Draft North Queensland Regional Plan and Infrastructure Plan
Have your say: consultation open until Tuesday 29 September 2026
Region at a glance
North Queensland is a diverse and economically significant region that makes an important contribution to Queensland’s economy. As the gateway between inland resource regions and national and global markets, North Queensland plays a vital role in keeping the state moving.
North Queensland is situated at the cross juncture of Queensland’s tropical north, the outback and the Coral Sea. It is home to remarkable landscapes, strong communities and growing opportunity. Its strategic location lends itself to strong traditional industries while backing growth in critical minerals value-adding and processing, new energy industries, advanced manufacturing and diversified agricultural production.
It encompasses the local government areas of:
- Burdekin Shire Council
- Charters Towers Regional Council
- Hinchinbrook Shire Council
- Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council
- Townsville City Council.
North Queensland’s population is projected to grow to 298,000 people by 2046. This growth brings new opportunities and requires careful planning to ensure communities have access to well-located housing and services supported by infrastructure.
The region’s economy is large, diverse and strategically important. North Queensland drives major export activity, supports critical defence, healthcare, education and research capabilities, and underpins strong regional communities built on industry, agriculture and mining.
North Queensland is recognised for its innovation and resilience. It is a hub for logistics, transport and processing, home to nationally significant defence and research facilities, and located alongside some of the world’s most treasured natural assets, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics. The region’s natural assets, together with established industries and regional centres, support the region’s ongoing growth and prosperity.
At the same time, housing supply remains one of the region's most pressing challenges. A coordinated and responsive approach to housing delivery will be critical to supporting growth, protecting the economic assets that underpin the region's prosperity and ensuring North Queensland remains an attractive place to live, work and invest.
Population
237,383 in 2021, growing to 297,834 people by 2046 (QGSO 2025 edition, high series)
New dwellings
at least 20,651 new dwellings required by 2046
Gross regional product
$20.8 billion (2024, NIEIR)
Sugarcane production
12,155,100 tonnes (2020-21, ABS experimental regional estimates)
Annual visitors
1.1 million (2025, Source, Tourism and Events Queensland)
Plan at a glance
The Queensland Government is committed to developing new regional plans covering every corner of the state.
The draft North Queensland Regional Plan and Infrastructure Plan 2026 (draft regional plan) was gazetted (
252.1 KB) on 18 August 2026. It is a contemporary, fit-for-purpose plan, focused on strengthening housing and economic growth, while aligning infrastructure needs for the region.
The draft regional plan was prepared in partnership with local governments. It sets out the 20-year vis ion and strategic direction for the region across three key themes: housing, economy and infrastructure.
For the first time, the North Queensland infrastructure plan is included as an appendix to the regional plan – linking land use and infrastructure planning in one place. This ensures transport, water, energy, digital and social and community infrastructure are planned together to support growth.
By 2046, North Queensland’s population is expected to grow from 237,383 (2021) to 298,000 people, requiring at least 20,061 net additional homes. While 96% of projected growth is expected to occur in Townsville, other regional towns and communities are also anticipated to experience meaningful increases over the next 20 years.
Key outcomes
- Increasing supply of housing for local residents, prioritising accommodation in areas with access to existing or future planned services.
- Facilitating purpose-built workforce accommodation across the region for non-residents.
- Setting housing targets to align with the Queensland Government’s goal of one million new homes by 2044.
The North Queensland economy is underpinned by strong agriculture, construction, tourism, resource industries and other established sectors which have long contributed to the region’s prosperity. Building on these strengths, the region is projected to accommodate at least 19,000 additional jobs over the next 20 years, driven by investment in health, defence, education and tourism. While most growth will occur in Townsville, emerging sectors such as biofuels and critical minerals processing will create opportunities across the broader region.
Key outcomes
- Ensuring sufficient supply of employment land in strategic locations to support a diverse and thriving economy.
- Protecting and expanding key industries by safeguarding high-value agricultural and resource areas.
- Supporting coexistence of a range of land uses and enabling economic diversification.
- Promoting tourism and the visitor economy that showcase the region’s nature, culture and sense of place.
The draft North Queensland infrastructure plan provides the strategic direction for infrastructure planning, ensuring infrastructure priorities are aligned with growth, land use outcomes and broader Queensland Government initiatives.
The plan establishes a clear approach to coordinating infrastructure across the region through infrastructure planning policies, strategies and future planning considerations for transport, water, energy, digital connectivity, and social and community infrastructure. These elements support informed decision-making, help guide local planning, and provide a basis for responding to the region’s future infrastructure needs.
Key outcomes
- Efficient transport infrastructure and services support safe, accessible and connected communities, and strategic links and supply chains are identified, protected and enhanced.
- The region’s water supply is supported by innovative management, suitable infrastructure and forward planning.
- An affordable and reliable energy system supports the delivery of energy projects in a responsible manner and in appropriate locations.
- Regional digital connectivity and resilience are enhanced.
- Social infrastructure is planned and delivered to support the diverse needs of local communities.
The department's interactive mapping system displays relevant spatial information for this regional plan. Mapping can also be viewed on the interactive mapping platform for the draft regional plan.
All maps can be viewed within the draft regional plan and infrastructure plan. Static maps relevant to the draft regional plan can be viewed via the links below as an alternative to the Spatial Portal.
- Priority Living Areas ( 6.9 MB)
- Regional Land Use Categories ( 10.4 MB)
The draft regional plan identifies 4 land use categories, used to classify land across the region. These are:
- Urban Footprint identifies land which can accommodate the region’s growth needs to 2046 and includes established urban areas and land with potential for new development.
- Regional Township Footprint provides for a diverse range of land uses that allow regional towns to adapt to economic opportunities and fulfil both rural and urban uses.
- Rural Living Area (RLA) identifies areas for rural residential development in locations that provide housing and lifestyle choice while limiting the impact of inefficient use of land.
- Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area (RLRPA) is an area that supports important values that help sustain the region, socially, economically and environmentally.
You can also download the spatial data of draft regional plan layers (
1.5 MB).
More information
Draft regional plan ( 42.1 MB)
Read the full document.
→Draft infrastructure plan appendix ( 42.1 MB)
Read the infrastructure plan appendix from page 59.
→Interactive mapping
View interactive mapping for the plan.
→2020 Regional plan ( 13.5 MB)
View the current plan.
→Regulation amendment fact sheet ( 291.6 KB)
Read the fact sheet.
→Have your say
You’re invited to learn more about the draft North Queensland Regional Plan and Infrastructure Plan 2026 and have your say by the following methods.
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You can send a submission through by doing either of the below options:
- our online survey
- emailing NQRPIPSubmissions@dsdip.qld.gov.au; or
- posting your submission to PO Box 15009, City East QLD 4002.
As part of the legislative process, submissions must be “properly made” to be formally considered. The online survey makes sure your submission is properly made.
If submitting by other means, a properly made submission must:
- be made to the Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations
- include the name and residential or business address, and an electronic or postal address, of each person making the submission
- be made in writing and, unless the submission is made electronically, be signed by each person who has made the submission
- state the grounds of the submission and the facts and circumstances relied on in support of the grounds
- be made during the consultation period.
A template (
474.8 KB) is available to attach to any email or post submissions. -
Talk-to-a-planner sessions provide an opportunity for you to ask questions about your property or discuss other aspects of the draft plan.
Speaking with a planner is not considered a submission. If you want to formally have your say, submit feedback by the online portal, email or post.
Online
Online sessions are hosted via Microsoft Teams where you can talk with a planner from the comfort of your home.
Online sessions are available from Tuesday 1 September to Thursday 17 September 2026 during business hours.
- Tuesday 1 September – Thursday 3 September 2026 NQRPIP Online Talk to a Planner Bookings Week 3
- Tuesday 15 September – Thursday 17 September 2026 NQRPIP Online Talk to a Planner Bookings Week 5
In-person
Meet face-to-face with a planner in the region. Registration is not required to attend an in-person event. There are no speakers or presentations at these sessions, so you don’t need to arrive at the start of the session time. You can simply turn up at any time during the session times listed.
- Hinchinbrook – 7 September 2026 – TYTO Conference and events centre, 73 McIlwraith St, Ingham – 10am to 1pm
- Townsville – 8 September 2026 – Venue details to be confirmed
- Burdekin – 9 September 2026 – Sandhills Room, Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre, 40 Chippendale St, Ayr – 11am to 2pm
- Charters Towers – 10 September 2026 – Venue details to be confirmed
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Share your feedback on the plan by leaving a post on our ideas board.
All posts will be considered in during the finalisation of the plan, however, these comments are not considered formal (“properly made”) submissions. If you want to formally have your say, submit feedback by the online portal, email or post.
Consultation is open until 11:59pm Tuesday 29 September 2026.
Real success lies in every Queenslander being involved in shaping how their region grows and changes. This is your opportunity to do so and ensure that regional planning maximises local economic opportunities and enhances the things you love about where you live.
Stay up to date
Subscribe to keep up to date on the progress of the North Queensland Regional Plan and Infrastructure Plan.
Enquiries
If you have any questions about the draft plan, please email NQRPIPSubmissions@dsdip.qld.gov.au.
Last updated: 18 Aug 2026