Construction of the NQS, located adjacent to the Townsville CBD, began in August 2017. The sub-grade, drainage and irrigation had been installed, with the first maxi rolls of Greenlees Park couchgrass were scheduled to be laid in late January.
Local civil construction business Mendi Group was awarded the pitch works for the new stadium and partnered with HG Sports Turf (HGST) for technical guidance to deliver the new playing surface. HGST project managed the construction of the surface, which got underway in late November, and the first rolls of turf were laid in January in time for the stadium’s public unveiling in late February and NRL debut on 13 March.
HGST has designed the pitch in conjunction with Melbourne-based field of play experts SportEng and supplied its proprietary Eclipse stabilised ‘ready-to-play’ turf which has been growing locally at Fortini Turf. The new playing surface was established mid-August, with washed Greenlees Park sprigs transported 1300 kilometres in a refrigerated truck from Twin View Turf on the Sunshine Coast.
