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Page last updated on 14-07-2021.
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Maritime Museum of Townsville celebrates 40 years
Townsville’s rich maritime history is being recognised as the Maritime Museum of Townsville marks 40 years of operations. The organisation started from humble beginnings in 1986 from its original base on the upper level of the former Port Pier Master’s office. Following the donation and loan of many maritime artefacts and items, the museum outgrew this location, moving to its current Palmer Street location in 1992. Maritime Museum of Townsville managing curator Robert de Jong said a recent and important highlight in the museum’s history was seeing the Fremantle class patrol boat HMAS Townsville permanently dry-docked just a short distance from the museum on Ross Street, South Townsville. The vessel was donated to the museum in 2007 by the Department of Defence. “Whereas until now we as a museum collected, preserved and interpreted maritime history and heritage (and we will be continuing this) we also would like to become more involved in conserving our local marine environment and promote safety at sea,” Mr De Jong said. Port of Townsville Chief Executive Officer Ranee Crosby said it was wonderful to be acknowledging this important milestone in Townsville’s maritime history. "Every town has a story. Townsville's story has always been connected to the water. We congratulate the Maritime Museum, which has spent four decades collecting and preserving the moments, memories and milestones that define our maritime identity," Ms Crosby said. “We thank the countless people - founders, curators, volunteers, business leaders, supporters, donors, board members and community champions - who have generously contributed their time, expertise and passion to preserve Townsville's maritime story for the benefit of generations to come.” Key facts about the Maritime Museum of Townsville The Maritime Museum of Townsville was established in 1986 by the former Townsville Harbour Board Chief Executive Officer Richard Kenny and the Seafarers’ Association of Townsville. The museum was first located within the Port on the upper level of the former Pier Master’s office. This building was relocated to its current location on Palmer Street in 1992 due to the large number of artefacts and maritime items that were on display and in later years more buildings were added to the museum. The Museum holds about 19,000 artefacts, books and photos and a fleet of ten historic watercraft. Apart from the Queensland Maritime Museum in Brisbane, the Maritime Museum of Townsville is the second oldest maritime museum in the State and one of the State’s three primary maritime museums. Museum displays Battle of the Coral Sea, World War II, May 1942 Port of Townsville history The Yongala shipwreck, 1911 Model ships Bay Rock Lighthouse A celebratory event was held at the museum on Palmer Street last month. The Maritime Museum of Townsville is open to the public Mondays to Saturdays from 9am-1.30pm for a small fee.
Coffee services partnership to help veterans in need
What started as a 10-minute meeting at the Townsville Meet the Buyer event in June has led to the Port entering a partnership with Wounded Heroes for the organisation to supply coffee beans across Port offices. Port of Townsville Procurement and Contracts manager Lisa James said the initiative was part of an ongoing commitment to align with the Queensland Government’s Purposeful Public Procurement objectives. “The change to Wounded Heroes coffee beans reflects the Queensland Government’s strong focus on supporting veteran-owned businesses, increasing opportunities for social enterprises and embedding broader economic and social outcomes into everyday procurement decisions,” she said. “The transition has been seamless from an operational perspective, while also delivering a positive social outcome — a win for both our organisation and the broader community. “Importantly, this procurement decision demonstrates that even routine, low-value purchases can play a role in delivering meaningful outcomes. “Rather than viewing procurement as purely transactional, this approach reinforces the principle that every procurement decision is an opportunity to deliver broader value to the community.” Wounded Heroes Australia president Martin Shaw said every bag of Wounded Heroes Coffee purchased helped Wounded Heroes continue providing immediate assistance to veterans and families in crisis. “Unlike many support services, we receive no ongoing government funding for our emergency financial assistance, meaning partnerships like this directly contribute to keeping our financial crisis response operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said. “The Port of Townsville's support demonstrates how local organisations can make a tangible difference to the lives of veterans while supporting a social enterprise that reinvests every dollar back into the community. “This partnership not only helps fund vital services but also raises awareness of the challenges many veterans and families continue to face after service. “We are extremely grateful to the Port of Townsville for its support and look forward to building a long-term partnership that benefits ADF, veterans, their families and the wider North Queensland community." Photo caption L to R: Wounded Heroes Veteran Centre Manager Dave McHenry, Port of Townsville procurement and contracts manager Lisa James, Port of Townsville procurement officer Chantelle Daws, Wounded Heroes Australia president Martin Shaw and Port of Townsville procurement business partner Nicole Boxsell at the Wounded Heroes Veteran Centre café at Hyde Park.
Record interest in Port of Townsville Community Fund
The Port of Townsville is supporting 14 community groups and organisations through its 2026 Community Fund after receiving a record 63 applications. The annual Community Fund, now in its sixth year, offers applicants the opportunity to share in $50,000 to fund projects, events and equipment. Some of this year’s successful applicants will use the funding to purchase lifesaving and operational equipment that will directly benefit community members. Port of Townsville Chief Executive Officer Ranee Crosby said the response to the 2026 round was the strongest since the fund was launched. “We launched our Community Fund in 2021, and this is the first year we have seen such an overwhelming response, almost double the number of applications we received in 2025,” Ms Crosby said. Applications were received from across the region, including Hinchinbrook, the Burdekin, the North West, and Townsville. “Running a not?for?profit organisation requires a tremendous amount of support including financial, and while we can’t support every application, we’ve tried to extend our reach to as many groups as possible,” Ms Crosby said. “I want to thank everyone who applied and also our Community Fund judging panel for their time and effort to review every one of the 63 applications we received.” Townsville Picnic Bay Surf Lifesaving Club will use its Community Fund grant to purchase new training boards to support its Nippers program, which teaches children aged 5-14 beach safety, surf awareness, fitness, and basic lifesaving skills. President Mel Cosgrove said the club was thrilled and grateful to receive the support. “This funding is a huge boost for our Nippers program and the wider club community, helping up provide safer, higher-quality equipment and experiences for our young members,” she said. “Having enough good-quality boards means more children can join sessions instead of waiting for equipment. Families are more likely to stay involved when programs are well equipped. “The grant will support the develop of future surf lifesavers, strengthen community connections, and help the club continue to provide opportunities for families to be involved in a positive, volunteer-based environment.” Queensland Country Women’s Association Alligator Creek will use funds from the Port’s Community Fund to go towards the 2026 Bindal Ridge Fun Run event in June. “Having the support of Port of Townsville in hosting our annual Bindal Ridge Fun Run means that we can reach more people in our community and utilise local business as providers for the event,” Treasurer Donna Rundle said. “Bringing together our community for events like this helps fight against social isolation and builds a more resilient community in times of need. “Having more community participation will result in a more enjoyable and streamlined event that is fun, active and socially engaging.” The annual fund has supported 55 projects across the region with a combined value of $3 million, since it launched in 2021. Each application is assessed by the fund’s panel that carefully considers requests with the Port’s values of Partnerships, Opportunity, Respect and Trust and our themes of Prosperity, Planet, Community and People. Recipients of the 2026 Port Community Fund Organisation Item/s Funded Bird of Prey, Rescue and Rehabilitation and Rescue Inc New 3000L water tank Burdekin Bocce Club New industrial fans Community Information Centre Townsville Inc New marquee cover and four tear drop flags Dancenorth Purchase two Automated External Defibrillator (AED) bundles Lucinda Coastguard Purchase of eight marine crew communication headsets Lucinda Progress Association Face painter and balloon artist for the 2026 Lucinda Christmas Carols Mission to Seafarers Funds towards publishing Centenary booklet Queensland Country Women’s Association Alligator Creek Medals, signage and water for June 2026 Bindal Ridge Fun Run event St Vincent de Paul Society Qld Purchase 30 First Nation themed shirts? for volunteers The Pyjama Foundation Funding to support the training, screening, and recruitment of volunteers in Townsville Townsville Men's Shed Purchase a welder Townsville Picnic Bay Lifesaving Club Inc Purchase new boards for Nippers program Townsville South State School P&C Replace kitchen benchtops in school’s tuckshop Women Veterans Network Australia (WVNA) POS & EFTPOS machine and craft and sewing materials to enable participants to design and handcraft items for Poppy Shop initiative
Port Celebrates Record Cruise Season
The Port of Townsville is celebrating a record cruise season that saw 23 cruise ships carrying more than 27,000 passengers and 13,000 crew visit Townsville. The last cruise ship for the 2025/26 season, Vista, visited Townsville today (Tuesday, 14 April) with about 1,200 passengers on board. Port of Townsville Chief Executive Officer Ranee Crosby said the record season reflected increasing demand to experience the Townsville region. “We work incredibly hard with our cruise partners in Townsville and within the cruise sector to make the seasons the best they can be, offering a welcome dose of energy to the city’s vibrant tourism sector,” Ms Crosby said. “It’s exciting to see cruise ship companies visit Townsville for the first time, with the Port and cruise liners celebrating many maiden voyages this season. “We also had the pleasure of welcoming several residential cruise ships, where residents on board were able to enjoy the city and region for a number of days.” Ms Crosby said the cruise ship season usually ran from November to April, but next year’s season had been extended, with cruise ships booked to dock in June and July in 2027. Member for Townsville Adam Baillie said the growing cruise trade was delivering solid benefits for the local community. “Townsville continues to cement our reputation as the tourism and events capital of the North,” Mr Baillie said. “Cruise ships are now becoming a reliable part of Townsville’s local economy, supporting cafes, shops and tourism operators as our city continues to evolve in the lead up to the 2032 Games.” Townsville Enterprise Director of Visitor Economy Lisa Woolfe said the region’s cruise sector continued to go from strength to strength. “It’s fantastic to see Townsville’s cruise industry continuing to grow and break records,” Ms Woolfe said. “These visits deliver a significant boost to our local economy, particularly during the traditional off-peak season, providing greater year-round certainty for tourism operators. “We’re welcoming passengers from all corners of the globe, and what’s most exciting is their genuine sense of surprise and delight when they experience our region - from the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage rainforests to rich Indigenous culture, unique wildlife and iconic locations like The Strand, just minutes from port. “We’ve worked hard to not only increase ship and passenger numbers, but to enhance the depth of experiences on offer to these passengers. Giving cruise passengers more experience options means they are doing more and dispersing across the region like never before - ensuring the economic benefits are felt more broadly.” Cruise tourism provides a major boost to the local economy with each passenger spending about $200 a day exploring the region. The 2026/27 cruise season will begin in November 2026, with the first cruise ship, Riviera, due to dock on Saturday, 7 November 2026.
Port of Townsville Ready for Project Pipeline
The Port of Townsville is well positioned to support North Queensland’s future industry development with the recent completion of a new 14-hectare dedicated Project Cargo Laydown Area and road and intersection upgrades. The newly constructed area will put Townsville on the map and ensure global connectivity for the region by improving the Port’s capacity and capabilities to facilitate large-scale project cargo, to support the major pipeline of planned project investment across the region. Port of Townsville General Manager of Operations, Projects, and Safety David McLoughlin said the completion of the multi-million-dollar project marked a significant milestone for both the Port and the North and North West Queensland regions. “Ports play a central role in enabling regional development. This investment ensures we can continue to support the major projects that drive jobs and economic growth across the region,” Mr McLoughlin said. “By expanding our project cargo handling capacity, we’re contributing to new trade and investment opportunities across Northern Australia. “This critical piece of infrastructure will help facilitate the region’s planned investments including renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and critical minerals.” Principle contractor Mendi Constructions Contractors Representative, Chris MacDonald said the multi-million-dollar project was a key milestone for Mendi. “This has been an important project for us to be a part of given its strategic importance for the development of both Port of Townsville and the broader North Queensland region,” Mr MacDonald said. “It places both a national and international spotlight on all stakeholders involved, including Doyle Group. “At Mendi, we pride ourselves on being adaptive and diverse with a general approach of taking on projects that challenge and improve our collective skillset. “The diverse scope and complexity of this project, which was delivered with a 90 per cent local workforce, demonstrates Mendi Constructions’ ability to deliver complex infrastructure while highlighting its ongoing commitment to developing, promoting and growing local talent.” The dedicated laydown area and transport network upgrades were designed to accommodate oversized and heavy project cargo, including wind turbine blades of up to 100 metres long. The project involved extensive civil works, pavement construction and drainage upgrades to ensure the Port’s facilities can safely manage high volumes of heavy project cargo. This capability will enable the efficient import, storage and transportation of project cargo from ship to site.