Townsville Waterpark site gains preliminary approval
Date published: 15 October 2025
A future Townsville Waterpark development is one step closer to reality, with Councillors voting unanimously in today’s Ordinary Council meeting in favour of a preliminary approval for the site at Cluden.
Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney said the development had the potential to be a game changer for Townsville, with the potential to create hundreds of local jobs across both construction and the ongoing operation.
“Our community have been shouting from the rooftops for a large-scale Waterpark for decades, so to see a development application lodged for the site, and now a preliminary approval signed off is a step in the right direction,” Cr Greaney said.
Councillor Greaney said the preliminary approval was the first step in developer getting the project off the ground.
“An extensive project like this isn’t cut and dry, there are lots of moving parts, essentially today’s preliminary approval isn’t about approvals of specific buildings or elements of site works, but aims to change how future development applications across the development were assessed, as well introduce a new Plan of Development for the area,” she said.
“The proposal includes two precincts to be constructed as part of the development, including a Waterpark, hotel and Beach Club in Precinct 1, and a mixed-use development in the form of residential, commercial and some food and drink outlets as part of Precinct 2.”
Precincts 1 and 2 are proposed to be bisected by a new east-south internal road connecting the Stuart Drive/Edison Street intersection with the Racecourse Road/Lakeside Drive intersection.
“It will also include supporting commercial, accommodation and community uses, helping to create a major social infrastructure asset for the community in the years ahead.”
Divisional Councillor Brady Ellis said while Councillors voted in favour of the preliminary approval, there was a number of conditions the developer had to abide by considering the city planning scheme had been overridden to facilitate the development in line with the Townsville Waterpark, Hotel, and Beach Club Plan of Development.
Some conditions include submitting an updated Water Supply and Sewerage Planning Report to Council, submitting a Public and Active Transport Masterplan and a number of drainage requirements and surveying.
“There is no doubt a development of this scale can bring a lot to the community in terms of commercial offerings, but as a responsible Council we must ensure that we can limit any detrimental impacts to the surrounding area and people,” Cr Ellis said.
“That could be an excess of competing commercial food and drink providers, making sure our utilities network can cope, or ensuring there is appropriate active transport connections both in and around the precincts.
“This is an exciting project, and it’s wonderful to see it move past the initial big idea stage, and I’m sure many Townsville residents are watching and waiting with bated breath.”
