THE NEW 60,000-seat Perth Stadium at Burswood is closing in on 50 per cent completion and is on track to be ready for the start of the 2018 AFL season.
Construction of the surrounding areas, including the Swan River Pedestrian Bridge, the Perth Stadium train and bus stations are also well under way and on schedule.
A pictorial timeline of the stadium's development follows. All photographs and information are courtesy of Perth Stadium.
June 2013
In 2003 the WA government commissioned a review into the future of sports stadiums in Perth. Domain Stadium (Subiaco Oval) and the WACA had hosted both AFL games in Perth but football had not been played at the WACA since 2000. The taskforce recommended that neither venue be redeveloped. Instead the taskforce's final report, published in 2007, recommended a new 60,000-seat be built at either Kitchener Park in Subiaco, adjacent to Domain Stadium, or at the East Perth power station. But a new state government was elected in 2009 led by Premier Colin Barnett. In June 2011 the government announced the new stadium would be built on the northern section of the Burswood Park golf course.
March 2014
Premier Colin Barnett and former sport and recreation minister Terry Waldron officially launched pre-construction works in June 2013. The compaction and drainage works were completed by March 2014, six weeks ahead of schedule in preparation for construction to begin in December 2014.
January 2015
The foundations of the ground began to take shape in 2015. The playing surface is set to be 165m long and 130m wide. The dimensions of the ground closely resemble the MCG (which is 160m long and 141m wide). Domain Stadium is 175m long and 122m wide.
October 2015
The stadium was 28 per cent complete by September 2015 with Premier Colin Barnett telling AFL.com.au that it was possible that the AFL could stage a final at the venue by the end of the 2017 season if the venue was completed ahead of schedule.
November 2015
The stadium has been designed as a uniform bowl that will have three major tiers. The design is to maximise the atmosphere inside the arena. There is the capability to increase the capacity by 10,000 in the future within the existing structure design.
February 2016
Stadium Australia Operations, the operators of ANZ Stadium in Sydney, was announced as the preferred operator for the venue, with the contract to be finalised over the next couple of months. This shows the construction when it was 36 per cent complete.
May 2016
The contract with VenuesLive Management Services (formerly Stadium Australia Operations), the operators of ANZ Stadium in Sydney, was finalised in June. The construction is now 48 per cent complete.
Glass installation
There is transparent glass being installed on the fifth level of the western end of the stadium. The glass will form part of the Sky View Terrace where fans will have a view across the Swan River towards the eastern end of Perth's CBD.
Moving the crowds
The construction of Perth Stadium Station is well underway and is expected to reach 50 per cent completion later in July 2016. The six-platform rail station will be the second largest station in Perth, moving 28,000 people within an hour of an event finishing at the venue.
Bridge over hallowed waters
Construction of the Swan River pedestrian bridge (bottom left) is 19 per cent complete. The bridge's piling program is complete and the steel frame is expected to be installed later this year ahead of the bridge opening in early 2017.
The Perth Stadium rail station is top right and the Perth Stadium bus station is located at the bottom of the image. The public transport infrastructure is designed to accommodate 50,000 fans (83 per cent of the stadium's capacity) to move in an out of the stadium precinct on game day.
Perth Stadium construction
A view the top tier on the southern side of the stadium. The three tiers are close to being completed the whole way around the ground.
Stadium interior
The venue will have a lightweight fabric roof that will cover 85 per cent of the 60,000 seats. The roof will be illuminated in the home team's colours during AFL games using LED lighting. Fremantle and West Coast will have dedicated change rooms. The Dockers' rooms will be located on the north-west side of the venue while the Eagles' rooms will be situated on the north-east side.
Stadium precinct
The precinct around the new stadium will feature an amphitheatre, two playgrounds, picnic areas and a boardwalk. The venue will have a six-platform stadium train station and a pedestrian bridge across the river connecting the eastern end of the city with the stadium precinct.
Pedestrian bridge
The Swan River pedestrian bridge is a new structure being built to give pedestrian access from East Perth to the new stadium. The bridge's early construction has begun with foundations expected to be in place by mid-2016. The bridge is expected to be open in 2017. It will be 370m long and nine metres wide. The central structural arch will rise 65m above the river. An estimated 14,000 people are expected to use the bridge on match days.
