Townsville, Australia News

Moira Smith and Blanch Weddell, outside the new Woolworth's location in James Cook University's new Clinical Practice Building.

BACKPACKERS Ronja Wacker, Germany, Elodie Jacquet and Johanna Yonnet, France, Laura Wetzel and Fabienne Heine, Germany, say it is becoming harder to find work fruit picking in Australia THE party lights are fading on North Queensland's backpacker market as Korean contract pickers and workers from the Pacific Islands take over their jobs on fruit ... (more)

A MAN who stole a car with a sleeping baby inside has been released on 18 months probation, sparking anger at the lenient sentence.

Recently the Queensland Government released the Queensland Ports Strategy and the Economic Directions Statement for Queensland Airports to provide these sectors and private investors information on future infrastructure management, development and investment.

THE Farewell to Townsville sign on Woolcock Street should be removed and relocated to a more accurate location to reduce confusion for tourists and customers trying to find businesses in the area.

Residents of Homestead, 210 kilometres inland from Townsville, have been hit with the same insurance premium hikes as their costal counterparts due to a shared postcode.

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman says he wants to begin a debate on which of the state's public assets could be sold after the next election.

The State Government is reviewing the environmental compliance of billionaire businessman Clive Palmer's Yabulu Nickel Refinery near Townsville in north Queensland.

Snake catcher Brian West with a Carpet Pyhton he caught in Belgian Gardens after it was trying to eat chooks.

Children watch an Australian Army backhoe leaves to clean up Cogon Central School in Ormoc, Philippines as part of the Recovery Support Force.

A YOUNG soldier has told of being strip-searched by police in front of his home as the Queensland Government's tough anti-bikie laws continue to take a toll on recreational riders.

However the owner of one of the few remaining independent soft drink companies in the state has ridiculed the proposal, saying it would only shift the blame for high obesity rates without properly addressing the health issue.

Ella Heeney and Lia Mills are off to Townsville to represent NSW at the Australian All Schools Championships.

BUSINESS people in Bowen are in a desperate holding pattern while they wait for the Federal Government to hand down its decision on the dredging of the seabed off the coal Port of Abbot Point.

THE lead detective investigating the bizarre death of a Townsville woman failed to examine the knife which killed her or ensure her husband's whereabouts were queried on the day of her death, an inquest has heard.

Townsville Constable Alistair McKeen now has a six-month wait to find out if the bites have transmitted any diseases.

SPREADING ENLIGHTENMENT: Jinasiri or Jason Chan, a barefoot Buddist Monk walking from Queensland to Sydney, through Tamworth.

SOLDIERS based at Townsville's Lavarack Barracks were released from training yesterday to spend Christmas with their loved ones, ahead of their deployment to Afghanistan early next year.

A view over Townsville looking towards Magnetic Island which is only a twenty minute ferry ride from the city.

It's been a Friday night tradition for more than 30 years - grab a takeaway and head down to the video shop to rent a movie, but is there a future for video shops in the digital era? In Queensland most towns have seen store closures; Townsville has lost eight of its 17 stores in the past five years.