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Townsville is a place that's embracing change; transforming with a vision for the future, redefining what it means to live life in full colour. 

Located in the dry tropics with an average daily temperature of 28 degrees, and a daily rush hour of less than 20 minutes, Townsville's lifestyle is second to none.

From the reef and its tropical islands, to lush rainforests, and endless natural beauty – Townsville is all about easy living with plenty of big city benefits.

Townsville is home to Australia’s largest garrison city, world-class events, leading education providers, cutting-edge health facilities, affordable housing, and a global bustling port.

Read on to find out more about the northern lifestyle including Cost of Living, Climate, Education and Recreation.

Learn About North Queensland

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Cost of Living

Townsville offers the benefits of city living within reach of a wide variety of lifestyle benefits and conveniences without the price-tag. With an average commute of less than 20 minutes in the city,  Townsville North Queensland offers affordable housing, schooling, childcare and transport costs. 

Sources: Domain, ABS, Moovit, Care for Kids, Townsville Bulletin

Housing Costs

Median House Prices
Townsville $427,500

Sydney $1,421,413

Melbourne $941,698

Brisbane $920,046

Median monthly mortgage payments
Townsville $1,517

Sydney $2,427

Melbourne $2,000

Brisbane $1,863

Median weekly rent
Townsville $490

Sydney $759

Melbourne $569

Brisbane $632

Median weekly household income
Townsville $1,621

Sydney $2,077

Melbourne $1,901

Brisbane $1,849

Getting Around

Average commute time (minutes each way)
Townsville 10-20 min

Sydney 46 min

Melbourne 47 min

Brisbane 44 min

Schooling & Childcare

Cost of childcare Capital Cities

Townsville $120.71 /day

Sydney $172.69 /day

Melbourne $155 /day

Brisbane $141.12 /day

Cost of childcare Townsville regions

Townsville $109.97 /day

Charters Towers $108.66 /day

Hinchinbrook Shire $89.25 /day

Burdekin Shire $80.33 /day

Average Private School Fees

Primary School $1,500 - $9,200 + ancillary costs and uniforms

Secondary School $2,276 - $12,380 + ancillary costs and uniforms

Climate

North Queensland enjoys a tropical savanna climate, with a wet season from November to April and a dry season from May to October.

Despite its tropical location, Townsville receives less rainfall than many other tropical cities along Australia's east coast. Winters are typically warm, sunny and dry, with refreshing south-easterly breezes. During the wet season, heavy downpours are common, although tropical lows and monsoon systems can also bring extended periods of rain.

With more than 300 days of sunshine each year, Townsville enjoys a warm climate year-round, with average annual rainfall of approximately 730mm.

Summer (December-February) 25°C to 30°C

Autumn (March-May): 18°C to 30°C

Winter (June-August): 15°C to 25°C

Spring (September-November): 18°C to 30°C

Transport & Connectivity

Townsville Airport

Townsville Airport is the gateway to North Queensland, welcoming 1.7 million passengers to the region annually.

As North Queensland’s regional hub, Townsville Airport connects Townsville and capital cities with regular  direct services to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Darwin, along with regional destinations including Cairns, Mount Isa, Mackay, Longreach and Cloncurry. Serviced by Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Airnorth, Alliance Airlines and Rex, the airport is located 5km west of the city centre.

Connecting through Cairns International Airport provides access to a growing range of international destinations across Asia, including Singapore, Bali (Indonesia) and Japan.

Townsville Airport is also home to the QAL-owned Northern Australian Aerospace Centre of Excellence (NAACEX), a purpose-built hangar precinct for aviation-related businesses.

Flight times from Townsville Airport
  • Brisbane 2hrs
  • Sydney 2.5hrs
  • Melbourne 3 hrs
  • Darwin 2.75 hrs
  • Cairns 1 hr
  • Mackay 1 hr
  • Adelaide 3 hrs
  • Sunshine Coast 2 hrs
  • Rockhampton 2 hrs
  • Mount Isa 2 hrs
  • Cloncurry 1.5 hrs
  • Toowoomba 2 hrs
  • Longreach 2.5 hrs

Getting Around North Queensland by Sea, Rail and Road

By Sea

Townsville is a unique and welcoming destination for cruise ships with a near new and dedicated cruise terminal at the Port of Townsville in the Quayside Terminal just south of the city centre.

SeaLink and Magnetic Island Ferries operate from Townsville providing regular ferry services to Magnetic Island for both residents and visitors alike. SeaLink is a passenger only service making the short 25-minute trip about 20 times per day. SeaLink also runs a variety of tours and packages, including a day trip to Orpheus Island via the Palm Island Group. Magnetic Island Ferries is a car ferry service which runs an average of 8 trips per day and requires pre-booking.

By RailTOWNSVILLECairns 4hr 15minsMount Isa 10hrs Ingham 1hr 20minAyr 1hrCharters Towers 1hr 30minAirlie Beach 3hr 25minBrisbane 15hr 30minsDriving Times from Townsville

Queensland Rail operates regular passenger services between Brisbane and Cairns on the Spirit of Queensland with four weekly return services per week and stopping in Home Hill, Ayr, Giru, Townsville and Ingham.

Queensland Rail also operate the Inlander service from Townsville to Mt Isa with two weekly return services.

By Road

The North Queensland region is well serviced by the Transport and Main Roads network offering connectivity via the Bruce Highway, Flinders Highway, Hervey Range Road, the Lynd Highway and Gregory Development Road.

The Northwest of Queensland is famously known for several scenic drives, including Overlander’s Way which takes you from Townsville, 1,081km inland to Tennant Creek along the pioneering journey linking the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef with the rugged Outback, across the breadth of Queensland. From dazzling reef to the ochre-tinged outback, Overlander's Way leads you past incredible sights both modern and ancient and manmade.

Schools & Childcare

North Queensland offers an excellent range of early learning, primary and secondary education options, with more than 100 schools across the region. Families can choose from state, Catholic and independent schools, along with specialist education services that support a wide range of learning needs.

Whether you're relocating with young children or teenagers, the region provides access to quality education, modern facilities and diverse learning opportunities from early childhood through to Year 12.

Many families also find childcare and independent school fees more affordable than those in Australia's largest capital cities, while enjoying shorter commute times and strong community connections.

North Queensland Schools at a Glance

  • 45,000+ Students
  • 105+ Schools (Primary & Secondary)
  • 67 State Schools
  • 4,000+ Teachers
  • 38 Private Independent & Catholic

For full information on all schools in North Queensland visit the Department of Education Schools Directory. You can search by school type, location, boarding facilities, year levels and more. Each listing includes contact details and links to the school's website.

The Queensland Government edMap also allows families to view state school catchment boundaries, which may determine eligibility for enrolment.

Childcare and Kindy

Townsville and the surrounding region offer a broad range of early childhood education and care providers, including long day care, family day care, kindergarten, preschool and outside school hours care. Availability varies between providers and locations.

Families can compare childcare providers, fees and vacancies through Care for Kids, Starting Blocks and the Early Child Education and Care site by the Queensland Department of Education.

University, Training & Further Education

For school leavers or those wishing to up-skill, Townsville also offers world-class tertiary and training opportunities. Townsville is home to two internationally renowned universities and two TAFE campuses with a fast-growing reputation for innovation, science and technology.

Visit James Cook University Learn More

James Cook University is Queensland’s second oldest university and is ranked 1st in the world for Marine and Freshwater Biology, and 2nd in the world for Biodiversity Conservation. JCU has over 20,000 students and continues to be ranked 5 stars for graduates’ employment in full time work.

Visit James Cook University
Visit CQ University Learn More

CQ University is the largest university in regional Australia. CQ University introduced a Townsville Campus in 2015 providing vocational certificates through to Bachelor degrees and PhDs. The Townsville Campus works with key organisations and industries to tailor programs and facilities to build the region’s future workforce.

Visit CQ University
Visit TAFE Queensland Learn More

TAFE Queensland provides vocational education and training in Townsville provides over 200 training programs, ranging from Certificate through to Advanced Diploma level. There are campuses across North Queensland including Townsville, Charters Towers and the Burdekin.

Visit TAFE Queensland
Visit TEC-NQ Learn More

TEC NQ is an independent registered training organisation (RTO) that offers nationally accredited x through the provision of full time apprentice training, VET in Schools programs, short courses and training. Trainers are trade qualified and industry experienced. With a focus on face-to-face delivery and hands-on practical assessments, Tec-NQ delivers quality trades training for apprentices across Queensland.

Visit TEC-NQ
Visit Skills Gateway Training Learn More

The Queensland Skills Gateway provides access to information on vocational education and training available across Queensland. The website allows you to search and browse information including courses, training providers, government funding and career pathways.

Visit Skills Gateway Training
Registered training organisations in North Queensland

North Queensland has a comprehensive range of registered training organisations and group training organisations that offer courses and modules in many fields. Find exactly what you are looking for using the Federal Government's national register of vocational education and training.

Health Services

Townsville offers both private and public hospital services. The Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS) is one of the largest emergency departments in Queensland and coordinates the emergency recovery service for North Queensland.

THHS is the largest tertiary hospital in Northern Australia. Major specialist areas include:

  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
  • Largest children’s services outside of Brisbane
  • Paediatric oncology
  • Cardiac catheter lab
  • Major oncology service
  • Five Linear Accelerator treating cancer with high energy x-rays
  • PET scanner
  • Digital hospital
  • Medical Research Centre
  • Specialised birthing centre

THHS also encompasses regional hospitals in Ayer, Charters Towers and Ingham – all of which have 24-hour emergency care, a range of patient services and links to the Townsville specialist network of physicians and treatment.

Mater Health Service North Queensland is part of a large network of Queensland private hospitals with two campuses in Townsville. Major specialist areas include:

  • Cardiac Care
  • Orthopaedics
  • Perinatal Care
  • Children Care
  • Women’s Health
  • Allied Health Unit

Recreation

Sport

North Queensland is home to two national, premiership winning sporting teams – the Toyota Cowboys (National Rugby League) and JCU Townsville Fire (Women’s National Basketball League). Townsville also has an extremely active sporting community due to the year-round enviable weather.

The region is home to the Queensland Country Bank Stadium, a state-of-the-art 25,000 seat stadium hosting NRL games as well as offering an exceptional drawcard for North, and a drawcard for entertainment and sporting events including recent music events, State of Origin and international women’s and men’s soccer.

Activities and Attractions

North Queensland is the gateway to the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef, Wet Tropics Rainforest, tropical islands, wetlands, National Parks and historical, military and outback experiences. Majestic Magnetic Island is only a 20-minute ferry ride from Townsville. The city’s beachfront, The Strand, provides a 2.2km beachfront promenade that was custom built for family and recreational enjoyment. Other major attractions include TYTO Wetlands, Castle Hill and Queens Gardens, Hinchinbrook Island, Yongala Wreck, Venus Gold Battery and Paluma rainforest.

Culture, Events and Festivals

Live theatre, music and the arts feature prominently in North Queensland. Townsville enjoys two major art galleries – Perc Tucker Regional Gallery and Pinnacles Gallery – and is home to a globally-recognised contemporary dance company, Dancenorth.

The Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre hosts major concerts, conventions and indoor sporting events, while the Townsville Civic Theatre holds local, national and international performances. The region’s calendar boasts many special events and festivals, including the internationally-acclaimed North Australian Festival of Arts, Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Supercars, the Australian Italian Festival and the Charters Towers Goldfield Ashes – the largest amateur cricket carnival in the southern hemisphere.

Check out the regional pages on this site for more detail on the regional attractions and regular events specific to the area.

For more information about things to do, events and travel to North Queensland, visit townsvillenorthqueensland.com.au

Diverse and Multicultural Community

We would like to acknowledge the traditional owners on the land on which we live, the Wulgurukaba and the Bindal people as well as other aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. Townsville is known for its rich cultural heritage and diversity from Italian, Japanese and Chinese migrants, to our pacific and Asian neighbours, International students and Refugees who all contribute greatly to this region. Townsville is a proud refugee resettlement location. With an overseas constituent of 14%, the multicultural community represents more than 155 different countries. 

Townsvilel North Queensland - Total persons (Usual residence in 2021)  
Ancestry Number %
English 86,370 36.9
Australian 86,365 36.9
Irish 25,895 11.1
Scottish 23,871 10.2
Australian Aboriginal 17,556 7.5
Italian 15,489 6.6
German 12,220 5.2
Torres Strait Islander 4,806 2.1
Filipino 3,241 1.4
Chinese 2,873 1.2
Dutch 2,836 1.2
Indian 2,466 1.1
New Zealander 1,974 0.8
Greek 1,563 0.7
Maori 1,450 0.6

Townsville Council has Sister City agreements with six cities:

  • National Capital District Commission of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
  • Shunan - Japan
  • Iwaki - Japan
  • Changshu - China
  • Suwon - Korea
  • Foshan - China

Key Community Clubs include:

  • North Queensland Hindu Community Inc
  • The Townsville Chinese Cultural Club Inc
  • Townsville Italian Club
  • Greek Community Centre
  • Townsville Islamic Society
  • HORN of Africa
  • Filipino Australian Affiliation of North Queensland