Investing in Townsville
Townsville is the largest city in Northern Australia, is the gateway to mining and agricultural regions, and is perfectly positioned as Australia’s gateway to Asia.
According to demographer Bernard Salt, ‘no city of comparable size has quite the connection into the future prosperity of the Australian nation as does Townsville’. Townsville offers ‘stability, urban concentration and prosperity’ along with ‘a unique mix of employment drivers’ and ‘the highest average disposable household income among Australia's 20 largest urban centres outside of a State or Territory capital’.
Join us in growing our exciting city!
Invest Townsville is securing investment that will play a strategic role in the economic growth of the city, ensuring projections of long-term prosperity are realised.
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Townsville's Economic Scorecard
Townsville City Council (TCC) has developed a scorecard to track the key macroeconomic indicators and drivers which may contribute to growth or decline with the Townsville economy.
Tracking these key indicators is important to inform further investment attraction and facilitation activities, and to monitor the progress towards the objectives set by the Townsville City Economic Development Plan (TCEDP).
Job and business opportunities
The Port of Townsville
The Port of Townsville is the region’s major sea link, exporting the vast mineral wealth of the North West Minerals Province and North Queensland’s extensive agricultural produce. The port also imports vital inputs for regional industry and the community.
The Australian Defence Force
As Australia’s largest garrison city, the Australian Defence Force is a pivotal component of the local economy, contributing around $800m annually to gross regional product (GRP).
Education and Research
Townsville is the tropical education and science hub for North Queensland. It has a concentration of world class education, training and research facilities, which are recognised internationally.
Central Queensland University (CQU)
An opportunity exists for a tertiary institution and/or investor to partner with Central Queensland University (CQU), the Townsville City Council and the Queensland Government, in Townsville to cultivate an exciting and vibrant educational precinct in the city's CBD. The precinct will include student accommodation, class room and study facilities and retail and commercial components of the University campus. View the fact sheet below for more information.
Townsville Airport
The Townsville Airport is a well-located aviation hub servicing a catchment of 250,000 people, which is projected to triple by 2030. The airport now provides international flights, and a $40 million expansion of the airport is underway.
Committed to high quality growth
Townsville City Council has undertaken regulatory reform to improve efficiency in development approvals, and along with the new Townsville City Plan, the Townsville City Waterfront Priority Development Area and the world class Townsville City Waterfront Promenade Project continues the evolution of the CBD. The Jobs and Investment Package offers financial development incentives, and strategic management of council land has opened up development opportunities in the city centre.
Investment publications
Invest Townsville e-Newsletter
Townsville City Council would like to invite you to sign up for our latest invest Townsville e-newsletter. Delivered bimonthly straight to your inbox, it will provide up-to-date information on investment opportunities, key projects developments, government grants and funding options, major trade and interest events in our region. If you'd like to opt-in, please go to our e-newsletters page and tick the Invest Townsville e-newsletter box.
Opportunity Townsville North Queensland
Opportunity Townsville North Queensland is the core economic development document of Townsville Enterprise Limited, promoting the economic opportunities of the Townsville North Queensland region.
This comprehensive publication features three key reports:
- Project Pipeline, a listing of all major development projects including those that are recently completed, under construction, in the short and medium term pipeline, or are still in the conceptual phase. This report also includes a prospectus of projects seeking public funding or private investment;
- Economic Snapshot, a detailed statistical outline of the region’s economy; and
- Northern Living, a feature on the lifestyle of Townsville North Queensland.
Industry Sectors
Learn about the Townsville's growing industries by choosing from the list below. Utilise this link for a list of references for the following information sheets.
Port Operations, Inter-modal Freight and Storage
Port operations, inter-modal freight and storage are key growth sectors for the Townsville economy.
The Port of Townsville is the region’s major sea link. The port exports the vast mineral wealth of the North West Minerals Province and North Queensland’s agricultural produce, and imports vital products for the industry and community.
Ports Information Sheet information sheet (PDF)
Defence Force
Townsville is considered Australia's largest military city, with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) an important part of the economy. Known for being a critical air and sea port for defence operations, Townsville's strong industry and services support future defence growth in Townsville.
Education and Tropical Science
Townsville is known as the education and science hub for North Queensland, and has the potential to expand internationally as an education provider. In additional to direct employment and economic activity, Townsville's research centre has been proven to generate a great deal of health, safety and productivity outcomes for the region (WRI, 2013).
Services Supply - Minerals Processing, Mining and Agriculture
Townsville acts as a critical service centre for mining projects in the highly productive surrounding regions which produce significant copper, zinc, lead, gold, magnetite and coal.
Townsville also currently hosts three major mineral processing facilities for zinc, nickel and copper, and provides a range of engineering, scientific, and specialised professional services to the mining and minerals industries.
Mineral Processing, Mining and Agriculture information sheet (PDF)
Tourism and Major Events
The Townsville North Queensland tourism and events industry welcomes visitors who come to the region for leisure, business, events, visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and education.
Townsville attracts a healthy visitor mix, including around 40% holiday visitors, 40% VFR, and 20% business visitation. Tertiary education is also a major driver of visitation to the region through James Cook University.
Retail
Townsville is the established retail hub for North Queensland. The city provides extensive offerings to the direct population and services the high end and speciality needs of broader regional centres including the Burdekin, Charters Towers, and Hinchinbrook.
Major retail centres in Townsville include Stockland’s Aitkenvale (including a new Myer Centre established in 2012) and North Shore, Castletown Hyde Park, Willows Thuringowa Central, and high end offerings in the CBD.
Retail information sheet (PDF)
Sustainable Technology
Townsville has the opportunity to become a hub for sustainable technologies, as it has strong solar and tidal potential. By encouraging innovation in building design, water efficiency, cooling technology and network demand management, Townsville is positioning itself as an example of sustainable tropical living.
The Townsville region is well known for its research and tropical architecture industry, expertise which can be used to benefit from sustainable technologies.
Government and Professional Services
Townsville is the established administrative hub of North Queensland, with the largest Queensland Government sector outside of Brisbane.
Townsville is also a major private sector services centre, with legal, accounting, financial, and other professional firms servicing the broader North Queensland region.
Government and Professional Services information sheet (PDF)
Aviation Industry
The Townsville aviation industry includes the Townsville Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base and the Townsville airport, which is the major aviation hub for North Queensland. The industry provides aviation services to individuals and a broad range of industry sectors including defence, tourism and mining.
The Townsville airport also acts as a fly in – fly out hub, servicing the North East and North West Mineral Provinces.
Digital Economy
Townsville’s strategic location, diverse, growing economy, and distance from major capital centres places it in a strong position to take advantage of the digital economy over the coming years.
Creative Industries
Townsville possesses a significant creative industry sector and is regarded as the cultural hub of North Queensland. The region has a growing cultural identity, embracing arts, crafts, design, fashion, music, performing arts and the multi-cultural identity of Townsville.
