The Townsville Strand, North Queensland’s award winning foreshore redevelopment has been featured in AILA’s
‘Parks Changing Australian Cities’ Exhibition, held at the Brisbane Virgin Airport Lounge until 13 January 2017.
This exhibition explores how contemporary parks are re-shaping Australian cities, increasing people’s health and wellbeing and contributing to more ecologically sustainable urban environments. It aims to introduce Australians to innovative new public spaces, engage them with questions about urban futures and showcase the contribution of landscape architecture in re-shaping our society.
The Strand is a 2.1km long beachfront promenade in Townsville opened in 2010. Enjoying picturesque views of Cleveland Bay and Magnetic Island, a tree shaded promenade links playgrounds, exercise stations, picnic facilities, restaurants and cafes, a saltwater swimming enclosure, art installations and an ever popular water park. As well as creating a relaxing environment for public use, engineering works in the project provide protection to Townsville’s beachfront from the effects of future cyclonic activity. Place Design Group took the lead master planning role on the project.
“The Strand Foreshore Parkland came through a need to redevelop Townsville’s foreshore after a number of
cyclones devastated the coast. Coastal engineers and landscape architects worked collaboratively to create
an award-winning linear park that also provides protection to the city’s beachfront from the effects of future
cyclonic activity.”
— Wal Smith, Director, Place Design Group
