$700M IN PROJECTS WILL PROVIDE 1500 JOBS OUR CITY REALLY ON THE MOVE

PROJECTS from defence to tourism, energy and education are set to inject more than $700 million in investment into the city and create more than 1500 jobs.

Proponents addressed a packed Townsville Industry Breakfast event at Rydges Southbank convention centre yesterday where they outlined the projects, most of which are about to call for expressions of interest from tenderers or are already under way.

The projects include a $400 million solar power station and energy storage project, a $72 million Townsville Marine Tourism Precinct, a $40 million armoured vehicle simulation facility, an $11 million Joint Health Command centre and $216 million in three projects at James Cook University’s Douglas campus.

Townsville MP Scott Stewart said the projects would provide a much-needed boost for jobs.

The industry event also played an important role in alerting local contractors about opportunities for work, Mr Stewart said.

“It’s an opportunity where local businesses and local industries can hear what’s in the pipeline and how they can best position themselves to make sure they maximise any opportunities to get involved with these projects,” Mr Stewart said.

“There’s a lot of money coming into the city with a lot of jobs on the horizon and that’s certainly what we need.”

A marine tourism precinct is being developed in a joint venture between Honeycombes Property Group and SeaLink.

It includes a new $72 million Sealink ferry terminal, bus terminal, hotel, pool, gymnasium, restaurants, cafes, bars, shops and carpark to be developed on land between the existing terminal on Ross Creek and The Strand.

It will also include extensive open space areas and seafront promenade.

The project will create 250 jobs with a principal contractor expected to start on site in May or June for a completion by Christmas next year.

A $40 million defence project at Lavarack Barracks is expected to create hundreds of jobs.

The new three-storey simulator facility for the 3rd Brigade troops at Lavarack Barracks is proposed under the Defence Department’s Armoured Fighting Vehicle Facilities Program.

The facility will help train personnel to operate the new fleet of armoured vehicles and will include a simulation centre, 120-man lecture theatre, training centre and classrooms.

Construction is expected to begin in September and conclude in mid-2022.

The Department of Defence is developing an $11 million Joint Health Command Centre at RAAF Base Townsville.

The centre will have medical fa- cilities inc l u d i n g dental, men- tal health, h g e n e r a l practice and emergency ambulance access, rehabilitation, pharmacy, physiotherapy and specialist response services.

The Townsville health centre will support the Joint

million worth of public open space and walkways covered by 180 CCTV cameras.

It would include one and two-bedroom hotel rooms, a rooftop bar, pool, gymnasium, ground floor bar, restaurant, cafe, shops and 500-bay carpark.

Mr Honeycombe said be released next month, followed by requests for tenders in May.

Expressions of interest for work on the Technology Innovation Centre are expected to be released in July.

The projects, including the campus renewal program, are expected to create 600 jobs.

Edify Energy is proposing a $400 million solar power stapeople going on fishing tours now disembarked near a fuel pontoon.

“We will be able to have people come to town, have a meal and something before they go on the boat and, if fishing, celebrate the big fish they caught when they get back,” Mr Honeycombe said.

“We think that’s all part of the event and what we can offer for Townsville.”

Mr Honeycombe said a principal contractor was expected to be confirmed in the next two weeks with construction intended to start in May or June with an opening before Christmas next year. tion and battery storage project at Majors Creek near Woodstock.

The 200 megawatt power station will provide power for the planned Lansdown Industrial Precinct as well as feed electricity into the grid network.

Edify Energy founder and JCU graduate John Cole told the industry event solar power plants needed to be designed to provide dispatchable power with the ability to feed power at night. night He did not t give i a timeline on when construction would begin but said it was fully consented with approvals from the Townsville City Council and would provide more than 400 jobs.