Townsville Chamber blasts inner-city CBD as ugly ‘war zone’

The Townsville Chamber of Commerce says it will take more than Suncorp’s new office hub to revive the city’s ailing central-business district, parts of which resemble a “war zone”.

President of the Chamber of Commerce Miranda Mears describes the Townsville CBD as an unattractive “ghost town”, parts of which resemble a “war zone”. Picture: Shae Beplate

The Townsville Chamber of Commerce says it will take more than Suncorp’s new office hub to revive the city’s ailing central-business district, parts of which resemble a “war zone”.

Chamber president Miranda Mears welcomed the insurer’s planned move into 122 Walker Street and the creation of 120 new jobs but was also “looking forward to what can come from … Suncorp’s investment into Townsville”.

She said, however, that although there was an apparent upturn in the commercial rental market, it was not stopping the “bleeding” of the retail sector at the ground level.

“That is a challenge because it’s a great opportunity for new eateries and for businesses and definitely those that have activated in the CBD precinct, they’ve done quite well,” she said.

“But we’re still seeing quite a lot of empty space and that presents a challenge around safety, security and just the general aesthetics of the CBD as being an attractive place to visit.”

Vacant buildings and offices in the Townsville CBD in this file photo. Picture: Alix Sweeney

The Information Technology executive said Townsville needed a community-driven activation of the retail sector in the CBD.

“It needs to be able to bring people into the CBD for lifestyle and entertainment, not just office space.”

She said it was a great opportunity to have 120 new office workers coming into the city each weekday.

“Because of the state of the CBD and because of the general lack of options, they could just be bringing their lunch from home … and absolutely not be contributing to the economic growth of the CBD.”

Ms Mears said parts of the CBD were either an eyesore, a ghost town, a war zone or a combination of all three.

“We’ve got itinerates that don’t make you feel safe to walk through because it’s not activated (and) if you couple that with the amount of empty shops and boarded up front spaces that doesn’t encourage people to congregate,” she said.

“Over the years, retail has moved out and part of the reason is they don’t feel safe and they don’t feel supported and people feel like they don’t want to come.”

A letter to the editor published in the Bulletin from tourist Bob Konig who labelled the Townsville CBD a ghost town. The full letter is published in full below.

The owner of Cyber Sense Strategic Advisors and The Australian Impact Group said there was a place for council, industry and the state government to activate the disused spaces in the CBD.

“Which would also then have a flow-on effect of reducing crime and liveability and encouraging people to stay and spend.”

She said a tourist’s recent critique in a letter to the editor in the Townsville Bulletin on November 25 provided valuable feedback.

“If we don’t activate that space … its an eyesore and it’s just embarrassing and its contributing to … people leaving the CBD, not wanting to spend money on parking because there’s nothing to do and there’s nowhere to be,” she said.

“Bring community groups in, bring musicians in, bring plays … bring in things even like the Men’s Shed into the CBD … have a routine or a schedule where communities can actually come into the CBD for a purpose and see something and do something that’s otherwise not being used at all.”

Acting Mayor Paul Jacob said Townsville City Council was committed to working with all levels of government, businesses, organisations such as Townsville Enterprise and the Chamber of Commerce, “as well as the wider community to enliven and grow the city.” Picture: Evan Morgan

Acting Mayor Paul Jacob said Townsville City Council welcomed the expansion of Suncorp.

“Off the back of the recent news of the $55 million Castlerock development at 158 Walker St, we’re thrilled Suncorp have made the decision to expand their operations.”

Mr Jacob said the council was committed to working with all levels of government, businesses, organisations such as Townsville Enterprise and the Chamber, “as well as the wider community to enliven and grow the city.”

”While it is not solely a local government’s responsibility to invigorate the city, council invests considerably in grants such as our City Activation and Housing Incentive Policy, activating vacant shopfronts and spaces through council leases, extending leases on council buildings to allow further private investment such as the Cbar expansion and the planning and building approval of projects like the recent Castlerock development.”

TEL have been contacted for comment.

Viking Orion cruise ship docks at the Port of Townsville earlier this year. A passenger has accused the CBD of being a “ghost town”. Photo: Cameron Laird

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A tourist’s critique

My wife and I visited beautiful Townsville yesterday aboard Viking Orion, along with roughly 1000 other passengers (comprising many luxury travellers from the US).

We are Australians (we know Townsville quite well over many years from previous underwhelming visits) and well appreciate the myriad of challenges to kick-start tourism and get back to business after Covid.

But, if domestic and international tourism travel trends are here to stay, with a beautiful city such as yours, it’s time for Townsville to rethink its long term tourism marketing strategies (I say with respect).

No one we spoke with on-board, after departing your city, was overly excited about Townsville.

On the contrary.

Mostly, I have to say, there was a sense that Townsville on a Saturday needed to better appreciate the value of tourists (many busting to spend $) and help them fully embrace a wonderful regional city.

Townsville yesterday verged on a ghost town.

I hope you’ll take this the right way.

Apart from some well-intentioned tourism volunteer ladies distributing city centre maps, a kind shuttle driver and one welcome ‘Viking Orion’ sign outside one shop (very few were open) – there was simply nothingness. Nothing.

Of course, there was a snorkelling cruise and a tour of Magnetic, that’s about it. Generally, just missed golden opportunities.

Townsville seriously needs to rethink how it interacts with customers, how it develops tourist product and importantly manages operations in the age of AI.

It seems sadly that the city isn’t anywhere near ready for the growth in local and global tourism.

I didn’t have a sense that there’s a system to handle/welcome visitor flows, or leverage data about tourists. There was little in the way of info about tailored offerings or related communications or the city’s wonderful history.

And, no marketing coverage – apparent to this ship – about its rich cultural and natural heritage.

A start would be to distribute to cruise lines with visitor footfalls across different areas of the city (I would have jumped at a guided tour of the wonderful architecture).

China and India I suspect will soon overtake any other country as international travellers and with FNQ having so much to offer, with its natural beauty, so do we need to have appropriate language signage at new cruise terminals?

There are so many better ways the city can welcome and manage tourism, without the need for big budgets, tiny coastal towns of NZ or for that matter towns along the Rhine are best practice examples.

Bob Konig

Shell Cove

Originally published as Townsville Chamber blasts inner-city CBD as ugly ‘war zone’