Brisbane will take on North Melbourne at the Summit Sport and Recreation Park on Saturday, April 15 with the match starting at 12.40pm (ACST).

In addition, two matches will be played at Norwood Oval, on Friday and Sunday afternoons, with the balance of fixtures at Adelaide Oval including weekend double-headers.

The Gather Round will become the first time in the competition’s history that all matches in a VFL/AFL round will be held in one state outside Victoria.

“The economic benefit to our tourism and hospitality sectors is going to be exceptional,” said Premier Peter Malinauskas.

Members of all competing clubs will gain free entry to their own side’s match with all other tickets capped at $30 for adults, $20 for concession (15-18 years old) while entry for children under 15 will be free.

Adelaide will open the round against Carlton on Thursday night, April 13 with Port Adelaide hosting the Western Bulldogs on the Saturday night.

It’s believed Mount Barker secured the game after the original plan to hold a match in the Barossa Valley was unable to proceed because of the lack of a suitable venue.

Mount Barker District Council Mayor David Leach said the ground is “one of the premier playing surfaces in the country” and gives the Adelaide Hills region the opportunity to showcase itself to the nation.

“Mount Barker is South Australia’s fastest growing region, expanding by 40 per cent off the back of a forecasted $4.5 billion worth of public and private investment,” he said.

“With our population growth and the venue already in use by the Hills Football League – the largest regional football league in the state – this is a great opportunity to grow the game of Australian Rules Football within the region.”

The match is expected to be a boon for the local economy with the Adelaide Hills already the fifth most visited region in the country, generating an estimated $200 million per year and sustaining approximately 1700 jobs.

“Mount Barker is well placed to sell South Australia, given the quality of food, drink and experiences on offer, its proximity to Adelaide and the potential for flow on effects to the neighbouring Barossa, Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale tourism regions,” Leach said.

“We look forward to working with the AFL and our regional partners to deliver an outstanding event and even greater legacy for our community.”

The full AFL fixture is not expected to be released until Sunday or Monday.

Gather Round fixture (AFL Round 5)

Thursday, April 13
Adelaide v Carlton, Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm ACST.

Friday, April 14
Fremantle v Gold Coast, Norwood Oval, 4.40pm ACST.
Richmond v Sydney, Adelaide Oval, 7.40pm ACST.

Saturday, April 15
Brisbane v North Melbourne, Mount Barker, 12.40pm ACST.
Essendon v Melbourne, Adelaide Oval, 3.40pm ACST.*
Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval, 7.20pm ACST.*

Sunday, April 16
Geelong v West Coast, Adelaide Oval, 12.40pm ACST.*
Greater Western Sydney v Hawthorn, Norwood Oval, 2.50pm ACST.
Collingwood v St Kilda, Adelaide Oval, 4.20pm ACST.*

* denotes a double-header at Adelaide Oval