List of mayors of Townsville

Mayor of Townsville
Incumbent
Nick Dametto
since 16 November 2025[1]
Term length4 years
Inaugural holderJohn Melton Black
Formation1866

This is a list of mayors of the City of Townsville, a local government area of Queensland, Australia.[2][3][4]

Nick Dametto is the mayor-elect following the Saturday 15 November 2025 City of Townsville mayoral by-election, where he received 61.6% of the vote, with recently-resigned mayor Troy Thompson coming fifth at 4.8% of the vote (or 2080 persons).[5] Elected in 2024, Thompson beat previous mayor Jenny Hill, who was elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2016 and 2020.[6][7][8]

Elections for mayor are held every four years as part of the statewide local elections.

History

The first mayor was John Melton Black, a pioneer who is said to have built the first house in Townsville.[9]

In 1976, the Labor Party won control of the council, with Perc Tucker elected mayor. He served until his death in August 1980, being replaced by Mike Reynolds, who was himself succeeded by Tony Mooney in 1989.

Mooney served as mayor until the 2008 election, which was the first the original City of Townsville merged with the City of Thuringowa. Former Thuringowa mayor Les Tyrell defeated Mooney in a landslide, but only served for a single term and retired in 2012.[10]

Mayors

1866–present

No. Portrait Mayor Party Term start Term end Notes Council control
(term)
1 John Melton Black
(1830–1919) 		Independent 1866 1867
2 William Alfred Ross Independent 1868 1868
3 William Aplin
(1840–1901) 		Independent 1869 1869
4 Frederick Coleman Independent 1870 1870
5 Patrick Hanran
(1831–1916) 		Independent 1871 1872
6 S. F. Walker Independent 1873 1873
7 Joseph Fletcher Independent 1874 1874
(6) S. F. Walker Independent 1875 1875
8 Henry Knapp Independent 1876 1876 Noted as a "brief" term
(5) Patrick Hanran
(1831–1916) 		Independent 1876 1877
9 E. A. Head Independent 1878 1878
(5) Patrick Hanran
(1831–1916) 		Independent 1879 1879
10 Thankful Percy Willmett Independent 1880 1881
(5) Patrick Hanran
(1831–1916) 		Independent 1882 1882
11 W.V. Brown Independent 1883 1883
(10) Thankful Percy Willmett Independent 1883 1884
12 Eugene J. Forrest Independent 1885 1885
13 Henry Barbenson Le Touzel Hubert Independent 1885 1885
14 W.P. Walker Independent 1886 1886
15 Arthur Glennie Bundock Independent 1887 1888 [11]
16 John Newport Parkes Independent 1889 1889
17 William Clayton Independent 1890 1890
18 Lionel Fairley Independent 1891 1891
(5) Patrick Hanran
(1831–1916) 		Independent 1892 1892
19 C.F.A. Sparre Independent 1892 1892
(5) Patrick Hanran
(1831–1916) 		Independent 1893 1893
20 Murdo Cameron Independent 1894 1894
(12) Eugene J. Forrest Independent 1895 1895
(5) Patrick Hanran
(1831–1916) 		Independent 1896 1896
21 Michael McKiernan Independent 1897 1897
22 A.E. McCreedy Independent 1898 1898
23 Thomas Enright Independent 1899 1899
(22) A.E. McCreedy Independent 1900 1900
(20) Murdo Cameron Independent 1901 1901
(10) Thankful Percy Willmett Independent 1902 1902
24 William Archer Ackers Independent 1903 1903
25 Thomas Smyth Independent 1904 1904
(20) Murdo Cameron Independent 1905 1905
26 J. Thompson Independent 1906 1906
27 Peter Minehan Independent 1907 1907
28 George Murray Independent 1908 1908
(25) Thomas Smyth Independent 1909 1909
29 Joseph Hodel
(1850–1943) 		Independent 1910 1910 [12]
(28) George Murray Independent 1911 1911
30 John Henry Tyack Independent 1912 1912 [13]
31 Robert Wilson McClelland Independent 1913 1913
32 William Henry Swales Independent 1914 1915
(31) Robert Wilson McClelland Independent 1916 1916
33 John Edward Clegg Independent 1917 1918
34 Thomas George Melrose Independent 1919 1919
35 William Green
(1878–1968) 		Northern Country 1920 1923
36 Anthony Ogden
(1866–1943) 		Labor 1924 1926
37 William John Heatley
(1890/91−1944) 		Independent 1927 8 April 1933 [14]
38 John Stewart Mitchell Independent 8 April 1933 1952
39 Angus J. Smith Independent 1952 1967
40 Harold Phillips Independent 1967 1972
41 Max Hooper
(1926–2000) 		Independent National 1972 1976
42 Perc Tucker
(1919–1980) 		Labor 1976 20 August 1980 Died in office
43 Mike Reynolds
(1946–) 		Labor 20 August 1980 1989
44 Tony Mooney Labor 1989 15 March 2008 Lost re-election
45 Les Tyrell Team Tyrell 15 March 2008 28 April 2012 Mayor of Thuringowa from 1991–2008. Retired Team Tyrell majority
(2008–2012)
Townsville First majority
(2012–2015)
46 Jenny Hill Team Jenny Hill 28 April 2012 16 March 2024 Also a Labor Party member. Lost re-election
No overall control
(2015–2016)
Team Jenny Hill majority
(2016–2024)
47 Troy Thompson Independent 16 March 2024 26 September 2025[15] Resigned No overall control
(2024–present)
48 Nick Dametto Independent 15 November 2025 Mayor-elect[16]

Katter's Australian Party member for Hinchinbrook from 2017–2025.

Electoral results

2025 by-election

This section is an excerpt from 2025 Townsville mayoral by-election § Results.[]
2025 Townsville mayoral by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Nick Dametto 62,896 61.51 +61.51
Independent Ann-Maree Greaney 13,337 13.04 +13.04
Independent David Kippin 7,325 7.16 +7.16
Independent Labor Joanne Keune 5,415 5.30 +5.30
Independent Troy Thompson 5,046 4.93 –41.67
Independent Labor Paul Jacob 2,881 2.82 +2.82
Independent Harry Patel 2,236 2.19 –7.55
Independent Chris Poulsen 1,912 1.87 +1.87
Independent Sean Gleeson (withdrawn) 1,204 1.18 +1.18
Total formal votes 102,252 98.98 +2.47
Informal votes 1,051 1.02 −2.47
Turnout 103,303 72.35 −6.86
Nick Dametto gain from Troy Thompson  

2024

This section is an excerpt from 2024 Queensland mayoral elections § Townsville.[]
2024 Queensland mayoral elections: Townsville
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Troy Thompson 50,167 46.60 +46.60
Team Jenny Hill Jenny Hill 47,415 43.86 −6.78
Independent Harry Patel 10,529 9.74 +9.74
Total formal votes 108,111 96.51
Informal votes 3,909 3.49
Turnout 112,020 79.21 +4.94
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent Troy Thompson 53,956 52.62 +52.62
Team Jenny Hill Jenny Hill 48,575 47.38 −14.15
Independent gain from Team Jenny Hill Swing N/A

2020

This section is an excerpt from 2020 Queensland mayoral elections § Townsville.[]
2020 Queensland mayoral elections: Townsville
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Team Jenny Hill Jenny Hill 46,911 50.64 −8.87
Independent Sam Cox 25,076 27.07 +27.07
It's Time for Townsville Greg Dowling 16,155 17.44 +17.44
NQ State Alliance Chris Eastaughffe 4,498 4.86 +4.86
Turnout 95,509 74.27 −5.78
Two-candidate-preferred result
Team Jenny Hill Jenny Hill 49,255 61.53 −1.16
Independent Sam Cox 30,791 38.47 +38.47
Team Jenny Hill hold Swing −1.16

2016

This section is an excerpt from 2016 Queensland mayoral elections § Townsville.[]
2016 Queensland mayoral elections: Townsville[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Team Jenny Hill Jenny Hill 58,862 59.51 +25.77
Jayne Arlett's Team Jayne Arlett 34,849 35.23 +35.23
Independent William Hankin 3,237 3.27 +3.27
Independent Harry Patel 1,970 1.99 +0.20
Total formal votes 98,918 97.01 +0.67
Informal votes 3,207 2.99 −0.67
Turnout 101,965 80.05
Two-candidate-preferred result
Team Jenny Hill Jenny Hill 59,881 62.69 +11.11
Jayne Arlett's Team Jayne Arlett 35,639 37.31 +37.31
Team Jenny Hill hold Swing +11.11

2012

This section is an excerpt from 2012 Queensland mayoral elections § Townsville.[]
2012 Queensland mayoral elections: Townsville[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Team Jenny Hill Jenny Hill 28,508 33.74 +33.74
Townsville First Dale Last 26,898 31.83 +31.83
Independent Jeff Jimmieson 15,301 18.11 +18.11
Independent Brendan Porter 12,277 14.53 +14.53
Independent Harry Patel 1,516 1.79 +1.79
Total formal votes 84,500 96.34 −2.37
Informal votes 3,207 3.66 +2.37
Turnout 87,707 80.05
Two-candidate-preferred result
Team Jenny Hill Jenny Hill 32,946 51.58 +51.58
Townsville First Dale Last 30,928 48.42 +48.42
Team Jenny Hill gain from Team Tyrell Swing

2008

This section is an excerpt from 2008 Queensland mayoral elections § Townsville.[]
2008 Queensland mayoral elections: Townsville[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Team Tyrell Les Tyrell 47,956 54.64 +54.64
Labor Tony Mooney 31,524 35.91 −37.65
Community Voices Jenny Stirling 6,343 7.23
Independent Rolando Taviani 1,292 1.47
Independent Francis Pauler 660 0.75
Total formal votes 87,775 98.71
Informal votes 1,145 1.29
Turnout 88,920
Team Tyrell gain from Labor Swing

1933

This section is an excerpt from 1933 Queensland mayoral elections § Townsville.[]
1933 Queensland mayoral elections: Townsville
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Stewart Gill <50.0
Labor Anthony Ogden
Progressive John Edward Clegg
Independent hold Swing
  • Incumbent mayor William John Heatley (Independent) did not recontest

References

  1. ^ "2025 Townsville City Council – Mayoral By-election. Saturday, 15 November 2025". Electoral Commission Queensland. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  2. ^ "Mayors of Townsville" (PDF). Townsville City Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Chronological history of Townsville, 1770 to 1900". Townsville City Council. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  4. ^ Mathew, John (2008), Highways and byways : the origin of Townsville street names (PDF) (Rev. ed.), Townsville Library Service, ISBN 0-9578987-54, archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2014
  5. ^ "2025 Townsville City Council – Mayoral By-election. Saturday, 15 November 2025". Electoral Commission Queensland. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  6. ^ "2012 Townsville City Council – Mayoral Election – Election Summary". Electoral Commission Queensland. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  7. ^ "2016 Townsville City Council – Mayoral Election – Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 20 April 2016. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  8. ^ "2020 Local Government Elections: Saturday, 28 March 2020". Electoral Commission of Queensland. 2020. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  9. ^ "JOHN MELTON BLACK". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Queensland. 10 July 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 17 January 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "2008 Townsville City Council – Mayoral Election – Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
  11. ^ "Local Government Elections". The Western Star and Roma Advertiser. Toowoomba, Queensland: National Library of Australia. 15 February 1888. p. 3. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  12. ^ Manion, Jim (1983). "Joseph Hodel (1850–1943)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 9. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  13. ^ Consolidated Index to Queensland Government Gazette 1859–1919. Queensland Family History Society. 2004. ISBN 1-876613-79-3.
  14. ^ "DEATH OF MR. W. J. HEATLEY". Townsville Daily Bulletin. 15 June 1944.
  15. ^ DAVIS, William (26 September 2025). "Suspended mayor resigns, accuses premier of political interference". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  16. ^ "2025 Townsville City Council – Mayoral By-election. Saturday, 15 November 2025". Electoral Commission Queensland. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  17. ^ "2016 Townsville City Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
  18. ^ "2012 Townsville City Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
  19. ^ "2008 Townsville City Council - Mayoral Election - Election Summary". Electoral Commission of Queensland.
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayors_of_Townsville