# Townsville

> city in Queensland, Australia

**Wikidata**: [Q190021](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190021)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Townsville)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/townsville

## Summary

Townsville is a city located in Queensland, Australia, situated on the northeast coast of the country in the Central Queensland region. Founded in 1865, it serves as an administrative center and major urban settlement with a population of approximately 173,724 residents as of 2021, making it a significant regional hub in northern Queensland. The city is characterized by its coastal location, industrial base, and role as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.

## Key Facts

- **Location**: Coordinates -19.262222222222° latitude, 146.81583333333° longitude; part of the Central Queensland region
- **Population**: 173,724 (2021 Australian Census, urban centre and locality); 178,649 (2016)
- **Area**: 140.2 square kilometers
- **Founded**: 1865
- **Local dialing code**: 07
- **UN/Locode**: AUTSV
- **WOEID**: 1106143
- **GeoNames ID**: 2146142
- **OpenStreetMap Node ID**: 31446304
- **VIAF ID**: 130175576
- **FAST ID**: 1206364
- **Local government area**: City of Townsville
- **Official website**: http://www.townsville.qld.gov.au

## FAQs

**What is Townsville known for?**

Townsville is known as a major coastal city in northern Queensland, serving as an administrative, commercial, and industrial hub for the region. It provides access to the Great Barrier Reef and is home to several significant military and sporting facilities.

**What organizations are based in Townsville?**

Townsville hosts several notable organizations including Townsville Airport, MacAir Airlines (a regional airline founded in 2000), the Royal Australian Regiment (an administrative infantry regiment founded in 1948), Townsville Fire (women's basketball team founded in 2001), and The North Queensland Guardian newspaper (established 1937).

**What sports facilities exist in Townsville?**

The primary sports facility is the Willows Sports Complex, a stadium in Townsville that opened in 1994. The city has also been home to Northern Fury FC, a defunct association football club established in 2008, and Townsville Fire, an active women's basketball team in the national competition.

**What is the administrative structure of Townsville?**

Townsville is governed by the City of Townsville, a local government area of Queensland, Australia. The city itself is classified as a large human settlement and qualifies as a big city with a population exceeding 100,000 residents.

**What is Townsville's connection to sister cities?**

Townsville has a twinned administrative relationship with another city, identified by the entity , with further details available through the Townsville City Council website.

## Why It Matters

Townsville holds significant importance as a regional center in northern Queensland, serving as the primary urban hub for a large geographic area of Australia. Its strategic coastal location makes it a vital gateway for tourism to the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world's natural wonders. The city functions as an administrative center for Queensland's local government structures and maintains substantial infrastructure including Townsville Airport, which connects the region to broader domestic and international networks.

The city's military significance is underscored by the presence of the Royal Australian Regiment, reflecting Townsville's role in Australia's defense infrastructure. Economically, Townsville supports diverse sectors including tourism, mining, agriculture, and retail, contributing substantially to Queensland's overall economic output. The presence of institutions like The North Queensland Guardian (established 1937) demonstrates the city's long-standing role as a regional information and cultural center.

Townsville's classification as a "big city" with population exceeding 100,000 places it among the significant urban centers of Queensland outside the greater Brisbane metropolitan area, making it a crucial population and economic anchor for the northern portion of the state.

## Notable For

- One of Queensland's major regional cities outside Brisbane metropolitan area
- Gateway city to the Great Barrier Reef marine ecosystem
- Home to the Royal Australian Regiment, a key infantry administrative unit of the Australian Army
- Location of Willows Sports Complex, a major stadium opened in 1994
- Base for Townsville Fire, a professional women's basketball team in national competitions
- Historical newspaper publication since 1937 through The North Queensland Guardian
- Regional airline hub through MacAir Airlines, established in 2000
- Significant military presence and defense infrastructure

## Body

### History and Foundation

Townsville was founded in 1865, establishing itself as one of Queensland's early regional settlements. The city's establishment coincided with Queensland's growth as a colony and later as a state within the Australian federation (Federation 1901). Over the subsequent decades, Townsville developed from a small settlement into a major regional center, benefiting from its coastal position and access to natural resources in the hinterland.

### Geography and Location

Townsville is positioned at coordinates -19.262222222222° latitude and 146.81583333333° longitude, placing it on the northeast coast of Australia. The city covers an area of 140.2 square kilometers and is situated within the Central Queensland region. The city serves as the administrative center for the City of Townsville local government area, which encompasses the urban center and surrounding localities.

### Demographics and Population

As of the 2021 Australian Census, Townsville had a population of 173,724 residents within its urban centre and locality boundaries, measured using the Australian Census 2021 methodology. The earlier 2016 census recorded 178,649 residents. The population figure qualifies Townsville as a "big city" under the classification system for cities with at least 100,000 inhabitants.

### Infrastructure and Transportation

Townsville Airport serves as the city's primary aviation gateway, providing regional and domestic connections. The airport is identified in aviation databases and serves as a hub for regional airline MacAir Airlines, which was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Townsville. The city uses the telephone area code 07, consistent with Queensland's numbering plan. The UN/Locode for Townsville is AUTSV, facilitating international shipping and logistics identification.

### Sports and Recreation

The Willows Sports Complex, opened in 1994, stands as Townsville's primary stadium and sporting venue. The city has been home to several sporting organizations, including Northern Fury FC, a defunct association football club established in 2008, and Townsville Fire, a women's basketball team founded in 2001 that competes in national competitions.

### Media and Publications

The North Queensland Guardian, established in 1937, serves as Townsville's local newspaper publication. The newspaper has been continuously published and represents significant media infrastructure for the region, providing local news coverage to Townsville residents for over eight decades.

### Military Presence

Townsville hosts significant military infrastructure, including the Royal Australian Regiment, which was established on November 23, 1948. The regiment serves as an administrative regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army, reflecting Townsville's strategic importance in Australia's defense posture, particularly for northern Australia.

### Administrative and Government Structure

The City of Townsville functions as the local government area administering the city and surrounding region. Townsville also maintains connections to sister city relationships through twinning arrangements with international partner cities, facilitated through the municipal government structure.

### Identifiers and References

Townsville is catalogued across numerous international identification systems: the WOEID (Where On Earth Identifier) is 1106143; GeoNames ID is 2146142; OpenStreetMap Node ID is 31446304; VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) ID is 130175576; FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) ID is 1206364; Freebase ID is /m/01q58t; MusicBrainz Area ID is 622c68cb-3d72-498b-8f05-25375c5a2609; Queensland Place ID is 35084; AIATSIS Place Thesaurus ID is 2896; GNS Unique Feature ID is -1605526; and ArchInform Location ID is 54168.

### Cultural Significance

Townsville holds cultural significance for the region as a major population center, administrative hub, and gateway to northern Queensland attractions. The city's Wikipedia presence spans 69 sitelinks across multiple language versions, reflecting international interest and recognition. The city appears in various knowledge bases including Wikidata, with 252 sitelinks for its classification as a city, and 23 sitelinks specifically for its status as a big city.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-townsville/sister-cities)
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. [Source](http://www.ga.gov.au/place-names/index.xhtml)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. MusicBrainz
7. Australian Census 2016
8. [Townsville](https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/UCL303003)
9. [Source](https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/UCL303003)
10. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
11. GeoNames
12. BBC Things
13. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/au.htm)
14. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
15. [Bureau of Meteorology](http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_032040_All.shtml)