The newly renovated Arafura Stadium track will enable the Northern Territory to attract upcoming national and international sports events, reinstating the Territory to a ‘class 2 World Athletics Certified Facility’, one step below the Sydney Olympic Park’s facilities, the government said.

The fully-resurfaced athletic track – at a cost of $2.6 million – is now open and will host the Territory Athletics Championship from November 3 to 5. The event is expected to attract at least 300 participants from all over the country and the government said it also expects the new track to attract other athletes looking to train ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games and 2032 Olympics.

The resurfacing work on the track was started in July this year and completed earlier this month. The old track was removed, the bottom layer of bitumen scraped back with new bitumen laid, and a “state-of-the-art Rekortan M surface” laid on top.

Athletics NT Executive Officer Leanne Chin said the resurfacing is a much-needed “shot in the arm” for athletics in the Territory.

“My phone has been ringing off the hook with people from across Australia wanting to know when the track will reopen,” she said.

“I’ve spoken to representatives from Athletics Australia and the Oceania Championships about the project because they realise how vital it is to have a world-class track on the doorstep of Asia. The Northern Territory is back in the game as an athletics destination of choice in Australia.”

Minister for Sport Kate Worden said bringing back the track to international standards was crucial.

“With the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Ballarat and the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics in Brisbane, the Northern Territory is again in a position to attract the superstars of international athletics to help them prepare for these blue-ribbon competitions,” Ms Worden said.