With the largest teaching hospital in northern Australia and the relaxed vibe of the tropics, Townsville is the perfect mix of professional opportunity and lifestyle.

Training in the Townsville region

Townsville University Hospital is a tertiary referral hospital and research hub with 656 beds, and 843 beds for all THHS facilities (excluding nursing homes), a full range of specialty services and some of the foremost experts in tropical diseases.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service

Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS) consists of 21 facilities including community health, aged-care facilities and rural hospitals. Covering an expansive area from Cardwell in the north to Hughenden and Richmond in the west and Ayr and Home Hill in the south, and Magnetic and Palm Islands, the THHS region is home to almost 250, 000 people, which supports a referral catchment of almost 700,000 people.

Townsville University Hospital

Townsville University Hospital (TUH) is the major teaching hospital of the James Cook University College of Medicine and Dentistry. It serves patients from as far north as Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Strait Islands and west to Mount Isa and the Gulf of Carpentaria as northern Queensland’s only tertiary referral hospital. It provides cutting-edge services and training in Cardiology, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Oncology, Mental Health, Neonatology, General surgery, Anaesthetics, Intensive Care and numerous sub-specialties.

An aeromedical retrieval hub, TUH has the only Neonatal Intensive Care Unit within Queensland outside of the South-East,  the only public hyperbaric medicine unit in Queensland, outside Brisbane and the North’s only Palliative Care Centre. Trainee surgeons have 24-hour-a-day access to a laparoscopic simulator to practise complex keyhole surgery.

TUH’s Indigenous Interns Pathway provides mentoring, career guidance and education opportunities to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander junior doctors in achieving their career goals.

Mater Private Hospital Townsville

Mater Private Hospital Townsville is serviced by more than 200 of the region’s leading consultants and participates in the Commonwealth Medical Intern Program. In partnership with Townsville University Hospital, it is home to a da Vinci Xi Surgical Robot System and now the Stryer Mako, donated through community fundraising by Mater Foundation, advanced tools for minimally invasive Cardiology, Urology, Gynaecology, Colorectal, General, Head and Neck, Thoracic and Knee-Hip surgery. Joining the robotic team is the ROSA Knee System being used for patients requiring knee implants.

The Townsville Private Clinic

The Townsville Private Clinic is a 60-bed private mental health hospital with inpatient, day patient and outpatient services.

Other Private Clinics in Townsville include Queensland X-Ray,, North Queensland Neurology, North Queensland Minimally Invasive Surgery, and Townsville Lower Limb Clinic.

>  Discover more about Townsville Hospital and Health Service

Research Facilities in Townsville

Townsville is a globally significant centre of research in tropical health and medicine. It is home to world-class research facilities, including:

Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine

Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) is Australia’s only dedicated health and tropical medicine research institute. Based at JCU, AITHM focuses on diseases of high burden in the tropics, tropical health security and strengthening health systems.

James Cook University College of Medicine and Dentistry

James Cook University College of Medicine and Dentistry conducts internationally recognised research in tropical medicine and public health care in underserved populations. It contributes to the work of the AITHM. Connect with JCU research and researchers here.

Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre

Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre (TAAHC) is a collaboration between northern Queensland’s five hospital and health services, the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network, the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine.

Townsville Institute of Health Research and Innovation

Townsville Institute of Health Research and Innovation (TIHRI), a purpose-built research facility at Townsville University Hospital, supports and translates research into innovative, high-quality patient care. Find Townsville HHS specialty research groups and contacts here.

Anton Breinl Research Centre for Health Systems Strengthening

Anton Breinl Research Centre for Health Systems Strengthening at JCU is dedicated to building strong and equitable health systems for rural, remote, Indigenous and tropical communities. The centre’s highly collaborative program of translational research has a strong social justice focus, progressing health equity in partnership with the region’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, rural and remote populations, our near tropical neighbours and other underserved groups.

JCU RESEARCH AND TEACHING PROJECT PORTAL FOR MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY RESEARCH

Incentives

• Relocation can be negotiated through the Medical Education and Workforce Services at the time of your employment offer, per the Medical Officers (Queensland Health) Award - State 2015.
• Accommodation can be included as part of your relocation expenses. Tax invoices/receipts must be provided to support a claim if not booked pre-booked by Medical Workforce.
• Inaccessibility allowance applies for Palm Island $48,300 per year (50% paid after 6 months, 25% paid in 3-monthly instalments thereafter); Hughenden and Richmond $41,400 per year (50% paid after 6 months, 25% paid in 3-monthly instalments thereafter); Cardwell: $34,500 per annum (50% paid after 6 months, 25% paid in 3-monthly instalments thereafter).  Ayr, Charters Towers and Ingham $13,800 per year (100% paid after 12months completion. 25% paid in 3 monthly instalments thereafter).  Magnetic Island $6,900 per annum (100% paid after 12 months).
• SMOs receive 5% base salary for working in Townsville (excluding Palm Island) as a Regional and Rural Attraction Allowance. For Palm Island it is 10% of base salary.
• Specialists (excludes GP) receive an extra 50% of base salary, for, For medical practitioners appointed to the “Medical Officer Advanced Credentialed Practice – Rural Generalist” pay scale an allowance of 40% of base salary. and SMOs an additional 35% base salary as a General Attraction and Retention allowance in all areas. The Regional and Rural attraction allowance is on top of that. 

Specialties in Townsville

Living in the Townsville region

A vibrant tropical hub with a diverse economy, Townsville has the benefits of city life without the busy commute.

With over 300 days of sunshine a year, Townsville boasts a laid-back coastal lifestyle on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Strand, Townsville’s thriving beach foreshore, features a 2.5km walkway that offers spectacular views across to Magnetic Island. Castle Hill is another popular exercise spot with its walking trails and scenic lookout.

With 23 bays and beaches, Magnetic Island is the island playground of Townsville. The island is only 20 minutes from the city centre. Do as little or as much as you like on Magnetic Island with activities ranging from snorkelling, reef fishing charters, water sports, golf, diving expeditions, jet skiing, fishing, horse riding and bush walks. The S.S Yongala shipwreck off the Townsville coast ranks as one of the top 10 wreck dives in the world.

Palm Island (Bwgcolman), about 70km north-east of Townsville, is home to one of Queensland’s largest Aboriginal communities.

Townsville is two hours from Brisbane by air and has direct flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Darwin. With its army and air force bases, it is Australia’s largest garrison city and a major centre for government administration. Townsville has a strong education sector as home to James Cook University and excellent public and private schools.

It’s regarded as the sporting capital of North Queensland, with a flourishing community of clubs and activities. Home ground of the North Queensland Cowboys National Rugby League team, Townsville’s 25,000-seat multipurpose stadium in the CBD hosts an array of other sporting and music events.

Townsville is flanked to its north and south by the cane farming communities of Ingham and the Burdekin. The Burdekin’s two popular townships, Ayr and Home Hill, are linked by the Burdekin Bridge, and the district is famed for its fishing. To the west is the heritage town of Charters Towers with its elegant historic buildings and relics of Australia’s gold rush era.

Discover more about the Townsville region