TRAVEL BY TORCHLIGHT IN TIMELESS TOWNSVILLE

Right  now  Townsville  is  awash in  IT jargon , recent  forums have been held  in which experts  in various   fields   have outlined how the  city can  make   assorted  giant  leaps  forward ,  become a  hub  for so many  activities - hub being the  current  buzz  word   in  spin , civic  and  Townsville  Bulletin  circles.

All  this professional  and technical  advice has been   showered on  the largest  city in  regional Queensland ...where  the Heritage listed  former  post  office  tower   clock , now part of a building known  as The Brewery , has not worked  for    yonks , it apparently  beyond   local  technical skills  to  remedy   and  the  powers  that  be  in  the town   don't   realise that it  is  a poor advertisement  for the Queen  City of the North  when it  cannot  boast  a  tropical  Big  Ben that works , the clock faces  showing  a  puzzling variety of  times  at   once.  

In earlier  times , the post office  corner was a  popular  venue for  many  political  rallies where  soap   box  orators   were   heard  .

After  Darwin was bombed by the Japanese  in 1942, the British built  clock in Townsville was dismantled  and placed  in storage, reinstored   in the l960s, then  followed   motor  trouble ; are  the  components in situ,  in  Never-Never Land or in   a  Japanese   scrapmetal  dealer's  yard ? 

But  yesterday,  the dynamic new spirit  abroad  in  Townsville  was  visible for all to see...a  Sunbus   driver  armed with a  plug in  torch , held in one hand , at eye level , sometimes higher , like a coal miner ,   which  enabled  him  to   read  the  panel on the ticket   dispenser  machine ,  the  tape in which  was   not   working  properly   at   the  start  of  a  run from  the  ferry  terminal  to   James  Cook University .

When asked  , later  in the  day, why   the  strange  torch  light  dance , the   driver  added  to  the bizarre situation by saying  the  ticket  dispenser  could  only  be  read  at   night  without  the  help  of  a  torch !!! 

PHANTOM OPERA HOUSE

What seemed to be a replica of the Sydney Opera House , above, suddenly appeared on the Townsville waterfront  , and  a roving correspondent sent us  a snap. However , a short time later , this  bright white structure, possibly part of a new cruise ship terminal, turned into something like the Black Hole of Calcutta, see below.

It seems other ports   want to get  in  on the cruise  ship gravy boat  and you have to wonder if it will lead to  an over supply situation. Still, cruising is undoubtedly popular, and the 1936 postcard from our files shows what was on offer in the Pacific.

TOWNSVILLE DOWN IN THE MOUTH

Townsville’s prominent landmark-Castle Hill- which towers over the North Queensland city, is be renamed Mount Cavity following the discovery that it is crumbling and needs expensive root canal fillings . This comes a week after a dental company obtained naming rights to Townsville’s football stadium , home ground of the clean, green , nil additives Cowboys. The stadium is now known as 1300SMILES. The latest photograph of Castle Hill (above ) reveals the extent of the dental repair work that has to be carried out by the Townsville City Council. Clearly visible is the gummy state of the hill which could cause the entire edifice to collapse and slide into The Strand. Heavy–footed early morning climbers of Castle Hill who use the goat track and fluoride impregnated rainwater run off are believed contributing to the structure’s decay.

 No X-rays are needed to see the extent of the problem (above) which could also be connected to secret wartime tunnels dug into the rock  that are  beginning to  crumble.