The Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games now have a new visual identity. The Organising Committee has officially unveiled the emblems for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, two designs that seek to represent the character of Queensland and its connection with nature, wildlife and the communities that inhabit this region of Australia. At the centre of both is a figure particularly linked to the territory: the cockatoo, used in two different versions to distinguish the Olympic and Paralympic identities.
The presentation was not limited to revealing an image, but was conceived as a journey through different locations across Queensland. Six pieces that made up the emblems were previously displayed at different points throughout the state by 12 Olympic, Paralympic and sporting figures, before being brought together in Brisbane to complete the image. In addition to the birds, the design incorporates the outline of Queensland, the Olympic and Paralympic flames and a visual reference to 2032, elements that seek to connect the history of the Games with the identity of the host territory.
A cockatoo as a symbol of Queensland and Australia
The choice of cockatoos occupies a central place in the proposal. For the Olympic Games, the emblem features a pink cockatoo, while the Paralympic Games are represented by a yellow-crested cockatoo. Both birds are native to Australia and are particularly associated with Queensland, so their inclusion seeks to move away from a generic identity and build a recognisable image based on elements that are unique to the region. Their playful and curious nature also adds a more approachable and dynamic dimension to the representation of the Games.
The design incorporates other elements that take on meaning when viewed together. The outline of Queensland appears integrated into the birds’ crest, while the Olympic and Paralympic flames represent concepts such as unity, hope and inspiration. The feathers also conceal a reference to the Australian edition of 2032: three and two feathers subtly allude to the year in which Brisbane will host the Games. This is accompanied by the cultural connection between cockatoos and Indigenous peoples, for whom these birds maintain links with the land, history, ceremonies and the transmission of messages between people and the territory.
An identity built from Queensland for the world
The new emblems also seek to establish a connection between the local and the international dimension of the Games. The cockatoo is combined with the Brisbane 2032 name through a typeface designed specifically for the occasion, while the Olympic rings and the Agitos in the case of the Paralympic Games complete a composition in which each element plays a role within the identity. The result seeks to maintain the universal recognition of the Olympic and Paralympic symbols while incorporating a visual expression directly associated with Queensland.
The way they were presented reinforced precisely that idea. Twelve Olympic, Paralympic and sporting figures participated in five events held across Queensland, with locations including the Great Barrier Reef, Castle Hill, the Rockhampton riverfront, Wildhorse Mountain and Currumbin Beach. Each location contributed one of the pieces that were later brought together in South Bank, Brisbane, where the two emblems were unveiled on a large scale. The visual identity will now become a fundamental part of preparations for Games that will take place from July 23 to August 8, 2032, while the Paralympic Games will be held from August 24 to September 5 of the same year.
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