Thousands of motorsport fans are expected to line The Strand to see the country’s best drivers in the Supercruise parade tomorrow afternoon.

All 24 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship drivers will step into classic cars for the Supercruise journey from Fryer Street to Strand Park.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the Supercruise will be a great experience for motorsport lovers.

“The Supercruise is very popular and I love seeing the big crowd lining The Strand – Townsville City Council is proud to host this event,” Cr Hill said.

“Supercruise is a great way for families to see their favourite drivers and get their autographs at Strand Park.

“The Watpac Townsville 400 is one of the biggest events we host, and I’d encourage fans to make the most of this opportunity and rub shoulders with the drivers at Strand Park.”

Cr Hill said The Watpac Townsville 400 is an important weekend for the city.

“We have a proud track record of hosting national events and the Supercars race is one of the biggest attractions on our calendar,” Cr Hill said.

“We are the sporting and events capital of Northern Australia and we are very happy to support this race as the Watpac Townsville 400 boosts the economy and creates jobs for locals.”

Watpac Townsville 400 Event Manager Sam Pearce said last year’s inaugural Supercruise was an overwhelming success.

“It was great to see thousands of Supercars fans lining The Strand to welcome our drivers to the city,” Pearce said.

“The event is free for the whole family and a great way for fans to meet their favourite drivers and wish them luck before practice begins at Reid Park on Friday.

“There will be something for everyone with food vans, ticket giveaways, prize packs and car displays on the night.”

Local Councillor Ann-Maree Greaney said the Supercruise will be an exciting outing for children.

“The Supercruise will give kids a chance to meet their heroes,” Cr Greaney said.

“Children watch these drivers racing on TV – this gives them a chance to talk to the drivers and get their autographs.

“This is a great way for families to enjoy an afternoon at The Strand.”

Fans at Supercruise can go into the draw for 3-day Trackside Double passes, which include paddock and concert access.

The Supercruise begins at Fryer Street at 5:15pm on 4 July – the drivers will be signing autographs at Strand Park until 6:15pm.

FOX SPORTS’ Supercars Trackside will be broadcast LIVE from Strand Park from 5:30pm.

The Townsville 2020 Masterplan is coming into sharp focus in the 2019/20 budget, with almost $15 million to be invested in delivering major projects.

The Riverway Splash Water Park, Mount Louisa Open Space Masterplan Stage 1, Central Park, Castle Hill Concept Plan and Flinders Lane will all receive funding in Townsville City Council’s 2019/20 Budget.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the 2019/20 Budget demonstrated Council was building for our future.

“The Townsville 2020 Masterplan provides a clear vision for our city and this Budget is about delivering on that vision,” Cr Hill said.

“These projects are throughout the city and suburbs and they will deliver world-class experiences for both locals and visitors.

“Townsville 2020 is about setting our city up for the future and that’s why we are investing in these projects now.

“I’m very proud to be leading a team of Councillors delivering on our commitments to the community.”

Projects allocated funding in the Budget include:

• Castle Hill Concept Plan = $ 4.1m

• Riverway Splash Water Park = $ 3.6m
• Central Park Construction = $ 3.4m
• Mount Louisa Stage 1 Development = $ 2m
• Flinders Lane Development = $ 1.5m

The Riverway Splash Water Park is receiving $3.6 million in funding from the Queensland Government’s Works for Queensland program and the Castle Hill Concept Plan received $1.96 million from the Federal Government Building Better Region’s Fund.

Planning and Development Chair Deputy Mayor Les Walker said the Townsville 2020 projects would provide a shot in the arm to the city’s tourism sector.

“Developing these projects will ensure that our city has world-class experiences in the city and throughout the suburbs,” Cr Walker said.

“We know that when locals love an area it becomes much more likely to attract tourists.

“These projects will have a long-lasting impact on our city and provide benefits for years to come.”

Infrastructure Committee Chair Cr Mark Molachino said these projects would boost the economy through supporting construction jobs.

“Importantly, the Townsville 2020 projects will provide an opportunity for local firms to win work and create jobs for locals,” Cr Molachino said.

“Forecasts indicate that these five projects will create 119 jobs for our city.”

There is just over one week to go until Townsville City Council’s North Australian Festival of Arts (NAFA) and Northern Fringe Festival launches.

The inaugural festival will officially launch with the Neck of the Woods Festival taking place next weekend.

Townsville Choral Society will also start the Fringe Festival off strong with Heathers the Musical taking the stage from Wednesday next week.

Community and Cultural Development Committee Chair Cr Colleen Doyle said the opening week will set the scene for the entire month of July.

“Townsville is incredibly lucky to have a diverse arts and culture scene with a line-up of fantastic local events,” Cr Doyle said.

“The Northern Fringe Festival is officially launching at the Neck of the Woods Festival out at Pinnacles and Townsville Choral Society performing Heathers the Musical – based on the 1988 dark comedy of the same name.

“This really sets the scene for the massive line-up of events that make up both NAFA and the Fringe Festival.”

The Northern Fringe will accompany a stellar line-up of arts and culture that will make up NAFA – including Strand Ephemera, the Festival of Stories, a free San Cisco concert and plenty of kid’s activities.

Cr Doyle said she is looking forward to seeing some of the world-class acts performing in Townsville during July.

“Townsville will play host to internationally acclaimed performances and national acts alongside our talented locals,” Cr Doyle said.

“Townsville really is the arts, culture and events capital of North Australia and this line-up has something for everyone.

“The Wonderland Spiegeltent is a fantastic venue and I can’t wait to see it set up with a spectacular Strand backdrop during Townsville’s tropical winter.

“I really do encourage everyone to get their tickets now because I don’t want anyone to miss out on anything they want to experience.”

To book your Northern Fringe Festival and NAFA tickets, or to see the full program, visit: www.nafa-tsv.com.au