Interest sought for building Games village in Armstrong Creek

APPLICATIONS to be help build the athletes’ village earmarked for Armstrong Creek for the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games are now open.

On Wednesday this week, the state government officially opened the expression of interest (EOI) process for the four villages across the state, which will collectively hold about 7,000 athletes and officials for the Games in March 2026.

These projects will create opportunities for regional contractors to be involved in construction, and are expected to support hundreds of jobs.

In Armstrong Creek, the Games village is slated to be built on a block south of the Waurn Ponds train station and either side of Baanip Boulevard, and will host competitors in swimming, para swimming, diving, gymnastics, triathlon and para triathlon, hockey, weightlifting, para powerlifting, beach volleyball, golf, T20 cricket and coastal rowing.

Early works at each village are expected to begin later this year, with village designs and numbers of dwellings required at each site still being finalised.

The EOI process will seek input from the market about their capacity and capability to be involved.

The response will help inform decisions including types of permanent and temporary dwellings that will be delivered.

Delivery partners are invited to submit an EOI to support building:

Medium-density dwellings, including pre-fabricated relocatable dwellings

Small apartment buildings, and

Place-making.

In Geelong, a new aquatics centre in Armstrong Creek will host swimmers, para swimmers and divers, while there will be gymnastics, weightlifting and para powerlifting at a new site in Waurn Ponds.

After the Games, the aquatics centre will become a community pool facility. The artistic gymnastics and weightlifting venue in Waurn Ponds – to be built near the Games village – will become seven multi-sport courts, a dance studio, and a regional-level gymnastics centre.

Two Commonwealth Games-first sports will be hosted in the region, with golf slated for the Bellarine Peninsula and coastal rowing to take place in Torquay.

The state government estimates the 2026 Commonwealth Games will create more than 600 full-time equivalent jobs before they start, 3,900 jobs during the Games and a further 3,000 jobs after the Closing Ceremony, and is expected to contribute more than $3 billion to Victoria’s economy.

“We’re getting on with delivering Victoria 2026 and we’re taking a step closer to seeing these Games come to life,” Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery Jacinta Allan said.

“Victoria 2026 will invest significantly in community infrastructure, including much needed additional housing in regional communities.”

“The 2026 Games give us a fantastic opportunity to partner with local businesses and contractors in creating athletes villages that are modern, accessible, and energy efficient,” Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy Harriet Shing said.

Interested parties can register via the Buying for Victoria website at buyingfor.vic.gov.au, and a shortlist of contractors will be invited to participate in a Request for Proposal process.