rowing billboard in Rockhampton left people 'scratching heads' ahead of 2032 Olympics

A billboard flashing a variety of ads along a busy road is something the average hurried motorist might easily ignore.

But a giant sign with grinning, muscular, cartoon crocodiles, rowing in the Fitzroy River with the words "Push Off Penrith" has left Rockhampton residents intrigued.

The billboard first caught public attention last year, amid debate about whether the central Queensland city would host flatwater rowing and canoeing at the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Generating chatter on social media, in local government meetings and newspaper gossip columns, there had been no answer to the question of who was behind the campaign until now.

But underneath the flashing LED lights was no council-funded campaign or political tennis match, as some thought, but rather a grass-roots advertisement from two passionate locals, keen to see their city shine.

"It's just a couple of local people wanting good things for Rockhampton," retiree and billboard owner Peter McGregor said.

He teamed up with a friend in advertising to design the billboard and display it between paid ads.

The grandfather first decided to act when he heard Prime Minister Anthony Albanese suggest Penrith as a more suitable location for the rowing on a sports podcast last year.

"The only motive we have is we want the rowing in Rockhampton," Mr McGregor said.

When it first appeared, the mystery billboard piqued the interest of politicians and councillors curious about who was behind it.

"It's been quite fun actually. We wanted it to be noticed, and it's certainly been noticed by many people," Mr McGregor said.

Advertising business owner Warren Acutt, who designed the ad with artificial intelligence, agreed.

He said he was inspired by all the apparent concerns about crocodiles living in the future Olympic venue.

"Obviously the crocodiles have got a lot of attention, so we thought why not highlight that and have a little play on it," he said.

The ad was swapped out for an alternative some months later, which featured the word "Rockhampton" in capital letters, highlighting the word "can".

Secret sauce the 'larrikin' factor

Rockhampton Mayor Tony Williams said in an initial meeting about the Olympic rowing, stakeholders and politicians wrongly thanked the council for the billboard.

"I said, 'Well, it wasn't council.'

"And everyone looked around the table to see who sponsored that sign to go up there. We were all scratching our heads."

Once the mystery was solved, it won the mayor's support.

"It's a light-hearted, humorous look at the situation," he said.

Graeme Hughes, business and consumer specialist from Griffith University, said the billboard was strategic from a marketing perspective, because it did not come off as a "polished government ad".

"The secret sauce here is that larrikin factor," Mr Hughes said.

"Australian consumers, particularly in regional areas, have a very high rubbish detector. We can smell a corporate PR [public relations] stunt a mile away.

"It works because it doesn't smell like a boardroom, more like a local conversation."

Rowing politics

Since the state government confirmed Rockhampton as the host of the sport at the 2032 Games in March last year, there has been debate over whether it was a suitable location.

The decision to hold the Olympic rowing in a river with crocodiles made international headlines, and prompted campaigns for the race to be moved to south-east Queensland or interstate to Sydney.

But the Queensland government is yet to be convinced.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie even declared the rowing would be held in Rockhampton, or not at all.

It is a position backed by Mr Acutt.

"[The ad] is to show that we are positive about it and [we won't] lay down and let someone else take it away."

Though World Rowing is yet to officially sign off on the venue's suitability, it has backed the region, as has the International Canoe Federation.

Two preferred "field of play" options are being assessed by the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) ahead of independent technical analysis, with significant works expected to be undertaken on the river.

As for the crocodiles in the river, Mr Williams said he did not think it would be a "true issue" that would stop the rowing.

For Mr McGregor, he said he would be doing all he could to keep the focus on Rockhampton not letting go of the event.

"It's a good region, we have a good river, and I think they can make the facilities to suit the rowing event in Rockhampton. So let's do it."

Click here to read article