sport
Townsville Sport Facilities Venues and Infrastructure Draw Fresh Investment
Council upgrades at two central venues are expanding training access and match-day capacity for local clubs.
How we reported this
Townsville City Council finished a $2.3 million lighting retrofit at Townsville Stadium on 28 June, allowing night fixtures to run seven nights a week without glare complaints from nearby residents.
The work matters now because participation in junior rugby league and netball has risen 18 percent since the start of 2025, pushing existing fields and courts past safe capacity on weekends.
Two venues at the centre of the changes
The upgraded floodlights sit above the main oval at Townsville Stadium on Abbott Street in the CBD, while a separate $1.1 million resurfacing project at the Murray Sports Complex in Railway Estate added two new synthetic hockey pitches that opened for club use on 3 July.
Both sites sit within five kilometres of the central business district, cutting travel time for players who train after school or shift work at the port.
Usage data from the council’s booking system shows the stadium hosted 47 matches or training sessions in the first week after the lights were switched on, compared with an average of 29 sessions in the same week last year.
Next steps for clubs and families
Clubs seeking evening slots at either venue can submit requests through the council’s online portal, with priority given to groups that already hold junior development programs.
Residents wanting to watch the first full night of A-grade fixtures under the new lights can buy tickets at the gate from 5 pm on Friday 18 July.