Australia is poised to debut a new Test venue when Bangladesh visit for a two match series in August 2026, with Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay firming as the frontrunner according to Queensland Premier David Crisafulli.
Cricket Australia has yet to confirm venues for the series, although several locations in the country’s tropical north are under consideration. Cairns and Darwin, both previous hosts of men’s Tests, are in the mix along with Townsville as officials explore options suited to winter cricket in consistently warm conditions.
Cricket Northern Territory chief executive Gavin Dovey has said he is cautiously bullish that Darwin will secure one of the matches. The 2026 to 2027 season is set to be an unusual one for Australia, with only four Tests scheduled across the traditional summer period, to be staged in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
That programme will culminate in the 150th anniversary Test against England at the MCG in March 2027. As a result, Brisbane’s Gabba will miss out on a Test for the first time since the 1976 to 77 summer. Speaking on Triple M’s Test coverage, Crisafulli said Queensland would still feature on the schedule and indicated Mackay would host Bangladesh.
Great Barrier Reef Arena was among the venues used for Australia’s white ball series against South Africa in August, alongside Darwin and Cairns, with all three fixtures attracting sold out crowds. The Mackay ground has benefited from more than 20 million dollars of state government investment to construct a 10,000 seat grandstand, a broadcasting area and elite training facilities.
In addition to two men’s ODIs this year, the venue has staged women’s internationals, including two T20Is between Australia and New Zealand in 2024 and three ODIs against India in 2021.
The upcoming series will mark Bangladesh’s first Test tour of Australia since 2003, when Darwin and Cairns hosted matches during the home side’s 2 to 0 victory.
