AN ENTERPRISING HISTORY, A PROSPEROUS FUTURE Townsville North Queensland today is in a position other regions aspire to reach. With enviable tourism assets, agriculture potential, an international airport, one of the richest mineral provinces in the world in our backyard, one of Queensland’s largest multi-commodity ports, and the opportunities the location offers with Asia sitting right on our doorstep, Townsville North Queensland is well positioned to be Northern Australia’s largest city and commercial gateway. Townsville Enterprise’s goal is to achieve that vision. Its role as the region’s peak economic development and tourism body is to be the facilitator, bringing together our key leaders, offering a platform to attract development, tourism and investment. Townsville Enterprise is an advocate for Townsville North Queensland. It is strategic, persistent, collaborative advocacy that will bring the items on our agenda to reality. We certainly have proof of that.
on Townsville Enterprise’s agenda five, 10, 15, 20, 25 years ago. The Port Access Road and Rail Corridor first appeared on Townsville Enterprise’s agenda in 1991 and took 16 years before construction began in 2007. The need for a new cruise ship terminal to raise Townsville’s profile in the cruising industry was identified in 1996 and has since been realised. The Port Expansion Project is now underway. The Integrated Stadium and Entertainment Centre has been high on our agenda for the past seven years, and this year received the necessary funding to progress. These accomplishments – along with every other project within this book – have been the results of collaboration between industry, government and the community. Townsville Enterprise’s dedication to the region is the reason that we as an organisation exist; it is the reason that we, and our region, have continued to grow over the past 25 years, and why Townsville Enterprise will be here for the next 25 years.
Many of the projects mentioned within this book started out as items
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
1991 LEADING THE REGION SINCE 1991, TOWNSVILLE ENTERPRISE CELEBRATES ITS SILVER JUBILEE Townsville North Queensland has ambitiously secured many game changing developments over the years from major events such as the V8 Supercars and PBR Invitational which draw visitors to the region, to attracting a major zinc refinery which has contributed to shaping the economic output of the region. These and many other achievements have come about through collaboration with the business community, industry bodies and government. Townsville Enterprise is proud of the role it has played, with its members
and partners, in helping to shape Townsville North Queensland. For 25 years Townsville Enterprise has been the region’s peak advocate, connector, facilitator and thought provoker. Born from an idea by then Townsville Mayor, Tony Mooney, Townsville Enterprise is today working for the community in the way it was intended a quarter of a century ago – to be an agile economic body independent of all levels of government leading the development of a stronger regional economy with an enviable lifestyle.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
1992 TOWNSVILLE NORTH QUEENSLAND – A REGION SHINING SINCE 1992 There’s no question, the phrase ‘Townsvilleshines’ is a winner. Today the hashtag is widely used across social media and on billboards and brochures across the region, but many may not be aware that the renowned tag was actually created back in 1992. The then Townsville Enterprise Tourism Advisory Committee came up with the catchy phrase as part of a marketing campaign promoting the region in Newcastle and northern New South Wales. Committee member at the time, Madonna Simmons, remembers why the Committee picked the catchy line to sell the region. “Whenever we were travelling to promote Townsville and the region, whether interstate or overseas, we would talk about our fantastic weather. The line “over 300 days of sunshine every year” was a huge selling point. It’s a simple message
but it was what holiday makers wanted and it was a promise we could deliver – sunshine! The campaign was a success with visitation from New South Wales increasing as a result. In 2012 Ms Simmons worked with Townsville City Council and Townsville Enterprise to relaunch the tagline with a cooperative marketing campaign that gave it new life. With over 85,000 photos tagged on Instagram alone, today it continues to attract visitors from across the globe. Social media is an important part of the marketing mix Townsville Enterprise uses to promote the region. Its members and the community play a vital role through their use of the hashtag, sharing photos of exploring the region. Do you have a great photo or video to share? Remember to use #townsvilleshines on your social media posts.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
1994 MEET TOWNSVILLE: THE DESTINATION FOR MEETINGS
With the opening of the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre in 1993, Townsville had begun to realise its potential as an event destination. In 1994, the Queensland Tourism Awards were held in Townsville – outside of the southeast corner for the first time ever – after much lobbying by Townsville Enterprise. It was the late Richard Power, then Chief Executive Officer of Townsville Enterprise, who decided Townsville Enterprise needed a dedicated Convention Bureau to capitalise on the growing business events market. “Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns each had purpose-built convention centres, and were reaping the benefits,” recalls Julie Plath, the Conventions and Events Manager at that time. In 1994, Townsville Enterprise achieved official accreditation as a
Convention Bureau for the region, through the Meetings Industry Association of Australia (MIAA). “Local operators at the time were very much on board and supportive of this vision, recognising the potential of this market,” Ms Plath remembers. “There was a small group of venues, hotels and support services that worked together through the Bureau to bid for business and to ensure that those events were delivered exceptionally.” Today, the Townsville Enterprise Convention Bureau continues to act as a facilitator between event organisers and local conference venues, accommodation outlets, service providers and other associated services. Importantly, the Bureau remains integral to our region’s visitation.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
1995 KOREA ZINC ESTABLISHED IN TOWNSVILLE, RENAMED BY THE REGION’S YOUTH Securing new industries, attracting new developments and lobbying for job creating infrastructure projects is a role Townsville Enterprise has been playing for the past 25 years. During that time we’ve seen major developments come to fruition throughout the region including Sun Metals Zinc Refinery which Townsville Enterprise rigorously lobbied for back in 1995. But Sun Metals Zinc Refinery hasn’t always had the bright name it holds today. During the negotiations Townsville Enterprise worked with Korean company, Korea Zinc, to establish a zinc refinery in Townsville. In late 1995 Korea Zinc opened, providing direct employment to 350 locals and indirect jobs for 1,000 people across the region. The organisation wanted a name which reflected the refinery’s new location so a competition was put together where school students put
forward proposed names with the Korea Zinc management picking the winning entry. PR Consultant to both Townsville Enterprise and Sun Metals at the time, Ron Bairstow, recalls the moment “Sun Metals” was read out during judging. “As soon as we saw it, as soon as we said it, it rolled off the tongue and it was just so right. It reflected a place where people wanted to go to work. The Sun Metals group was, and still is today, very dedicated to the development of young people. In their eyes they see the future of the region lies in its youth which is why school children were chosen to come up with the name and it’s one that’s really stuck.” Today, Sun Metals continues to be one of the region’s largest employers, employing over 300 people and remains a key supporter of Townsville Enterprise.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
1996 TOWNSVILLE ENTERPRISE: PLANNING FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH Great things aren’t always achieved overnight. Often they take many years, sometimes decades, of researching, planning, pitching and lobbying to get over the line. In 1996, Townsville Enterprise initiated work on key project studies including a driver training centre, a continued focus on the Port Access Road project and Townsville Airport infrastructure upgrades. “The Chamber of Commerce works and plans for today, while Townsville Enterprise’s charter is to plan for tomorrow,” explains Graham Jackson, Townsville Enterprise Chairman from 1999 to 2005. “Back then, much time was spent on developing aerospace related services and today that work has resulted in a $50M aerospace service
precinct which, for example, paints aircraft fleets for many airlines, including Air New Zealand.” It was recognised back then that Townsville’s climate was ideal for aerospace industries to operate and there was ample land available at the airport for facilities. Major projects often have a long gestational period, with early planning, strategic vision and multilevel support required. Townsville is now enjoying the results of Townsville Enterprise’s early studies – the Port Access Road was completed in 2012 and Townsville’s Quayside Terminal opened in 2013. Townsville Airport has undergone numerous upgrades, and this year will commence a $40M upgrade with a 3,300 square metre expansion.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
1997 TOWNSVILLE ENTERPRISE: OUTSTANDING RECOGNITION
It was an exciting time for Townsville, particularly for tourism, in 1997. Visitation numbers were strong, Townsville was viewed by southern markets as Australia’s newest ‘hot spot’ and Townsville Enterprise received national recognition for its efforts. Off the back of its 1996 Queensland Tourism Award for Most Outstanding Tourism Organisation, in ’97 Townsville Enterprise was awarded a prestigious Australian Tourism Award for excellence as a Regional Tourism Authority. Kayleen Allen, Townsville Enterprise’s Tourism Division Manager from 1993 to 1999 – and now a national judge for the Tourism Awards – recalls spending months preparing the award submission. “We had a fantastic team who never passed up an opportunity,” said
Kayleen, who believes it was all of the little wins that came together to grow Townsville’s reputation as a destination. “We had many systems and procedures in place, checks and balances and a range of committees and multi-level connections that made us work well. “We were about more than tourism. We were also helping mining operators put together promotional materials to attract staff to live in Townsville. It became about Townsville as a great place to visit and to live. “I believe the strength of Townsville Enterprise was – and still is – that we had those high-level relationships with tourism business, general businesses, industry, Chamber and Council; we were very much about partnerships and working as a city.”
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
1998 CRACKING THE 1 MILLION MARK! THE REGION’S VISITATION EDGES UPWARDS January 1998 delivered a ‘once in 500 year flood’ to Townsville, with images of devastation broadcast across Australia and the world. In response, Townsville Enterprise launched a destination marketing campaign titled Operation: Positive Profile. The campaign proved to be successful, with the region attracting over one million visitors that year, exceeding all previous records. But the result was years in the making.
which went on to win Billabong Sanctuary a 1993 Australian Small Business Award. Through concentrating on local schools, memberships, and regional Queensland and interstate visitors, Bob says Billabong Sanctuary was back on track with visitation numbers by 1998.
Townsville tourism stalwart Bob Flemming, Billabong Sanctuary owneroperator and an original Townsville Enterprise member since ‘91, recalls the steady road.
“Townsville’s tourism industry has been steady-steady with the re-emergence of the international market. Our [Billabong’s] market mix today is international 37%, local Townsville 25%, interstate 17%, regional Queensland 14% and southeast Queensland 7%.”
“Billabong saw our international market disappear overnight with the Qantas announcement in 1990 that Cairns rather than Townsville would be the international airport. We revised our marketing strategy from ‘international’ to ‘local and domestic’,” Bob recalls, of the marketing strategy
“By having a combined economic tourism body, Townsville Enterprise has assisted in building the city to what it is today – a great place to live with a wonderful lifestyle. When the residents love their city, tourism will grow because people want to share what they think is special.”
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2000 TOWNSVILLE LANDS VIRGIN BLUE
The year 2000 was also a new era for domestic travel, with Virgin Blue (now Virgin Australia) announcing Townsville would be its first regional destination. “Virgin put a call out for tenders for a port to call home,” recalls Amanda Kruse, Tourism Manager at the time. “We went for broke – we wanted that HQ in Townsville! “We put together a strong argument with support from the army, James Cook University, business, Council and the airport, all stating we as a city would support the new airline. We sent Brett Godfrey – Virgin Blue co-founder – little coconuts with facts about Townsville inside. “If we didn’t get that head office, we wanted to be the first regional port. If we weren’t, we’d have to wait in line as each State got regional routes.” One Friday morning, Amanda took a strange phone call. “I was told I was on speaker with Brett Godfrey,
Richard Branson and some others – I thought it was a Gotcha Call for sure. ‘Brett’ said he was sorry, we hadn’t won the bid for head office… but because of our amazing submission, Townsville would be Virgin’s first regional port.” Amanda’s response? “‘Thank you. I need to ask though – are you Steve Price and is this a Friday Gotcha Call?’ “They were confused to say the least; and then Richard Branson added, ‘We did have to look up the map to find out where Townsville was!’” Townsville’s first Virgin Blue flight took off in February 2001. Later that year, September 11’s events shook the airline industry and Ansett collapsed. “Getting Virgin to Townsville was a saving grace,” says Amanda. “Suddenly we were the only regional airport with two airlines.” Today, Townsville Enterprise continues working closely with airlines and Townsville Airport to negotiate new routes into Townsville.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2001 10 YEARS OF TOWNSVILLE ENTERPRISE
In 2001, as Townsville Enterprise clocked 10 years of advocating for the region, the city experienced a year of celebrations. International rugby found a stage in Townsville with the announcement that the 2003 Rugby World Cup, hosted by Australia, would be played in stadiums across Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Gosford, Launceston, Wollongong and of course Townsville. More than 21,000 spectators attended the Townsville game, worth $11 million to the region, secured with the assistance and advocacy of the Townsville Enterprise Convention Bureau. In August 2001 Qantas announced it would expand its routes to include
direct flights between Sydney and Townsville – this was a key achievement for the region. These flights further opened Townsville North Queensland to southern markets for both tourism and business. “We had already encouraged Virgin to come to Townsville with our upgraded terminal,” explains Graham Jackson, Townsville Enterprise’s Chairman 1999–2005. “The Qantas expansion followed soon after because we were regarded then as a dynamic region, led by Townsville.” Today, working with airline operators and Townsville Airport to encourage increased direct flights from Townsville to domestic and international centres, remains high on Townsville Enterprise’s agenda.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2002 TOWNSVILLE CREATES A SIGNATURE EVENT
It was a big year for Townsville in 2002, with the creation of a signature event – an international bull riding competition, the largest indoor bull ride ever staged in Australia and the second highest prize money event on the international PBR Challenger World Tour. Glen Young, now Managing Director of PBR (Professional Bull Riders), first created the event in 1999, before partnering with Townsville Enterprise in 2002. “We had this event, but needed support to grow it,” recalls Glen, “Townsville Enterprise offered that.” “It was one of the first international events in Australia… and from our perspective the Townsville event is also one of the most prominent; it attracts the best bull riders in the world.” Townsville Enterprise Chief Executive Officer (2004–2009), Glenys Schuntner recalls, “The goal was to create economic impact and put the spotlight on Townsville and
the region through a nationally accredited event. Under the leadership of then Board Director David Carmichael, Townsville Enterprise together with Bull Riding Australia, established Townsville Special Events to manage the event. The inaugural Troy Dunn International Extreme Bullriding Championship took place in August 2003. “Townsville Enterprise owned and managed the event with a small project team led by then Company Secretary Greg Peel with a committee of local media representatives and Glen Young. “With the event firmly and successfully on the calendar, a decision was made to transition the ownership and management to a private operator so we could focus on attracting other events such as the V8s.” Renamed the ‘Troy Dunn Invitational’ and now ‘Iron Cowboy’, the event remains a key weekend in the North’s calendar.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2004 V8 SUPERCARS. DESTINATION, TOWNSVILLE When the V8 Supercars arrived in Townsville in 2009, the Townsville community was as revved up as the V8s. The energy, exposure and excitement of the event was undeniable. What some may not realise is that it took around six years for the event to progress from pitch to practice, with Townsville Enterprise leading the public advocacy case for the attraction of the event. “A local resident continually approached me regarding the benefit of having an event here,” recalls Graham Jackson, Townsville Enterprise’s Chair 1999–2005. However, while the event had support from Townsville City Council, the success of the bid depended on achieving an appropriate funding base. “Eventually 10 Townsville Enterprise members donated a total of $100,000 to write the business plan, which we then took to the Queensland Government. After much debate they agreed to be our major sponsor.” Townsville Enterprise Board Director of the time and V8 Steering
Committee Chairman, Tony Ireland, was significant to landing the project’s $33M funding that got it over the line. “What got us over the line was persistence,” admits Tony. “We had done years of work, been sent away from State and Federal Governments, and then Rudd came along and we were able to get Howard and Rudd to agree to the funding. “State Government had previously agreed to fund $20M but only if the Federal Government put in $10M,” explains Tony. “They didn’t think we would get the 10! The inaugural event in 2009 attracted $20M to the region’s economy and showcased Townsville to a global audience, with the event broadcast to 130 countries. “We originally said the event would attract 120,000 attendees,” adds Graham. “Queensland Government said 80,000 maximum. We have averaged over 150,000 each event.” Today, Townsville’s V8 Supercar weekend remains an annual highlight for the region.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2004–2006 THE GREAT TROPICAL DRIVE, THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING
In 2004, Townsville Enterprise entered into a three-year joint venture with Tourism Tropical North Queensland (Cairns) to launch the award-winning self-drive route series, the Great Tropical Drive. The Great Tropical Drive stretches over 2,079km of road, including the two key access nodes of Townsville and Cairns, includes 13 themed discovery loops and six experiential trails, and takes in 70 national parks, conservation areas and forest reserves. “Townsville Enterprise lobbied with Tourism Tropical North Queensland to then Tourism Minister Joe Hockey for funding to develop the greater north’s tourism product potential,” recalls Glenys Schuntner, Townsville Enterprise Chief Executive Officer 2004–2009. “We successfully secured $6M in Federal funding for collaborative development and marketing of what became the Great Tropical Drive. “The goals were to attract more drive tourists and encourage them to see more of our wonderful region, with
associated benefits to flow on to smaller communities.” The project took three years to develop completely, 2004–2006, with drive routes, touring maps, signage and marketing. “On the Great Tropical Drive website we created and hosted one of Australia’s first podcast downloads,” explains Glenys, “we invited and hosted journalists from key international and domestic markets and we had a great partnership with National Geographic and Sorrel Wilby [an award-winning adventurer] to produce a CD that was inserted into every publication. “It was a challenging project but all involved were rewarded with the Great Tropical Drive winning the Best New Tourism Product Award at the Queensland Tourism Awards in 2007.” The Great Tropical Drive was also named the second best drive in Australia by Australian Traveller Magazine in 2006, and acknowledged by a 2007 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award in Marketing – Secondary Government Destination.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2007 PORT ACCESS CORRIDOR PROJECT GETS A GREEN LIGHT
Late 2007 brought with it a landmark success for Townsville, as the Federal Government promised to match State Government funding for the $190M Port Access Corridor project. “It was one of the longest standing projects on Townsville Enterprise’s advocacy list since its inception,” explains Glenys Schuntner, Townsville Enterprise Chief Executive Officer 2004–2009. “The Port Access Corridor road would enable freight efficient vehicles such as triple road trains to travel through to the Port without having to de-couple at Stuart.” This project involved many stakeholders and is an example of how major projects can often require a long gestation period.
“Many stakeholders were involved in the project’s development, but Townsville Enterprise was the public face of the campaign,” says Glenys. “In every advocacy meeting with government representatives we would raise this critical infrastructure need and finally in 2007 the Federal and Queensland Governments committed $190M to its development. “As a direct result of this new road, Townsville is now the largest port in the country for live cattle exports.” Also in 2007, Townsville Enterprise’s Convention Bureau secured the 2008 Ulysses Annual General Meeting, bringing 3,000 delegates to Townsville. Townsville Enterprise worked closely with the event organisers to deliver the event.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2009 CROMARTY WETLANDS PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
In 2009, Townsville Enterprise led a fundraising campaign raising $2.5M with The Wetlands and Grasslands Foundation to purchase a 1,770ha privately owned parcel of land located 42km south of Townsville. Cromarty Station, now known as Wongaloo Wetlands, is regarded as possibly the most accessible, dynamic and diverse wetlands system in Australia. The scientific community has long acknowledged the wetlands’ abundance of wildlife and significant conservation and scientific value as being equal to Kakadu National Park. “The importance of this land was such not just for Australia, but for our community,” explains John Bearne, Townsville Enterprise Chair 2008–2011. “We needed to be sure it was there for our children,
and our children’s children; it was an opportunity for education, opportunity for research and opportunity for tourism.” Townsville Enterprise successfully secured the funds, with $1.8M of Federal Government support, $350,000 from State Government and $250,000 from the North Queensland community. “It was very much a whole community and government initiative; we raised money from members of the community, business members of the community, through Rotary Clubs, Townsville City Council, Burdekin Shire Council, State and Federal Governments,” recalls John. Today, The Wetlands and Grasslands Foundation still holds the land in trust.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2010 EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM TAKES SHAPE
In June 2016, 19 local professionals commenced the fourth series of the Emerging Leaders Program; a program designed to develop a pool of leadership talent to progress our city and the region. The 19 will join 71 participants who have already completed the 14-month program since its launch in 2012. “Townsville Enterprise was first exposed to the concept of an emerging leaders program when we invited Geelong Chamber of Commerce to speak at one of our functions,” explains John Bearne, Townsville Enterprise Chair 2008–2011. “We saw a very positive reaction from our members. “Then CEO [Trevor Goldstone] and I visited Geelong, and spent a full day with Geelong Chamber of Commerce going through their program. They were extremely
open and transparent, and offered assistance should we proceed with the program.” Townsville Enterprise developed a business case for a North Queensland program, which the Board approved. The first series launched in 2012. The program’s success so far has been promising, with the most recent cohort of graduates collectively generating $5.5M in new business, and almost half the participants gaining positions on various boards. This year John will recommence his involvement with the program, this time as a mentor. “This is an excellent program. It will be interesting to see it from the mentor’s perspective too.” The Townsville Enterprise Emerging Leaders Program now proudly sponsored by Queensland Country Credit Union, is open to middle and executive level management and business owners.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2012 TOWNSVILLE SECURES THE TRANS-TASMAN RUGBY LEAGUE TEST In 2012, Townsville hosted the only 2012 Rugby League Test match on Aussie soil – the Trans-Tasman Rugby League Test. Patricia O’Callaghan Chief Executive Officer of Townsville Enterprise, and then General Manager Tourism and Events, worked with then Chief Executive Officer David Kippin, Tourism and Events Queensland and Townsville City Council to secure the international event. “To host a Rugby League test of that calibre in Townsville was a big win for Townsville North Queensland,” explained Patricia. “Townsville Enterprise put together a funding arrangement with the NRL, matching Tourism and Events Queensland’s investment to secure the event. “This community loves Rugby League and the Trans-Tasman is as big as Rugby League gets.”
On 13 October, 26,457 spectators attended the game, witnessing the Kangaroos defeat the Kiwis 18–10. Townsville’s accommodation providers reported 100% occupancy and the value of the event to the regional economy was estimated at over $3M. “This event boosted the region’s profile, with the game aired across Australia and New Zealand, and it confirmed Townsville’s reputation as a thriving and successful event destination. We leveraged the raised profile through the game by working with New Zealand Rugby League to deliver a tourism campaign targeting Kiwi Rugby League fans, showcasing the region.” With the Integrated Stadium and Entertainment Centre receiving funding commitments in 2016 to proceed, Townsville North Queensland will soon have a CBDlocated stadium to help attract future events and generate activity in the city centre.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2014 EVENTS BID FUND BOOSTS EVENT ACQUISITION FOR NQ
With the goal of raising Townsville North Queensland’s competitiveness in bidding for and acquiring new events and conferences, the Townsville North Queensland Events Bid Fund was launched in July 2014. The funding pool, managed by the Townsville Enterprise Convention Bureau, is used to encourage and support events choosing Townsville North Queensland as the host destination. The Bid Fund was made possible due to collaboration between Townsville Enterprise, Townsville City Council, Tourism and Events Queensland and local industry partners. Tourism and Events Queensland Chief Executive Leanne Coddington said the fund has been instrumental in growing the region’s events portfolio. “Townsville North Queensland is an integral part of the State’s growing tourism economy and destination events play an important role,” explained Leanne.
“The Townsville North Queensland Events Bid Fund is a valuable resource which will further develop the destination’s events portfolio. “Tourism and Events Queensland supports the fund as a great driver of tourism outcomes with more than 72,000 visitor nights and $18.2M in economic benefit in the past year. “Through the Bid Fund Townsville Enterprise has been able to secure future events such as the Little Athletics Queensland State Championships, the Mountain Bike Australia XCM National Championships and Mountain Bike Festival and the BMX Queensland State Championships.” Since launching mid-2014, the Townsville North Queensland Events Bid Fund has secured events worth $25.92M of economic value to the region, and 99,189 guest nights.
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2014 TOWNSVILLE NORTH QUEENSLAND ASKS THE QUESTION – ARE YOU ALIVE WITH CURIOSITY? With a redefined direction for the region, Townsville Enterprise launched a new destination marketing brand in June 2014 – Townsville North Queensland, Alive with curiosity. The brand was designed to showcase Townsville North Queensland as a vibrant and dynamic destination and spark visitors’ interest in the region for tourism and events. The Federal Government had engaged in conversations around Northern Australia, and the State Government had identified tourism as one of four economic pillars; 2014 was the ideal time for a new brand. SeaLink General Manager and Chair of Townsville Enterprise’s Tourism & Events Strategic Advisory Committee, Paul Victory, was involved in the brand development. “Regional tourism operators had been looking for a brand that was diverse enough to accommodate all aspects of the region,” said Paul.
diversity of product within Townsville North Queensland – from the Great Barrier Reef to rainforest, outback, islands, education… “The basis for the brand was to appeal to the curious nature of our visitors. “When the brand was released, it promoted a conversation around what our region represents.” The brand’s launch coincided with a domestic marketing campaign led by Townsville Enterprise and supported by Tourism and Events Queensland, Townsville Airport and regional tourism operators. The campaign went on to win a Queensland Multimedia Award and a Bronze Award at the Queensland Tourism Awards. Under this brand, the region continues to be marketed as a destination full of surprises with many stories to tell, from its abundant nature and wildlife, to its vibrant arts and culture scene.
“In the workshops there was much conversation around the variety and
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2014 LANDMARK STUDIES SET FOUNDATION FOR OPPORTUNITY
Acknowledging that Northern Australia, particularly North and North West Queensland, has an abundance of natural resources, arable lands, a growing population base and close proximity to Asia – positioning it to contribute to Australia’s economic prosperity – Townsville Enterprise commissioned the North and North West Queensland Sustainable Resource Feasibility Studies. The $2.5M studies set out to investigate the commercial viability of electricity generation and transmission in Northern Queensland, and the commercial viability of establishing an irrigated agriculture precinct in the Pentland/ Hughenden region to support new primary industry ventures and processing facilities. These were established in partnership with the Federal Government and the Northern Australia Sustainable Resource Project Committee, and managed by a steering committee led by Townsville Enterprise.
between Townsville and Mount Isa as one of the most valuable regions in the country with the opportunity for significant growth,” explains Patricia O’Callaghan, Townsville Enterprise Chief Executive Officer. “This growth would be a major contribution to the State Government’s aspiration to increase agricultural production by 100% by 2040, as well as the Federal Government’s vision for Northern Australia.” Launched in June 2014, the studies identified options for affordable energy and the opportunity to establish a major dam on the Upper Burdekin River to underpin an irrigated agriculture project. Delivering affordable energy and irrigated agriculture to Northern Australia was – and still is – a priority for Townsville Enterprise and this information is assisting the organisation in its advocacy for infrastructure today.
“Infrastructure Australia had described the export supply chain
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2015 TOWNSVILLE NORTH QUEENSLAND OPENS TO THE WORLD AS INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS RECOMMENCE On 7 February 2015 the then Prime Minister Tony Abbott flew into Townsville North Queensland to announce that Townsville Airport’s international status would be reinstated after more than a decade. This announcement was the result of a strong campaign delivered by Townsville Enterprise in conjunction with the Townsville Airport, Townsville Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Jenny Hill, the surrounding Regional Councils and the then Federal Member for Herbert, Ewen Jones MP. Townsville Airport Chief Operating Officer and Chair of Townsville Enterprise, Kevin Gill, said it was a meeting in 2014 facilitated by Townsville Enterprise that led to international flights recommencing. “We had a full day of meetings in Canberra with various high level Ministers and the Prime Minister, facilitated by Townsville Enterprise and led by Ewen Jones, and from that day forward it was only a matter of time before international status would be reinstated. Now we have Jetstar, Air Asia and Tiger Air
looking at our region as a possible international destination. Without Townsville Enterprise opening the doors for that to happen and showcasing the region to the Executives who come to Townsville to see if the destination meets what they’re looking for, this wouldn’t be the case.” On 2 September 2015 the first international flight in over a decade took off from Townsville to Denpasar signalling Townsville was open for business. Having international services is vital in boosting our connectivity to the rest of the world. This is about opening our doors to international tourism and trade which is critical to positioning Townsville North Queensland as a leader in the development of Northern Australia. The emphasis has now shifted to delivering services to Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and, in the long term, Singapore. To learn more about partnering with Townsville Enterprise on campaigns to grow the region visit www.townsvilleenterprise.com.au
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2015 TOWNSVILLE ENTERPRISE GENERATES ENTHUSIASM FOR TOWNSVILLE AS AN HQ Through 2015, Townsville Enterprise collaborated with all levels of Government and industry to highlight Townsville’s strengths as a regional economic hub. Through tireless advocacy, Townsville Enterprise helped lay the groundwork that resulted in two landmark wins for the region. In late 2015, Townsville was selected as the headquarters for Australia’s largest electricity distributor, Energy Queensland, the result of stateowned power companies Ergon Energy and Energex amalgamating, to manage assets worth a total $24B. Then, in 2016, the Federal Government announced Townsville would also headquarter the $75M Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia. Townsville Enterprise Chief Executive Officer Patricia O’Callaghan said the scale and broad industry base of
Townsville along with its position as a key hub for Defence, research, education and trade for Northern Australia, had given the city a distinct competitive edge. “Townsville North Queensland, with its broad industry, health and scientific assets, has a proven history of success in operating and delivering services to the Tropics. As the largest city in Northern Australia, with a large, highly skilled and diverse population, Townsville is the logical choice for headquarters of major corporations in the north. “Townsville Enterprise with key partners advocated for these wins. We delivered a united voice, clear message and secured two key successes for our region. This shows that we are most powerful when working as one.”
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
2016 A GAME CHANGING VICTORY FOR TOWNSVILLE NORTH QUEENSLAND, SEVEN YEARS IN THE MAKING On 11 June 2016 Townsville North Queensland made headlines across the country when Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull announced the region would be home to a $250M world class stadium as part of the Federal Government’s landmark “City Deals” initiative. For many across Queensland it was positive news following months of uncertainty. For some it was more than great news, it was a momentous victory that took seven years to achieve. As the peak economic development body for Townsville North Queensland, Townsville Enterprise has spent the past 25 years lobbying Government for game changing infrastructure projects. In 2009 Townsville City Council commissioned a report into a new convention centre. It was realised that the city needed a new convention centre and a new stadium and after lengthy consultation it was agreed to commission a report into developing a combined facility.
In 2013 a KPMG study was released highlighting that the cost of replacing the current stadium and current entertainment centre would be more than building a brand new state of the art facility in the heart of the city. In 2014 Townsville Enterprise launched a public campaign where local sports stars and celebrities joined the push for a facility that the region deserves. Slowly, but surely Governments listened. In early 2015 during the lead up to the State Election, both parties committed funding to the project. When Labor won Government, its $100M towards the Centre was officially on the table. Not long after, the Federal Opposition matched that funding. Campaigning continued with social media pages and websites launched and momentum continued to build. In early 2016 Townsville City Council pushed the project another step forward purchasing the $9M site for the facility on the banks of Ross Creek. Support continued to
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
build with the community taking the campaign into its own hands with activations popping up across the city. In mid-2016 the State Government announced it had partnered with the NRL and the North Queensland Cowboys to add an additional $50M to the project, taking the pool of funds to $150M. The icing was put on the cake in June when the Turnbull Government committed $100M to the project in a landmark City Deal giving it the green light to go ahead with commitments from all three levels of Government. Townsville Enterprise Chief Executive Officer, Patricia O’Callaghan, said Townsville Enterprise was proud to have led the community campaign and thanked the hundreds who contributed.
“This campaign was the result of years of a united and resilient community campaigning for what it believed it deserved. Despite the naysayers and the knockbacks, the community stood strong and campaigned relentlessly for a stadium and entertainment centre that would be home to international sporting, arts and business events and would be the catalyst for the transformation of the CBD.� Construction of the Integrated Stadium and Entertainment Centre is set to begin next year. For more information and to be involved with Townsville Enterprise in the year the organisation celebrates its 25 year anniversary visit www.townsvilleenterprise.com.au
Townsville Enterprise celebrates 25 years
townsvilleenterprise.com.au