This year Townsville celebrates 150 years – 1866 to 2016 – since it became a Municipality under the Queensland Municipals Institute Act of 1864. To commemorate this milestone the current Townsville City Council has planned a year-long festival of events.
Under the banner T150 the Council has selected some community-based activities to support financially. The National Trust of Australia (Qld) Townsville Branch received funding for four bus tours, the first of them being Townsville’s ‘Hidden’ War Memorials.
That’s what happening in 2016. The remainder of this post takes place at the beginning of the period, back to 1866 (and even earlier), to Townsville’s foundations. Just who were the movers and shakers of 150 years ago, the men who pushed the Queensland Colonial Government to give Townsville formal recognition?
One name stands above the rest – John Melton Black.
Image 1. John Melton Black – his vision created Townsville. Photo: CityLibrary Townsville
Saunders Beach, Queensland, Australia 