A Queensland greyhound racing track with a high injury rate is expected to receive a $4 million upgrade less than two years after its last renovation. The Bundaberg greyhound track, 4.5 hours north of Brisbane, has been closed since September 2024 over concerns too many dogs were being injured. Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Club president Ricky Hassall said the industry was pleased with the government’s decision to convert the surface from grass to sand after months of uncertainty. “They’re part of our family, our greyhounds, and nobody wants to see them get hurt,” he said. He said the upgrade would also include transition corners, making it “much safer” for the dogs. “Every grass track is generally getting transformed to sand,” Mr Hassall said. “The biggest problem with grass is they tend to get their feet caught… and unfortunately sometimes break a leg, which is terrible.”
Minister for Sport and Racing Tim Mander has said the conversion would cost up to $4 million and be carried out by Racing Queensland. “It will be good news for greyhound racing in the Wide Bay, and it’s also good news for our animals with regards to animal welfare,” he said. “By having a sand track here and using more modern technology with regards to the design of the track… that will reduce the injury rates.” The Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds’s Annie Hendley said the upgrades were a waste of taxpayer money. “It is astounding that in the middle of a housing and cost of living crisis, the LNP Queensland government is willing to blow millions in public money on a new greyhound racing track,” Ms Hendley said in a statement. Bundaberg has the last two-turn grass track in Queensland. “There are no safe greyhound racetracks.” The government is either deluded or lying when they say that a new track in Bundaberg will be any better. Racing Queensland (RQ) originally promised the conversion in 2023 after the completion of a $1.4 million upgrade of the club’s facilities, however, the work never progressed. A year later, the industry body shut the club down after a Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) report found 42 dogs were injured with one deceased or euthanased over a three-month period. The report showed the state’s only two-turn grass track had a higher rate of injuries per 1,000 starters than other larger tracks, including Albion Park in Brisbane.
The Bundaberg greyhound racing industry injects an estimated $9.6 million annually into the local economy. For the past seven months, RQ has paid more than $52,000 under a travel subsidy for Bundaberg-based trainers to attend races in Rockhampton and Brisbane. Mr Hassell said it was a “terrible” situation for trainers and their dogs traveling long distances. “It’s dangerous at night, and you’re fatigued,” he said. “You drive four hours to a racetrack, race your dogs and then drive home.” Mr Mander said the travel subsidy would continue to be offered until the track conversion was complete. “I’m not 100 per cent sure how long it takes to do these types of tracks, but it will have priority, and we want to make sure we get these people up and running as quickly as possible.”