Queensland defeated Victoria by an innings and 104 runs at Great Barrier Reef Arena in 2023 during a Sheffield Shield fixture. That red-ball clash sits among a selective list of matches hosted on the Mackay turf. The ground functions primarily as a multi-sports complex featuring multiple ovals alongside facilities for tennis, basketball, athletics, and other sports.
Cricket has been played at this Queensland venue since September 1948, marking a long operational history spanning 77 years. International fixtures across multiple formats have arrived in Mackay over the decades. The ground hosted a women's Twenty20 International series featuring Australia and New Zealand in September 2024, following earlier women's one-day internationals between Australia and India in 2021.
Men's international limited-overs cricket also reached the arena. The venue staged men's one-day internationals beginning in February 1992 when India played Sri Lanka, and continued hosting through an August 2025 fixture between Australia and South Africa. Teams such as Victoria, Queensland, Australia, and Bangladesh appear on the competitive schedule for the venue.
Queensland Bulls use the facility as a home ground for domestic fixtures. The main oval, known commercially as Great Barrier Reef Arena, holds a capacity of 10,000 spectators. High-profile competitions including the Sheffield Shield and the ICC World Test Championship Final utilize the venue for elite red-ball cricket.
The ground holds 10,000 spectators.
The Queensland Bulls use the ground for domestic fixtures.
The venue opened in September 1948.