300 DAYS OF SUMMER
Often bypassed by TRAVELLERS in favour of its neighbours, TOWNSVILLE has embraced its underdog status to create a NICHE as the premium REEF EDUCATION destination. Now, an ambitious underwater ART project could really put it on the map.
Townsville is ready for its time in the sun.
IT’S A MONDAY MORNING in the middle of winter and the luxe pool precinct at The Ville, Townsville’s newly refurbished resort, is packed. Chief executive Michael Jones is confused at first. The Ville has been well supported by locals during the stage-by-stage unveiling of its $43 million redevelopment, but the water’s too cold for them. Then it clicks. For those visiting from south of the border, it’s the Queen’s Birthday public holiday and the 27-degree June day is absolute perfection. It might seem odd that a hotel CEO would need a moment to account for interstate visitors, but Townsville isn’t accustomed to life as a weekender destination. At least, not yet. Although it’s easy to see why locals insist they live in paradise, Townsville has long struggled to win the battle for tourists who have traditionally looked to Airlie Beach, Cairns or Port Douglas for their tropical Queensland fix. Cairns, among other selling points, benefits from an international airport; Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Whitsunday archipelago; and Port Douglas is a bona fide resort town. All are launch pads to the Great Barrier Reef. Townsville sits between them. Quietly. Noise though, is starting to build. The Ville has had a hand in that. Once considered Australia’s worst performing casino, the tired property was purchased by tourism tycoon Chris Morris in 2014 and is now barely recognisable following a slick overhaul. Significantly, the resort’s re-imagined communal spaces celebrate Townsville’s best assets: its laidback lifestyle and the glorious view over Cleveland Bay. Its predecessor, a casino first and hotel second, all but ignored these strengths. Jones says Townsville has been “crying out” for a venue like The Ville and he’s right. It has raised the bar. But he knows it cannot survive in isolation. And that’s where the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA)
British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has already been enlisted to create the series of large-scale installations planned for four proposed sites.
comes in. Tipped to be a game-changer for both the reef and the region, the ambitious $8 million project is deep in its development phase. Acclaimed British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has already been enlisted to create the series of large-scale installations planned for four proposed sites: Townsville, Magnetic Island, Palm Island and John Brewer Reef. Striking, thought provoking, and with both thematic and physical connections to reef conservation, deCaires Taylor’s portfolio includes the world’s first underwater sculpture park, located off the west coast of Grenada. Created in 2006, it is now listed as one of National Geographic’s Top 25 Wonders of the World. MOUA proponents, including Townsville City Council and Townsville Enterprise, estimate the attraction will lure an additional 50,000 visitors to the city each year. Phase one, an intertidal installation off the Strand, Townsville’s waterfront promenade, is slated for a January finish while the entire project is expected to take three to four years. The museum will bolster the region’s burgeoning cultural scene – Townsville is home to the annual Australian Festival of Chamber Music; local contemporary dance company Dancenorth is internationally recognised; the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery is a local treasure – but more so, it will strengthen Townsville’s credentials as the headquarters of reef protection and education. Existing stocks here include James Cook University, a world leader in environmental sciences; the Australian Institute of Marine Science; and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Reef Ecologic co-director Dr Adam Smith, one of the driving forces behind the museum’s conception, explains: “Townsville is really well known for its expertise in science and management for the reef so [for MOUA] we wanted the theme of reef future. “We didn’t just want people to have a good time, we wanted them to think deeply about the reef and stewardship and the connection with Indigenous cultures. So we’re trying to build something that’s not only fantastic for tourists but that’s also educational and something we’re proud of.” Townsville is already the main gateway to one of the world’s best dives, the SS Yongala wreck, and tours to the reef operate daily. Yet it is a less commercial product than that of competitors’ and is often overlooked when it comes to reef tourism. Reef Ecologic co-director Dr Paul Marshall, whose visit to deCaires Taylor’s Grenada
masterpiece two years ago was the catalyst for MOUA, says this has allowed the region to specialise in a more intimate offering. “Because Townsville’s tourism industry is so small, there’s a chance to steer its growth towards a more coherent product offering,” he says. “This idea of making the tourism experience a bit deeper … it’s the reason you come here. Townsville [is the] place to come to have that more meaningful experience.” Townsville also delivers the kind of conditions conducive to exploring nature’s playground. The city enjoys more than 320 days of sunshine a year and, although the humidity in the height of summer is, admittedly, testing for most, other seasons are reliably clear. Once you’re done with the reef (although, at more than 2600 kilometres long, can you ever be ‘done’ with the reef?), there’s another UNESCO World Heritagelisted ecosystem to discover. The Wet Tropics of Queensland start about 85 kilometres north of Townsville with the lush Paluma Range National Park. Rainforest walks are more than just a cool change; they’re a treasure chest of flora and wildlife, swimming holes and waterfalls. For swimming of a different kind, try one of the 23 beaches and bays on carefree Magnetic Island, just a 20-minute ferry ride from Townsville. Back on the mainland, work is underway on the North Queensland Stadium project in South Townsville, part of wider urban renewal plans for the centrally located Ross Creek waterfront. The multi-purpose venue, scheduled for completion in 2020, will be home to the North Queensland Cowboys, the Townsville-based National Rugby League team, which means a chunk of the city’s event calendar will move from the outskirts of town to the thick of the action. The venue will be u-shaped to allow for sea breezes as well as views of Magnetic Island over Cleveland Bay. And, as Jones points out while admiring that very view from The Ville’s Quarterdeck restaurant and bar: “There’s no point in Townsville trying to be something it’s not. Look at this. Whatever people build anywhere in the country, you can’t beat that.”