Charters Towers

MITEZ REGION 1,000kms The Regional Council Local

Government Area covers a total area of 68,571.2 square kilometres with the majority of the population and economy centred in the historic Charters Towers Cloncurry Julia Richmond gold mining . Creek Hughenden Boasting significant agriculture and resources activity the Charters Towers Local Government Area recorded an estimated resident population of 12,491 persons as at 30 June 2013.

A 90-minute drive south west of Townsville on the Flinders Highway the city of Charters Towers is easily accessible to travellers from Townsville and Sydney Mount Isa and also provides access to Greenvale in the north and Clermont to the south along the sealed Gregory Developmental Road.

Beef production is a major economic activity in the area of renewable energy and knowledge/ the region with the mining, tourism and education digital economy for the purpose of developing a and research industries also prominent. solar utility capable of power generation for new industrial and commercial projects. Opportunities for future growth in the encompass a meat processing Other opportunities are expected as a result of facility to value add to the abundant agricultural increased interest in the area of food and fodder commodity, irrigated agriculture; with an production along the upper as abundance of water and arable land available well the potential for a large-scale sugar and and renewable energy projects such as the ethanol project. Solar Utility and Data Centre Project which sees Council proactively seeking to use innovation in

Charters Towers Regional Council PO Box 189, Charters Towers, Queensland 4820 Ph: 07 4761 5300 www.charterstowers.qld.gov.au www.mitez.com.au Cloncurry Shire

Cloncurry is a rural town, with rich mining and pastoral industries and a strategic location within MITEZ REGION the North West Minerals Province. 1,000kms

Nestled on the banks of the , Townsville Cloncurry is located 700 kilometres west of Charters Townsville, 120 kilometres east of Mount Isa and Mount Isa Towers Cloncurry Julia Richmond 400 kilometres south of the . Creek Hughenden A significant contributor of mining royalties from the North West, Cloncurry is harnessing QUEENSLAND unprecedented growth in the mining sector. With an established pastoral industry and strong transport infrastructure Cloncurry is a prime candidate in the North West for future growth. AUSTRALIA Brisbane With easy access to major transport routes, the Sydney Shire is a strategic link between Brisbane/Sydney to Darwin and beyond. Accessible by road, rail and air Cloncurry is a vital link in the Mount Isa Rail Corridor connecting mining, agricultural and With a strong business environment and land broader regional activity in Queensland’s North available for a wide variety of commercial and West to the Townsville Port. industrial uses Cloncurry harnesses room for With a population of approximately 3,800 growing business. Cloncurry provides residents and surrounding Future opportunities include a number of new properties access to a wide range of essential mines including gold, copper, zinc, and rare and specialist health, hospital and medical earth elements that will be mined, processed facilities, education and family services and and transported to markets from Cloncurry. With community facilities. an abundance of mineral resources, access to Cloncurry Shire’s economy is built upon electricity generation and water supplies there is strengths in the transport, agriculture, tourism tremendous capacity for industries to grow and and mining industries, with diverse infrastructure provide a secure future for the town. strategically planned to attract and support development.

Cloncurry Shire Council PO Box 3, Cloncurry, Queensland 4824 Ph: 07 4742 4100 www.cloncurry.qld.gov.au www.mitez.com.au Flinders Shire

The Flinders Shire covers an area of 41,632 square kilometres in the heart of North West Queensland . MITEZ REGION With Hughenden the main business centre for the 1,000kms Shire the smaller communities of Prairie, and Stamford are also included within its footprint. Townsville

Hughenden, the epicentre of the Shire is located on Charters Mount Isa Towers the crossroad of the Flinders Highway and the inland Cloncurry Julia Richmond Creek Hughenden Hann Highway, linking to Melbourne. Just 383 kilometres west of Townsville and 1,566 kilometres north west of Brisbane Hughenden is a hub for many QUEENSLAND tourists and travellers, accessible by regular rail, bus and air transport links. The Flinders Shire is predominantly a grazing area, with emerging irrigation pockets. The major industry AUSTRALIA Brisbane for the Shire is irrigated agriculture and beef cattle production with the Shire harnessing over 100 rural Sydney grazing properties and a gross value of agricultural production of $73.5m. Future planning and developments for the Flinders Shire centre around the energy, resource and An opportunity has further been identified for an agriculture sectors. With one of the largest coal basins abattoir facility in the Flinders region, with a report in the world (the 16,500 square kilometre ) issued by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and running directly through the Flinders Shire region Forestry identifying Hughenden to have the largest several companies are currently investigating new coal potential cattle supply of locations along the tick line; projects throughout the region. teamed with accessible and affordable land, water and power, reasonable population and public services, Steps are also currently underway to develop the large local producer support, access to a good labour force irrigated agricultural precinct known as the Flinders and with five roads feeding in to the town. River Ag Precinct (FRAP); capturing water from the artesian basin and the . Including the The attractive township of Hughenden, has well development of sustainable irrigated agriculture in established businesses and services, a number of an area of land along the Flinders River between schools, affordable housing and most of the facilities Hughenden and Julia Creek, the project boasts expected by families looking for a comfortable country some of the best farming soil in Queensland, access lifestyle. to a reliable water source, affordable land and low development costs.

Flinders Shire Council PO Box 274, Hughenden, Queensland 4821 Ph: 07 4741 2900 www.flinders.qld. gov.au www.mitez.com.au McKinlay Shire

McKinlay Shire is the gateway to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Shire spans some 41,000 MITEZ REGION square kilometres and embraces the townships 1,000kms

of Julia Creek and Nelia on the Flinders Highway Townsville and McKinlay and on the Matilda Highway. Julia Creek is the main township and Charters Mount Isa Towers Cloncurry Julia Richmond is located approximately 650 kilometres west of Creek Hughenden Townsville and 225 kilometres east of Mount Isa.

A rural and regional Shire, McKinlay is home QUEENSLAND to a population of 1,000 and a productive and innovative pastoral industry, the world’s richest single mine producer of silver, lead and zinc BHP Billiton Cannington Mine as well as the Eloise AUSTRALIA Brisbane Copper Mine.

Sydney The world’s largest natural aquifer, the Great Artesian Basin, underpins and supports the community and the diversity of the rich grazing lands and unique animal life that the Shire has to Opportunities for future development exist in offer. irrigated agriculture, fodder production, feedlots and exploiting the Shire’s significant shale oil McKinlay Shire has a proud history, industry and is a close family community. A well connected deposits. With one of Queensland’s great icon events, the Dirt and Dust Festival, being held and strong community, McKinlay Shire supports a growing population to meet the key thresholds annually at Julia Creek, tourism is fast becoming for social, health, education and commercial a major industry in the Shire. services, underpinned by a sustainable, Events in the Shire are driven by the spirit and diversified rural economy. The community passion of local communities and contribute to welcomes new industries that contribute to its the social calendar of events in Queensland’s overall vision and sustainability. Outback.

McKinlay Shire Council PO Box 177, Julia Creek, Queensland 4823 Ph: 07 4746 7166 www.mckinlay.qld.gov.au www.mitez.com.au Mount Isa City

The is one of the more remote local government areas in Queensland. It lies in the heart MITEZ REGION of the North West Mineral Province, one of the world’s 1,000kms richest mineral resources; adjoining the border of the . Townsville Mount Isa is located approximately 1,826 kilometres Charters from Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, and 883 Mount Isa Towers Cloncurry Julia Richmond kilometres from the nearest major city and port of Creek Hughenden Townsville. Covering an area of over 43,310 square kilometres (including the township of ), Mount Isa is the second largest city (geographically) in QUEENSLAND Australia to -Boulder. Shaped by its remote, rural location and rich mineral bounty, Mount Isa harnesses a long standing mining heritage. Celebrating its 90th year in 2013, a feat AUSTRALIA Brisbane unique among mining towns nationwide, Mount Isa Sydney has grown from Australia’s first ‘company town’ into one of the largest and most important industrial powerhouses in the nation and is the capital of the world-class Carpentaria Minerals Province. Isa economy include mineral processing, tourism Demonstrating a strong sense of identity and and agriculture. The overall population growth and community, with a population of approximately economic advancement of this unique community is 23,000 and a diverse, multicultural population of over additionally supported by smaller mining companies, fifty nationalities,Mount Isa is the administrative, a diverse service network, transport operations, retail commercial, and industrial centre of North industries, electricity, gas, water and waste services; West Queensland and centre for health, public and education and training. administration and community services. Future opportunities include a number of new mines Industry in the city is based around Glenore’s Mount including uranium, phosphate and rare earth elements Isa Mines, one of the world’s top ten producers of that will be mined, processed and transported to lead, copper, silver and zinc and one of the top two markets from Mount Isa. With an abundance of largest copper mining and smelter operations in the mineral resources, electricity generation and water country. supplies as well as a gas pipeline to the city, there is tremendous capacity for industries to grow and Cattle grazing and tourism are other major industries of provide a secure future for the city. note, with the region producing some of the country’s best beef. Other major components of the Mount

Mount Isa City Council PO Box 815 Mount Isa, QLD 4825 Ph: 07 4747 3200 www.mountisa.qld.gov.au www.mitez.com.au Richmond Shire

MITEZ REGION The comprises approximately 1,000kms 26,000 square kilometres in the heart of

Queensland. Predominantly agricultural country, Townsville the Shire has gained prestige for its dinosaur Charters fossil discoveries, commonly referred to as the Mount Isa Towers Cloncurry Julia Richmond Fossil Capital of Australia. With a population Creek Hughenden of 827 Richmond Shire harnesses a bustling tourism industry centred around a strong agricultural sector. QUEENSLAND

Situated on the south bank of the Flinders River, the township of Richmond is the Shires central hub, located 1,432 kilometres north west of AUSTRALIA Brisbane Brisbane and approximately 500 kilometres west of Townsville. Sydney

The town itself is a vital hub for the area and is easily accessible by air, train and road, including thrice-weekly flights between Townsville, Outback’s most attractive small towns and a Richmond and Mount Isa. The town features cool great place to raise a family. grassy parks that entice the passer-by to stay a while, and the large recreational Lake Fred Tritton Beef cattle, irrigated agriculture, dryland farming is much-prized for fishing, water-skiing and and gold mining are the main industries in the kayaking, as well as a walk through the near-by Shire. A ‘shovel ready’ project, promoted by Bush Tucker Garden. Richmond Shire is the O’Connell Creek Off- stream Water Storage Facility, a major investment Richmond has won a number of awards such opportunity that would pave the way forward for as the Queensland Tidy Town award as well future growth. national environmental awards for its tourism and community projects making it one of the

Richmond Shire Council PO Box 18 Richmond, Queensland 4822 Ph: 07 4741 3277 www.richmond.qld.gov.au www.mitez.com.au Townsville City

Townsville; widely regarded as the capital of North MITEZ REGION Queensland is the largest city in North Australia with 1,000kms the local government area covering 3,736 square

kilometres. Located about halfway between the tip Townsville of Cape York and Brisbane Townsville is one of the fastest growing cities in the state of Queensland Charters Mount Isa Towers in terms of population with an estimated resident Cloncurry Julia Richmond Creek Hughenden population of 189,238 as of 30 June 2013. The Townsville region encompasses a major urban coastal area, a restricted rural area, mountain ranges, QUEENSLAND a major offshore island () and a number of smaller islands and rock shoals including Herald and Rattlesnake Islands. Townsville has capitalised on its low level terrain AUSTRALIA Brisbane and relatively low tropical rainfall to provide an efficient access route and service centre for North Sydney Queensland. Townsville provides the northern link for state and federal governments, as well as for private enterprise in primary and secondary industries, mining, agricultural industries, as well as for locally-based commerce, retail and community and cultural services. Glencore Copper Refinery, Sun Metals Zinc Refinery, Townsville’s economy has displayed a strong and Queensland Nickel and the Queensland Sugar stable performance over the past decade. Factors Corporation Distribution Centre. contributing to this are strong population growth, A major service centre and the main centre for significant new public sector investment, the growing government administration outside Brisbane Townsville role of Townsville as a public and private sector also boasts a number of research institutions such regional service centre and the city’s diversified as , the Australian Institute of economy with strengths in mining services, mineral Marine Science, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park processing, international tropical marine research, Authority, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and defence, education and tourism. Forestry and the CSIRO. The cities large Australian Together, and the Port of Townsville Defence Force community, due to army and airforce provide a transport hub for the region’s mining and bases, also influence the local economy.

TOWNSVILLE City Council PO Box 1268 Townsville, Queensland 4810 Ph: 1300 878 001 www.townsville.qld.gov.au www.mitez.com.au