Relationships

Townsville Eats gets shake up for start of 2020 season

Put on your best floral shirt and join Townsville City Council for the first Townsville Eats event of the year. The much-loved event is extending over the Victoria Bridge for its first iteration on Friday 27 March, with carnival performers bringing a range of fun acts to the iconic bridge. Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said it was great to have Townsville Eats back in the city centre for a second year.

“Townsville Eats was extremely popular in 2019, which is why Council has decided to bring it back this March,” Cr Hill said. “The event draws thousands of people into the city and is a great way to celebrate our local food vendors, entertainers and our diverse range of community acts.” Local councillor Ann-Maree Greaney said there would be a few tweaks to the program in March.

“There will still be food vendors and market stalls, live music, entertainment and our outdoor cinema, but our performances will now be held on River Stage at Ogden St,” Cr Greaney said. “Council has also worked to create two event layouts that can cater to both wet and dry weather situations, which is great news.” Cr Greaney said it was great to be able to boost visitor numbers to the city centre with the event. “The turn out to our Townsville Eats season last year was phenomenal. There were thousands of attendees for each event, which is a huge increase in foot traffic along Flinders St,” she said. “Council is committed to activating the Townsville CBD and hosting Townsville Eats is one way to bring more visitors into the city to not only enjoy the Townsville Eats offerings, but to also explore the shops and restaurants open in the area.”

Townsville Eats presents Tropical Friday on Friday, 27 March from 5pm to 9.30pm on Flinders St. For more information, visit whatson.townsville.qld.gov.au.

Vouchers up for grabs to enhance social connection this Neighbour Day

Townsville City Council is giving you the chance to win one of 45 vouchers to help you celebrate Neighbour Day this March. Neighbour Day 2020 has a social connection theme, which Council wants to see locals embrace by going into the running to win a $200 voucher to help throw a Neighbour Day event. Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said it was important to build and strengthen existing connections including the relationships forged during the 2019 monsoon.

“The community that you want starts at your front door,” Cr Hill said. “Our community here in Townsville collectively went through a traumatic event when the 2019 monsoon event happened. “It’s important that  we all open our doors to our neighbours and our friends and to not forget about the impact that the monsoon may have had on us or our loved ones. “If we all do this, we can help continue to build strong communities in our suburbs.”

Townsville Local Recovery and Resilience Group Chairperson, Deputy Mayor Les Walker, said social connection was essential to having a happy community. “Whether you live on a farm or in an apartment block, we all feel lonely sometimes. By reaching out to our neighbours we can all do our part to help alleviate isolation and reduce the amount of loneliness and isolation in our neck of the woods,” Cr Walker said. “Knowing your neighbours is also a great way to improve community safety, so make sure to introduce yourself to your neighbours and keep an eye out for them.”

To enter the Neighbour Day competition for your chance to win a $200 voucher to enhance your Neighbour Day event, head to townsville.qld.gov.au.

 

Extra funding to help flood-affected families with back to school expenses

The Palaszczuk Government is pitching in to help Townsville families affected by the 2019 floods get on top of New Year expenses such as back-to-school costs. Minister for Communities Coralee O’Rourke said the Palaszczuk Government was providing a one-off funding contribution of $7000 to the North Townsville Community Hub to distribute to flood-affected families. “We have identified a need for assistance to support families, who were impacted by the Monsoon Trough flooding event in early 2019, with back-to-school expenses and other start-of-year costs,” Mrs O’Rourke said. “A year may have passed since the flooding devastated the Townsville community, but for many families the financial impacts are still being felt.

“This funding will help families kick start their 2020 and help get their children back into school while they continue their ongoing recovery from the floods. “We know that back-to-school costs can be tough on families and that’s why we’re giving these flood-affected families a helping hand.” The North Townsville Community Hub is a Palaszczuk Government funded neighbourhood centre serving areas of Townsville including Bohle Plains, Deeragun, Mount Louisa and Northern Beaches. The service receives more than $120,000 funding each year to deliver community support services through the neighbourhood centre, as well as more than $5700 in Emergency Relief funding and $1500 to deliver the Connect NDIS Volunteer Program.

Mrs O’Rourke said the Palaszczuk Government was committed to the long-term recovery of flood-affected communities in Townsville. “We’re here for the long haul to support flood-affected Townsville residents to recover and rebuild in the wake of the 2019 Monsoon Trough event,” she said. “To date more than $30.7 million in personal hardship assistance has been paid out, benefitting almost 103,000 flood-affected residents in Townsville. “This funding was delivered under the jointly-funded Commonwealth/State-Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).”

New board to boost events in Townsville

Townsville City Council is spearheading the creation of a Townsville Events Board as part of the Townsville Event Strategy 2020. The Townsville Events Board will combine Council with leading industry experts to bring the Strategy to life and build Townsville’s reputation as an events hub. Townsville Acting Mayor Les Walker said the Townsville Event Strategy 2020 helped Townsville contend against other cities and regions wanting to attract prestigious events.

“We want to brand Townsville as an events destination. We want to be the regional events capital of northern Australia,” Cr Walker said. “By creating a Townsville Events Board, we will be able to work closely with stakeholders across the city in order to attract, deliver and keep world-class events in our city. “When we come together with events stakeholders from across Townsville, we will be able to create a one-stop shop for event enquiries from interstate and from overseas. We want to make it as easy as possible for promoters to secure their events in Townsville.”

Cr Walker said there was growing demand for new and innovative events to be held across Townsville.  “In just the last 12 months we’ve seen some game changing events here in Townsville, including HALO, NAFA and the Northern Fringe Festival,” he said. “Townsville has recently had a successful bid to host the ITU World Multisport Championships in 2021 and there is already talk of more international and national cricket matches being held here.

“The need for a central point of contact for event organisers is clear if Townsville wants to continue to reap economic, social and community development opportunities.” Governance and Finance Committee Chairperson, Councillor Verena Coombe, said it was essential that Townsville continued to grow its signature events in order to continue to stimulate the local economy. “The events that we already hold in Townsville, including Groovin the Moo and the Supercars Championship, have a major economic impact on the city. They create jobs and drive intra- and interstate tourism,” she said. “For every dollar spent at a locally owned bar, restaurant or retail outlet there is a multiplier effect. This strategy brings a focus to growing economic activity in the hospitality and events services industries. “The Townsville Events Board recognises a maturing of our events industry and announces that our city is here to seriously play in the events space.” The structure of the Townsville Event Strategy 2020 was adopted by Council last month.

Media information: 0409 264 974

 

Pick up a pet to be yours pawever this Valentine’s Day

 

Add some love to your life this Valentine’s Day with Townsville City Council’s Lonely Hearts Valentine’s Sale.

 

The sale offers 50 per cent off all animals at Townsville City Council’s Animal Care and Adoption Centre.

 

Community Health and Environment Committee Chairperson, Councillor Ann-Maree Greaney, said the animals at the Centre were hoping to find their soulmates to live happily ever after with.

 

“From 8 February to 29 February, the Animal Care and Adoption Centre is reducing the price of the absolutely beautiful animals who just want to be able to give love to their forever families,” Cr Greaney said.

 

“These animals are all de-sexed, wormed, microchipped and have had their first vaccination, so they’re ready to head straight home as soon as they’ve found the right family for them.”

 

Cr Greaney said it was important to make sure animals at the Centre had a good chance of being taken into loving homes.

 

“These animals haven’t chosen to end up at our Animal Care and Adoption Centre, so we want to be able to find them new families and homes as quickly as we can,” she said.

 

“It doesn’t matter if you’re single, a couple, or a family with kids – there’s a cat or dog that will be a perfect fit for your home.

 

“If you already have a dog and want to adopt another, bring it along to the Centre for a meet and greet.”

 

The Lonely Hearts Valentine’s Sale runs from 8 February to 29 February.

 

To see animals currently available for adoption at the Animal Care and Adoption Centre, visit townsville.qld.gov.au/community-support/pets-and-animals/adopt-a-pet.

 

Media information: 0409 264 974