design now explicitly accounts for cricket’s special requirements: high sight-lines, uninterrupted bat-ball visibility, full weather protection and turf health. Cricket Tasmania emphasised that establishing venue credibility for cricket was a condition of their long-term support.
For Tasmanian cricket, the implications are substantial. The venue upgrade elevates the state’s capacity to attract national and international fixtures, strengthens its commercial viability and offers younger players a home base to showcase their talent. The government’s backing signals recognition that sport and infrastructure can work hand-in-hand: the stadium is framed as much as an economic and community asset as a sports arena.
But the journey was far from simple. Initial modelling demonstrated that beams and roof structures could cast disruptive shadows over the wicket block, leading Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania to formally ask for redesign or removal of the roof option. Over several months the design team worked through alternative materials, orientation and structural options until the shadow-modelling issue was satisfactorily addressed. That collaboration culminated in the “heads of agreement” signed by all parties this year.
With the agreement now finalised, next steps involve detailed design, construction approvals, and securing cricket accreditation. The stadium’s fate is still subject to parliamentary decisions and cost controls, but from a cricket-perspective the message is clear: Hobart is now legitimately in the running to host world-class matches under a roof for the first time in Australia.
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