Good news for Townsville
The Property Council’s first Townsville event of 2017, held at the Townsville Brewery on 10 March, took a look at major projects on the horizon that have moved beyond the planning phase, and are about to deliver much-needed jobs on the ground.
Matthew Kelly, Senior Economist – AEC Group, started the conversation by providing an overview of the key economic indicators for the region. Whilst the past few years haven’t been positive for Townsville, all indicators show the city is past the worst of it, with the long term growth projections remaining strong, leading to a bright future for the city.
Paul Holden, Regional Director North QLD Office – Department of State Development, provided an overview of the work that the Department is undertaking locally, including delivery of the Townsville Stadium and working with stakeholders to unlock industrial development within the Townsville State Development Area (SDA).
A key ingredient for the success of the SDA is the Port of Townsville, and Ranee Crosby, CEO – Port of Townsville, spoke about how the port – through its expansion project – will cater for increased growth to support and achieve the outcomes of the Townsville City Deal and the Government’s Northern Australia policy.
Guy Gibson, General Manager, Queensland Communities – Lendlease, outlined Lendlease’s commitment to the region over a long period of time. Despite recent challenging conditions, he reinforced that the underlying strength of the fundamentals of Townsville’s diverse economy has provided Lendlease the confidence to continue investing in the region. This investment will continue through Lendlease’s multi-billion dollar development at Elliot Springs.
Throughout the panel conversation, moderated by Stephen Motti- Chair of the Property Council’s Townsville Committee and Senior Principal at Brazier Motti- the panel members agreed that Townsville remains an investment destination of choice over the long term, with many significant projects about to inject much-needed jobs into the local economy.
The Property Council would like to thank our keynote speaker, panellists and moderator for sharing their insights on some of the major projects on Townsville’s horizon.
Photos from the event can be found here.