Our regional vision is to be a dynamic and highly productive primary industries community that enriches the region’s land, water and workforce assets to grow world-class food, fibre and biofuels to help sustain the nation and be an export powerhouse.
Regional snapshot
The North and North West region is one of Queensland’s premier fruit bowls, with large portions of the state’s melon, mango and table grape sectors. The region also produces around two-fifths of Queensland’s sugarcane and is home to significant cattle operations.
North and North West Queensland benefits from its proximity to Asian export markets, supported by northern Australia’s largest container port, the Port of Townsville.
The region aims to leverage these foundational strengths through actions designed to:
- improve land condition and animal performance
- maximise water access
- explore new export pathways
- deploy the latest AgTech to optimise production.
Location
The region is comprised of the Local Government Areas of:
- Burdekin Shire
- Burke Shire
- Carpentaria Shire
- Charters Towers Regional
- Cloncurry Shire
- Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire
- Flinders Shire
- Hinchinbrook Shire
- McKinlay Shire
- Mornington Shire
- Mt Isa City
- Richmond Shire
- Palm Island Aboriginal Shire
- Townsville City.
Playing to our strengths
Emerging irrigation agriculture
North and North West Queensland is a vast region featuring intensive and irrigated cropping on the coastal plain dominated by sugar production and associated milling, and mixed cropping.
This high productivity is made possible through good quality soils and high solar radiation with more than 300 sunny days a year.
This new intensified and irrigated agricultural development is now contributing significantly to economic diversification and growth across the region.
Extensive cattle grazing across the region
North and North West Queensland, particularly the Gulf and Dry Tropics, is poised to lead in sustainable beef production, leveraging its extensive grazing systems and proximity to major processing and live export facilities.
Cattle grazing is a key industry in the region with extensive grazing dominating the western areas and the upper reaches of the Burdekin. These activities support 2 major beef supply chains at Queensland’s northern most abattoir in Townsville and live export through the Port of Townsville.
Access to natural resources
The region thrives thanks to its access to Queensland’s largest dam and the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme.
These vital water resources support world-class commercial and recreational fisheries. The region is also renowned for its abundant mineral and metalliferous deposits.
Proximity to international and national markets
The region is primed to drive significant agricultural productivity growth over the coming years, supported by strong connections to allied inland and coastal regional centres and markets.
The expansion of the Port of Townsville creates opportunities to break reliance on southern supply chains and bolster agricultural exports to targeted ASEAN and Pacific markets.
Diversification of crops
With available land, reliable water, and targeted government and private investment through regional transition and diversification plans, the region has introduced new crops like cotton and pulse grains.
These new crops are driving investment in improved supply chain infrastructure.
Future bio-commodity opportunities
The region’s potential for bio-renewable energy, biofuels and emerging industries will be unlocked through bold innovation and infrastructure expansion.
Last updated: 30 Sep 2026