Have your say on your local Commonwealth Games village

Victoria is hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and for the first time, the event will be held regionally.

Preparations are ramping up on the Commonwealth Games villages in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Morwell - and now locals can get involved in shaping the village designs.

Local communities are being asked to share their aspirations around the Commonwealth Games villages that will welcome athletes and officials during the Commonwealth Games in 2026.  

Design guidelines are being prepared to guide the design process and inform design outcomes ensuring that the Games villages are well-designed places. 

Community consultation will guide how best to repurpose the athletes’ villages after the Games to meet the needs of the communities in which they are located.

An online survey for community input is now open until December 4, 2022.

Development Victoria is a delivery partner for the sports infrastructure required to host events, along with the Games villages.

Development Victoria’s Interim Group Head, Commonwealth Games, Geoff Ward said the survey was the first opportunity for local communities to actively get involved in shaping the facilities to be used for the Games.

“We’re asking people to tell us what makes these sites unique, and what we can do to help transform them into vibrant and sustainable communities for the long term,” Mr Ward said.

“Victoria 2026 will also invest significantly in community infrastructure, including housing and world-class sports facilities. This will leave a legacy of affordable housing for the regions and modern sports infrastructure to encourage Victorians to get active and attract future major events.

“We want to hear from local residents, businesses, community groups, clubs and organisations in these communities about what makes these locations special now and how to enhance this for the Games, and beyond.”

The Commonwealth Games will be held from 17-29 March 2026.

The Games are expected to generate more than 7500 jobs in total - 600 before the Games, 3900 jobs during the event and a further 3000 jobs following.

Visit the Victoria 2026 website for more information about the Games.