The State Government has unveiled detailed designs for Perth Park, a reworked entertainment and sporting precinct on the Burswood Peninsula, between Optus Stadium and Crown Perth.
The proposal would turn swathes of Burswood Park into a multipurpose events hub, combining a new outdoor amphitheatre, a multi-use race track that doubles as a motorsport street circuit, and expanded parklands with a significant boost to the park’s tree canopy. It’s pitched as both a new playground for local families and a way to lure major concerts, Supercars, and international events to Perth.
Premier Roger Cook said, “Sitting alongside the Belmont Park Racecourse and Crown Perth, Perth Park will bring Optus Stadium and the State Tennis Centre together with exciting new facilities to create something truly iconic for our State long into the future.”
“Perth Park will be Western Australia’s premier entertainment and sporting precinct.”
Backed by a $217.5 million State Budget commitment and independent economic modelling, the project is now out for another round of public feedback, with phase two consultation live on the Perth Park website.
What the new Perth Park actually includes
At the centre of the concept is a new open-air amphitheatre, described as Perth’s first dedicated outdoor venue, purpose-built for up to 12,000 people. The State Government says it’s designed to fill a long-identified gap in the city’s music infrastructure, sitting between inner-city theatres and full stadium shows.
A multi-use track will loop around the park, configured for cycling, running, and para-sport events — but also engineered to host an annual motorsport street circuit. Earlier announcements have flagged the track as the future home for Supercars in Western Australia, with the Perth street race targeted for the 2027 season.
Could this also be the first steps towards a pitch to bring Formula 1 to Perth?
Overlooking the track will be a new multipurpose building, with event, function, and meeting spaces positioned to capture views across the city skyline, Optus Stadium, and the Swan River. The designs also feature two indoor courts with facilities tailored for disability sport, including basketball, badminton, rugby, and tennis.
A separate hospitality venue is also on the cards, with an expression of interest process opening to attract a private operator.
Greener parklands and an urban forest on the peninsula
For a site best known for Australia’s best stadium, a racecourse, and large stretches of open lawn, the new designs lean heavily into making the space greener. Up to 150,000 new plants are proposed across the precinct, with the Government saying the tree canopy will more than double once Perth Park is fully established.
A new urban forest is planned for the south-east area of the park, adding denser planting and shaded paths closer to the river. The State says the aim is to turn the area into “a vibrant, ecologically rich environment” rather than just an events space, with lawns, trees, and garden spaces designed for year-round use.
A $217.5 million bet on live music, sport, and tourism
The Perth Park business case, prepared by economic consultancy ACIL Allen, estimates $61 million in economic activity annually once the precinct is fully operational. The Government says the project has a benefit–cost ratio of 1.84, driven by increased tourism visits, extra spending around major events, and the value of an expanded events calendar.
The precinct sits within a wider vision for the Burswood Peninsula, which has gradually evolved from a rubbish tip to a golf course and car parks and now into a cluster of major venues. Optus Stadium, the Matagarup Bridge link to East Perth, and Crown Perth already pull in crowds on game days and for touring acts. Perth Park is pitched as the next evolution: a flexible venue that can host a three-day motorsport festival one month, a twelve thousand-person music event the next, and local community sport in between.
Motorsport, noise, and Rita’s Racetrack
The street circuit — aka Rita’s Racetrack — is one of the most talked about and contested elements of Perth Park. The project has been front and centre in State Parliament and in the recent State election campaign, with debate zeroing in on noise, traffic, and the use of public open space.
An independent noise assessment released earlier this year suggested that motorsport events at Burswood could generate sound levels considered “excessive” for some nearby residents, and also flagged potential impacts from large concerts at the amphitheatre. The Environmental Protection Authority has since decided not to formally assess the project, concluding that any environmental and noise impacts could be managed through existing processes.
The Town of Victoria Park has been one of the most vocal critics, raising concerns about traffic, parking, and the loss of riverside parkland, and previously calling for a higher level of EPA scrutiny. Community submissions have included both opposition to the raceway and support from motorsport and events fans who see the project as a chance to bring Supercars closer to the city.
A recent poll we ran suggested that 77.25% of our readers are not in favour of the racetrack.
Against that backdrop, the Cook Government has emphasised that the track will host just one marquee motorsport festival each year, alongside cycling, triathlon, and running events, and that the bulk of the precinct’s use will be parkland, community sport, and entertainment.
How and when Perth Park could come to life
The ACIL Allen business case has been referred to Infrastructure WA for assessment. Subject to approvals, early works are scheduled to begin in early 2026, with the Government aiming to have Perth Park open in 2027, lining up with the proposed timing for the Perth street race to debut on the Supercars calendar.
Phase two of public consultation is now open, with an interactive map and detailed feature pages live at the Perth Park site, inviting comments on everything from the track alignment to the new urban forest.
You can explore the plans and lodge feedback online via perthpark.wa.gov.au.
