North Rail Yard Development’s focuses for 2025 to bring project forward

The chairman behind a significant project that could redefine Townsville’s Central Business District explains what’s needed to be done this year to keep momentum moving.

Part of the derelict of the work sheds at the North Rail Yards, which is a contaminated site which will need to be managed before work continues. Picture: Chris Burns.

North Rail Yard Development’s challenge this year is to complete the planning and approval of the heritage listed site, and to determine exactly how it can remove the contaminated soil.

The council owned entity’s chairman John Rosel said $70m equally funded by prominent developer BM Webb and the state government would address the contamination and to stabilise the heritage work sheds which have been abandoned for more than 30 years.

But he estimated that tens of millions more would be needed to complete the project in its entirety and that it would require long-term efforts, which had been pitched under the previous council term as a central location for affordable housing.

Mr Rosel said the project across three lots would be a complex one and that there would be a lot more work to do, and the entity sought to balance information with managing expectations as it began “breathing new life” into the Central Business District.

“We don’t want to over promise and under deliver,” he said.

BM Webb head Brad Webb inspects the North Rail Yards project with the then-Townsville MP Scott Stewart. Picture: Chris Burns.

“We know how important it is for Townsville – not only for its rich history, but as a gateway to the city centre that can drive the next wave of urban revitalisation.

“We’ve been working towards a vision that achieves a precinct that the community can enjoy into the future.”

Townsville City Council bought a 4.5ha site from Queensland Rail for $20,000 in 2013 and two adjoining parcels of land for a further $1.64m in 2022, but according to the environmental management register the soil was contaminated by arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and zinc after a century of industrial railway use.

North Rail Yards chairman John Rosel.

North Rail Yard Development was working with consultants alongside the Department of Environment and Science as it also considered the heritage of the area.

“Obviously it’s a significant project and it’s going to take a lot of time and effort, but we’re doing it in stages,” he said.

“They’re (BM Webb) going to be focusing on getting a project on lot one to start with, which would be a commercial style project, and then at the same time this year, they’re going to be working through the decontamination process and stabilising of the heritage sheds.

The concept plans for Townsville's derelict North Rail Yards. Picture: Supplied

“That’s a real big effort that one, so you will start to see work being done on site around the sheds.

“You can see it now actually, you might start hopefully start to see it built a built more down at the southern end of the site, maybe at the second half of this year as well.”

Meanwhile Townsville City Council’s team manager of City Growth Nyree Bolton has been included onto what is now a five-member board mostly made up of property industry leaders.

The council decided last year to add a council staff member to the board after the Queensland Audit Office advised that a direct council presence helped hold these entities to account.

Ms Bolton’s Linked In resume includes working for corporate affairs in mining company South32 and for the Port of Townsville, as well as working for the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

She joins the board made up of Mr Rosel (Rosel Sherwood), Peter Wheeler (Colliers Townsville), Kirsty Smith (Kelen Property), and solicitor Paul Spiro.

Director Peter Wheeler said there had been much commentary on the contamination of the site after more than 100 years of heavy industry.

“We’re pleased to say the remediation job is finally underway,” he said.

“This will pave the way for a transformation that we can’t wait for the community to see.”

Originally published as North Rail Yard Development’s focuses for 2025 to bring project forward