“NO OTHER REGION OF COMPARABLE SIZE HAS THE CONNECTION INTO THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATION AS TOWNSVILLE”
Bernard Salt, Demographer
WITH THANKS TO OUR MAJOR PARTNER
AND PROUD SPONSORS
Welcome to Townsville North Queensland
A dynamic region where ambition meets opportunity and investment potential knows no bounds. Here, diversity isn’t a buzzword; it's the cornerstone of our economic resilience with no single industry exceeding 15% of our Gross Regional Product, ensuring stability and sustainable growth across our industry sectors.
With a staggering $33+ billion project pipeline slated over the next fi ve years, Townsville stands as a beacon for investors seeking robust returns and expansive growth.
With abundant strategic industrial land and seamless road, rail, and air connectivity, this region is primed for business success. Our status as a thriving ecotourism destination and leading producer of globally in-demand commodities further solidifi es Townsville's position as Australia's investment-ready gem.
Leverage our strategic location, capitalise on booming industry sectors - discover why Townsville North Queensland is investment ready!
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POPULATION:
Home to a thriving community of over 243,000
ECONOMIC STRENGTH:
Robust gross regional product (GRP) of $22 billion
EMPLOYMENT: More than 130,000 individuals are employed in North Queensland
DWELLING GROWTH: 6,739 hectares of suitable residential land, with the potential to yield over 44,331 dwellings
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY:
Competitive median house price of $451,000
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT:
17,100 active businesses in the region in project value
Regional Advantages
PROJECT PIPELINE: $33B+
· Townsville North Queensland population set to grow to over 300,000+ over the next 15 years.
· Highly educated workforce and proximity to world-leading academic institutions.
· 33GW of potential renewable energy generation in the North West corridor.
· Proximity to more than $500 billion of untapped critical minerals and resources essential to renewable technology development.
· Extensive transportation network of roads, rail, air, and ports ensures the region is a highly accessible and well-connected trade hub.
· Home to the largest tertiary referral hospital in Northern Australia.
· Defence Capital of Australia.
· Northern Australia’s green manufacturing hub , powered by the largest expansion of Australia’s energy network– CopperString.
· Low-emissions and renewable fuel production hub , with plans to produce sustainable aviations fuels (SAFS), green methanol and hydrogen at scale over the next decade.
Data source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (2024)
Townsville North Queensland: One of Australia's most economically diverse regions
Key Industries
No single industry exceeding 15% of our Gross Regional Product.
Education:
The education sector in Townsville North Queensland, is diverse and includes a range of public and private schools, as well as vocational and higher education institutions. There are two university campuses based in Townsville, James Cook University and CQ University.
Resources:
Inland from the coast of North Queensland is Australia’s richest mineral province with more than $500 billion of untapped mineral and ore deposits, placing Townsville at the epicentre for refining minerals and advanced manufacturing.
Agriculture:
North Queensland is Australia’s largest producer of sugarcane and melons, as well as the country’s second largest exporter of live cattle. Aquaculture is also an emerging opportunity particularly due to the region’s proximity to key offtake markets.
Energy:
The region is currently delivering Australia’s largest upgrade to the national energy grid and is set to become a global green energy hub. Abundant in wind and solar resources, Townsville North Queensland is critical to the national energy transition.
Tourism:
An eco-certified destination, Townsville North Queensland is a world-class tourism destination encompassing the Great Barrier Reef, tropical islands, lush rainforests and the iconic Australian outback. Townsville North Queensland is one of the nations fastest growing tourism destinations.
Defence:
Townsville is the nation’s largest garrison city; the headquarters of the 3rd Brigade and 16th Aviation Brigade. Currently the greatest contributor to the gross regional product (GRP), defence is set to expand and increase the capability of Northern Australia.
Health:
The health sector is Townsville North Queensland’s largest employer and is home to the only tertiary referral hospital in Northern Australia. Health care services are delivered across a wide geographical area, with a strong focus on region and remote communities.
Water:
North Queensland is home to two of the largest water catchments in Northern Australia, the Burdekin and Herbert catchment totalling 2,100GL of water storage, both offering sustainable development opportunities that can support new agricultural and industrial activity.
North Queensland Major Projects
Townsville North Queensland Project Pipeline – securing investor confi dence.
Over the next 5 years there are over $33 billion+ of new projects set for the region.
This will require more than 5,000 ongoing jobs and will support 17,000 construction jobs.
Energy - $15.4B
Resources - $14.2B
Water & Ag - $2.0B
Defence - $1.8B
Logistics - $1.4B
Community - $786M
Health - $722M
Tourism - $554M
Other - $303M
Our catalytic projects:
CopperString $6.2 billion
$33B+ Project Pipeline Value For
billion
The
Gawara Baya Wind Farm
$1.2 billion
Generating
APPROVED
COMMITTED
Key Infrastructure
Our Gateway to the World
Port of Townsville
Northern Australia’s largest sugar, lead, copper, zinc and container port, and handles more than 30 diverse commodities. It is also a strategic defence and cruise Port. The Port provides global linkages to more than 130 ports and 44 countries with over 75% of it’s trade exchanged with Southeast Asia. A three staged port expansion project is underway, with the fi rst stage of widening the channel nearing completion.
Rail
The Mount Isa to Townsville rail line is a critical piece of freight infrastructure supporting the mining, agricultural and manufacturing industries across the North and North West regions. The rail connections include the Mount Isa rail line and the North Coast line extending from Brisbane to Cairns.
Townsville Airport
Over 1.5 million passengers travel through the Townsville Airport each year, connecting the region to all major capital cities and key regional hubs across Australia. The Townsville Airport has declared international airport status. The Airport is also an essential trading hub with over 6,000 tonnes of air freight travelling through every year. Expected future growth will see the airport more than double capacity and passenger movements over the next decade.
Road
The Bruce and Flinders highways are critical infrastructure networks that connect Townsville to the rest of Queensland and Australia. The Flinders Highway is a critical network that connects the Townsville region to the North West Minerals Province and supports over $15 billion of economic output annually.
Health, Education and Lifestyle
Quality Education
North Queensland is home to some of the nation’s best education facilities including more than 100 public and private schools, two world class universities and vocational training institutions including TAFE Queensland and Tec-NQ.
Health Services
The region off ers a comprehensive healthcare system with access to the largest tertiary referral hospital in Northern Australia, the Townsville University Hospital (TUH). The city also off ers private healthcare options like Mater Hospital and various specialist clinics, as well as primary care through general practitioners and allied health services.
Unrivaled Lifestyle
North Queensland is home to two world heritage listed areas – the Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. With more than 300 days of sunshine, a world class events calendar, more than 690 accommodation and dining outlets, 960 retailers, a diverse natural playground and a short ferry trip to tropical islands, living in North Queensland is second to none.
Industrial Precincts
Lansdown EcoIndustrial Precinct
Envisioned to be one of the fi rst eco-industrial precincts in the region, Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct is dedicated to advanced manufacturing, processing, technology, and emerging industries. The Precinct will be designed and developed with an emphasis on environmental responsibility, resource effi ciency, and minimising the ecological footprint of industrial activities.
Townsville State Development Area (TSDA)
The Townsville State Development Area is a 4,915-hectare land parcel dedicated for industrial development. It is located approximately two kilometres south of the Port of Townsville, situated at the junction of the national road network with direct connections to major rail networks. The strategic location of the TSDA allows for effi cient multi-modal transportation, facilitating the movement of goods and materials to and from the area.
Regional Industrial Precincts
The Charters Towers region has seven industrial land precincts primed for development, including the council owned Lot 777 Precinct. This 777 hectare holding will be the Charters Towers regions premier heavy and specialised industrial precinct. The Burdekin region has also begun construction on the expansion of the Ayr Industrial Estate which will off er an additional 45 blocks of industrial land.
TOWNSVILLE SOUTHERN
INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR
Ross River Dam 233 GL Capacity
Highways
Bruce Highway
Flinders Highway
Lansdown
Eco-Industrial Precinct
Proposed proponents:
Queensland Pacific Metal: Nickel, Cobalt, HPA & Gas Hub
Edify Energy: Hydrogen
Quinbrook/Solquartz: Polysilicon
Proposed Projects
Townsville Eastern Access
Rail Coridor (TEARC)
Port Expansion Project (Stage 2)
Townsville State Development Area
Proposed proponents:
Vecco: Battery Manufacturing
Jet Zero: Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Queensland Resources Common User Facility: New-Economy Minerals Processing
Aurizon Stuart Intermodal Rail Terminal
North Queensland Gas Pipeline
CopperString Woodstock Substation
Townsville CBD
Glencore Copper Refinery
Port of Townsville
Sun Metals
Zinc Refinery
Investment Opportunities Abound
CopperString
This project will be the largest expansion of the transmission network in Australia, connecting an estimated 33 GW of renewable energy in North west Queensland. It will also provide abundant renewable energy to the mining sector, unlocking potentially $500 billion of critical minerals in the North West Minerals Province. Construction is currently underway on the Western Alignment of the project, which extends from Hughenden to Mount Isa.
Australia’s Sustainable Fuels Hub
Townsville will be the epicentre for new industry development in future fuels including renewable hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and green methanol.
Opportunities for SAF:
• Australia’s fi rst sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facility.
• The Jet Zero facility will be located in Townsville’s Southern Industrial Corridor and aims to produce 102 million litres of SAF and 11 million litres of renewable diesel per annum.
• Guaranteed off take agreements secured through industry giants Qantas and Airbus.
Opportunities for Renewable Hydrogen:
• Edify Energy’s Townsville Hydrogen Production Plant planning to initially produce 800 tonnes of hydrogen annually and expanding to add an additional 300 tonnes for domestic use and 150,000 tonnes for export.
Opportunities for Green Methanol:
• ABEL Energy announced their plans to construct a manufacturing facility for export and supply of green methanol through the Port of Townsville.
• The project will utilise the signifi cant biomass resources from the sugar industry to provide low-emissions fuel sources to the shipping sector.
Townsville North Queensland is poised to lead the way in sustainable growth, offering unmatched opportunities for investors looking to be part of Australia’s next major economic frontier. For more information about regional investment case studies and upcoming projects, scan the QR Code here.
Health and Intelligence Precinct
The TropiQ precinct was established in 2019 as North Queensland’s premier health, research and innovation precinct encompassing the cities two major employment hubs, the Townsville University Hospital (TUH) and James Cook University (JCU).
The precinct encompasses a range of existing social infrastructure projects, as well as upcoming works projected to occur over the next fi ve years including:
• $530 million expansion of Townsville University Hospital.
• $32 million NQ Spark defence simulation facility.
• $300+ million private hospital development.
• First stages of JCU residential development.
Emerging Tourism Destination
The Townsville North Queensland region is experiencing substantial growth across its tourism sector, with the region being recently recognised as the fastest growing domestic tourism destination in Australia according to Tourism Research Australia (YE June 2024).
• The Townsville Airport Masterplan anticipates that passenger numbers will more than double over the next two decades.
• Signifi cant industry investment with the $450 million Morris Escapes North Queensland collection, which off ers a suite of luxurious, sustainable tourism experiences. The most recent addition to the collection includes the completion of the $88 million Ardo hotel, Townsville’s fi rst fi ve-star accommodation venue.
• Townsville North Queensland is home to Northern Australia’s best events calendar and the addition of the $250 million Queensland Country Bank Stadium in the heart of Townsville city.
Priority Investment: Housing
The Townsville North Queensland presents exciting residential investment opportunities, with a growing economy, increasing infrastructure development, and a strong demand for housing driven by population growth and regional expansion.
Growing Demand
The demand for new housing supply has rapidly increased, with Townsville North Queensland emerging as one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia for residential house value. This growth is expected to remain stable as a result of the growing project pipeline which will inject billions into the regional economy and attract the workforce needed to fulfil this demand.
More than 20,000 additional workers are needed to deliver on this project pipeline, which will ensure that the population of the region continues to grow. The market is already experiecing incredible growth, with the median house price in Townsville increasing by 15.6% over the last 12 months, and 33.4% over the last three years.
The Townsville property market has experienced some of the strongest growth in prices over the past 12 months compared to other regions across Australia.
Strong Land Supply
The Townsville North Queensland region has an abundant supply of broadhectare land that is ready to be converted into new residential developments.
Estimates from the Queensland Government Staticians Office (2024) demonstrate that the North Queensland region has an expeced dwelling yield of 44,331- the highest yield potential for residential developments in Queensland outside of the South-East corner.
Council Support
Supporting investment into new residential developments is a priority for the all of the local councils including the Townsville City Council, Burdeklin Shire Council, Charters Towers Regional Council and the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council.
Case Study: Residential Development
Project Proponent:
James Cook University
Townsville City Council
Project Value:
Approx $200M
Estimated Jobs: 750+ Construction
New residential development in Townsville’s Tropical Intelligence and Health Precinct (TropiQ)
Stage One, scheduled to begin in 2025, will deliver approximately 250 dwellings across 16 hectares of JCU land, situated in the North-West entry of the precinct. The TropiQ precinct is co-located adjacent to Australia’s largest land-based Defence force at Lavarack Barracks. These two precincts are the most signifi cant employment and economic node in the North and, along with forecast population growth and a $30+ billion project pipeline over the next 5 years, will drive demand for housing beyond the current capacity of the city of Townsville to deliver.
JCU is the precinct’s majority land holder occupying 381 hectares of prime land within TropiQ. In partnership with TCC, JCU have allocated 100 hectares within their campus master plan for mixed-density residential development.
This development will focus primarily on housing stock for critical workers, social housing and Defence personnel, however, will also accommodate a range of stock for students, aged care and retirement living.
At full development, the TropiQ Precinct could house up to 10,000 residents, dependent on a diverse off ering, ranging from stand-alone dwellings through to town house and unit-style accommodation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE REGION, SCAN HERE
