TropiQ: Townsville’s Tropical Intelligence and Health Precinct
Overview
Project Proponent
Establishing a new knowledge economy for the North; a joint initiative of James Cook University, Townsville Hospital and Health Service, and Townsville City Council, estimated to generate an additional $1 billion in economic output annually by 2035.
TropiQ was established in 2019 as North Queensland’s premier health, research, and innovation precinct, with a focus on driving economic and social benefits for Townsville and its regional communities. Joint development planning of the TropiQ Precinct includes a range of crucial social infrastructure projects, underpinned by the significant expansion programs of health and education.
The precinct master plan includes more than $4 billion of infrastructure works and upgrades, including:
- Mixed-density residential housing for ~10,000 people
- Hospital and commercial expansions
- Defence industry park
- Short-stay accommodation, including step-down and medi-hotel facilities
- University-linked secondary and vocational schools
- Expanded carparking, including multi-level developments
- Associated trunk infrastructure upgrades
- Child and residential aged care facilities
- Other purpose-built industry-led facilities
Committed and under assessment works projected to occur over the next five years include a $530 million expansion of the Townsville University Hospital, the $32 million NQ Spark defence simulation facility, $300 million+ private hospital development and adjacent office accommodation tower, and the first stages of James Cook University's (JCU) residential development.
To compliment the city's priority to rapidly increase housing stock, JCU, in partnership with Townsville City Council, has allocated 100 hectares of JCU land for the purpose of residential housing development. Stage one of JCU's residential development program, will deliver approximately 250-300 dwellings across 16 hectares of land within the TropiQ precinct.
