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Townsville set to make waves this cruise season
Townsville is set to make waves this cruise season with a record 26 cruise ships scheduled to dock at Port of Townsville, including seven large-class vessels and two overnight stays. More than 31,000 passengers and 14,000 crew will visit our city throughout the 2025/2026 season, injecting more than $9.5 million into the local economy. The season officially kicks off on Thursday, 3 July with the arrival of Oceania Cruises’ Regatta, carrying more than 1200 passengers and 380 crew. Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said the Port was ready to welcome more visitors and bigger cruise ships than ever before. “With the practical completion of our $251 million Channel Upgrade project earlier this year, cruise ships longer than 238 metres can now safely access our Port,” Ms Crosby said. “Some of these large-class cruise ships can carry up to 3000 guests, which is triple the number of guests we’ve previously welcomed from a single ship. “It’s a significant boost not just for the Port, but the entire region as well.” This season, Port of Townsville will welcome vessels from July 2025 to April 2026. “Townsville’s cruise season is becoming longer as more cruise lines look to our city and we’re excited to be welcoming passengers over the winter months when our region really shines,” Ms Crosby said. For the first time, Townsville will host two overnight stays including the maiden voyage of The World in December, a luxury residential cruise ship. Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Minister Ros Bates said the Port of Townsville would continue to play a key role in contributing to the local economy. “The completion of the Channel Upgrade Project secures Townsville’s position as a gateway to Asia-Pacific and ensures the Port is well positioned to meet growing demand into the future, whether that’s in trade or tourism,” Minister Bates said. Townsville Enterprise Director of Visitor Economy and Marketing Lisa Woolfe said the return of major cruise lines to Townsville North Queensland marked a significant milestone for the region. “The growth of cruise in Townsville underscores our region’s appeal as a must-visit destination for both domestic and international travellers, delivering significant economic benefits for local businesses and the wider community,” Ms Woolfe said. “This season is particularly exciting as we welcome a number of maiden calls and even overnight stays – a clear sign that our cruise strategy is working and that Townsville is firmly on the map for extended visits and deeper exploration. “Cruise passengers consistently tell us how impressed they are with their experience in Townsville North Queensland – from the warm welcome by our incredible tourism volunteers to unforgettable encounters with wildlife at Billabong Sanctuary, island adventures on Magnetic Island, and rich cultural experiences in Hinchinbrook. “Whether they’re immersing themselves in rainforest escapes at Hidden Valley, stepping back in time in Charters Towers, or simply soaking up the coastal charm of The Strand, visitors are truly exploring beyond the port and discovering the heart of our region.” Ms Crosby said cruise passengers are really taking notice of what makes Townsville special. “With our warm tropical spirit and genuine hospitality, Townsville is leaving a lasting impression,” she said. "As the city continues to pursue a bold tourism vision, we’re thrilled to set stage for more ships to arrive and more visitors to discover the unique magic that makes this city and region an unforgettable destination.” To accommodate the growing number of visitors the Port has also invested $5.9 million to upgrade its dedicated cruise terminal, providing a seamless ship-to-shore experience for guests and include expanded capacity for buses, new taxi ranks, and a dedicated Kiss ‘n’ Ride zone.
Multi-million-dollar Port of Townsville works go local
Port of Townsville is providing North Queensland with critical enabling infrastructure with the construction of a multi-million-dollar Project Cargo Laydown Area at its East Port Precinct. The 14-hectare laydown facility will support future industry development and renewable energy projects across the region. Mendi Constructions has been contracted to deliver the transport network upgrades and laydown facility which will serve as temporary storage for wind turbine components, including blades of up to 100 metres long, and other project cargo imports. Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said this development is an important step toward meeting the increasing demand for future Port infrastructure to facilitate the significant pipeline of planned investments in the region. "The Port is integral in maintaining efficient international supply chains into the future, as well as securing the North and North West Queensland region as a hub for global trade growth,” Ms Crosby said. “This facility will support emerging industries like renewable energy, advanced manufacturing as well as existing sectors like critical minerals as they continue to grow.” Mendi Constructions Contractors Representative Chris MacDonald said Mendi is a Townsville based, second generation family-owned business which is proud to have helped facilitate the region’s development in its more than 65 years of operations. “This project is directly supporting 30 full time equivalent positions, including three apprenticeships and traineeships, with 90 per cent of the workforce being locally sourced,” Mr MacDonald said. “We’re passionate about being involved in projects that will improve and deliver critical infrastructure across North Queensland. “We believe the East Port Development Project is an opportunity to showcase our capabilities, while creating lasting benefits for the Townsville community. “It is one that will ensure global connectivity and support future economic activity in the region." Ms Crosby said the Port was pleased to partner with the locally owned and operated company to deliver this critical piece of infrastructure. “It’s rewarding to see Mendi lead this development, providing employment opportunities for the local workforce and in-turn supporting the regional economy,” Ms Crosby said. “We’re looking forward to working with Mendi throughout this project.” Construction works are expected to be complete in mid-2026. All material required to build the laydown area will be sourced from CAMM Quarry and Concrete, a subsidiary of the Doyle Group of companies, with Mendi Constructions being one of its divisions.
Port of Townsville celebrates most successful cruise season on record
Port of Townsville is celebrating its most successful cruise season yet, with 21 ships bringing more than 30,000 visitors to our city. The passengers and crew provided a welcome economic boost to the region, spending almost $7 million on experiences, retail and food and beverage outlets. Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said she was thrilled to welcome five vessels on their maiden voyage to the city, including visits by three-large class cruise ships which were able to access the Port for the first time since the completion of the $251 million Channel Upgrade project. “We are delighted to welcome Norwegian Sun back to our Port today, following her maiden voyage to the city on Easter Monday,” Ms Crosby said. “She is carrying up to 2400 passengers and 900 crew who will spend the day exploring the best our region has to offer. “The Norwegian Cruise Lines ship is one of three large-class cruise vessels which have been able to access our Port for the first time this season, bringing triple the number of passengers that had ever arrived on any one ship. “To facilitate the increase in passenger numbers on the large vessels, Port of Townsville recently completed a $5.9 million upgrade to our Quayside Terminal bus and taxi rank to allow our guests a seamless experience from ship to shore. “With 21 vessels visiting our city between November 2024 and April 2025, we are pleased to be able to facilitate a welcome boost to our tourism industry for what is typically a quieter time for operators.” Townsville Enterprise Director Visitor Economy and Marketing Lisa Woolfe said cruise passengers had delivered a welcome economic boost to the city. “The cruise season is critical for our region; it provides a welcomed boost to our tourism economy during what is traditionally a low season,” Ms Woolfe said. “This year given the flooding and rain we have had it has been more important than ever. “Our cruise season has been an absolute lifeline for some tourism operators at the start of this year, contributing almost $7 million to the economy across in the last six months . “We consistently receive very positive feedback from our cruise guests, with an average of 4 out of 5 score in our surveying. “The passengers truly are ‘up for unexpected’ and have been delighted to explore the natural beauty our region has to offer, from reef to outback and everything in between. “Day trips to Magnetic Island, Charters Towers and Hinchinbrook have been favourites and attractions like Billabong Sanctuary and The Strand remain as popular as ever. “We know that cruise passengers have a high propensity to be return travellers to the regions they enjoy, so these cruise ships aren’t just a positive economic boost, they are a billboard for future travel from visitors across the world.” Ms Crosby said Townsville was cementing itself as a must-cruise destination with 26 ships booked for the upcoming 2025/2026 season. “As more cruise lines are looking to visit our city, the seasons are getting longer and this year we will welcome our first cruise passengers in early July, a time of year when Townsville really shines,” Ms Crosby said
Port of Townsville launches $50,000 Community Fund
The Port of Townsville is giving community groups, not-for-profits and schools across North Queensland the opportunity to share in $50,000 to assist with community minded projects and initiatives. Now in its fifth year, the Port’s annual Community Fund has supported 55 projects across the region with a combined value of more than $2.5 million. Port of Townsville Chief Executive Officer Ranee Crosby said the Community Fund aims to support a range of local initiatives that align with the Port’s key sustainability pillars and values. “We’re proud to support the North Queensland communities who supports us, and since we first launched the fund in 2021, we’ve provided assistance to a huge variety of causes contributing to the liveability of our region and the wellbeing of our communities,” Ms Crosby said. “Last year we received a record number of applications, with 57 groups applying, of which we were able to support 10 important initiatives, with projects supporting environmental stewardship and community togetherness featuring prominently.” Ms Crosby said while the Port is based in Townsville, our operations extend to Hinchinbrook, the Burdekin and the North West. “We invite groups from any of these communities to apply if they have a project which could benefit from monetary or in-kind support.” Community Fund 2024 recipient Belgian Gardens State School used their funding to upgrade equipment for their Reef Guardian program. Belgian Gardens State School STEM coordinator Brett Murphy said the funding has had a positive impact on water quality and fish health. “The equipment upgrades have been amazing and more efficient,” Mr Murphy said. Applications to the Port’s 2025 Community Fund are open until Monday 14 April 2025. For more information and to apply go to Community Fund | Port of Townsville.
Townsville Port celebrates Channel Upgrade completion with Queen Elizabeth’s arrival
Port of Townsville is celebrating the completion of its $251 million Channel Upgrade project with the arrival of Cunard’s luxury cruise ship Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday, 14 January 2025. The upgrade involved Townsville’s shipping channels being widened from 92m to 180m at the inshore end, allowing larger vessels up to 300m in length to safely access the port, instead of bypassing Townsville. Port of Townsville CEO Ranee Crosby said the channel widening had been pivotal in attracting larger cruise vessels to Townsville. “This project will deliver the largest cruise ships Townsville has seen to date and will be carrying thousands of passengers and crew, which means significant economic injections into our local economy and local businesses” Ms Crosby said. “This milestone heralds a new era of maritime tourism for the region, promising to boost the local economy and offer visitors an unparalleled experience to explore our region right throughout the year.” Director for Cunard Australia and New Zealand Katrina McAlpine said they were thrilled guests travelling on Queen Elizabeth would be able to access the Port of Townsville for the first time. “We are excited that Queen Elizabeth is the first cruise ship of her size to berth at Townsville Port, bringing our guests right to the city’s doorstep,” Ms McAlpine said. “It’s a magnificent setting, offering our guests unparalleled convenience for exploring all that Townsville and its surrounds have to offer.” Hall Contracting CEO & Director Cameron Hall said his company was proud to have delivered such a significant project for the Townsville region. “As an Australian contractor, Hall Contracting is proud to have overcome stiff competition from European-based multinational dredging companies to deliver the Port of Townsville Channel Upgrade project in our home state, creating approximately 140 local jobs and boosting the Queensland economy,” Mr Hall said. “In addition to dredging 3.4 million cubic metres of material from the Platypus Channel and Sea Channel, our marine civil division also built a 2.2km rock wall as part of the Channel Upgrade to facilitate expansion of the Port. "We will leave behind an enduring legacy in Townsville, having delivered more than 30,000 hours of training to local workers and provided hands-on industry experience and learning opportunities to a range of trainees, apprentices and university students.” Ms Crosby said the $251 million Channel Upgrade project was the first stage of a $1.6 billion Port Expansion Plan, which includes the creation of up to six new berths, 150 hectares of land reclamation and channel widening and deepening. “North Queensland is home to some of the most significant emerging opportunities that will fuel economic growth for decades to come, spanning critical minerals, mining and processing, renewable energy transmission and generation and advanced manufacturing,” Ms Crosby said. “Through continued expansion, our Port will play a critical role in supporting the North’s pipeline of major projects.”