Townsville, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland
. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef
, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast
, with a 2006 census population of 143,328, and a 2009–2010 estimated population of 185,768. Considered the unofficial capital of North Queensland
, Townsville hosts a significant number of governmental, community and major business administrative offices for the northern half of the state.
Popular attractions include 'The Strand
', a long tropical beach and garden strip; Riverway
, a riverfront parkland attraction located on the banks of Ross River
; Reef HQ
, a large tropical aquarium
holding many of the Great Barrier Reef
's native flora and fauna; the Museum of Tropical Queensland
, built around a display of relics from the sunken British warship HMS Pandora
; and Magnetic Island
, a large neighbouring island, the vast majority of which is national park
.
as the Wulgurukaba
, Bindal, Girrugubba, Warakamai and Nawagi, among others, originally inhabited the Townsville area. The Wulgurukaba claim to be the traditional owner of the Townsville city area; the Bindal had a claim struck out by the Federal Court of Australia
in 2005.
James Cook
visited the Townsville region on his first voyage to Australia in 1770, but did not actually land there. Cook named nearby Cape Cleveland, Cleveland Bay, and Magnetic(al) Island
.
In 1819, Captain Phillip Parker King and botanist Alan Cunningham
were the first Europeans to record a local landing. In 1846, James Morrill was shipwrecked from the Peruvian, living in the Townsville area among the Bindal people for 17 years before being found by white men and returned to Brisbane
.
' s seasonal flooding made the establishment of a seaport north of the river essential to the nascent inland cattle industry. John Melton Black of Woodstock Station, an employee of Sydney entrepreneur and businessman Robert Towns
, dispatched Andrew Ball, Mark Watt Reid and a small party of aborigines to search for a suitable site. Ball's party reached the Ross Creek
in April 1864 and established a camp below the rocky spur of Melton Hill, near the present Customs House on The Strand
. The first party of settlers, led by W.A. Ross, arrived at Cleveland Bay from Woodstock Station on 5 November of that year. In 1866 Robert Towns
visited for three days, his first and only visit. He agreed to provide ongoing financial assistance to the new settlement and Townsville was named in his honour.
Townsville was declared a municipality in February 1866, with John Melton Black elected as its first Mayor. Townsville developed rapidly as the major port and service centre for the Cape River, Gilbert, Ravenswood
, Etheridge and Charters Towers
goldfields. Regional pastoral and sugar industries also expanded and flourished. Townsville's population was 4,000 people in 1882 and grew to 13,000 by 1891. In 1901 Lord Hopetoun made a goodwill tour of northern Australia and accepted an invitation to officially open Townsville's town hall, occasioning the first ever vice-regal ceremonial unfurling of the Australian national flag. With Brisbane, in 1902 Townsville was proclaimed a City under the Local Authorities Act.
in March 2008, as part of the Queensland state government's reform program.
in Townsville, primarily to serve some 4,000 Japanese workers who migrated to work in the sugar cane, turtle, trochus
, beche de mer and pearling industries. With the introduction of the White Australia policy
, the demand for Japanese workers decreased, causing the consulate to finally close in 1908.
. A large United States Armed Forces contingent supported the war effort from seven airfields and other bases around the city and in the region. The first bombing raid on Rabaul
, in Papua New Guinea, on 23 February 1942 was carried out by six B-17s based near Townsville. It was common for B-26 Marauder
s, B-17 Flying Fortresss or B-25 Mitchell
bombers to take off on long range bombing raids from Garbutt air base
.
Within the town a great deal of construction occurred during World War II. Apart from rebuilding the air base, the American forces converted several of the main roads to use as taxiways and subsidiary airstrips, and maintenance workshops were built along these roadways. The remains of some of these installations and airstrips are still evident.
Some of the units based in Townsville were –
General Douglas MacArthur
was supposed to have had his headquarters in an underground bunker which still exists under an office building in the suburb of Garbutt. There have also been references to numerous hidden air raid bunkers, reports of secret tunnels and similar secret units.
In July 1942, three small Japanese air raids were made against Townsville, which was by then the most important air base in Australia. Several 500 pounds (226.8 kg) bombs were dropped in the harbour, near the Garbutt airfield and at Oonoonba
, where bomb craters are still clearly visible. No lives were lost and structural damage was minimal, as the Japanese missed their intended target of the railway and destroyed a palm tree. Although the Japanese aircraft were intercepted on two of the three raids, no Japanese planes were shot down.
Two very significant hotels on Flinders Street were lost, Buchanan's Hotel
(regarded by architectural historians as Australia's most significant building in the Filigree style) to fire in 1982 and the Alexandra Hotel to demolition in the 1970s.
Eddie Mabo
, who later became famous for his involvement in overturning the legal fiction
of terra nullius
, worked as a gardener at James Cook University
in the 1970-1980s. It was here where he first learned of the implications of the terra nullius doctrine and decided to take on the Australian government. The James Cook University Douglas campus library is now named after him.
In October 2000, a Solomon Islands
Peace Agreement was negotiated in Townsville.
Conventional urban development continues to expand west, north and south into the former rural areas surrounding the city. Inner city high-density development has also created population growth and gentrification of the central business district (CBD). One significant contributor to CBD development was the construction of a new rail passenger terminal and moving the railway workshops, releasing prime real estate which formerly belonged to Queensland Rail
for the development of residential units, retail projects and a new performing arts centre. The skyline of Townsville's central business district has undergone dramatic changes over the last few years, with a number of new highrise buildings, both commercial and residential, constructed.
In the short term, much of the urban expansion will continue to the west and the north, in the former City of Thuringowa. The most significant of these is North Shore Estate, a new A$
1 billion 5,000-lot housing estate, located close to the Bruce Highway
, just north of the Bohle River
. Medium term expansion of Townsville will be focused on two major urban developments anticipated to start soon. Rocky Springs, a satellite city to the south of Townsville, is expected to eventually be home to 55,000 people. Additionally, the State Government announced it will be offering 270ha of State-owned land (the former abbatoir reserve), just south of the Bohle River, for future urban expansion.
Townsville lies approximately 1300 kilometres (807.8 mi) north of Brisbane
, and 350 kilometres (217.5 mi) south of Cairns. It lies on the shores of Cleveland Bay, protected to some degree from the predominately south-east weather. Cleveland Bay is mostly shallow inshore, with several large beaches and continually shifting sand bars. Magnetic Island
lies 8 km offshore, to the north of the city centre.
The Ross River
flows through the city. Three weirs, fish stocking and dredging of the river in these reaches has resulted in a deep, stable and clean waterway used for many recreational activities such as waterskiing, fishing and rowing. Thirty kilometres from the mouth (at the junction of Five Head Creek) is the Ross River Dam
, the major water storage for the urban areas.
The historic waterfront on Ross Creek, site of the original wharves and port facilities, has some excellent old buildings mixed with the later modern skyline. However, the central city is dominated by the mass of red granite called Castle Hill
, 292 metres (958 ft) metres high (just 8 metres short of being a mountain). There is a lookout at the summit giving panoramic views of the city and its suburbs, including Cleveland Bay and Magnetic Island
. There are a number of parks scattered throughout the city, including three botanical gardens – Anderson Park
, Queens Gardens
and The Palmetum
.
(Köppen climate classification
Aw). Owing to a quirk of its geographical location, Townsville's winter rainfall in particular is not as high as elsewhere in the tropics such as Cairns. The winter months are dominated by SE trade winds and mostly fine weather. Further north the coastline runs north/south and the trade winds are lifted to produce rainfall right through the year. Townsville however lies on a section of coastline that turns east/west, so the lifting effect is not present. As a result, winter months are dominated by blue skies, warm days and cool nights—although at times significant rainfall may occur.
Kenneth Wade Robinson summarised the climate as follows:
The average annual rainfall is 1143 millimetres (45 in) on an average 91 rain days, most of which falls during the six month "wet season" from November through April. Because of the "hit or miss" nature of tropical lows and thunderstorms, there is considerable variation from year to year. This millennium has seen the wettest year on record, with 2400 millimetres (94.5 in) precipitation in 2000, and the second driest year on record, when Townsville received only 467 millimetres (18.4 in) in 2001 (driest year was 1969 – 464 millimetres (18.3 in)). Rainfall also varies considerably within the metropolitan area; it typically ranges from 1136 millimetres (44.7 in) at central Townsville City
to 853 millimetres (33.6 in) at Woodstock
, a southwestern suburb.
December is the warmest month of the year with daily mean maximum and minimum temperatures being 31.4 °C (88.5 °F) and 24 °C (75.2 °F) respectively. July is the coolest month with daily mean maximum and minimum temperatures being 25 °C (77 °F) and 13.5 °C (56.3 °F). Townsville experiences an annual mean of 8.4 hours of sunshine per day, averaging 121.7 clear days per year.
s. They usually occur between November and May (the so-called Cyclone Season), forming mainly out in the Coral Sea, and usually tracking west to the coast. Notable cyclones to affect the Townsville Region have been: Cyclone Yasi
(2011), Cyclone Tessi (2000), Cyclone Sid (1998, in particular damaging The Strand
), Cyclone Joy (1990), Cyclone Althea (1971), Cyclone Leonta (1903) and Cyclone Sigma (1896).
and the Australian Taxation Office
.
, comprising an independently elected Mayor and 12 Councillors. Following local government reform undertaken by the Government of Queensland
prior to the March 2008 elections, the previous entities of NQ Water, The City of Townsville and the City of Thuringowa were amalgamated. The Councillors do not represent separate divisions (known as wards) within the local government area, but have been self-allocated areas of responsibility. Council may go back to divisions for individual Councillors for the 2012 election depending on the State Government.
The Mayor of Townsville is Les Tyrell
(Independent
), who was elected on 15 March 2008. Tyrell was the immediate past Mayor for 17 years of the former local government authority, the City of Thuringowa. The previous Mayor of Townsville for 19 years was Tony Mooney
(Australian Labor Party
). All except one of the current Councillors have declared themselves as independents, although most were elected as part of "Team Tyrell". Jenny Hill, the only previous Councillor of the previous Townsville City to be re-elected, is a member of the Labor Party
.
by Ewen Jones
(Liberal National Party), elected as the member for the Division of Herbert
at the recent Federal elections on 21 August 2010. Historically a swinging seat, it is only held by a small margin. Some of the suburbs on the southern fringe of the urban area are part of the Division of Dawson
and are represented by George Christensen, representing the Liberal National Party, who is based in Mackay
(about 400 km south of Townsville). Some of the northern suburbs of Townsville, known collectively as the "Northern Beaches", are included in the Division of Kennedy
which is represented by Bob Katter MP
(Independent
).
Ian Macdonald
(Liberal National Party) is one of twelve Senators elected by Queensland to the Australian Senate
, is based in Townsville.
The Townsville Regional Economy is widely credited as being the most diverse of its kind in Australia. Its recent performance has outstripped neighbouring economies, with growth peaking in 2004–05 at a 12% increase in Gross Regional Product
over the median term, and 7.8% in 2006–07, for an average rate of approximately 9% per financial year. Tourism has of late helped in the city's expansion, though its traditional role is an industrial port (via the Port of Townsville
) for exporting minerals from Mount Isa
and Cloncurry
, beef and wool
from the western plains, as well as sugar and timber from the coastal regions, trades which continue to influence corporate growth strategies.
Economic growth in the region was "not restricted to heavy industry growth attributed to the resources boom under the Howard Government
, [as] the region’s tourism growth also outstripped neighbouring regions."
In 2004, there were 11,762 businesses in Townsville and 4,610 in Thuringowa. There were still "lots of well-paying job opportunities" in the city itself come mid-2008
, when the number of unemployed had risen (nationally) by 100,000 workers, including "considerable employment requirements" in the trades (280 job vacancies), engineering (117), administration (100), sales (97) and hospitality (90). Townsville hosted the head office of $4 billion financial advice company Storm Financial
, until its collapse in early 2009.
The city also has its own manufacturing and processing industries. Townsville is the only city globally to refine three different base metals—Zinc
, Copper and Nickel—and it is currently in strong contention for an aluminium refinery. Nickel ore is imported from Indonesia, the Philippines and New Caledonia and processed at the Yabulu Nickel refinery, 30 kilometres north of the port. Zinc ore is transported by rail from the Cannington Mine, south of Cloncurry, for smelting at the Sun Metals refinery south of Townsville. Copper concentrate from the smelter at Mount Isa is also railed to Townsville for further refining at the copper refinery at Stuart.
Townsville has several large public assets as a result of its relative position and population. These include the largest campus of the only university in northern Queensland, James Cook University
, the CSIRO
Davies Laboratory, the Australian Institute of Marine Science
headquarters, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the large Army base at Lavarack Barracks
and RAAF Base Townsville
.
Townsville has a younger population than the Australian and Queensland averages. The city has traditionally experienced a high turnover of people, with the army base and government services bringing in many short to medium term workers. The region has also become popular with mine workers on fly in/fly out
contracts. Major improvements to the lifestyle infrastructure over the past 10 years has led to a higher living standard, and consequently the population boom. In 2005–06, the Townsville Statistical District grew at just over 3 per cent and was the fifth fastest growing district or division in Australia. Between 2000 and 2005 the annual average population growth in Townsville was 2.5%, compared with 2.2% for Queensland overall.
Medium range population projections
Historical yearly population statistics
There are over 60 private and State schools
of primary and secondary education within the Townsville area. Townsville Grammar School
is the oldest co-educational school on the Australian mainland.
(JCU) is a public university
based in Townsville. Established in 1970, the main campus is located in the suburb of Douglas
. JCU was the second university in Queensland and the first in North Queensland
. The University has a strong and internationally recognised expertise in marine & tropical biology. The JCU Medical School
was established in 1999 and is linked with the adjacent tertiary-level Townsville Hospital
. The Veterinary Sciences undergraduate facility is the newest in Australia. In 2007 the University announced a billion dollar expansion, aimed at completely redeveloping the University campuses, facilities and attracting more students to JCU.
– a Technical and Further Education College, a campus of the Australian Agricultural College Corporation and a new Australian Technical College – North Queensland campus which opened in 2007 in the Douglas
suburb.
is an international chamber music
festival held over ten days each July in Townsville, North Queensland. The festival has been running since 1991, and attracts many acclaimed international and Australian musicians. Townsville also has its own orchestra, the Barrier Reef Orchestra
, which presents concerts throughout North Queensland. The Townsville Entertainment Centre
, seating over 5000 people, is host to many national and international music shows, as well as sporting and trade shows.
The region has many renowned festivals, many which celebrate the international heritage of many that call North Queensland home. The Annual Greek and Italian Festivals are popular with the locals and tourists alike. The Townsville South hotel and restaurant strip hosts an annual Palmer Street Jazz Festival, as does nearby Magnetic Island
(The Great Tropical Jazz Party). The Stable on the Strand
is celebrated each Christmas.
The Townsville Civic Theatre is North Queensland's premier cultural facility. Since its opening in 1978, the Theatre has been a centre of entertainment and performing arts, providing an environment to further develop the performing arts in Townsville and the North. The Tropic Sun Theatre Company
is a professional theatre company based in Townsville. Tropic Sun showcases the talents of local actors, designers, directors and playwrights. It presents four major shows a year.
The Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
is the public art gallery of Townsville. Located on the eastern end of Flinders Mall, the Gallery focuses on artwork relevant to North Queensland and the Tropics. Every second September the gallery presents sculpture artworks and art festival called Strand Ephemera
, exhibited over the two kilometre beachfront strip.
The Townsville City Council and Townsville Intercultural Centre annually organises Cultural Fest in mid August in the Strand. The Cultural Fest showcases the cultural diversity of the city and dance, food, and music from different ethnic groups in the region bring the city to life.
The North Queensland Australian Computer Society based in Townsville hold monthly events relating to advancing computer knowledge.
The city has many restaurants, concentrated on Palmer Street in South Townsville, Flinders Street and to a lesser extend along the Strand. The city also has a vibrant pub and night-club scene, many of them located in Flinders Street East. Local and national music groups can often be found performing live in these venues.
.
Townsville hosts several sporting teams that participate in national competitions. These include the North Queensland Cowboys
(National Rugby League
), the Townsville Fire
(Women's National Basketball League
) and the Townsville Crocodiles
, (National Basketball League
)
The Dairy Farmers Stadium
is the home ground for the Cowboys. Built in 1995 the stadium has a capacity of 30,302. Dairy Farmers Stadium
was an official venue the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup, with three matches played in Townsville. Townsville hosted the popular Japanese national rugby union team
. The Super 14
rugby union
team Queensland Reds
have also played at Dairy Farmers Stadium. Tony Ireland Stadium
, in the suburb of Thuringowa
, has an international standard cricket
and AFL
stadium.
Townsville also hosts two Touch Football
associations. The Townsville/Castle Hill Touch Association (TCHTA) conducts competitions annually at its grounds at Queens Park, Townsville. Thuringowa Touch Association (TTA) also conducts competitions at Greenwood Park, Kirwan
.. Both competitions have produced a host of regional, state and national representative players and officials.
Townsville and its surrounding suburbs host a number of junior and senior rugby league
sides in the successful Townsville District Rugby League, including A-grade sides: Bindal Sharks, Brothers Townsville, University Saints and Centrals ASA Tigers. The junior league has produced a number of Australian internationals such as, Gordon Tallis and Gene Miles
and it is an important junior nursery for the National Rugby League
AFL Townsville operate a regional Australian rules football league in the region. Jake Spencer
is the first local player to play in the AFL
.
Several Australian Test and ODI cricketers have come out of Townsville including current fast bowler Mitchell Johnson
and also former Australian squad member Andrew Symonds
who both honed their skills as juniors at Wanderers Cricket Club.
A V8 Supercars race track is located in Townsville, and the inaugural annual Townsville 400
was held in July 2009.
Townsville also has a 1/4 mile dragstrip
, Go cart and motorcross track.
Rowing
is also available at Riverway Rowing Club and caters to competitive masters, social, learn to row and school based rowing programs. 2010 saw Riverway
claim their first Queensland Club Premiership.
The Townsville Hospital is a 580 bed University teaching hospital in the suburb of Douglas, Townsville
. It is co-located with the James Cook University
School of Medicine. The hospital caters for the city of Townsville, as well as people in the north as far as Thursday Island and Papua New Guinea
, west to Mount Isa and south to Sarina
. During the year 2010, the hospital admitted 54,941 patients, and had 60,676 presentations to the emergency department. The hospital is also the major tertiary maternity centre, with 2,308 babies delivered in 2010.
The Townsville Hospital is currently undergoing a $437 million dollar redevelopment, delivering an additional 100 beds, a four storey expanded Emergency Department, expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and expansion of oncology services. The Emergency Department will be the largest in Queensland.
There are four other public health campuses in Townsville: the Kirwan Health Campus, the Magnetic Island Health Service Centre, the North Ward Health Campus and the Townsville Hospital Dentist, located in North Ward
.
In addition there are two private hospitals in Townsville, the Mater Hospital and the Mater Women's and Children's Hospital
.
), and the A6 (Flinders Highway
National Highways. The Townsville Ring Road
, planned to become part of the re-routed A1 route bypass, circumnavigates the city.
Townsville has a public transport system contracted to Sunbus Townsville
, which provides regular services between many parts of the city. Public transport is also available from the CBD to Bushland Beach
. Regular ferry and vehicular barge
services operate to Magnetic Island
and Palm Island
.
The Tilt Train service connects Townsville to Brisbane in the south and Cairns in the north. Townsville is a major destination and generator of rail freight services. The North Coast railway line
, operated by Queensland Rail
, meets the Western line in the city's south. Container operations are also common and the products of the local nickel and copper refineries, as well as minerals from the western line (Mount Isa), are transported to the port via trains. The Port of Townsville
has bulk handling facilities for importing cement, nickel ore and fuel, and for exporting sugar and products from North Queensland's mines. The port has three sugar storage sheds, with the newest being the largest under-cover storage area in Australia.
The city is served by Townsville International Airport
. The Airport handles direct domestic flights to Brisbane
, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast
, and Canberra
as well as direct regional flights to destinations such as Cairns, Mount Isa, Rockhampton
and Mackay
. Airlines currently servicing the airport include Qantas, Virgin Blue, Jetstar, Regional Express, Qantaslink, Strategic, and Skytrans.
maintains a very strong presence in the north of Australia and this is evident by the basing of the Army's 3rd Brigade
in Townsville. The 3rd Brigade
is a light infantry brigade with significant air-mobile assets. The brigade consists of two light infantry
battalion
s—the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
and the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
—and a cavalry
contingent from 'B' Squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment. It also has integral Artillery, Engineer, Aviation Reconnaissance and Combat Service Support units. It is a high readiness brigade that has been deployed frequently at very short notice on combat operations outside mainland Australia. These include Somalia, Rwanda, Namibia, East Timor, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition to the 3rd Brigade, a number of other major units are based in Townsville. These include the 5th Aviation Regiment, equipped with Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters, co-located at the RAAF Base in Garbutt and the 10th Force Support Battalion
based at Ross Island. 10 FSB is a force logistics unit that provides back up logistic support to deployed units. The battalion provides specialist transport (including amphibious) and supply support. Along with this there is also the 11th Combat Service Support Battalion and the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment.
The Army also maintains an Army Reserve
brigade in Townsville designated the 11th Brigade
. This formation is similar in structure to the 3rd Brigade but comprises reserve soldiers only. There is also two active cadet units, 130 ACU located within Heatley Secondary College and 15 ACU located at Ignatius Park College.
As with the Army, the Royal Australian Air Force
also maintains a presence in Townsville. RAAF Base Townsville
, which is located in the suburb of Garbutt, houses the Beech KingAir 350 aircraft from No. 38 Squadron RAAF
. This unit operated the venerable DHC-4 Caribou
aircraft until late 2009, however has re-equipped in the short term whilst protracted analysis for a more appropriate Battlefield Transport and Utility aircraft continues. This detachment provides support to the Army units in Townsville. The base is also a high readiness Defence asset and is prepared to accept the full range of RAAF aircraft types as well as other international aircraft including the huge C-17 Globemaster III
and the Russian Antonov
transport aircraft.
Townsville is also the staging point for the movement of personnel and materials to the remote parts of Northern Australia and many overseas locations.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast
There are several places around the globe that use the name Sunshine Coast. They are collections of coastal towns and/or cities that have banded together, usually for tourist promotional reasons...
, with a 2006 census population of 143,328, and a 2009–2010 estimated population of 185,768. Considered the unofficial capital of North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
, Townsville hosts a significant number of governmental, community and major business administrative offices for the northern half of the state.
Popular attractions include 'The Strand
The Strand, Townsville
The Strand is a seaside foreshore located in Townsville, Australia. It is located in the suburb of North Ward. The Strand has a view of the Port of Townsville and Magnetic Island, as well as to Cape Cleveland...
', a long tropical beach and garden strip; Riverway
Riverway, Townsville
Riverway is a riverfront parkland attraction located in the Condon Suburb of Townsville that opened in July 2006. It stretches along of the Ross River, with areas at Pioneer Park, Loam Island, Apex Park and Ross Park at the Ross River Dam. The areas of Riverway that have been completed are Pioneer...
, a riverfront parkland attraction located on the banks of Ross River
Ross River, Queensland
The Ross River is a river located in northern Queensland, Australia. The river flows from Lake Ross, through the city of Townsville, across the flat coastal plain and into the Coral Sea of the Pacific Ocean...
; Reef HQ
Reef HQ
Reef HQ is the largest living coral reef aquarium. It is located in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The aquarium was built as a Bicentennial Commemorative project and is a part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority...
, a large tropical aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
holding many of the Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
's native flora and fauna; the Museum of Tropical Queensland
Museum of Tropical Queensland
The Museum of Tropical Queensland is a museum of natural history, archaeology and history located in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It is located in the same complex as the Reef HQ Aquarium...
, built around a display of relics from the sunken British warship HMS Pandora
HMS Pandora (1779)
HMS Pandora was a 24-gun Porcupine-class sixth-rate post ship of the Royal Navy launched in May 1779. She is best known as the ship sent in 1790 to search for the Bounty and the mutineers who had taken her...
; and Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville, with 2,107 permanent residents. The island is accessible from Townsville Breakwater to Nelly Bay Harbour by ferry...
, a large neighbouring island, the vast majority of which is national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
.
Early history
Such indigenous groupsIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
as the Wulgurukaba
Wulgurukaba
Wulgurukaba was an indigenous tribe in Townsville, Queensland, who were based in the area of Townsville which is now known as Wulguru, which is a suburb of Townsville that is home to the most indigenous people in the Townsville Region.- History :...
, Bindal, Girrugubba, Warakamai and Nawagi, among others, originally inhabited the Townsville area. The Wulgurukaba claim to be the traditional owner of the Townsville city area; the Bindal had a claim struck out by the Federal Court of Australia
Federal Court of Australia
The Federal Court of Australia is an Australian superior court of record which has jurisdiction to deal with most civil disputes governed by federal law , along with some summary criminal matters. Cases are heard at first instance by single Judges...
in 2005.
James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
visited the Townsville region on his first voyage to Australia in 1770, but did not actually land there. Cook named nearby Cape Cleveland, Cleveland Bay, and Magnetic(al) Island
Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville, with 2,107 permanent residents. The island is accessible from Townsville Breakwater to Nelly Bay Harbour by ferry...
.
In 1819, Captain Phillip Parker King and botanist Alan Cunningham
Allan Cunningham (botanist)
Allan Cunningham was an English botanist and explorer, primarily known for his travels in New South Wales to collect plants.- Early life :...
were the first Europeans to record a local landing. In 1846, James Morrill was shipwrecked from the Peruvian, living in the Townsville area among the Bindal people for 17 years before being found by white men and returned to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
Establishment
The Burdekin RiverBurdekin River
The Burdekin River in Queensland, Australia rises on the western slope of the Seaview Range and flows into the Pacific Ocean at Upstart Bay over 200 km to the southeast of the source. The river was first encountered by Europeans during the expedition led by Ludwig Leichhardt in 1845 and named...
Robert Towns
Robert Towns was an Australian businessman, pastoralist, and founder of Townsville, Queensland.Towns was born at Longhorsley, Northumberland, England, on 10 November 1794. This is the date usually given, and it agrees with his death notice in the Sydney Morning Herald of 12 April 1873 which stated...
, dispatched Andrew Ball, Mark Watt Reid and a small party of aborigines to search for a suitable site. Ball's party reached the Ross Creek
Ross Creek
Ross Creek is an estuary inlet within the city of Townsville, Queensland. It separates the Townsville CBD from Ross Island. The only passage across Ross Creek was by ferry until Victoria Bridge was completed in 1889.-History:...
in April 1864 and established a camp below the rocky spur of Melton Hill, near the present Customs House on The Strand
The Strand, Townsville
The Strand is a seaside foreshore located in Townsville, Australia. It is located in the suburb of North Ward. The Strand has a view of the Port of Townsville and Magnetic Island, as well as to Cape Cleveland...
. The first party of settlers, led by W.A. Ross, arrived at Cleveland Bay from Woodstock Station on 5 November of that year. In 1866 Robert Towns
Robert Towns
Robert Towns was an Australian businessman, pastoralist, and founder of Townsville, Queensland.Towns was born at Longhorsley, Northumberland, England, on 10 November 1794. This is the date usually given, and it agrees with his death notice in the Sydney Morning Herald of 12 April 1873 which stated...
visited for three days, his first and only visit. He agreed to provide ongoing financial assistance to the new settlement and Townsville was named in his honour.
Townsville was declared a municipality in February 1866, with John Melton Black elected as its first Mayor. Townsville developed rapidly as the major port and service centre for the Cape River, Gilbert, Ravenswood
Ravenswood, Queensland
Ravenswood is a small mining town in Queensland, Australia. The town is located approximately south of Mingela, and about from Charters Towers. At the 2006 census, Ravenswood had a population of 191....
, Etheridge and Charters Towers
Charters Towers, Queensland
Charters Towers is a city in northern Queensland, Australia. It is located 137 kilometres inland from Townsville on the Flinders Highway. In 2006 the population was 7,979 people, some 450 fewer than in the 2001 census. During the last quarter of the 19th century the town boomed as the rich gold...
goldfields. Regional pastoral and sugar industries also expanded and flourished. Townsville's population was 4,000 people in 1882 and grew to 13,000 by 1891. In 1901 Lord Hopetoun made a goodwill tour of northern Australia and accepted an invitation to officially open Townsville's town hall, occasioning the first ever vice-regal ceremonial unfurling of the Australian national flag. With Brisbane, in 1902 Townsville was proclaimed a City under the Local Authorities Act.
Townsville/Thuringowa
The rural land surrounding the city was initially managed by the Thuringowa Road Board, which eventually became the Shire of Thuringowa. The shire ceded land several times to support Townsville's expansion. In 1986 the Shire became incorporated as a city, governed by the Thuringowa City Council. The cities of Townsville and Thuringowa were amalgamated into the "new" Townsville City CouncilCity of Townsville (LGA)
The City of Townsville is an Australian Local Government Area located in North Queensland, Australia. The LGA encompasses the city of Townsville, together with the surrounding rural areas, to the south are the communities of Alligator Creek, Woodstock and Reid River, and to the North are areas...
in March 2008, as part of the Queensland state government's reform program.
Japanese influence
In 1896, Japan established its first Australian consulateDiplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
in Townsville, primarily to serve some 4,000 Japanese workers who migrated to work in the sugar cane, turtle, trochus
Trochus
Trochus is a genus of medium-sized to very large sea snails. They are marine gastropod molluscs in the family Trochidae, the top snails....
, beche de mer and pearling industries. With the introduction of the White Australia policy
White Australia policy
The White Australia policy comprises various historical policies that intentionally restricted "non-white" immigration to Australia. From origins at Federation in 1901, the polices were progressively dismantled between 1949-1973....
, the demand for Japanese workers decreased, causing the consulate to finally close in 1908.
Second World War
During World War II, the city was host to over 50,000 American and Australian troops and air crew, and it became a major staging point for battles in the South West PacificSouth West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
. A large United States Armed Forces contingent supported the war effort from seven airfields and other bases around the city and in the region. The first bombing raid on Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, in Papua New Guinea, on 23 February 1942 was carried out by six B-17s based near Townsville. It was common for B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
s, B-17 Flying Fortresss or B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
bombers to take off on long range bombing raids from Garbutt air base
Townsville International Airport
Townsville Airport is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Townsville. The airport is also known as Townsville International Airport, and Garbutt Airport, a reference to its location in the Townsville suburb of Garbutt...
.
Within the town a great deal of construction occurred during World War II. Apart from rebuilding the air base, the American forces converted several of the main roads to use as taxiways and subsidiary airstrips, and maintenance workshops were built along these roadways. The remains of some of these installations and airstrips are still evident.
Some of the units based in Townsville were –
- No. 3 Fighter Sector RAAF, Wulguru & North Ward
- 1 Wireless Unit1 Wireless UnitNo. 1 Wireless Unit RAAF was an Australian signals intelligence unit of World War II. The Unit was established on 25 April 1942.This name which was the formalised name given to the small RAAF Intercept Station operating in two back to back houses at 21 Sycamore Street and 24 French Street in the...
, Pimlico & Stuart & Roseneath - North Eastern Area Command HQ, TownsvilleNorth Eastern Area Command HQ, TownsvilleNorth Eastern Area air defence command was one of the five Australian area defence commands during World War II. The command was headquartered at Townsville, Queensland and was commanded from the Commonwealth Building on Sturt Street, Townsville.Ian McLachlan took command of RAAF North-Eastern...
, Sturt St (now the Federation building) - Castle Hill, TownsvilleCastle Hill, TownsvilleCastle Hill is an isolated pink granite monolith standing in the heart of the north Queensland city of Townsville. It rises to a height of some 286 metres above sea level and dominates the city skyline. It is one of the most distinctive natural features on the Queensland coast...
underground tunnels & bunkers - Green St. Bunker, West EndGreen St. Bunker, West EndThe Green Street bunker at West End , Queensland, Australia is also known as the Sidney Street bunker and Project 81. It was built by the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II....
, Sidney St West End, Project 81 (now the SES building)
General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
was supposed to have had his headquarters in an underground bunker which still exists under an office building in the suburb of Garbutt. There have also been references to numerous hidden air raid bunkers, reports of secret tunnels and similar secret units.
In July 1942, three small Japanese air raids were made against Townsville, which was by then the most important air base in Australia. Several 500 pounds (226.8 kg) bombs were dropped in the harbour, near the Garbutt airfield and at Oonoonba
Oonoonba, Queensland
Oonoonba is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia that is approximately 6 km from the centre of the central Townsville business district. It is predominantly a residential area that was once considered isolated from Townsville city...
, where bomb craters are still clearly visible. No lives were lost and structural damage was minimal, as the Japanese missed their intended target of the railway and destroyed a palm tree. Although the Japanese aircraft were intercepted on two of the three raids, no Japanese planes were shot down.
1970 onwards
On Christmas Eve 1971, Tropical Cyclone Althea, a category 4 cyclone, battered the city and Magnetic Island, causing considerable damage. Other tropical storms have threatened the area in the intervening years, but with less effect.Two very significant hotels on Flinders Street were lost, Buchanan's Hotel
Buchanan's Hotel
Buchanan's Hotel was a hotel on Sturt Street in the Townsville CBD. It was used as a hotel from 1903–39, and during World War II to house American officers...
(regarded by architectural historians as Australia's most significant building in the Filigree style) to fire in 1982 and the Alexandra Hotel to demolition in the 1970s.
Eddie Mabo
Eddie Mabo
Eddie Koiki Mabo was a Torres Strait Islander who is known for his role in campaigning for Indigenous land rights and for his role in a landmark decision of the High Court of Australia that overturned the legal fiction of terra nullius which characterised Australian law with regards to land and...
, who later became famous for his involvement in overturning the legal fiction
Legal fiction
A legal fiction is a fact assumed or created by courts which is then used in order to apply a legal rule which was not necessarily designed to be used in that way...
of terra nullius
Terra nullius
Terra nullius is a Latin expression deriving from Roman law meaning "land belonging to no one" , which is used in international law to describe territory which has never been subject to the sovereignty of any state, or over which any prior sovereign has expressly or implicitly relinquished...
, worked as a gardener at James Cook University
James Cook University
James Cook University is a public university based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The university has two Australian campuses, located in Townsville and Cairns respectively, and an international campus in Singapore. JCU is the second oldest university in Queensland—proclaimed in 1970—and the...
in the 1970-1980s. It was here where he first learned of the implications of the terra nullius doctrine and decided to take on the Australian government. The James Cook University Douglas campus library is now named after him.
In October 2000, a Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
Peace Agreement was negotiated in Townsville.
Urban layout
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
for the development of residential units, retail projects and a new performing arts centre. The skyline of Townsville's central business district has undergone dramatic changes over the last few years, with a number of new highrise buildings, both commercial and residential, constructed.
In the short term, much of the urban expansion will continue to the west and the north, in the former City of Thuringowa. The most significant of these is North Shore Estate, a new A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
1 billion 5,000-lot housing estate, located close to the Bruce Highway
Bruce Highway
The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is a part of the Australian National Highway and also part of Highway 1...
, just north of the Bohle River
Bohle River
The Bohle River is a short river north of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. The Bohle river catchment is approximately 355 km², draining most of the coastal plain west of Townsville.Tributaries include Middle Creek, Stony Creek, Stag Creek and Garner Creek...
. Medium term expansion of Townsville will be focused on two major urban developments anticipated to start soon. Rocky Springs, a satellite city to the south of Townsville, is expected to eventually be home to 55,000 people. Additionally, the State Government announced it will be offering 270ha of State-owned land (the former abbatoir reserve), just south of the Bohle River, for future urban expansion.
Geography
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, and 350 kilometres (217.5 mi) south of Cairns. It lies on the shores of Cleveland Bay, protected to some degree from the predominately south-east weather. Cleveland Bay is mostly shallow inshore, with several large beaches and continually shifting sand bars. Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville, with 2,107 permanent residents. The island is accessible from Townsville Breakwater to Nelly Bay Harbour by ferry...
lies 8 km offshore, to the north of the city centre.
The Ross River
Ross River, Queensland
The Ross River is a river located in northern Queensland, Australia. The river flows from Lake Ross, through the city of Townsville, across the flat coastal plain and into the Coral Sea of the Pacific Ocean...
flows through the city. Three weirs, fish stocking and dredging of the river in these reaches has resulted in a deep, stable and clean waterway used for many recreational activities such as waterskiing, fishing and rowing. Thirty kilometres from the mouth (at the junction of Five Head Creek) is the Ross River Dam
Ross River Dam
The Ross River Dam is located at the end of Riverway Drive in the city of Townsville, Australia, and is the major water supply for the region. It was constructed by Leighton Holdings in 1971 for the purposes of flood mitigation and water storage...
, the major water storage for the urban areas.
The historic waterfront on Ross Creek, site of the original wharves and port facilities, has some excellent old buildings mixed with the later modern skyline. However, the central city is dominated by the mass of red granite called Castle Hill
Castle Hill, Townsville
Castle Hill is an isolated pink granite monolith standing in the heart of the north Queensland city of Townsville. It rises to a height of some 286 metres above sea level and dominates the city skyline. It is one of the most distinctive natural features on the Queensland coast...
, 292 metres (958 ft) metres high (just 8 metres short of being a mountain). There is a lookout at the summit giving panoramic views of the city and its suburbs, including Cleveland Bay and Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville, with 2,107 permanent residents. The island is accessible from Townsville Breakwater to Nelly Bay Harbour by ferry...
. There are a number of parks scattered throughout the city, including three botanical gardens – Anderson Park
Anderson Park, Townsville
Anderson Park is a 20 hectare arboretum in the suburb of Pimlico in Townsville, Queensland.-The Gardens:It contains many fine examples of tropical northern Queensland trees, ferns, palms and one of the world's largest pandanus collection....
, Queens Gardens
Queens Gardens, Townsville
Queens Gardens are one of three botanical gardens of Townsville, Queensland. Queens Gardens are located in the suburb of North Ward, at the base of Castle Hill, near to both the city centre and The Strand beachside park. They have been called Townsville's finest park.-Layout:The park covers over 4...
and The Palmetum
The Palmetum, Townsville
The Palmetum is one of three botanical gardens of Townsville, Queensland. The Palmetum are located in the suburb of Annandale, near the Ross River, James Cook University and the Townsville Hospital.-Gardens:...
.
Climate
Townsville is characterised as a tropical savanna climateTropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Aw). Owing to a quirk of its geographical location, Townsville's winter rainfall in particular is not as high as elsewhere in the tropics such as Cairns. The winter months are dominated by SE trade winds and mostly fine weather. Further north the coastline runs north/south and the trade winds are lifted to produce rainfall right through the year. Townsville however lies on a section of coastline that turns east/west, so the lifting effect is not present. As a result, winter months are dominated by blue skies, warm days and cool nights—although at times significant rainfall may occur.
Kenneth Wade Robinson summarised the climate as follows:
The average annual rainfall is 1143 millimetres (45 in) on an average 91 rain days, most of which falls during the six month "wet season" from November through April. Because of the "hit or miss" nature of tropical lows and thunderstorms, there is considerable variation from year to year. This millennium has seen the wettest year on record, with 2400 millimetres (94.5 in) precipitation in 2000, and the second driest year on record, when Townsville received only 467 millimetres (18.4 in) in 2001 (driest year was 1969 – 464 millimetres (18.3 in)). Rainfall also varies considerably within the metropolitan area; it typically ranges from 1136 millimetres (44.7 in) at central Townsville City
Townsville City, Queensland
Townsville City is the name of a suburb of the city of Townsville, Queensland, and essentially represents the Central Business District. Townsville CBD is in close proximity to The Strand and Castle Hill-Description:...
to 853 millimetres (33.6 in) at Woodstock
Woodstock, Queensland
Woodstock is a small rural community and suburb 40 km west in the rural area of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The Woodstock General Store is the local shop, cafe, news agent, service station, bank and post office...
, a southwestern suburb.
December is the warmest month of the year with daily mean maximum and minimum temperatures being 31.4 °C (88.5 °F) and 24 °C (75.2 °F) respectively. July is the coolest month with daily mean maximum and minimum temperatures being 25 °C (77 °F) and 13.5 °C (56.3 °F). Townsville experiences an annual mean of 8.4 hours of sunshine per day, averaging 121.7 clear days per year.
Tropical cyclones
Like most of North Queensland, Townsville is prone to tropical cycloneTropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
s. They usually occur between November and May (the so-called Cyclone Season), forming mainly out in the Coral Sea, and usually tracking west to the coast. Notable cyclones to affect the Townsville Region have been: Cyclone Yasi
Cyclone Yasi
Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi was a tropical cyclone that made landfall in northern Queensland, Australia in the early hours of Thursday, 3 February 2011. Yasi originated from a tropical low near Fiji. The system intensified to a Category 3 cyclone at about 5pm AEST on 31 January 2011...
(2011), Cyclone Tessi (2000), Cyclone Sid (1998, in particular damaging The Strand
The Strand, Townsville
The Strand is a seaside foreshore located in Townsville, Australia. It is located in the suburb of North Ward. The Strand has a view of the Port of Townsville and Magnetic Island, as well as to Cape Cleveland...
), Cyclone Joy (1990), Cyclone Althea (1971), Cyclone Leonta (1903) and Cyclone Sigma (1896).
Governance
Townsville is the Northern Queensland administrative centre for many State and Federal Government agencies, housing the area offices of many departments and governmental bodies such as CentrelinkCentrelink
Centrelink is the trading name of the Commonwealth Service Delivery Agency , a statutory authority responsible for delivering human services on behalf of agencies of the Commonwealth Government of Australia. The majority of Centrelink's services are the disbursement of social security payments...
and the Australian Taxation Office
Australian Taxation Office
The Australian Taxation Office is an Australian Government statutory agency and the principal revenue collection body for the Australian Government. The ATO has responsibility for administering the Australian federal taxation system and superannuation legislation...
.
Local
Townsville is governed by a City CouncilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
, comprising an independently elected Mayor and 12 Councillors. Following local government reform undertaken by the Government of Queensland
Government of Queensland
The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
prior to the March 2008 elections, the previous entities of NQ Water, The City of Townsville and the City of Thuringowa were amalgamated. The Councillors do not represent separate divisions (known as wards) within the local government area, but have been self-allocated areas of responsibility. Council may go back to divisions for individual Councillors for the 2012 election depending on the State Government.
The Mayor of Townsville is Les Tyrell
Les Tyrell
Les Tyrell is an Australian local government politician. He has been the Mayor of the City of Townsville since March 2008. He previously served as Mayor of the City of Thuringowa from 1991 until it became part of the City of Townsville in March 2008...
(Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
), who was elected on 15 March 2008. Tyrell was the immediate past Mayor for 17 years of the former local government authority, the City of Thuringowa. The previous Mayor of Townsville for 19 years was Tony Mooney
Tony Mooney
Anthony John "Tony" Mooney AM is an Australian politician and was a City Councillor of the City of Townsville, Queensland from 1977 to 2008, and the Mayor from 1989 to 2008.-Overview:...
(Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
). All except one of the current Councillors have declared themselves as independents, although most were elected as part of "Team Tyrell". Jenny Hill, the only previous Councillor of the previous Townsville City to be re-elected, is a member of the Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
.
State
In the unicameral Queensland Parliament four electorates cover the Townsville Region:- Electoral district of BurdekinElectoral district of BurdekinBurdekin is an electoral district in the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the state of Queensland, Australia. Centred on the Ayr–Home Hill region, the electorate also includes some of Townsville's southern suburbs as well as the coal-mining town of Collinsville...
(southern suburbs): Rosemary Menkens MP (Liberal National Party of Queensland) – OppositionOpposition (Australia)Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in Australia fulfils the same function as the official opposition in other Commonwealth of Nations monarchies. It is seen as the alternative government and the existing administration's main opponent at a general election...
Shadow Minister for Environment, Multiculturalism and Women - Electoral district of MundingburraElectoral district of MundingburraThe district of Mundingburra is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.- Overview :The seat is one of four within the Townsville urban area in North Queensland. Significant utilities within the Mundingburra electorate are the Townsville Hospital,...
(central/southern suburbs): Hon Lindy Nelson-Carr MPLindy Nelson-CarrLindel Helena "Lindy" Nelson-Carr , an Australian Politician, has been the Queensland Government Minister for Communities, Disability Services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Partnerships, Multicultural Affairs, Seniors and Youth since September 2007 and has been the State Member for...
(Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
) - Electoral district of ThuringowaElectoral district of ThuringowaThe district of Thuringowa is an electorate in the Legislative Assembly of the state of Queensland, Australia.The division encompasses suburbs of the former City of Thuringowa on the western edge of Townsville in North Queensland, stretching from Deeragun in the north to Kelso in the south...
(western/northern suburbs): Hon Craig Wallace MPCraig WallaceCraig Andrew Wallace is an Australian politician. He is the member for Thuringowa in the Queensland State Parliament, to which he was elected to on 7 February 2004....
(Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
) – Government Minister for Transport and Main RoadsDepartment of Transport and Main RoadsThe Department of Transport and Main Roads is a department of the Queensland Government. The department manages Queensland's approximately 33,000 km state-controlled road network, which includes more than 6,500 bridges and major culverts...
and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland - Electoral district of TownsvilleElectoral district of TownsvilleThe district of Townsville is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland. The seat is one of four within the Townsville urban area in North Queensland, and covers the Eastern and Northern suburbs of the City of Townsville as well as Magnetic Island and...
(CBD + MagneticMagnetic IslandMagnetic Island is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville, with 2,107 permanent residents. The island is accessible from Townsville Breakwater to Nelly Bay Harbour by ferry...
& PalmPalm Island, QueenslandPalm Island is an Aboriginal community located on Great Palm Island, also called by the Aboriginal name "Bwgcolman", an island on the Great Barrier Reef in North Queensland, Australia The settlement is also known by a variety of other names including "the Mission", Palm Island Settlement or Palm...
Islands): Mandy Johnstone MPMandy JohnstoneAmanda Ann "Mandy" Johnstone is an Australian politician. She has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly since 2009, representing Townsville. Mandy Johnstone is also the first female politician elected to the seat of Townsville. -References:...
(Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
)
Federal
The majority of the population of Townsville is represented in the Australian House of RepresentativesAustralian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
by Ewen Jones
Ewen Jones
Ewen Thomas Jones is an Australian politician representing the division of Herbert for the Liberal National Party since the 2010 Australian Federal election....
(Liberal National Party), elected as the member for the Division of Herbert
Division of Herbert
The Division of Herbert is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. Eligible voters within the Division elect a single representative, known as the member for Herbert, to the Australian House of Representatives. The division was first contested at the 1901 election...
at the recent Federal elections on 21 August 2010. Historically a swinging seat, it is only held by a small margin. Some of the suburbs on the southern fringe of the urban area are part of the Division of Dawson
Division of Dawson
The Division of Dawson is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Anderson Dawson, the first Labor Premier of Queensland and leader of the first parliamentary socialist government anywhere in the world...
and are represented by George Christensen, representing the Liberal National Party, who is based in Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
(about 400 km south of Townsville). Some of the northern suburbs of Townsville, known collectively as the "Northern Beaches", are included in the Division of Kennedy
Division of Kennedy
The Division of Kennedy is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. The division is notable for its size, relative to other electoral divisions...
which is represented by Bob Katter MP
Bob Katter
Robert Carl "Bob" Katter is an Australian federal politician, a member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993 for the Division of Kennedy, and the leader of Katter's Australian Party...
(Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
).
Ian Macdonald
Ian Macdonald (Australian politician)
Ian Douglas Macdonald , Australian politician, has been a Liberal member of the Australian Senate since July 1990, representing Queensland. He was born in Brisbane, Queensland, and was a solicitor before entering politics...
(Liberal National Party) is one of twelve Senators elected by Queensland to the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
, is based in Townsville.
Economy
Gross Regional Product
A metropolitan area's gross regional product, i.e. GMP or GRP, is one of several measures of the size of its economy. Similar to GDP, GRP is defined as the market value of all final goods and services produced within a metropolitan area in a given period of time.-See also:*List of European...
over the median term, and 7.8% in 2006–07, for an average rate of approximately 9% per financial year. Tourism has of late helped in the city's expansion, though its traditional role is an industrial port (via the Port of Townsville
Port of Townsville
Port of Townsville is a seaport in Townsville, Queensland. It is the third largest seaport in Queensland after Port of Brisbane and the Central Queensland Port in Gladstone. Port of Townsville handles numerous imports and exports mainly, Mineral Ores, Fertiliser, Concentrates, Sugar and Motor...
) for exporting minerals from Mount Isa
Mount Isa, Queensland
-Culture and sport:The local theatre group, the Mount Isa Theatrical Society, or MITS, often holds plays and musicals, at least once every few months or so....
and Cloncurry
Cloncurry, Queensland
-Notable residents:*Writer Alexis Wright grew up in Cloncurry.*Association Footballer Kasey Wehrman was born in Cloncurry . He went on to play domestically and in Scandinavia. His achievements include winning a NSL Championship in 1996-1997 with the Brisbane Strikers and being capped several times...
, beef and wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
from the western plains, as well as sugar and timber from the coastal regions, trades which continue to influence corporate growth strategies.
Economic growth in the region was "not restricted to heavy industry growth attributed to the resources boom under the Howard Government
Howard Government
The Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard Government...
, [as] the region’s tourism growth also outstripped neighbouring regions."
- Residents in Townsville have average household incomes about 10% above the state average: in 2003/04 it was closer to the New South Wales average than the Queensland average.
- The city remains popular with tourists, and backpackers are particularly drawn to Magnetic Island and the Great Barrier ReefGreat Barrier ReefThe Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
. The city has excellent diving and snorkelling facilities, with a variety of vessels using the port as a home base for their reef tourism activities.
In 2004, there were 11,762 businesses in Townsville and 4,610 in Thuringowa. There were still "lots of well-paying job opportunities" in the city itself come mid-2008
Late 2000s recession in Australasia
The business community in Australia and New Zealand had been affected by global financial crisis for a number of reasons. Although regional banks generally have good liquidity requirements, the commercial wing of the industry was overexposed to sovereign wealth funds and governments made few...
, when the number of unemployed had risen (nationally) by 100,000 workers, including "considerable employment requirements" in the trades (280 job vacancies), engineering (117), administration (100), sales (97) and hospitality (90). Townsville hosted the head office of $4 billion financial advice company Storm Financial
Storm Financial
Storm Financial Limited was a financial advice company, based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The company was founded by Emmanual Cassimatis and his wife Julie Cassimatis in 2004. It went into administration in January 2009 and was placed in liquidation on 26 March 2009...
, until its collapse in early 2009.
The city also has its own manufacturing and processing industries. Townsville is the only city globally to refine three different base metals—Zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
, Copper and Nickel—and it is currently in strong contention for an aluminium refinery. Nickel ore is imported from Indonesia, the Philippines and New Caledonia and processed at the Yabulu Nickel refinery, 30 kilometres north of the port. Zinc ore is transported by rail from the Cannington Mine, south of Cloncurry, for smelting at the Sun Metals refinery south of Townsville. Copper concentrate from the smelter at Mount Isa is also railed to Townsville for further refining at the copper refinery at Stuart.
Townsville has several large public assets as a result of its relative position and population. These include the largest campus of the only university in northern Queensland, James Cook University
James Cook University
James Cook University is a public university based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The university has two Australian campuses, located in Townsville and Cairns respectively, and an international campus in Singapore. JCU is the second oldest university in Queensland—proclaimed in 1970—and the...
, the CSIRO
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia...
Davies Laboratory, the Australian Institute of Marine Science
Australian Institute of Marine Science
The Australian Institute of Marine Science is a state-of-the-art tropical marine research centre located primarily at Cape Ferguson, 50km by road east of Townsville in North Queensland, Australia. It was established in 1972, by the Commonwealth of Australia...
headquarters, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the large Army base at Lavarack Barracks
Lavarack Barracks
Lavarack Barracks is a major Australian Army base located in Townsville, Queensland. Lavarack Barracks is currently home to the Army's 3rd Brigade and 11th Brigade. Elements of the 3rd Brigade based at the Barracks include the Combat Signals Regiment, 3rd Combat Services Support Battalion and the...
and RAAF Base Townsville
RAAF Base Townsville
RAAF Base Townsville is, along with RAAF Base Tindal and RAAF Base Darwin, one of northern Australia's primary defence installations. It is also Headquarters for No...
.
Demographics
- For a full list of suburbs in Townsville and the surrounding region see Suburbs of Townsville
Townsville has a younger population than the Australian and Queensland averages. The city has traditionally experienced a high turnover of people, with the army base and government services bringing in many short to medium term workers. The region has also become popular with mine workers on fly in/fly out
Fly-in fly-out
Fly-in fly-out is a method of employing people in remote areas. It is often abbreviated to FIFO when referring to employment status. This is common in large mining states in Australia...
contracts. Major improvements to the lifestyle infrastructure over the past 10 years has led to a higher living standard, and consequently the population boom. In 2005–06, the Townsville Statistical District grew at just over 3 per cent and was the fifth fastest growing district or division in Australia. Between 2000 and 2005 the annual average population growth in Townsville was 2.5%, compared with 2.2% for Queensland overall.
Population statistics
| 2006 Census Category |
Townsville | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Occupation – Defence |
6.1% | 0.3% |
| Occupation – School Education |
4.8% | 4.5% |
| Occupation – Hospitals |
4.0% | 3.3% |
| Occupation – Cafes, Restaurants and Takeaway |
4.0% | 3.6% |
| Indigenous Persons | 5.7% | 2.3% |
| English only spoken at home | 89.1% | 78.5% |
| Italian only spoken at home | 0.6% | 1.6% |
| Greek only spoken at home | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| German only spoken at home | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Born in Australia | 81.6% | 70.9% |
| Born in England | 2.8% | 4.3% |
| Born in New Zealand | 2.2% | 2.0% |
| 0–4 years old | 7.1% | 6.3% |
| 5–14 years old | 14.6% | 13.5% |
| 15–24 years old | 16.8% | 13.6% |
| 25–54 years old | 43.1% | 42.2% |
| 55–64 years old | 9.2% | 11.0% |
| 65 years old + | 9.3% | 13.3% |
Medium range population projections
| Projection year | Townsville |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 191,329 |
| 2016 | 218,660 |
| 2021 | 239,619 |
| 2026 | 255,986 |
| 2031 | 270,500 |
Historical yearly population statistics
| year |
Townsville |
category of population estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 148 767 (+3%) | ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia... preliminary |
| 2004 | 144 417 (+2.6%) | ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia... revised |
| 2003 | 140 761 (+2.4%) | ABS revised |
| 2002 | 137 507 (+2.6%) | ABS revised |
| 2001 | 134 073 +9.5% since 1996 |
figures from 2001 Census Census in Australia The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,... |
| 2000 | 131 100 | ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia... final |
| 1999 | 127 873 | ABS final |
| 1996 | 122 415 |
figures from 1996 Census |
| 1991 | 114 063 | figures from 1991 Census |
| 1988 | 110 300 |
Education
- See List of schools in Townsville.
There are over 60 private and State schools
Public and private education in Australia
Schools in Australia can be classified according to sources of funding and administrative structures. There are two broad categories of school in Australia: Public schools and Private schools, the latter of which can be further subdivided into Catholic schools and Independent...
of primary and secondary education within the Townsville area. Townsville Grammar School
Townsville Grammar School
Townsville Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, day, International Baccalaureate and boarding school, located in Townsville, Queensland, Australia....
is the oldest co-educational school on the Australian mainland.
James Cook University
James Cook UniversityJames Cook University
James Cook University is a public university based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The university has two Australian campuses, located in Townsville and Cairns respectively, and an international campus in Singapore. JCU is the second oldest university in Queensland—proclaimed in 1970—and the...
(JCU) is a public university
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
based in Townsville. Established in 1970, the main campus is located in the suburb of Douglas
Douglas, Queensland
Douglas is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia south of the Ross River and west of the city centre.Though mainly residential, it does contain James Cook University and the Townsville Hospital...
. JCU was the second university in Queensland and the first in North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
. The University has a strong and internationally recognised expertise in marine & tropical biology. The JCU Medical School
James Cook University School of Medicine and Dentistry
-History:Originally opened as the School of Medicine in February 2000, this was Australia's first new medical school in 25 years and the only medical school in northern Australia. It was the first of a wave of new medical schools that were accredited under the Howard Government that include the...
was established in 1999 and is linked with the adjacent tertiary-level Townsville Hospital
Townsville Hospital
The Townsville Hospital is a public tertiary care hospital in the city of Townsville and serves patients from the entire North Queensland region, with patients from as far as Mount Isa and Cape York being airlifted or transported to the Hospital on a daily basis. The hospital is relatively new and...
. The Veterinary Sciences undergraduate facility is the newest in Australia. In 2007 the University announced a billion dollar expansion, aimed at completely redeveloping the University campuses, facilities and attracting more students to JCU.
Vocational education
The city is home to the Barrier Reef Institute of TAFEBarrier Reef Institute of TAFE
The Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE is an international vocational college with two campuses in Townsville and six campuses spread over North Queensland, Australia...
– a Technical and Further Education College, a campus of the Australian Agricultural College Corporation and a new Australian Technical College – North Queensland campus which opened in 2007 in the Douglas
Douglas, Queensland
Douglas is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia south of the Ross River and west of the city centre.Though mainly residential, it does contain James Cook University and the Townsville Hospital...
suburb.
Culture, events and festivals
The Australian Festival of Chamber MusicAustralian Festival of Chamber Music
The Australian Festival of Chamber Music is a ten-day international festival focused on chamber music but also featuring tours of regional and remote Australia, fine food, master classes for musicians and lecture series by international scientists themed on the Great Barrier Reef.20 to 30 chamber...
is an international chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
festival held over ten days each July in Townsville, North Queensland. The festival has been running since 1991, and attracts many acclaimed international and Australian musicians. Townsville also has its own orchestra, the Barrier Reef Orchestra
Barrier Reef Orchestra
The Barrier Reef Orchestra is a community orchestra located in Townsville, Queensland Australia. The Orchestra promotes itself as "the North's own orchestra" and is a part of North Queensland Ensembles, it is currently based at the Riverway Arts Centre....
, which presents concerts throughout North Queensland. The Townsville Entertainment Centre
Townsville Entertainment Centre
Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre is an indoor sports arena, located in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The capacity of the arena is 5,257 and was built in 1993....
, seating over 5000 people, is host to many national and international music shows, as well as sporting and trade shows.
The region has many renowned festivals, many which celebrate the international heritage of many that call North Queensland home. The Annual Greek and Italian Festivals are popular with the locals and tourists alike. The Townsville South hotel and restaurant strip hosts an annual Palmer Street Jazz Festival, as does nearby Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville, with 2,107 permanent residents. The island is accessible from Townsville Breakwater to Nelly Bay Harbour by ferry...
(The Great Tropical Jazz Party). The Stable on the Strand
Stable on the Strand
For five days before Christmas each year, Townsville’s major ocean-front park, The Strand is transformed into the historic town of Bethlehem, complete with Roman soldiers, traditional craftspeople, livestock, shepherds and of course Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.-The story:An interactive re-creation...
is celebrated each Christmas.
The Townsville Civic Theatre is North Queensland's premier cultural facility. Since its opening in 1978, the Theatre has been a centre of entertainment and performing arts, providing an environment to further develop the performing arts in Townsville and the North. The Tropic Sun Theatre Company
Tropic Sun Theatre Company
Full Throttle Theatre Company is an organisation based in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia which is primarily focused on promoting theatre and the arts in the region...
is a professional theatre company based in Townsville. Tropic Sun showcases the talents of local actors, designers, directors and playwrights. It presents four major shows a year.
The Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery is a public art gallery in the City Centre of Townsville, Queensland, Australia.Located on the eastern end of Flinders Mall, the Gallery has a collection of over 2 000 artworks and hosts touring national and international exhibits. The gallery focuses on artwork...
is the public art gallery of Townsville. Located on the eastern end of Flinders Mall, the Gallery focuses on artwork relevant to North Queensland and the Tropics. Every second September the gallery presents sculpture artworks and art festival called Strand Ephemera
Ephemera
Ephemera are transitory written and printed matter not intended to be retained or preserved. The word derives from the Greek, meaning things lasting no more than a day. Some collectible ephemera are advertising trade cards, airsickness bags, bookmarks, catalogues, greeting cards, letters,...
, exhibited over the two kilometre beachfront strip.
The Townsville City Council and Townsville Intercultural Centre annually organises Cultural Fest in mid August in the Strand. The Cultural Fest showcases the cultural diversity of the city and dance, food, and music from different ethnic groups in the region bring the city to life.
The North Queensland Australian Computer Society based in Townsville hold monthly events relating to advancing computer knowledge.
The city has many restaurants, concentrated on Palmer Street in South Townsville, Flinders Street and to a lesser extend along the Strand. The city also has a vibrant pub and night-club scene, many of them located in Flinders Street East. Local and national music groups can often be found performing live in these venues.
Media and communications
Townsville is the media centre for North Queensland, with 5 commercial radio stations, North Queensland ABC radio station, 3 commercial television stations, one regional daily newspaper and one community weekly newspaper (both owned by News Ltd). There are no local Sunday papers although The Sunday Mail (Qld) – based in Brisbane – does have a North Queensland edition. Media distributed on the World Wide Web include the Townsville BulletinTownsville Bulletin
The Townsville Bulletin is a daily newspaper published in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It is the only daily paper that serves the northern Queensland region. The paper has a print edition, a free World Wide Web edition, and a subscription digital edition.The newspaper is published by The...
.
Sport and recreation
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
(National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
), the Townsville Fire
Townsville Fire
The Townsville Fire are a basketball team competing in the Australian Women's National Basketball League . Since being established for the 2001/2002 WNBL season, the Fire have sustained community support, but on-court success has eluded them....
(Women's National Basketball League
Women's National Basketball League
The Women's National Basketball League is the pre-eminent women's professional basketball league in Australia. It currently is composed of ten teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Basketball League...
) and the Townsville Crocodiles
Townsville Crocodiles
The Townsville Crocodiles are a professional Australian basketball team based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in the National Basketball League...
, (National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
)
The Dairy Farmers Stadium
Dairy Farmers Stadium
The Willows Sports Complex, currently known as Dairy Farmers Stadium due to sponsorship rights, is a grass football stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It has historically been used mainly for rugby league, and is the home ground of the National Rugby League club the North...
is the home ground for the Cowboys. Built in 1995 the stadium has a capacity of 30,302. Dairy Farmers Stadium
Dairy Farmers Stadium
The Willows Sports Complex, currently known as Dairy Farmers Stadium due to sponsorship rights, is a grass football stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It has historically been used mainly for rugby league, and is the home ground of the National Rugby League club the North...
was an official venue the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup, with three matches played in Townsville. Townsville hosted the popular Japanese national rugby union team
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
. The Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
have also played at Dairy Farmers Stadium. Tony Ireland Stadium
Tony Ireland Stadium
The Tony Ireland Stadium is an international standard AFL and cricket stadium in Thuringowa Central, Townsville, Australia. The stadium is a part of the Riverway sporting and cultural complex.-Facilities:...
, in the suburb of Thuringowa
Thuringowa Central, Queensland
Thuringowa Central is a suburb and a commercial hub in western Townsville, Queensland. It was the central business district of the former City of Thuringowa before its amalgamation with the adjacent City of Townsville in 2008. While consisting of predominantly commercial buildings it also contains...
, has an international standard cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and AFL
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
stadium.
Townsville also hosts two Touch Football
Touch football
Touch football may refer to:* Touch football , a variant of American football where players touch, rather than tackle, their opponents* Touch rugby, games derived from rugby football in which players touch, rather than tackle, their opponents...
associations. The Townsville/Castle Hill Touch Association (TCHTA) conducts competitions annually at its grounds at Queens Park, Townsville. Thuringowa Touch Association (TTA) also conducts competitions at Greenwood Park, Kirwan
Kirwan, Queensland
Kirwan is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Kirwan includes parks, shopping, Kirwan State High School and private schools as well as the Riverway complex which has a great deal of entertainment from swimming, BBQ's and family outings to cultural events including an art gallery and...
.. Both competitions have produced a host of regional, state and national representative players and officials.
Townsville and its surrounding suburbs host a number of junior and senior rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
sides in the successful Townsville District Rugby League, including A-grade sides: Bindal Sharks, Brothers Townsville, University Saints and Centrals ASA Tigers. The junior league has produced a number of Australian internationals such as, Gordon Tallis and Gene Miles
Gene Miles
Gene Miles is a retired Australian rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative centre, he played his club football in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership before joining the Brisbane Broncos whom he captained.-BRL:A...
and it is an important junior nursery for the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
AFL Townsville operate a regional Australian rules football league in the region. Jake Spencer
Jake Spencer (footballer)
Jake Spencer is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing with the with the Melbourne Demons in the Australian Football League. Spencer, a ruckman, is the first person from Townsville to be drafted and play in the AFL club,-Early life:Spencer moved to Townsville at age 18 months...
is the first local player to play in the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
.
Several Australian Test and ODI cricketers have come out of Townsville including current fast bowler Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson (cricketer)
Mitchell Guy Johnson is an Australian cricketer. He is a left-arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman. He was awarded the International Cricket Council's 2009 "Cricketer of the Year" award, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.-Career:...
and also former Australian squad member Andrew Symonds
Andrew Symonds
Andrew Symonds is a former Australian cricket team all-rounder. A two-time World Cup winner, Symonds is a right-handed middle order batsman and alternates between medium pace and off-spin bowling....
who both honed their skills as juniors at Wanderers Cricket Club.
A V8 Supercars race track is located in Townsville, and the inaugural annual Townsville 400
2009 Dunlop Townsville 400
The 2009 Dunlop Townsville 400 was the sixth race meeting of the 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series. It contained Rounds 11 and 12 of the series and was held on the weekend of 11–12 July at Townsville Street Circuit, in Townsville in Queensland, Australia.-New event:The 2009 Townsville 400...
was held in July 2009.
Townsville also has a 1/4 mile dragstrip
Bohle River Aerodrome
Bohle River Aerodrome was an aerodrome located west of Townsville, Queensland, Australia.The aerodrome was constructed in 1942, during World War II, for the Royal Australian Air Force as part of a group of airfields to be used as aircraft dispersal fields in the event of Imperial Japanese attack...
, Go cart and motorcross track.
Rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
is also available at Riverway Rowing Club and caters to competitive masters, social, learn to row and school based rowing programs. 2010 saw Riverway
Riverway, Townsville
Riverway is a riverfront parkland attraction located in the Condon Suburb of Townsville that opened in July 2006. It stretches along of the Ross River, with areas at Pioneer Park, Loam Island, Apex Park and Ross Park at the Ross River Dam. The areas of Riverway that have been completed are Pioneer...
claim their first Queensland Club Premiership.
Health
Douglas, Queensland
Douglas is a suburb of Townsville, Queensland, Australia south of the Ross River and west of the city centre.Though mainly residential, it does contain James Cook University and the Townsville Hospital...
. It is co-located with the James Cook University
James Cook University
James Cook University is a public university based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The university has two Australian campuses, located in Townsville and Cairns respectively, and an international campus in Singapore. JCU is the second oldest university in Queensland—proclaimed in 1970—and the...
School of Medicine. The hospital caters for the city of Townsville, as well as people in the north as far as Thursday Island and Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, west to Mount Isa and south to Sarina
Sarina, Queensland
Sarina is a town in central Queensland, Australia. It is situated south of the city of Mackay, and approximately north of the city of Rockhampton. At the 2006 census, Sarina had a population of 3,285....
. During the year 2010, the hospital admitted 54,941 patients, and had 60,676 presentations to the emergency department. The hospital is also the major tertiary maternity centre, with 2,308 babies delivered in 2010.
The Townsville Hospital is currently undergoing a $437 million dollar redevelopment, delivering an additional 100 beds, a four storey expanded Emergency Department, expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and expansion of oncology services. The Emergency Department will be the largest in Queensland.
There are four other public health campuses in Townsville: the Kirwan Health Campus, the Magnetic Island Health Service Centre, the North Ward Health Campus and the Townsville Hospital Dentist, located in North Ward
North Ward, Queensland
North Ward, is a suburb in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. North Ward is home to the beachside area known as The Strand, which overlooks Magnetic Island...
.
In addition there are two private hospitals in Townsville, the Mater Hospital and the Mater Women's and Children's Hospital
Mater Women's and Children's Hospital
Mater Women's and Children's Hospital in Hyde Park Townsville, Queensland was established in 2007 when the Sisters of Mercy bought the competing private obstetric hospital, the Wesley/Park Haven Hospital....
.
Transport
Townsville is the intersection point of the A1 (Bruce HighwayBruce Highway
The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is a part of the Australian National Highway and also part of Highway 1...
), and the A6 (Flinders Highway
Flinders Highway, Queensland
Flinders Highway is a highway that crosses Queensland from east to west, from Townsville on the Pacific coast to Cloncurry . Flinders Highway and passes a number of small outback towns. Typical outback landscape predominates towards the inland...
National Highways. The Townsville Ring Road
Townsville Ring Road
The Townsville Ring Road, is the future A1/M1 Route that will eventually bypass the inner metro area of Townsville, Australia. The road will be built in 4 stages with the first three stages built as a two-laned main road...
, planned to become part of the re-routed A1 route bypass, circumnavigates the city.
Townsville has a public transport system contracted to Sunbus Townsville
Sunbus Townsville
Sunbus is the principal provider of public transportation in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It operates bus routes under the new QConnect scheme in Regional Queensland.- Service Area :...
, which provides regular services between many parts of the city. Public transport is also available from the CBD to Bushland Beach
Bushland Beach, Queensland
Bushland Beach is part of the Northern Beaches area of City of Townsville, Queensland, alongside the Bruce Highway. This beachside suburb is one of the fastest-growing suburbs in Townsville....
. Regular ferry and vehicular barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
services operate to Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is an island offshore from the city of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville, with 2,107 permanent residents. The island is accessible from Townsville Breakwater to Nelly Bay Harbour by ferry...
and Palm Island
Palm Island, Queensland
Palm Island is an Aboriginal community located on Great Palm Island, also called by the Aboriginal name "Bwgcolman", an island on the Great Barrier Reef in North Queensland, Australia The settlement is also known by a variety of other names including "the Mission", Palm Island Settlement or Palm...
.
The Tilt Train service connects Townsville to Brisbane in the south and Cairns in the north. Townsville is a major destination and generator of rail freight services. The North Coast railway line
North Coast railway line, Queensland
The North Coast railway line is a narrow gauge railway line in Queensland, Australia. It runs from Brisbane, along the Queensland coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The line is electrified between Brisbane and Rockhampton...
, operated by Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
, meets the Western line in the city's south. Container operations are also common and the products of the local nickel and copper refineries, as well as minerals from the western line (Mount Isa), are transported to the port via trains. The Port of Townsville
Port of Townsville
Port of Townsville is a seaport in Townsville, Queensland. It is the third largest seaport in Queensland after Port of Brisbane and the Central Queensland Port in Gladstone. Port of Townsville handles numerous imports and exports mainly, Mineral Ores, Fertiliser, Concentrates, Sugar and Motor...
has bulk handling facilities for importing cement, nickel ore and fuel, and for exporting sugar and products from North Queensland's mines. The port has three sugar storage sheds, with the newest being the largest under-cover storage area in Australia.
The city is served by Townsville International Airport
Townsville International Airport
Townsville Airport is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Townsville. The airport is also known as Townsville International Airport, and Garbutt Airport, a reference to its location in the Townsville suburb of Garbutt...
. The Airport handles direct domestic flights to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, and Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
as well as direct regional flights to destinations such as Cairns, Mount Isa, Rockhampton
Rockhampton
Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia...
and Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
. Airlines currently servicing the airport include Qantas, Virgin Blue, Jetstar, Regional Express, Qantaslink, Strategic, and Skytrans.
Defence facilities
The Australian ArmyAustralian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
maintains a very strong presence in the north of Australia and this is evident by the basing of the Army's 3rd Brigade
Australian 3rd Brigade
The 3rd Brigade is a combined arms brigade of the Australian Army, based around the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment . It was originally formed in 1914 for service during World War I, taking part in the fighting at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in Europe...
in Townsville. The 3rd Brigade
Australian 3rd Brigade
The 3rd Brigade is a combined arms brigade of the Australian Army, based around the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment . It was originally formed in 1914 for service during World War I, taking part in the fighting at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in Europe...
is a light infantry brigade with significant air-mobile assets. The brigade consists of two light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s—the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War...
and the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and since then it has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and Vietnam War...
—and a cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
contingent from 'B' Squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment. It also has integral Artillery, Engineer, Aviation Reconnaissance and Combat Service Support units. It is a high readiness brigade that has been deployed frequently at very short notice on combat operations outside mainland Australia. These include Somalia, Rwanda, Namibia, East Timor, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan.
In addition to the 3rd Brigade, a number of other major units are based in Townsville. These include the 5th Aviation Regiment, equipped with Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters, co-located at the RAAF Base in Garbutt and the 10th Force Support Battalion
10th Force Support Battalion (Australia)
The 10th Force Support Battalion is an Australian Army logistics battalion. Formed on 1 March 1998, following the amalgamation of a number of terminal, supply, postal and transport units, it is based in Townsville, Queensland...
based at Ross Island. 10 FSB is a force logistics unit that provides back up logistic support to deployed units. The battalion provides specialist transport (including amphibious) and supply support. Along with this there is also the 11th Combat Service Support Battalion and the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment.
The Army also maintains an Army Reserve
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
brigade in Townsville designated the 11th Brigade
11th Brigade (Australia)
The Australian 11th Brigade is an Australian Army brigade which currently comprises most Australian Army Reserve units located in Queensland. The Brigade was first formed in early 1916 as part of the 3rd Division and saw action during World War I and World War II.-Brigade Structure:*Headquarters...
. This formation is similar in structure to the 3rd Brigade but comprises reserve soldiers only. There is also two active cadet units, 130 ACU located within Heatley Secondary College and 15 ACU located at Ignatius Park College.
As with the Army, the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
also maintains a presence in Townsville. RAAF Base Townsville
RAAF Base Townsville
RAAF Base Townsville is, along with RAAF Base Tindal and RAAF Base Darwin, one of northern Australia's primary defence installations. It is also Headquarters for No...
, which is located in the suburb of Garbutt, houses the Beech KingAir 350 aircraft from No. 38 Squadron RAAF
No. 38 Squadron RAAF
No. 38 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force transport squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1943 and saw active service in the Second World War, Korean War and Malayan Emergency. No. 38 Squadron has also supported Australian peacekeeping operations around the world including in Kashmir and East...
. This unit operated the venerable DHC-4 Caribou
De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou
The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou is a Canadian-designed and produced specialized cargo aircraft with short takeoff and landing capability...
aircraft until late 2009, however has re-equipped in the short term whilst protracted analysis for a more appropriate Battlefield Transport and Utility aircraft continues. This detachment provides support to the Army units in Townsville. The base is also a high readiness Defence asset and is prepared to accept the full range of RAAF aircraft types as well as other international aircraft including the huge C-17 Globemaster III
C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
and the Russian Antonov
Antonov
Antonov, or Antonov Aeronautical Scientist/Technical Complex , formerly the Antonov Design Bureau, is a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction. Antonov ASTC is a state-owned commercial company...
transport aircraft.
Townsville is also the staging point for the movement of personnel and materials to the remote parts of Northern Australia and many overseas locations.
Notable people
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, Australian athlete and Olympian - James CannanJames Harold CannanMajor General James Harold Cannan, CB, CMG, DSO, VD was an Australian Army brigadier general in the First World War and the Quartermaster General during the Second World War....
CB, CMG, DSO, former Australian Major General - Clem ChristesenClem ChristesenClement Byrne Christesen was the founder of the Australian literary magazine, Meanjin. He served as the magazine's editor from 1940 until 1974.-Early years:...
, journalist and editor of the Australian literary magazine, Meanjin - Natalie CookNatalie CookNatalie Louise Cook OAM is an Australian professional beach volleyball player and Olympic gold medallist.-Early life:...
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, Professional darts champion - Billy DoolanBilly DoolanFrederick William "Billy" Doolan Jnr is an Australian Indigenous artist who lives in Townsville, Queensland but does most of his current artwork in Melbourne, Victoria...
, Australian Indigenous Artist - Rick FarleyRick FarleyRichard Andrew Farley was a white Australian activist for the rights of Indigenous Australians.Born in Townsville, Queensland, Farley had a career which went from actor and hippie to journalist, Whitlam government staffer, head of the Cattlemen's Union and then to his most celebrated role, with...
, Australian activist for Indigenous Australians rights and former CEO National Farmers Federation - Renita Farrell-Garard, Australian Hockey player and dual Olympic gold medalist
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- Bill Heatley, former Liberal senator
- Bill Cranbrook, former Liberal senator
- James HopesJames HopesJames Redfern Hopes is an Australian cricketer. Hopes plays domestic cricket for Queensland and for Delhi Dare Devils in the Indian Premier League, he has represented Australia in One Day International and Twenty20 cricket.A medium pacer whose aggressive batting has been shuffled around the...
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, Australian cricketer - Laurie LawrenceLaurie LawrenceLaurie Joseph Lawrence , is an Australian swimming coach. He was also an Australia national rugby union team member in 1964.-Early life:...
, Australian Olympic swimming coach - Gene MilesGene MilesGene Miles is a retired Australian rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative centre, he played his club football in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership before joining the Brisbane Broncos whom he captained.-BRL:A...
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, Australian Rugby League player - Ralph Douglas Kenneth Reye, Australian pathologist who first described Reye's syndromeReye's syndromeReye's syndrome is a potentially fatal disease that causes numerous detrimental effects to many organs, especially the brain and liver, as well as causing a lower than usual level of blood sugar . The classic features are liver damage, aspirin use and a viral infection...
. - Madge RyanMadge RyanMadge Ryan was an Australian film, theatre and television actress.-Career:Already an established theatre actor in Sydney, Australia, she emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1957 and starred in many British stage shows...
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, Australian Football League player - Patricia StauntonPatricia StauntonPatricia Jane Staunton, AO is an Australian magistrate and former politician. She was a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1995 to 1997....
, Australian magistrate and former NSW politician - Gorden TallisGorden TallisGorden James Tallis is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played from 1992 to 2004. He captained Australia and Queensland as well as the Brisbane Broncos club, with whom he won three premierships and one Clive Churchill Medal...
, former Australian Rugby League player - Libby Trickett (née Lenton), Australian Olympic Swimmer
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, Australian choreographer