LOCATION
Townsville is the the largest town in Queensland outside of south east Queensland with a population count of 201,443 persons (ABS 3218.0 Regional Population Growth, Australia). It is estimated that by 2046, we will have a population of approximately 264,899 people (Queensland Government Population Projections, 2023). Townsville is located approximately halfway between the tip of Cape York and Brisbane. The Ross River flows from the foothills of the Hervey and Mount Stuart ranges to its outlet in Cleveland Bay, where the CBD’s skyline is dominated by the distinctive Castle Hill. Magnetic Island lies just eight kilometres offshore and is accessible via a 20-minute ferry trip. From the top to the bottom of our Local Government Area, our eastern coast is lined by beautiful Queensland beaches.
Our local government area covers 3,736 square kilometres (0.2% of the total area of the State of Queensland).
LIFESTYLES
Providing a laid-back tropical lifestyle that is complemented by capital city comforts, no other Australian city boasts the resilience, diversity, lifestyle, and economic potential that the Townsville North Queensland Region enjoys.
Townsville offers a dynamic lifestyle coupled with strong economic prosperity. Townsville is a thriving city, with access to a variety of world class education facilities, market leading health care, affordable housing, unique retailing, spectacular events and entertainment, dining precincts and a wide range of outdoor recreation options. With over 300 days of sunshine each year, Townsville’s lifestyle is second to none.
OUR ECONOMY
Townsville has a diverse economy, significant industries include retail trade, health and education services, government administration and defence, construction, mining, manufacturing, and property and business services.
Together, Queensland Rail and the Port of Townsville provide a transport hub for the region’s mining and agricultural industries, as well as for locally-based Xstrata Copper Refinery, Sun Metals Zinc Refinery and the Queensland Sugar Corporation Distribution Centre.
Our city is a major service centre, and the main centre for government administration outside Brisbane. Regional health services are provided by the Townsville University Hospital. There are a number of research institutions such as James Cook University, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the CSIRO. Our large Australian Defence Force community, due to our army and air force bases, also influences the local economy.
EDUCATION
Noted for it’s excellent education facilities Townsville is well served by many private and public schools. Home to the James Cook University a highly ranked and well established higher education facility, with deep ties across Australia and Internationally.
ECONOMY
With a widespread base of industry, commerce and primary production the local economy tends to be stable with moderate but sustained growth. Real Estate values, in all sectors, reflect this stability and offer realistically priced investment opportunities with medium to long-term capital gains.
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE
Townsville has strong ties to our Australian Defence Force, with a long and proud history of supporting our service men and women. Townsville is proud to be Australia’s leading garrison city, and the local community continually rallies around our Defence heritage that spans well over a century.
The granting or exercising of Freedom of Entry to the City enables Council to honour a distinguished unit of the armed forces, and strengthen the ties between citizens and servicemen and women.
The Freedom of Entry to the City is a right which is granted upon a military unit by a Local Government, authorising that unit to march through the streets of the city on a ceremonial occasion with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, guidon/colours flying and band playing. The granting of the Freedom of Entry to the City represents the highest civic honour that the city can confer on a military unit and is a symbolic honour, demonstrating trust, loyalty and sense of community between the city and the military unit. The Freedom of Entry is restricted to Australian military units which have, through their command, a significant attachment to the City.
Freedom of Entry is a formal ceremonial event involving a parade and the ceremonial handing over of a scroll or similar to signify the bestowing of freedom of the City. It also includes a challenge by Queensland Police Service.
SPORTING
Townsville is the proud home of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys. Established in 1995, the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys are a proud community-owned, professional rugby league club based in Townsville, North Queensland. Our club enjoys one of the largest footprints in the National Rugby League and we are proud to be a cornerstone of our regional economy.
The state-of-the-art, multi-purpose Hutchinson Builders Centre, new home of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys, was opened in May 2021. The Centre is located beside Queensland Country Bank Stadium, in the Townsville City Waterfront Priority Development Area. The Centre houses Cowboys operations and combines community areas, multi-sport high-performance training spaces, sports medicine and sports science laboratories and a community training field.
NEW RESIDENTS
If you are a new resident to Townsville the Townsville Community Information Center offers “New To Townsville Packs”, these are available by visiting their office at 280 Flinders Street, Townsville City. More information is also available at the Townsville City Council website or by calling Customer Service on 13 48 10.