Test cricket set for Top End return as Australia to host Bangladesh in Darwin, Mackay
Mackay will become the 12th Australian venue to host a men's Test match when the Aussies play Bangladesh in the North Queensland town in August.
Darwin will host its first Test since 2004 when the series begins on August 13, before Mackay hosts the second match from August 22.
The Mackay match will be Queensland's only Test for the 2026-2027 summer, having missed out on hosting a New Zealand match next summer due to uncertainty surrounding the Gabba as the city prepares for the 2032 Olympics.
READ MORE: Aussie rookie reveals 'serious death threats' in F1 nightmare
READ MORE: 'It was cooking me': Inside frightening Supercars failure
READ MORE: 'Major shocker' as Demon stunned by world No.103
Opener Jake Weatherald is the only born and raised Darwinite to ever earn a baggy green. He was eight when he watched from the stands as Darren Lehmann and Steve Waugh both scored tons in Australia's innings and 132 run win over Bangladesh at the same venue in 2003.
The Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay will become the 12th Test venue when Australia host Bangladesh in August. Getty
"It was such a big moment for me to see the people I'd followed for such a long time," Weatherald told cricket.com.au.
"We had so many amazing players you'd seen from a distance do some incredible things.
"To see them in the flesh was a pretty big deal for me. I know a few other guys who went on to play state cricket as well during my time, that was a pretty big moment in their lives, just to know that their goal was realistic and that cricket was an attainable thing for them.
"We're still a part of Australia too … it shows that how important it is to have that connection between the community and the Australian players."
Matthew Hayden signing autographs for fans in Darwin in 2003. Getty
It will be the first Test between the two nations since the Tigers' historic 20-run victory in Dhaka in 2017. Australia's tour to the nation in 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Darwin's heavy wet season during the southern summer months means its cricket season runs from April to August - the tropical dry season. The city has regularly hosted Aussie training camps in the warmer months, particularly ahead of tours to the sub-continent.
Both venues have hosted white-ball matches in recent years. Mackay has also hosted women's ODIs in 2021 and 2025.
