Momentum Builds For Commonwealth Games Villages

The Victorian Government has opened the expression of interest process for the construction sector to build the Commonwealth Games villages across the regions, ahead of Victoria 2026. 

The Games villages will be home to around 7,000 athletes and officials in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Morwell when the Commonwealth Games get underway in March 2026. 

These projects will create opportunities for regional contractors to be involved in construction, supporting hundreds of jobs.  

Early works at each location are expected to begin later this year with village designs and numbers of dwellings required at each site still being finalised. 

The Expression of Interest (EOI) will seek input from the market about their capacity and capability to be involved.

The response will help inform decisions including types of permanent and temporary dwellings that will be delivered.

Delivery partners are invited to submit an EOI to support delivery of:

• medium-density dwellings, including pre-fabricated relocatable dwellings;
• small apartment buildings.
• place making

Interested parties can register via the Buying for Victoria website, from which a shortlist of contractors will be invited to participate in a Request for Proposal process. 

Victoria 2026 will leave a legacy of housing and new and upgraded sports infrastructure to attract future major events.

It is estimated the 2026 Commonwealth Games will create more than 600 full-time equivalent jobs before they start, 3,900 jobs during the Games and a further 3,000 jobs after the Closing Ceremony, and is expected to contribute more than $3 billion to Victoria’s economy.  

Development Victoria is the delivery partner for the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games villages that will accommodate the athletes and team officials.

We will be working closely with government, industry and the community through the planning and delivery process.