Townsville City Council

Townsville is being recognised on the world map for its forward-thinking environmental practices in local government, with Council’s low-cost environmental sensors landing a spot on Green Destinations’ Top 100 Stories 2024. Townsville joins NSW’s Central Coast and Barrington Coast on the list, which also includes stories from Finland, Brazil and Taiwan.   Council’s Chief Sustainability Officer Greg Bruce said it was a great honour for Townsville to be included on the list again for its story A city connecting the invisible – finding low-cost ways to build environmental sensors with community and visitors. Townsville has also been included in the Top 100 list in 2020 and 2021.   “We’re very proud of the work we do for our city and our environment. Townsville is a unique location interconnected with Southern Wet Tropics rainforests, sprawling bird life, internationally-protected wetlands, and 180km of tropical coastline linking to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and its islands,” Mr Bruce said.   “Council has been working with research groups and local businesses for more than a decade to develop and deploy locally-made smart monitors to collect environmental data of small-scale changes as well as major weather events like heatwaves, floods and cyclones.”   These sensors can record data on temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure and solar irradiance, as well as rainfall, water height, water quality and the tilt and vibration that trees feel in the wind, providing essential data for Council’s teams to make informed decisions about weather and environmental impacts on the city.   Mr Bruce said the ongoing project wasn’t only beneficial for Council, but also for the wider community.   “We’re very fortunate to be able to work with schools, universities and other groups to make sensor building a fun and inclusive activity, engaging people to learn more about science, technology and future climate challenges,” he said.   “When we work together to see the invisible, we are better able to tackle climate diversity.”   Earlier this year, Townsville was awarded and named an ECO Destination at Nature Tourism level by Ecotourism Australia, reflecting the city’s commitment to sustainability, enhancing existing tourism offerings and encouraging new landmark opportunities and experiences in ecotourism.   Acting Mayor Paul Jacob said he was pleased to see the efforts of Council’s sustainability team recognised on the world stage again.   “As a city that sits at the doorway of the Great Barrier Reef, we hold an immense responsibility to our environment and doing what is best for the future of our region, which is why we’re so proud to have a spotlight on our efforts,” Cr Jacob said.   “I’d like to extend my congratulations to Council’s sustainability team for their work on the environmental sensor project and for yet again showcasing why Townsville is the ideal city to live, work and play in.” 

Townsville City Council is unveiling its new one-stop-shop for builders and developers to find everything they need to know about planning and development in Townsville. Key features include: ▪️ Detailed information on how to prepare and submit applications 📝 ▪️ Access to Council’s grants and incentives 💰 ▪️ Insights on heritage properties, same-day approvals, outdoor dining, and signage 📜 ▪️ Easy access to factsheets, forms, maps, and more 🌍 The website aims to simplify the development process, providing all the necessary tools in one convenient location. With Townsville growing, this new website is an essential step in supporting the city’s development needs.   To explore the site, visit: https://lnkd.in/g4sFRvGN

👀 Looking for a change? We are recruiting for the following positions:  • Team Manager Environmental Health • Coordinator Environmental Health • Senior Health Safety and Wellbeing Business Partner • Business Analyst • CCTV Operator (Underground Inspection) • and more! Join us in building a city of the future, apply now: https://bit.ly/3JxN1RA

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗯-𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝘁? 𝗢𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆? When doing this kind of work to your property, you need to factor in the cost of infrastructure charges. These fees play a vital role in helping the Council fund trunk infrastructure that keeps our city running smoothly. Infrastructure charges support the following trunk infrastructure: 🚎𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 – roads, pathways, cycleways 💧𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 🚽𝗦𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 🌳𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 Basically, when your development increases demand on the above networks, infrastructure charges apply to help fund the trunk infrastructure. For more information on trunk infrastructure and how it applies to you visit, https://bit.ly/412s382 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 ❓Did you know that Council also offers waivers of infrastructure charges for development which supports infill housing in key urban areas. To find out if your development is eligible for incentives under the policy, visit https://bit.ly/4fKp20E

Council is now recruiting various 2025 Apprenticeships! 🔧🌳 We’re looking for enthusiastic applicants who are ready to start their careers early next year. Apprenticeships available include: ▪️ Auto Electrician ▪️ Boilermaker ▪️ Diesel Fitter ▪️ Electrical and Instrumentation ▪️ Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanic ▪️ Open Space (Arboriculture) ▪️ Parks and Gardens ▪️ Fitter and Turner Do you have what it takes to build a city? Apply now: https://bit.ly/3y4TC2d

Townsville City Council’s working on a new corporate plan (2025-2029), and we want your input to shape our plan. Share your thoughts in the comments below 👇 Have your say here: https://bit.ly/3CvbY0k

Our Townsville Laboratory Services (TLS) team has reached another milestone in its efforts to expand its service offerings to the region. The National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) has recently broadened the laboratory’s accreditation to include the analysis of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylene, and Naphthalene in water at parts per billion (ppb) levels. This new capability enhances the laboratory’s ability to support vital environmental monitoring activities, including trade waste assessments, environmental investigations, and the analysis of petroleum-based contaminants in water and soil. Scientist Alicia Anderson led the in-house method validation, utilizing the laboratory’s existing Gas Chromatograph with Mass Spectrometer detector to ensure accuracy and reliability. Additionally, Amy Dunkerton (Scientist) has further expanded the laboratory’s accreditation to include the analysis of nutrients in water, employing the segmented flow analyser. This advanced technology provides enhanced sensitivity, faster analysis, and the ability to perform concurrent measurements of various nutrient species in water—surpassing the capabilities of older flow injection analysers. Our team of scientists are busy advancing and validating new scientific methods that are integral to our portfolio of water, wastewater, waste, and environmental testing. As a leading regional hub for scientific services, TLS is committed to upholding the highest standards of service excellence.

A Townsville City Council project to transform a deteriorating open drain into a naturalised waterway, filtering stormwater, enhancing water quality, and restoring biodiversity has taken out an Excellence Award at the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA – QNT) 2024 Awards last week.   The award for the $2.8 million Bushland Beach naturalisation project recognised Council’s commitment to embedding circular economy practices, sustainability and innovation into the delivery of everyday projects. The project was a first for Townsville, where Council replaced an 800-metre weed-choked concrete stormwater drain with a naturalised rocky creek bed, ponds and planted 97,000 local native plants from 75 species.   The project was a first for Townsville, where Council replaced an 800-metre weed-choked concrete stormwater drain with a naturalised rocky creek bed, ponds and planted 97,000 local native plants from 75 species.   Over time the naturalised drain will deliver improved biodiversity and shade out unwanted weeds, provide a habitat for mosquito predators, improve living soil quality and reduce maintenance costs.    This project now serves as a replicable model for similar projects across Queensland, for how we can address environmental challenges while fostering innovation, sustainability and community engagement. Read more, https://bit.ly/40RltBr Brodie Phillips

Townsville City Council’s working on a new corporate plan (2025-2029) and we have four proposed goals to help us prioritise and organise everything we do. We want your views on what’s most important for Townsville in the next five years. Share your thoughts in the comments below 👇 Have your say here: https://bit.ly/3CvbY0k

Townsville City Council is reminding residents of the importance of responsible pet ownership following recent news reports detailing dog attack statistics across the state.   The report published in the Townsville Bulletin last week showed 19 dog attacks happened every day across Queensland.   Councillor Brodie Phillips said the statistic just wasn’t good enough.   “These figures are absolutely alarming. Each number added to the tally is a time that a dog has hurt or injured another animal or human, which simply isn’t good enough,” Cr Phillips said.   “Every dog owner has a responsibility to themselves, their pet and the community to be a responsible pet owner to reduce the risk of dog attacks.   “Responsible pet owners always make sure their pet is secure on their property with appropriate fencing, and that their dog is always under control on a leash when being walked in public.   “Pets are an important part of a family and the last thing any pet owner would want is for their pet to hurt a postie, a family taking a walk or a child riding their bike home from school, which is why it’s so important to take responsible pet ownership seriously.   “If you own a dog and it’s found to not be under effective control, you could be penalised by Council under the stronger state laws introduced, through a fine, or impounding the dog.   “These measures are completely preventable through making sure your pet is safely secured at home, leashed when in public and controlled to protect your community and your dog.”    Dog attacks, aggressive animals and roaming animals should be immediately reported to Council by phoning 13 48 10. For more information on responsible pet ownership, visit https://bit.ly/4hULO7t