NORTH QUEENSLAND: FORWARD MOUNTING BASE FOR THE PACIFIC

Growth Opportunity

As Australia’s largest Garrison city, Townsville is home to over one-third of the Army’s combat forces. The basic building blocks are in place for the Townsville region to be a pillar of Defence capability with targeted Government investment.

NORTH QUEENSLAND’S DEFENCE CAPABILITY

The deployable 3rd Brigade, the Amphibious Taskforce specialised landing force (2 RAR Group), and the 11th Brigade (Reserve) elements are all located at Lavarack Barracks.

The Ross Island Barracks at the mouth of the Ross River is equipped to provide logistical support, maintenance and berthing for the 10th Force Support Battalion, the 30th Terminal Squadron, the 35th Water Transport Squadron and the Army School of Transport – Maritime Wing.

The Royal Australian Airforce Base Townsville is a joint user airfield supporting both military and civilian aviation operations. It is a major forward operating base for all types and sizes of military aircraft. The base is also home to the Army’s 5th Aviation Regiment operating tactical transport, cargo and maritime support helicopters.

A central part of Townsville’s defence capability is the presence of the Australian Army Combat Training Centre, providing world best practice for combat training and Cubic Defence Australia, a world-leader in live, simulated, and augmented training and computing services, and command control systems.

Defence employs over 6,400 uniformed and non-uniformed people in Townsville, accompanied by an estimated community of nearly 14,000 dependants, or 7.5% of Townsville’s population.

Townsville is home to a high number of ex-Defence personnel. The Census 2021 showed Townsville has the highest population of former ADF personnel in Australia with one in six households having a veteran compared to one in 20 in Australia.

Houston And Smith Defence Strategic Review

In November 2022, Townsville Enterprise together with Townsville Mayor, Jenny Hill, Charters Towers Mayor, Frank Beveridge and Cairns Regional Council submitted the region’s Defence capability as part of the Smith and Houston Review.

To maintain and strengthen this ecosystem requires targeted Defence investment primarily focused on building a resilient, sovereign supply chain.

What We Need

The submission made the following recommendations:

1. Future strategic challenges facing Australia which may require an Australian Defence Force operational response. Defence to continue to invest in regional training ranges, technology and infrastructure to support complex, combined international training activities that enhance ADF preparedness, interoperability and regional diplomacy. Increase the scale of ADF logistics capability and infrastructure in North Queensland to facilitate local industry growth required to support force projection sustainment in the region.

2. The estate, infrastructure, disposition, logistics and security investments required to provide Australia with the Defence Force posture required by 2032-2033. Defence considers hardened facilities in the North Queensland region to enable dispersed fuel and ammunition storage and operations from satellite airfields.

Establish manufacturing for high yield explosive munitions in the industrial precincts within the Townsville region that offer ample land for safety buffers and efficient access to transportation infrastructure to ensure timely supply of ammunition given the short distance of deployment into the Indo-Pacfic region.

3. Integrated Investment Program reprioritisation.

Centralise majority of the Defence aviation capability in Townsville to realise capability, retention and cost saving efficiencies.

Base elements of the logistic support afloat capability including replenishment vessels and Army watercraft in Townsville to increase readiness and reduce costs and inefficiencies associated with long transits from southern ports.

Locally based Defence aviation and maritime capabilities include logistics and maintenance with Defence committing to developing long-term strategic commercial arrangements of 10 to 20 years to build the local capacity required to support and sustain military operations in the northern regions of Australia.

4. Investments required to support Defence preparedness and mobilisation needs 2032-2033.

Develop Townsville as an Operational Test and Evaluation Hub with increased innovation and technology funding to ensure personnel are trained and equipment is suitable for operations in the Indo Pacific region.

Leverage the Port of Townsville Redevelopment to construct dedicated military facilities to berth, stage and load equipment and dangerous cargo for multiple ADF and coalition vessels including patrol vessels for as long as required without impacting the regional economy.

Concentrate deeper maintenance for Defence aviation and Townsville based armoured vehicles with operational capability to retain a skilled Reserve workforce and build supply chain capability essential for rapid mobilisation of northern Queensland as a viable Theatre Gateway for short notice operations.

Funding needs to ensure longer term strategic investments are progressed.

Defence addresses the equity disconnect between military services and supply chain partners by collaborating on requirements going forward, and by examining contractual arrangements to share investment risk and build commercial viability in the region.

Complement the national security strategy and inform State and Federal Government regional planning by developing an economic strategy with appropriate funding to deliver enabling infrastructure and sovereign supply chain resilience across North Queensland.