North Queensland

Overview

North Queensland’s unofficial capital, Townsville is home to government, community and business headquarters. A strategically positioned, resource-rich region with diverse industries, world-class ports and direct access to fast-growing Asia-Pacific markets, North Queensland is an emerging powerhouse for trade and investment opportunities.

• Key towns and cities – Townsville, Ingham, Charters Towers, Hughenden, Cloncurry and Mount Isa
• Townsville – Australia’s largest tropical city (around 207,000 people in 2025) and the main government and business centre for northern and central Queensland. Home to zinc refining, copper and lead processing operations, and the Pacific National rail freight terminal. Townsville is a service centre for processing metals from the rich North West Minerals Province
• Port of Townsville – Northern Australia’s main commodity port, handling around 10 million tonnes of cargo annually. 
• Mount Isa – A vibrant mining town with an economy built on vast mineral deposits. Home to the Mount Isa Mine, the world’s largest single producer of copper, silver, lead, and zinc
• North West Minerals Province – One of the world’s richest mineral-producing regions, with a strategic blueprint to secure its long-term future
• CopperString project - supporting North and North West Queensland by delivering affordable, reliable and sustainability energy, the first state of the project delivery is set to be completed by 2032 (subject to appovals)

Region Advisors