Townsville Queensland
The CBD from Museum of Tropical Queensland, Castle Hill in the background
Population:	143,328[1] (2006 census)  (13th)
• Density:	1061/km² (2748. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent The Museum of Tropical Queensland (abbreviated MTQ) is a museum of natural history Archaeology and history located in Townsville Queensland, Castle Hill is a huge pink Granite Monolith standing in the heart of the north Queensland City of Townsville. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology This list of Australian cities by population briefly explains the three different population figures given for Australian cities and provides rankings for each Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 0/sq mi)
Established:	1865
Area:	140. Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 2 km² (54. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 1 sq mi)
Time zone:	AEST (UTC+10)
Location:	1300 km (808 mi) from Brisbane
LGA:	City of Townsville
County:	Elphinstone
State District:	Townsville, Thuringowa, Mundingburra & Burdekin
Federal Division:	Herbert
Mean Max Temp Mean Min Temp Rainfall 28. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The UTC+10 Time zone covers the following locations Australia (AEST&mdash Australian Eastern Standard Time) Australian The UTC+10 Time zone covers the following locations Australia (AEST&mdash Australian Eastern Standard Time) Australian The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland The Local Government Areas (LGAs of Queensland, Australia are the areas for which particular Local Government authorities generally known as "Councils" This article is about the local government area of Townsville in Northern Queensland Cadastral divisions of Australia (also called Land administrative divisions) refers to the parts of Australia which are divided into the cadastral units The County of Elphinstone is a cadastral division of Queensland which contains the city of Townsville. State Electoral District is a term used to refer to an electorate within the Lower House or Legislative The Electoral district of Townsville is an electorate in the Legislative Assembly of the state of Queensland, Australia. The Electoral district of Thuringowa is an electorate in the Legislative Assembly of the state of Queensland, Australia. The Electoral district of Mundingburra is a Queensland State Parliament electorate in the city of Townsville Queensland. Burdekin is an electoral district in the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the state of Queensland, Australia. The Australian House of Representatives is elected from 150 single-member districts called Divisions. The Division of Herbert is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. 9 °C 84 °F 19. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 8 °C 68 °F 1,115. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 8 mm 43. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International 9 in

Location of Townsville within Australia

Panorama of Townsville from Mt Stuart, with Magnetic Island in the distance

Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. Magnetic Island, just offshore from the city of Townsville Queensland, Australia, in Cleveland Bay is a 52 km² mountainous island which has effectively become a For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest Coral reef system in the world composed of over 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 2600 kilometres (1600 mi Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast with the 2006 census recording the Townsville Statistical District (the urban centre) population to be 143,328 people. The Sunshine Coast (population 290645 with up to an additional 50000 in visitors and seasonal workers is a coastal region located in South East Queensland, north of the ^[1] Townsville is seen as the unofficial capital of North Queensland^[2][3] as it hosts a significant number of governmental, community and major business administrative offices for the northern half of the state. North Queensland is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia.

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. The Strand is a seaside foreshore located in Townsville, Australia. Riverway is a riverfront parkland attraction located in the Condon Suburb of Townsville that opened in July 2006 RossAplinjpg|thumb|right|200px|Ross River looking towards Aplin's Weir]] The Ross River is the main river that flows through Townsville, Queensland Reef HQ (typeset as ReefHQ is the largest living Coral reef Aquarium. An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria) is a Vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which Water -dwelling Plants The Great Barrier Reef is the largest Coral reef system in the world composed of over 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 2600 kilometres (1600 mi The Museum of Tropical Queensland (abbreviated MTQ) is a museum of natural history Archaeology and history located in Townsville Queensland, HMS Pandora was a 24-gun Porcupine class Frigate of the Royal Navy, built by Adams and Barnard at Deptford, England and Magnetic Island, just offshore from the city of Townsville Queensland, Australia, in Cleveland Bay is a 52 km² mountainous island which has effectively become a A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution

History

Establishment

The city started life inauspiciously in 1859 when a sea captain by the name of Robert Towns commissioned John Melton Black to build a wharf on Cleveland Bay to service the new cattle industry inland. Robert Towns (c 1794 - April 11 1873) was an Australian businessman pastoralist and founder of Townsville. The location for the town was dictated by its location between the Burdekin and Herbert rivers, which, when in flood, could isolate access to the area by land for months at a time. The town was gazetted in 1865 and was declared a city in 1903.

Townsville/Thuringowa

In 1864, Townsville covered a very small area of land at the mouth of Ross Creek (an arm of the Ross River) and around Castle Hill. Ross Creek is an estuary inlet within the city of Townsville Queensland. RossAplinjpg|thumb|right|200px|Ross River looking towards Aplin's Weir]] The Ross River is the main river that flows through Townsville, Queensland Castle Hill is a huge pink Granite Monolith standing in the heart of the north Queensland City of Townsville. Originally just a Road Board, in 1882 the (then) Thuringowa Shire had to cede land to the growing city of Townsville by the State, and by 1916 Townsville had progressively expanded into a large amount of previously Shire land. ^[4] Between the two world wars Townsville continued to expand into many areas of Thuringowa Shire. The City of Thuringowa ( was a City / Local Government Area in North Queensland, Australia covering the northern and western parts of what Many of the settlements of Thuringowa became part of the City of Townsville. ^[4] Thuringowa Shire Council often went though hard times due to continually building infrastructure for new suburbs which it was then forced to cede to Townsville City Council. It also lost the ratepayers who would have paid for that infrastructure over the long term. ^[4]

Although historically the two City Councils and Mayors worked very well together and shared major infrastructure, there was an issue of unnecessary duplication of services. ^[4] Since its transformation into a City, Thuringowa had become more densely populated as the urban sprawl spread beyond the original urban focus. Minor boundary adjustments were made recently to attempt the rationalise the border between the two Local Government Areas. Friendly rivalry between the two cities councils had positive benefits to Townsville resulting in such projects as Thuringowa's Riverway as an alternative to The Strand. Riverway is a riverfront parkland attraction located in the Condon Suburb of Townsville that opened in July 2006 The Strand is a seaside foreshore located in Townsville, Australia. ^[5]

The two separate Cities and their councils merged in March 2008 as part of the Queensland State Government's Local Government Reform program which intends to merge more than half of the state's Local Governments. They now call it the New Townsville

Japanese influence

In 1896, Japan established its first Australian consulate in the then town, primarily to service some 4,000 Japanese workers who arrived to work in the sugar cane, turtle, trochus, beche de mere and pearling industries. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in ^[6][7] With the introduction of the White Australia policy, the demand for Japanese workers decreased, causing the embassy to finally close in 1908. The White Australia policy is a term used to describe a collection of historical policies that intentionally restricted non-white Immigration to Australia from ^[7]

World War 2

During World War II, the city played host to over 50,000 American and Australian troops as it became a major staging point for battles in the South West Pacific. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The South West Pacific was one of two theatres of World War II in the Pacific region between 1942 and 1945. A large United States Armed Forces contingent supported the war effort from various bases around the city and General Douglas Macarthur made Townsville his base for sometime. The first bombing raid on Rabaul on 23 February 1942 was carried out by six B-17s based near Townsville. Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province Papua New Guinea. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It was common for B-26 Marauders, B-17 Flying Fortresss or B-25 Mitchell bombers to take off on long range bombing raids from Garbutt air base. See A-26 Invader for the plane known as the B-26 from 1948 to 1962 WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Townsville Airport is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Townsville.

Within the town a great deal of construction occurred during World War II. For example there are numerous hidden air raid bunkers, reports of secret tunnels and similar secret units.

• No. 3 Fighter Sector RAAF, Wulguru & North Ward (at that time in Thuringowa)
• 1 Wireless Unit, Pimlico & Stuart & Roseneath (at that time in Thuringowa)
• North Eastern Area Command HQ, Townsville, Federation building, Sturt St
• Castle Hill, Townsville underground tunnels & bunkers
• Green St. Bunker, West End, Sidney St West End, Project 81 (SES building)

In July 1942, the city was subjected to three small air raids by the Japanese. No 3 Fighter Sector (3FS was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF unit formed at Townsville Grammar School, Townsville, Australia on 25 No 1 Wireless Unit RAAF was an Australian Signals intelligence unit of World War II. North Eastern Area air defence command was one of the five Australian area defence commands during World War II. Castle Hill is a huge pink Granite Monolith standing in the heart of the north Queensland City of Townsville. The Green St Bunker West End (Townsville is also known as the Sidney St Several 500 lb bombs were dropped in the harbour, near the Garbutt airfield and at Oonoonba, Queensland - at the latter location craters are still clearly visible. Oonoonba ( is a suburb of Townsville that is approximately 6 kilometres from the centre of the central Townsville business district ^[8] No lives were lost and structural damage was minimal, as the Japanese missed their intended target of the railway and destroyed a palm tree. While the Japanese aircraft were intercepted on two of the three raids, no Japanese planes were shot down. ^[9]

1970 onwards

On Christmas Eve 1971, Tropical Cyclone Althea, a category 4 cyclone, battered the city and Magnetic Island, causing considerable damage. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. The 1970-1975 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons ran year-round from July 1 to June 30 during each year between 1970 and 1975 Other tropical storms have threatened the area in the intervening years, but with less effect.

In October 2000, a Solomon Islands Peace Agreement was negotiated in Townsville. The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands ^[10]

Urban layout

Urban development continues to expand west, north and south into the former rural areas, and 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. QR Limited is the company government-owned corporation responsible for the operation and maintenance of the railway system in the State of Queensland The skyline of Townsville's central business district is set for dramatic changes over the next few years, with a number of new highrise buildings under construction or in planning.

Medium term expansion of Townsville/Thuringowa will be in two major urban developments starting shortly. Rocky Springs, a planned satellite city to the south of Townsville, is expected to eventually be home to 50,000 people. Additionally, expansion to the North includes a new $1 billion 5,000-lot housing estate, which will be located close to the Bruce Highway, just north of the Bohle River. The Bruce Highway is the major coastal highway of Queensland, Australia. It will be the largest planned housing estate in North Queensland to this point. ^[11] The State Government announced in July 2007 the release of 10,000 ha of State-owned land to the north for future urban expansion.

Geography

Townsville in 2005.

Townsville lies approximately 1,300 km north of Brisbane, and 350 km south of Cairns. Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland 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. Magnetic Island, just offshore from the city of Townsville Queensland, Australia, in Cleveland Bay is a 52 km² mountainous island which has effectively become a

The Ross River flows through the city. RossAplinjpg|thumb|right|200px|Ross River looking towards Aplin's Weir]] The Ross River is the main river that flows through Townsville, Queensland 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. 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 Ross River Dam is located at the end of Riverway Drive in the city of Townsville, Australia, and is the is the major water supply for the region This is supplemented by pipelines from a smaller dam in the Paluma range to the north, and in times of drought, further water may be sourced by pumping from the Burdekin Dam. Paluma is a township of around 25 permanent residents in the Mount Spec ranges of Townsville 's heritage-listed Wet Tropics Because of the shifting sand bars at the mouth, Ross River is navigable only by small vessels, where speed and wash limits apply in most sections.

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. Ross Creek is an estuary inlet within the city of Townsville Queensland. However, the central city is dominated by the mass of red granite called Castle Hill, 292 metres high (just 8 metres short of being a mountain). Castle Hill is a huge pink Granite Monolith standing in the heart of the north Queensland City of Townsville. There is a lookout at the summit giving panoramic views of the city and its suburbs, including Cleveland Bay and Magnetic Island. Magnetic Island, just offshore from the city of Townsville Queensland, Australia, in Cleveland Bay is a 52 km² mountainous island which has effectively become a There are a number of parks scattered throughout the city, including three botanical gardens - Anderson Park, Queens Gardens and The Palmetum. Botanical gardens grow a wide variety of Plants primarily to categorize and document for scientific purposes Anderson Park is a 20 hectare Arboretum in the suburb of Pimlico in Townsville Queensland. Queens Gardens are one of three Botanical gardens of Townsville Queensland. The Palmetum is one of three Botanical gardens of Townsville Queensland.

Climate

The climate of Townsville as measured and recorded at the Townsville Airport.

The Townsville Region is characterised by its "dry" tropical climate (where the Outback meets the sea), with very distinct wet and dry seasons. The wet runs from November to March and there is rarely any rain during the other part of the year. The area receives a lower annual rainfall than the "wet" tropics due to its northern coastal orientation, because the south east trade winds move parallel to the coast rather than perpendicular to it.

The average rainfall ranges from 2571 millimetres at Paluma (north west of the city) to 1136 millimetres at Townsville City to 853 millimetres at Woodstock (inland south of the city). Paluma is a township of around 25 permanent residents in the Mount Spec ranges of Townsville 's heritage-listed Wet Tropics Woodstock is a small rural community and suburb 40km west in the Rural area of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Like most of North and Far North Queensland, Townsville is prone to Tropical Cyclones. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding 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 Tessi (2000), Cyclone Joy (1990), Cyclone Althea (1971), Cyclone Leonta (1903) and Cyclone Sigma (1896). The 1990-1995 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons ran year-round from July 1 to June 30 during each year between 1990 and 1995 The 1970-1975 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons ran year-round from July 1 to June 30 during each year between 1970 and 1975

Townsville has an average daily temperature between 19. 7 °C to 28. 8 °C. December is the warmest month of the year with daily temperatures ranging from 24. 0 °C to 31. 4 °C. July is the coolest month with daily temperatures ranging from 13. 5 °C to 25. 0 °C. Townsville experiences an annual average of 8. 4 hours of sunshine per day.

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 Centrelink and the Australian Taxation Office. Centrelink is the trading name of the Commonwealth Service Delivery Agency (CSDA a statutory authority responsible for delivering human services on behalf of agencies of the The Australian Taxation Office (ATO is the principal revenue collection agency for the Australian Government.

Local

Townsville is governed by a City Council, composed of a Mayor and 12 Councillors. A city council is a form of Local government, usually covering a City or other Urban area, such as a Town. Following local government reform undertaken by the Government of Queensland, NQ Water, the City of Townsville and the City of Thuringowa were merged. The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the Queensland Government. The City Council has no divisions however it may go back to divisions for individual Councillors for the 2012 election. The Mayor of Townsville is Les Tyrell (Independent) who was elected on 15 March 2008, Tyrell is the former Mayor of 17 years of the former local government authority of Thuringowa. Les Tyrell is an Australian local government politician He has been the Mayor of the City of Townsville since March 2008 In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The City of Thuringowa ( was a City / Local Government Area in North Queensland, Australia covering the northern and western parts of what The previous Mayor of Townsville for 19 years was Tony Mooney (Australian Labor Party). Tony Mooney was an Australian politician and was the mayor of the City of Townsville, Queensland from 1989 to 2008 and a City Councillor from 1984

State

In the Unicameral Queensland Parliament four electorates cover the Townsville Region:

• Electoral district of Burdekin (southern suburbs): Rosemary Menkens MP (National Party of Australia) -- Opposition Shadow Minister for Environment, Multiculturalism and Women
• Electoral district of Mundingburra (central/southern suburbs): Hon Lindy Nelson-Carr MP (Australian Labor Party) -- Government Minister for Communities, Disability Services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Partnerships, Multicultural Affairs, Seniors and Youth
• Electoral district of Thuringowa (western/northern suburbs): Hon Craig Wallace MP (Australian Labor Party) -- Government Minister for Natural Resources and Water and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland
• Electoral district of Townsville (CBD + Magnetic & Palm Islands): Hon Mike Reynolds MP (Australian Labor Party) -- Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the Queensland Parliament

Federal

Townsville is represented in the Australian House of Representatives by Peter Lindsay MP (Liberal Party of Australia), the Member for the Division of Herbert. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the Unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Burdekin is an electoral district in the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the state of Queensland, Australia. The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party. Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, commonly known as The Opposition, in Australia fulfils the same function as the Official opposition The Electoral district of Mundingburra is a Queensland State Parliament electorate in the city of Townsville Queensland. Hon Lindy Nelson-Carr MP an Australian Politician has been the Queensland Government Minister for Communities Disability Services Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the Queensland Government. The Electoral district of Thuringowa is an electorate in the Legislative Assembly of the state of Queensland, Australia. Craig 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 The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the Queensland Government. The Department of Natural Resources and Water is a Queensland Government department that administers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander matters Climate Change Policy and See Premiers of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Premier The Electoral district of Townsville is an electorate in the Legislative Assembly of the state of Queensland, Australia. A central business district ( CBD) is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city Magnetic Island, just offshore from the city of Townsville Queensland, Australia, in Cleveland Bay is a 52 km² mountainous island which has effectively become a Palm Island, also known as Great Palm Island, or by the Aboriginal name Bukaman, is a tropical island with a resident community of about 2000 people Mike Reynolds (born 16 September 1946) is the current Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly (Australia The Speaker (currently the Honourable Mike Reynolds AM MP is the Member of Parliament elected by the House to preside over sittings of the Legislative The Parliament of Queensland is the Legislature of Queensland, Australia. The House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers of the Parliament of Australia; it is the Lower house, the Upper house being the Senate Peter John Lindsay (born 4 May 1944) Australian politician has been a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party. The Division of Herbert is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. Historically a swinging seat, it is currently held by a small margin. .

Senator Ian Macdonald, one of twelve Australian Senators elected by Queensland, is the only one based in Townsville. Ian Douglas Macdonald (born 29 November 1945) Australian politician has been a Liberal member of the Australian Senate since

Economy

A crane in Townsville's skyline.

The Townsville Regional Economy is widely credited as being the most broad based economy in Australia outside of a capital city. Recent economic performance has been very strong, with 2004-05 economic growth estimated at 12. 0%. Over the last 15 years the local economy has outperformed the rest of the Queensland and Australian economy. Tourism has of late helped in the city's expansion, though its traditional role is as an industrial port (via Port of Townsville) for exporting minerals from Mount Isa and Cloncurry, also beef and wool from the western plains and sugar and timber from the coastal regions, and this continues to be of importance. 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 Mount Isa is a city in North-West Queensland, Australia. It came into existence because the area holds vast mineral deposits Cloncurry is a town situated in north west Queensland, Australia, 770 kilometres west of the city of Townsville via the Flinders Highway. Beef is the Culinary name for Meat from Bovines especially domestic Cattle (cows Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or Residents in Townsville have average household incomes about 10 per cent above the state average, in 2003/04 it was closer to the New South Wales average than the Queensland average. ^[12]

In 2004 there were 11,762 businesses in Townsville and 4,610 businesses in Thuringowa^[13]

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. Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Nickel (ˈnɪkəl is a metallic Chemical element with the symbol Ni and Atomic number 28 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 Mt Isa is also railed to Townsville for further refining at the copper refinery at Stuart.

Townsville has several large public assets due to 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. James Cook University (JCU is a Public University based in Townsville Queensland, Australia and was proclaimed on 20 April The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation ( CSIRO) is the national government body for scientific research in Australia. The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS is a state-of-the-art tropical marine research centre located primarily at Cape Ferguson 50km south of Townsville The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protects a large part of Australia 's Great Barrier Reef from damaging activities Lavarack Barracks is a major Australian Army base located in Townsville, Queensland. RAAF Base Townsville (Formerly RAAF Base Garbutt is along with RAAF Tindal and RAAF Darwin, one of northern Australia 's primary defence installations

The city remains popular with tourists, and backpackers are particularly drawn to Magnetic Island and the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest Coral reef system in the world composed of over 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 2600 kilometres (1600 mi 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. Conference tourism has become lucrative with national and international organisations choosing the area for many business forums.

See also: Shopping in Townsville

Demographics

For a full list of suburbs in Townsville and surrounding region see Suburbs of Townsville

Townsville has a younger population than the Australian and Queensland averages. Local shopping experience includes the markets with a night market conducted on the first Friday of each month at The Strand Park on the foreshore This article is a list of suburbs that make up the city of Townsville. 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. ^[14]

The annual average rate of change in population in the Townsville/Thuringowa between 30 June 2000 and 30 June 2005 was 2. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 5%, compared with 2. 2% for Queensland. ^[13]

Population statistics

Medium range population projections before Amalgamation

Yearly population statistics^[17]

Education

See List of schools in Townsville. Townsville School District is the Queensland educational district around Townsville, from Abergowrie in the north Greenvale in the west and to

There are over 60 private and State schools of primary and secondary education within the Townsville area. Schools in Australia can be classified according to sources of funding and administrative structures The largest Pimlico.

James Cook University

The largest of James Cook University's campuses is located in Douglas. James Cook University (JCU is a Public University based in Townsville Queensland, Australia and was proclaimed on 20 April Douglas is a suburb of Townsville, south of the Ross River and West of the City Centre The University is planning a billion dollar expansion, including extra student accommodation, a Student Village (i. e shopping mall, cafes, restaurants, etc. ), and extra faculties. The Veterinary Sciences undergraduate facility is the newest in Australia, while the Physical and Sports Recreation Science faculty was recently opened to students. James Cook University also has a Medical School which is linked with the tertiary level 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

Vocational education

The city is home to the Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE^[18] - a Technical and Further Education College, a campus of the Australian Agricultural College Corporation and a new Australian Technical College – North Queensland^[19] campus which opened in 2007 in Douglas. The Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE (BRIT is an international vocational college with 2 campuses in Townsville and 6 campuses spread over North Queensland, Australia Technical and Further Education or TAFE (pronounced) institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses in Australia Australian Technical Colleges (ATCs are a class of Australian senior secondary school funded by the Australian federal government. Douglas is a suburb of Townsville, south of the Ross River and West of the City Centre

Culture, Events and Festivals

Townsville is the venue for the Annual Australian Festival of Chamber Music, which runs over ten days each year in July. The festival has been running since 1991, and attracts many acclaimed international and Australian musicians. The city also has its own orchestra, the Barrier Reef Orchestra, which presents concerts throughout North Queensland. The Barrier Reef Orchestra is a community Orchestra located in Townsville, Queensland Australia.

Exhibit of mixed tropical fruit, Townsville, 1986

The region has many renowned festivals, celebrating some of the various international cultures that call the region home. The Annual Greek and Italian Festivals (Italian based in Ingham, north of Townsville and Greek based at Thuringowa's Riverway) are popular with the locals and tourists alike

The annual Great Tropical Jazz Party on Magnetic Island^[20] presents a quality musical experience. Riverway is a riverfront parkland attraction located in the Condon Suburb of Townsville that opened in July 2006 Another quality jazz experience is that of the Townsville Brass Showband which presents a quartlery concert series entitled "Brass on the Grass".

The Palm Creek Folk Festival takes place every year, over the Queens Birthday Weekend.

The city has a large and diverse range of restaurants representing many different cuisines of the world. The Palmer Street restaurant strip in South Townsville is home to many of these, and is the scene for an annual Jazz Festival, bringing together food, wine and music from all parts of the world.

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. The streetscape was renewed in 2003 with mixed reviews, and now caters for sidewalk dining at many new cafes located in the street.

The Townsville Entertainment Centre, seating 4500 people, is host to many national and international music shows, as well as sporting and trade shows. 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 Theatre offers performances in dance, music, opera, comedy and drama from major Australian companies with international and national artists that complement the work of local performing arts groups.

Media and communications

Main article: Media in Townsville

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). 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 There are no local Sunday papers although The Sunday Mail (Qld) - based in Brisbane - does have a North Queensland edition.

Sport and recreation

Local residents like to watch their team, the North Queensland Cowboys, play at Dairy Farmers Stadium. The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Townsville Queensland. Dairy Farmers Stadium is a Rugby league sports stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Townsville/Thuringowa both host a National Rugby League team, the North Queensland Cowboys, a National Basketball League team, the Townsville Crocodiles, a Women's National Basketball League team, the Townsville Fire. The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Townsville Queensland. The National Basketball League is Australia 's top-level professional Basketball competition History Former Brisbane Bullets guard Mark Bragg a Townsville resident began campaigning to bring an NBL franchise to Townsville in the late 1980s Current Team Coaching Staff Previous Coaching Staff Discussions are also underway for a new A-League association football side to be based in Townsville. The A-League is the premier Australasian domestic Association football competition Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The team will be known as the Northern Thunder FC and will play their home games at Dairy Farmers Stadium. Dairy Farmers Stadium is a Rugby league sports stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

The Cowboys play at Dairy Farmers Stadium in the suburb of Kirwan. Dairy Farmers Stadium is a Rugby league sports stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Kirwan is a suburb of Townsville. Kirwan was Thuringowa's biggest growth centre with numerous fast-expanding housing estates situated in the suburb before the amalgamation The stadium was first built in 1995 after it was announced that Townsville would be home to a new NRL Rugby League Team. The stadium was extensively upgraded in 2005-6, including increased capacity by extending the eastern terrace. The stadium has a capacity record of 30,302, set in 1999. Additionally the Dairy Farmers Stadium was an official venue the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup, with three matches played in Townsville. Dairy Farmers Stadium is a Rugby league sports stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby union world cup and was won by England. Townsville also hosted the enormously popular Japanese national rugby union team during the World Cup, with the team playing the majority of the preliminary round games at Dairy Farmers Stadium. For the Japanese Rugby League team see Japan national rugby league team.

In 2006, the Super 14 rugby union team Queensland Reds played their final home fixture of the season at Dairy Farmers Stadium, after playing all of their previous home fixtures in their regular home of Brisbane. The Super 14 is the largest Rugby union football club championship in the Southern hemisphere, consisting of four state teams from Australia (Queensland/Reds Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short The Queensland Reds (for sponsorship reasons referred to as QR Queensland Reds) represent Queensland in the sport of Rugby union. Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland

The Riverway Project, a new major urban and recreational development in the Suburb of Condon has an international standard Cricket and Australian rules football stadium known as Tony Ireland Stadium. Riverway is a riverfront parkland attraction located in the Condon Suburb of Townsville that opened in July 2006 Thuringowa Central is a suburb and a commercial hub of Townsville, Queensland. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Australian (rules football, or simply known as football, footy or Aussie rules, is a Team sport played between two teams of 18 players Riverway is a riverfront parkland attraction located in the Condon Suburb of Townsville that opened in July 2006

Townsville also hosts three Touch Football associations. The Townsville/Castle Hill Touch Association (TCHTA) conducts many competitions annually at its grounds at Queens Park, Townsville. ^[21] Thuringowa Touch Association (TTA) also conducts competitions at Greenwood Park, Kirwan. Kirwan is a suburb of Townsville. Kirwan was Thuringowa's biggest growth centre with numerous fast-expanding housing estates situated in the suburb before the amalgamation ^{[22] [23]} Townsville/Thuringowa sides are regular combatants in the annual North Queensland Tropical Cyclones Touch Association's Championships. ^[24] For the past two years, representative sides from both associations have featured heavily in the finals series with either of the two associations claiming the coveted Men's Opens division.

The first NQ Championships were held in Townsville in June 1978, with the teams from the then 10 affiliated bodies competing in Mens Over 25. The Championships have still been held in Townsville for many years due to its central location and the strength of the sport in the district. ^[25]

AFL Townsville operate an Australian rules football league in the region. There are several Australian rules football leagues in regional Queensland.

Townsville is also the stronghold of Zone 6 of the Queensland Darts Association. Current and past players include Tony David, winner of the 2002 Embassy World Championships, David Nogar Jnr, the first Queensland player to throw a nine dart game in a sanctioned match, Wiggy Solomon and Jeremy Fagg, both currently in the top 10 Queensland players (as rated by the Darts Federation of Australia). Tony David (born September 11, 1967 in Townsville, Queensland) is a darts player and is the only Australian player to have been

Infrastructure

Health

Townsville Hospital from the Douglas Arterial Road

Townsville is within Queensland Health's Townsville Health Service District which also includes Ingham and Palm Island. Queensland Health is the department of the Government of Queensland responsible for operating and administering the Public health system of the Australian Ingham is a town in North Queensland, Australia. It is situated approximately 110km north of the city of Townsville and is part of the Great Green Way Palm Island, also known as Great Palm Island, or by the Aboriginal name Bukaman, is a tropical island with a resident community of about 2000 people ^[26]

The primary health facility for the region is 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 It is a teaching hospital located close to the James Cook University School of Medicine in Douglas and is the largest hospital in Australia outside of a capital city, it services communities all the way up to Papua New Guinea. James Cook University (JCU is a Public University based in Townsville Queensland, Australia and was proclaimed on 20 April Douglas is a suburb of Townsville, south of the Ross River and West of the City Centre Papua New Guinea (or ˈpæpjuːə in Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania Townsville Hospital has 460 beds with services. The Hospital employs approximately 72 full-time specialist staff and 48 visiting specialists. ^[27]

There are three additional health campuses in Townsville, Kirwan Health Campus^[28], the Magnetic Island Health Service Centre^[29] and the North Ward Health Campus^[30]. Kirwan Health Campus is a Hospital and health service located in the suburb of Kirwan, Queensland, Australia, and is the main health facility

Townsville Hospital Dentist is the public dental health facility for the Townsville region, it is located in North Ward. North Ward, is a suburb in Townsville Queensland, Australia. North Ward is home to the beachside area known as The Strand, which overlooks Magnetic

Townsville has the highest reported rate of skin cancer in the world - 3% of the population of Townsville.

Transport

See also: Transport in Townsville, Queensland

Riverway Drive Overpass. This article is about Transport in Townsville, Queensland Road The Bruce Highway ( A1) bypasses the city and runs through the western suburbs and

Townsville is connection point of two major National Highway routes, the A1 (Bruce Highway), and the A6 (Flinders Highway). The Bruce Highway is the major coastal highway of Queensland, Australia. Flinders Highway is a highway that crosses Queensland from east to west from Townsville on the Pacific coast to Cloncurry ( Barkly Highway The A1 connects Townsville to Cairns in the north, and Mackay, Rockhampton, and Brisbane in the south. Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Rockhampton is a regional city and Local Government Area located in Queensland, Australia. Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland The A6 connects Townsville to Charters Towers and Mount Isa in the west. Charters Towers is a city in northern Queensland, Australia. It is located 135 kilometres south-west from Townsville on the Flinders Highway. Mount Isa is a city in North-West Queensland, Australia. It came into existence because the area holds vast mineral deposits

Numerous road projects are under construction or planned in the future, especially the Townsville Ring Road, which will eventually become the new A1 route bypassing the urban areas of the city. The Townsville Ring Road, is the future A1 / M1 ( Bruce Highway) Route that will eventually bypass the inner metro area of Townsville

The North Coast railway line, operated by Queensland Rail, meets the Western line in the city's south. The North Coast railway line is also a railway in New South Wales, Australia. QR Limited is the company government-owned corporation responsible for the operation and maintenance of the railway system in the State of Queensland Rail services from Brisbane pass through Townsville and continue through to Cairns, including the regular Tilt Train service between Brisbane and Cairns. The Tilt Train is a Queensland Rail train running the coast of Queensland, from Brisbane to Rockhampton and Cairns. Townsville is a major destination and generator of rail freight services. Container operations are also common in the city. The products of the local nickel and copper refineries as well as minerals from the western line (Mt Isa) are transported to the port for trans-shipment to other destinations.

Townsville has a significant port at the mouth of Ross Creek. Ross Creek is an estuary inlet within the city of Townsville Queensland. The Port of Townsville has bulk handling facilities for importing cement, nickel ore (for processing at the Yabulu Nickel Refinery), and fuel, and for exporting sugar and products from North Queensland's mines. 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 The port has three sugar storage sheds, with the newest being the largest under-cover storage area in Australia.

Townsville's public transport system consists of bus services operated by Sunbus. Sunbus is the principal provider of Public transportation in Townsville Queensland, Australia Sunbus provides regular services between many parts of the city, and also operates several express routes. Public transport is also available from the CBD to Bushland Beach, a route run by Townsville's Hermit Park Bus Service, Townsville's biggest Charter Bus Service.

Residents are also demanding that a local rail system be put in place, if only during certain times/events, to ease the traffic congestion in certain parts of the city and to certain events, namely the Bruce Highway north during peak-hour and to events such as Cowboys home-games and Racedays at Cluden Racecourse. Community leaders are urging the councils and governments to consider setting aside pockets of land for future commuter rail lines.

Regular ferry and vehicular barge services operate to Magnetic Island and Palm Island. Magnetic Island, just offshore from the city of Townsville Queensland, Australia, in Cleveland Bay is a 52 km² mountainous island which has effectively become a Palm Island, also known as Great Palm Island, or by the Aboriginal name Bukaman, is a tropical island with a resident community of about 2000 people The ferry service to both islands is operated by Sunferries.

The City is served by Townsville International Airport, but hasn't handled regular international flights since 2002. Townsville Airport is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Townsville. The Airport handles daily flights to Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, as well as to regional destinations such as Cairns, Mount Isa and Mackay. Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Mount Isa is a city in North-West Queensland, Australia. It came into existence because the area holds vast mineral deposits Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River.

The airfield is actually owned by the Defence Department as RAAF Base Townsville, and is shared with the commercial operators. RAAF Base Townsville (Formerly RAAF Base Garbutt is along with RAAF Tindal and RAAF Darwin, one of northern Australia 's primary defence installations It was the largest airbase in the southern hemisphere during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Defence facilities

The Australian Army 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 Australian Army is Australia's military land force It is part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF along with the Royal Australian Navy and the The 3rd Brigade of the Australian Army is an Infantry Brigade. The 3rd Brigade is a light infantry brigade with significant air-mobile assets. The 3rd Brigade of the Australian Army is an Infantry Brigade. The brigade consists of two Light Infantry Battalions 1st Battlion Royal Australian Regiment and the 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment and Cavalry contingent. It 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. The Australian 5th Aviation Regiment is an Australian Army aviation unit 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 11 Combat Service Support Unit and 3Combat 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 an active cadet unit, 130ACU located within Heatley Secondary College.

As with the Army, the Royal Australian Air Force also maintains a presence in Townsville. The Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF) is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. RAAF Base Townsville, which is located in the suburb of Garbutt, houses a detachment of DHC-4 Caribou aircraft from No. 38 Squadron RAAF. RAAF Base Townsville (Formerly RAAF Base Garbutt is along with RAAF Tindal and RAAF Darwin, one of northern Australia 's primary defence installations WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout No 38 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force transport squadron 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 US C-17 Globemaster and the Russian Antonov transport aircraft.

Townsville is also the staging point for the movement of men and materials to the remote parts of Northern Australia and many overseas locations.

Notable People From Townsville

• Tony David, Professional darts champion
• Libby Trickett (nee Lenton), Australian Olympic Swimmer
• Gorden Tallis, Australian Rugby League player
• Scott Donald, Australian Rugby League player
• Mitchell Johnson, Australian cricketer
• James Hopes, Australian cricketer
• Natalie Cook, Olympic beach volleyball player
• Aaron Payne, Australian Rugby League player
• Sir Lawrence Wackett, Australian aircraft industry pioneer
• Clem Christesen, journalist and editor of the Australian literary magazine, Meanjin. Tony David (born September 11, 1967 in Townsville, Queensland) is a darts player and is the only Australian player to have been Lisbeth "Libby" Constance Trickett ( née Lenton) OAM (born 28 January 1985 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia Gorden James Tallis (born 27 July, 1973 in Townsville Queensland) is an Australian former professional Rugby league footballer who Scott Albert Donald (Born 14 February, 1980 in Townsville, Queensland) is an Australian Rugby league player for the Leeds Mitchell Guy Johnson (born 2 November 1981 in Townsville, Queensland) is an Australian Cricketer When attending a fast-bowling clinic in James Redfern Hopes (born 24 October 1978 in Townsville Queensland) is an Australian Cricketer. Natalie Louise Cook OAM (born 19 January 1975 is an Australian professional Beach volleyball player and Olympic gold medallist Aaron Payne (born 18 November 1982 in Brisbane, Queensland) is a rugby league player for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League Sir Lawrence James Wackett KBE, DFC, AFC ( 2 January, 1896 – 18 March, 1982) is widely regarded as "father Clement Byrne Christesen (1911-2003 was the founder of the Australian literary magazine Meanjin.
• Jake Spencer, Australian Football League player
• Michael Luck, Australian Rugby League player, was educated in Townsville

References

External links

• Townsville travel guide from Wikitravel

• Townsville, Queensland is at coordinates 19°15′36″S 146°49′01″E / -19.260, 146.817 (Townsville, Queensland)Coordinates: 19°15′36″S 146°49′01″E / -19.260, 146.817 (Townsville, Queensland)

Fact Sheets

• Department of Defence
• Energy Efficient Housing in North Qld
• Townsville City population stats
• Thuringowa City population stats
• Townsville Region Social Atlas (2001 Census)