City of Townsville

This article is about the local government area. For the metropolitan area, see Townsville, Queensland. For the Townsville CBD suburb, see Townsville City, Queensland. For other uses, see Townsville (disambiguation).

Local government area in Queensland, Australia

City of Townsville
Queensland

Townsville Skyline

Location within Queensland

Population| 194,072 (2018)[1] (28th)
• Density| 52.016/km2 (134.721/sq mi)
Established| 1865
Area| 3,731 km2 (1,440.5 sq mi)[1]
Mayor| Jenny Hill
Council seat| Townsville City
Region| North Queensland
State electorate(s)|

* Townsville
* Thuringowa
* Mundingburra
* Burdekin
* Hinchinbrook

Federal division(s)|

* Herbert
* Dawson
* Kennedy

Website| City of Townsville
| LGAs around City of Townsville:

Hinchinbrook | Coral Sea | Coral Sea
Charters Towers | City of Townsville | Burdekin
Charters Towers | Charters Towers | Burdekin

The City of Townsville is a local government area (LGA) located in North Queensland, Australia. It encompasses the city of Townsville, together with the surrounding rural areas, to the south are the communities of Alligator Creek, Woodstock and Reid River, and to the north are Northern Beaches and Paluma, and also included is Magnetic Island. In June 2018 the area had a population of 194,072,[1] and is the 28th-largest LGA in Australia. Townsville is considered to be the unofficial capital of North Queensland.[citation needed]

## History[edit]

Townsville's Town Hall 1895 with, from left to right, Aldermen T. Enright, E.J. Forrest, D.F. Treehy (Townclerk), P. Lillis (Rate Receiver), J. N. Parkes, B.P. McDougall (Accountant)

Prior to 2008, the new City of Townsville was an entire area of two previous and distinct local government areas:

* the former City of Townsville;
* and the City of Thuringowa.

The City of Townsville was first established as the Borough of Townsville under the Municipal Institutions Act 1864 on 15 February 1866. The surrounding rural area, which was given the name Thuringowa Division, was established on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the Divisional Boards Act 1879. On 31 March 1903, Thuringowa Division became the Shire of Thuringowa and Townsville was granted city status under the Local Authorities Act 1902, the ancestor of the current Local Government Act 1993.

The borders of the Townsville municipality were expanded to keep pace with urban growth in 1882, 1918, 1936, 1958 and 1964 – the purpose of expanding the borders was to keep urban and rural administrations separate.[2] This state government convention changed under the Bjelke-Petersen government and the borders between the two local governments became static. By 1986 the Shire of Thuringowa had grown to a population of 27,000 and was declared a city.[2]

The City of Townsville was notable in Australia in the 1890s and early 1900s for its support for municipal socialism. The anarchist and socialist Alderman Ned Lowry advocated for the City of Townsville to control various industries.[3]

In 1939, Fred Paterson stood successfully as an alderman for the Townsville City Council, becoming the first member of the Communist Party to win such an office in Australia. He was then re-elected in 1943. The same year, he stood for the federal seat of Herbert, but was narrowly defeated. He then contested and won the Bowen seat in the Queensland Parliament, holding it from 1944 until 1950.

From 1942 to 1949, the council was held by a majority of members of the pro-soviet Labor party split, the North Queensland Labor Party.[4]

A succession of endorsed Labor Party mayors and majority councillors held a continuous civic government from 1976–2008, this was the longest continuous Labor administration in the country until Tony Mooney was defeated in 2008.

Following local government reform undertaken by the State Government of Queensland, the City of Townsville and the City of Thuringowa were amalgamated in 2008.[5] The process of amalgamation was completed on the election of a new combined council on 15 March 2008.

## Mayors[edit]

* Anthony Ogden, Mayor of Townsville, 1924-19261866–1867: John Melton Black (first mayor)[6][7]
* William John Heatley, circa 19301868: William Alfred Ross[6][8]
* 1869: William Aplin[6]
* 1870: Frederick Coleman[6][8]
* 1871–1872: Patrick Hanran (total of 7 terms as mayor)[6][8]
* 1873: S. F. Walker[6]
* 1874: Joseph Fletcher[6][8]
* 1875: S. F. Walker[6]
* 1876: Henry Knapp (briefly)[8]
* 1876–1877: Patrick Hanran[6]
* 1878: E. A. Head[6]
* 1879: Patrick Hanran[6]
* 1880–1881: Thankful Percy Willmett (was mayor several times)[6][8]
* 1882: Patrick Hanran[6]
* 1883: W.V. Brown[6]
* 1883–1884: Thankful Percy Willmett[6]
* 1885: Eugene J. Forrest[8]
* 1885: Henry Barbenson Le Touzel Hubert[6][8]
* 1886: W.P. Walker[6]
* 1887–1888: Arthur Glennie Bundock[6][8][9]
* 1889: John Newport Parkes[6][8]
* 1890: William Clayton[6][8]
* 1891: Lionel Fairley[6][8]
* 1892: Patrick Hanran[6]
* 1892: C.F.A. Sparre[6]
* 1893: Patrick Hanran[6]
* 1894: Murdo Cameron[6][8]
* 1895: Eugene J. Forrest[6]
* 1896: Patrick Hanran[6]
* 1897: Michael McKiernan[6][8]
* 1898: A.E. McCreedy[6][8]
* 1899: Thomas Enright[6][8]
* 1900: A.E. McCreedy[6][8]
* 1901: Murdo Cameron[6][8]
* 1902: Thankful Percy Willmett[6]
* 1903: William Archer Ackers[6][8]
* 1904: Thomas Smyth [6]
* 1905: Murdo Cameron [6][8]
* 1906: J. Thompson [6]
* 1907: Peter Minehan [6][8]
* 1908: G. Murray [6]
* 1909: Thomas Smyth [8]
* 1910: Joseph Hodel[8][10]
* 1911: George Murray[8]
* 1912: John Henry Tyack[6][11]
* 1913: Robert Wilson McClelland[6]
* 1914–1915: William Henry Swales[6]
* 1916: Robert Wilson McClelland[6][8]
* 1917–1918: John Edward Clegg[6][8]
* 1919: Thomas George Melrose[6][8]
* 1920–1923: William Green[6][8]
* 1924–1926: Anthony Ogden[6][8]
* 1927–1932: William John Heatley[6][8]
* 1933–1952: John Stewart Mitchell Gill[6][8]
* 1952–1967: Angus J. Smith[6][8]
* 1967–1972: Harold Phillips[6][8]
* 1972–1976: Max Hooper[6]
* 1976–1980: Perc Tucker[6]
* 1980–1989: Mike Reynolds[6]
* 1989–2008: Tony Mooney[6]
* 2008–2012: Les Tyrell (previously mayor of the City of Thuringowa)[6][12]
* 2012–present: Jenny Hill[13][14][15]

Other notable aldermen include:

* 1936–1949 (deputy mayor 1939–1944) Tom Aikens, Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Mundingburra and Townsville South[16]

## Townsville City Council[edit]

Townsville City Council

Type
Type|

Unicameral

Leadership

Mayor

Jenny Hill, Labor

Deputy Mayor

Mark Molachino, Labor

Structure
Seats| 11 elected representatives, including a Mayor and 10 councillors

Political groups

* Team Jenny Hill:
* Labor (5)
* Independents (2)

* Unaligned:
* Independents (4)

Elections

Last election

| 28 March 2020

Next election

| 16 March 2024

Townsville City Council is the Local Government Authority that services the Local Government Area of Townsville. The council is represented by 10 councillors and the mayor, who have been elected by the whole city. The current mayor is Cr Jenny Hill,[14] who was formerly the deputy mayor of the pre-amalgamation City of Townsville in 2007 and early 2008.

The council provides many services to residents of the city of Townsville, including infrastructure, water, garbage, public works, and entertainment and leisure i.e. parks, theatres, events etc.

### Civic cabinet[edit]

The current civic cabinet consists of one mayor, elected at large, and 10 councillors, elected from 10 individual divisions.

At the Queensland Local Government election, held on 19 March 2016, Jenny Hill from the centre-left Team Jenny Hill was elected mayor of Townsville, along with 10 other councillors from the same team.[17] No councillors were elected from the rival centre-right Jayne Arlett's team, nor were any independents, effectively creating an undivided council.

In April 2020, Cr Mark Molachino was unanimously appointed deputy mayor.

Councillor | Election Group | Term | Constituency  | Notes

|
|
|
|

Cr. Jenny Hill | Team Jenny Hill | 2012–present | Mayor  | [15][17]
Cr. Margie Ryder | Team Jenny Hill | 2016–present | Division 1  | [15][17]
Cr. Sue Blom | Independent | 2020–present | Division 2  | [15][17]
Cr. Ann-Maree Greaney | Team Jenny Hill | 2016–present | Division 3  | [15][17]
Cr. Mark Molachino | Team Jenny Hill | 2016–present | Division 4  | [15][17]
Cr. Russ Cook | Team Jenny Hill | 2016–present | Division 5  | [15][17]
Cr. Suzy Batkovic | Team Jenny Hill | 2020–present | Division 6  | [15][17]
Cr. Kurt Rehbein | Team Jenny Hill | 2016–present | Division 7  | [15][17]
Cr. Maurie Soars | Team Jenny Hill | 2016–present | Division 8  | [15][17]
Cr. Liam Mooney | Team Jenny Hill | 2020–present | Division 9  | [15][17]
Cr. Fran O'Callaghan | Independent | 2021–present | Division 10  | elected in a 2021 by-election[18]

## Towns and localities[edit]

Main article: List of Townsville suburbs

## Population[edit]

The populations given relate to the component entities prior to 2008. The 2011 census was the first for the new City.

Year  | Population
(City total)  | Population
(Townsville)  | Population
(Thuringowa)

|
|
|

1911 | 15,731 | 10,636 | 5,095
1921 | 23,690 | 21,353 | 2,337
1933 | 29,300 | 25,876 | 3,424
1947 | 36,436 | 34,109 | 2,327
1954 | 43,098 | 40,471 | 2,627
1961 | 53,715 | 51,143 | 2,572
1966 | 65,303 | 62,403 | 2,900
1971 | 72,023 | 68,591 | 3,432
1976 | 91,279 | 80,365 | 10,914
1981 | 98,900 | 81,172 | 17,728
1986 | 112,917 | 82,809 | 30,108
1991 | 125,010 | 87,288 | 37,722
1996 | 131,371 | 87,052 | 44,319
2001 | 143,841 | 92,701 | 51,140
2006 | 158,647 | 99,483 | 59,164
2011 | 174,462 |  |
2016 | 186,757 |  |
2021 | 192,768 |  |

## Amenities[edit]

The Townsville City Council operates libraries at Aitkenvale, Townsville City and Thuringowa Central.[19] It also operates a mobile library service, serving the following suburbs on a regular schedule:[20]

* Monday: Deeragun & Bluewater
* Tuesday: Nelly Bay (Magnetic Island), opening hours may be affected by tide times
* Wednesday: Rollingstone & Saunders Beach, fortnightly alternating with Alligator Creek and Oakvale

## Sister cities[edit]

* Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea since 1983
* Shunan, Japan since 1990
* Iwaki City, Japan since August 1991
* Changshu, People's Republic of China since 1995
* Suwon, South Korea since 1996
* Foshan, People's Republic of China since 2006[21]

## See also[edit]

* List of tautological place names

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2018), 2017 to 2018". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
2. ^ a b Townsville City Council Submission to the Local Government Reform Commission (PDF). Townsville: Townsville City Council. May 2007. p. 2\. Archived from the original (Submission) on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
3. ^ Burgmann, Verity (1985). In our time : socialism and the rise of labor, 1885-1905. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 0868615374.
4. ^ Fitzgerald, Ross (1997). The people's champion, Fred Paterson : Australia's only Communist Party member of parliament. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0702229598.
5. ^ A Message from the Chairman, Cr Tony Mooney Archived 31 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd "Mayors of Townsville" (PDF). Townsville City Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
7. ^ "Chronological history of Townsville, 1770 to 1900". Townsville City Council. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Mathew, John (2008), Highways and byways : the origin of Townsville street names (PDF) (Rev. ed.), Townsville Library Service, ISBN 0-9578987-54, archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2014
9. ^ "Local Government Elections". The Western Star and Roma Advertiser. Toowoomba, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 15 February 1888. p. 3\. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
10. ^ Manion, Jim. Hodel, Joseph (1850–1943). National Centre for Biography, Australian National University. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013. `{{cite book}}`: `|work=` ignored (help)
11. ^ Consolidated Index to Queensland Government Gazette 1859–1919. Queensland Family History Society. 2004. ISBN 1-876613-79-3.
12. ^ "2008 Townsville City Council – Mayoral Election – Election Summary". Electoral Commission Queensland. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
13. ^ "2012 Townsville City Council – Mayoral Election – Election Summary". Electoral Commission Queensland. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
14. ^ a b "2016 Townsville City Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 20 April 2016. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "2020 Local Government Elections: Saturday, 28 March 2020". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.[dead link]
16. ^ "Aikens, Mr Thomas (Tom)". Re-Member Database. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "2016 Townsville City Council - Councillor Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 20 April 2016. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
18. ^ "Candidate Information". Electoral Commission of Queensland. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
19. ^ "Using your libraries: locations and opening hours". Townsville City Council. Archived from the original on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
20. ^ "Mobile Library Service" (PDF). Townsville City Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
21. ^ "Townsville City Council – Townsville's Sister Cities". Archived from the original on 3 January 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2007.

## External links[edit]

* Official website
* Townsville community profile (2020)
* Population stats of LGA
* Townsville Region Social Atlas (2001 Census)

* v
* t
* e

Local government areas of Queensland

South East|

* Brisbane
* Gold Coast
* Ipswich
* Lockyer Valley
* Logan
* Moreton Bay
* Noosa
* Redland
* Scenic Rim
* Somerset
* Sunshine Coast

Wide Bay–Burnett|

* Bundaberg
* Cherbourg
* Fraser Coast
* Gympie
* North Burnett
* South Burnett

Darling Downs|

* Goondiwindi
* Southern Downs
* Toowoomba
* Western Downs

Central|

* Banana
* Central Highlands
* Gladstone
* Isaac
* Livingstone
* Mackay
* Rockhampton
* Whitsunday
* Woorabinda

North|

* Burdekin
* Charters Towers
* Hinchinbrook
* Palm Island
* Townsville

Far North|

* Aurukun
* Cairns
* Cassowary Coast
* Cook
* Douglas
* Hope Vale
* Kowanyama
* Lockhart River
* Mapoon
* Mareeba
* Napranum
* Northern Peninsula Area
* Pormpuraaw
* Tablelands
* Torres
* Torres Strait Island
* Weipa
* Wujal Wujal
* Yarrabah

North West|

* Burke
* Carpentaria
* Cloncurry
* Croydon
* Doomadgee
* Etheridge
* Flinders
* Mckinlay
* Mornington
* Mount Isa
* Richmond

Central West|

* Barcaldine
* Barcoo
* Blackall-Tambo
* Boulia
* Diamantina
* Longreach
* Winton

South West|

* Balonne
* Bulloo
* Maranoa
* Murweh
* Paroo
* Quilpie

* v
* t
* e

North Queensland

Cities|

* Mackay
* Townsville

Townships|

* Airlie Beach
* Ayr
* Bowen
* Charters Towers
* Ingham
* Proserpine

Local Government Areas|

* Burdekin
* Charters Towers
* Hinchinbrook
* Mackay
* Palm Island
* Townsville
* Whitsunday Region

National Parks|

* Blackwood
* Brook Islands
* Bowling Green Bay
* Brampton Islands
* Broad Sound Islands
* Cape Hillsborough
* Cape Palmerston
* Cape Upstart
* Conway
* Dipperu
* Dryander
* Eungella
* Gloucester Island
* Halifax Bay Wetlands
* Holbourne Island
* Homevale
* Lindeman Islands
* Magnetic Island
* Molle Islands
* Moorrinya
* Mount Aberdeen
* Mount Martin
* Mount Ossa
* Newry Islands
* Northumberland Islands
* Orpheus Island
* Paluma Range
* Pioneer Peaks
* Reliance Creek
* Repulse Island
* Round Top Island
* Smith Islands
* South Cumberland Islands
* South Island
* Swain Reefs
* Whitsunday Islands

Places of interest|

* Wallaman Falls
* Whitsunday Islands

* v
* t
* e

Towns, suburbs and localities of the City of Townsville, Queensland

Urban|

* Aitkenvale
* Annandale
* Belgian Gardens
* Bohle
* Bohle Plains
* Castle Hill
* Cluden
* Condon
* Cosgrove
* Cranbrook
* Currajong
* Douglas
* Garbutt
* Gulliver
* Heatley
* Hermit Park
* Hyde Park
* Idalia
* Kelso
* Kirwan
* Mount Louisa
* Mount St John
* Mount Stuart
* Mundingburra
* Murray
* Mysterton
* North Ward
* Oonoonba
* Pallarenda
* Partington
* Pimlico
* Railway Estate
* Rasmussen
* Rosslea
* Rowes Bay
* Shaw
* Shelly Beach
* South Townsville
* Stuart
* Thuringowa Central
* Town Common
* Townsville
* Townsville City
* Vincent
* West End
* Wulguru

Rural|

* Alice River
* Alligator Creek
* Barringha
* Blue Hills
* Brookhill
* Calcium
* Cape Cleveland
* Clemant
* Crystal Creek
* Cungulla
* Granite Vale
* Gumlow
* Hervey Range
* Julago
* Lynam
* Majors Creek
* Mount Elliot
* Mutarnee
* Nome
* Oak Valley
* Paluma
* Pinnacles
* Rangewood
* Reid River
* Rollingstone
* Roseneath
* Ross River
* Rupertswood
* Toomulla
* Toonpan
* Woodstock

Northern Beaches|

* Balgal
* Balgal Beach
* Beach Holm
* Black River
* Bluewater
* Bluewater Beach
* Bluewater Park
* Burdell
* Bushland Beach
* Deeragun
* Jensen
* Mount Low
* Saunders Beach
* Toolakea
* Yabulu

Magnetic Island|

* Alma Bay
* Arcadia
* Cockle Bay
* Florence Bay
* Horseshoe Bay
* Magnetic Island
* Nelly Bay
* Picnic Bay
* West Point

19°15′27.50″S 146°49′04.45″E﻿ / ﻿19.2576389°S 146.8179028°E﻿ / -19.2576389; 146.8179028
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