What is the emergency number in Townsville?

Call 000 for urgent police, fire or ambulance help. From a mobile phone you can also dial 112, and text-based emergency relay users can contact 106.

What number should I call for non-emergency police?

Call Policelink on 13 14 44 for non-urgent police matters. Use 000 if there is immediate danger or a crime in progress.

What is the SES number in Townsville?

Call the SES on 13 25 00 for storm or flood assistance that is urgent but not life-threatening, such as storm damage, a fallen tree or temporary roof help. Call 000 if life or property is in immediate danger.

Where can I get non-emergency health advice?

Call 13 HEALTH on 13 43 25 84 for non-emergency health advice from a registered nurse, available 24 hours a day. It is not a substitute for 000 in a serious emergency.

Where should I check Townsville flood and cyclone warnings?

Use the Townsville Disaster Dashboard for current local emergency updates, road impacts, closures, outages and warnings, and the Bureau of Meteorology for forecasts and official warnings.

Should tourists worry about cyclones in Townsville?

It's worth understanding the risk rather than ignoring it, but cyclone season does not mean a cyclone is happening, or even threatening, most of the time. Visitors travelling during the season should monitor official Bureau of Meteorology warnings before and during their trip and follow local advice if a system develops. In Duncan's experience, local emergency messaging and preparedness are very visible when severe weather threatens, though that is a personal impression rather than a safety guarantee.

What should visitors do if a cyclone warning is issued?

Follow official warnings and your accommodation's advice, avoid unnecessary travel, and monitor the Bureau of Meteorology and the Townsville Disaster Dashboard rather than relying on this or any static page once a warning is active. Get Ready Queensland's visitor safety tips cover practical steps, including travel insurance and what to check before and during a trip.

Should I cancel my trip because it's cyclone season?

Not automatically. Most cyclone-season visits to Townsville go ahead without disruption, and the season itself is not a reason to cancel. It is worth checking that your travel insurance covers weather-related cancellations or delays, watching the forecast in the lead-up to your trip, and staying flexible if a specific system is being tracked toward North Queensland.

What number do I call for Townsville City Council?

Call Townsville City Council on 13 48 10 for issues such as parks, beaches, public facilities, local closures, animals, infrastructure and Council services.

Where can I check road closures?

Check Queensland Traffic on 13 19 40 or the QLDTraffic website for road closures, flooding, road conditions and travel disruptions before longer drives.

What should I do about a fallen powerline?

Stay well clear and call Ergon Energy's emergency line on 13 16 70 for fallen or damaged powerlines and other dangerous electrical hazards. Call 000 if anyone is injured or there is a fire. For a power outage only, call 13 22 96.

Is interpreting help available?

Yes. Visitors who need language assistance can use TIS National, the Translating and Interpreting Service, on 13 14 50.

Where can I find emergency veterinary care?

The JCU Vet emergency and critical care service can be contacted on 1300 528 838. Check current official veterinary information before travelling there, as services and hours can change.

Useful Contacts for Visitors to Townsville

Name: Townsville Guide
Author: Duncan Ross

Emergency — Triple Zero (000)

Call 000 for urgent police, fire or ambulance help.

112 can be used from mobile phones for emergency calls.
106 is available for text-based emergency relay users.

Quick visitor information

Emergency: 000
Non-emergency police: Policelink 13 14 44
SES: 13 25 00
Health advice: 13 HEALTH — 13 43 25 84
Townsville Council: Townsville Council 13 48 10
Road conditions: Queensland Traffic — 13 19 40
Disaster information: Townsville Disaster Dashboard
Interpreter: TIS National — 13 14 50
Hospital: Townsville University Hospital
Main advice: Use official live sources during emergencies or severe weather

Which number do I need?

Situation	Contact
Immediate danger or serious injury	Triple Zero — 000
Storm damage, fallen tree, temporary roof assistance	SES — 13 25 00
Non-urgent police matter	Policelink — 13 14 44
Non-emergency health advice	13 HEALTH — 13 43 25 84
Council issue (parks, beaches, facilities, animals)	Townsville City Council — 13 48 10
Road closure or road condition	Queensland Traffic — 13 19 40
Fallen powerline or dangerous electrical hazard	Ergon Energy emergency — 13 16 70
Power outage	Ergon Energy outages — 13 22 96

For life-threatening emergencies, always call 000 rather than another service.

Emergency numbers

Triple Zero — 000
Emergency mobile number — 112
Text-based emergency relay — 106
SES — 13 25 00
Policelink — 13 14 44

000 — immediate police, fire or ambulance emergency.
SES — storm or flood assistance that is urgent but not life-threatening.
Policelink — non-urgent police matters.

Health and medical help

Townsville University Hospital

The Emergency Department operates 24/7.
Serious emergencies should still use 000.
Visitors can attend the Emergency Department when urgent medical care is needed.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service

13 HEALTH — 13 43 25 84

Non-emergency health advice.
Registered nurse advice.
Available 24/7.
Not a substitute for 000 in a serious emergency.

Queensland Health

Severe weather and disaster information

Townsville Disaster Dashboard

Use the Townsville Disaster Dashboard for current local information: emergency updates, severe-weather information, road impacts, local closures, power outages and current warnings.

During unsettled weather, see rainy day activities, beat the heat for hot conditions, and check access notes on the Paluma day trip guide before heading into the range.

Cyclone season

Townsville is in a cyclone-prone part of North Queensland, so visitors travelling during cyclone season should monitor official warnings. Queensland's official cyclone season runs from 1 November to 30 April, according to the Bureau of Meteorology and Get Ready Queensland, though cyclones can occur outside that window. That does not mean a cyclone is happening — or even threatening — most days of the season; the large majority of a cyclone-season visit goes ahead without any direct impact. It does mean that ferries, roads, parks and attractions can change or close at short notice during severe weather, so check current conditions rather than relying on this or any static page once a warning is active.

Duncan's own impression is that this preparedness is genuinely visible locally when severe weather threatens — though that's personal experience, not a guarantee, so official warnings and your accommodation's advice still come first. Get Ready Queensland's visitor safety tips cover travel insurance and what to check before and during a trip.

Road and transport information

Queensland Traffic / TMR — 13 19 40 for road closures, flooding, road conditions and travel disruptions.

Translink — bus services and current timetables
Townsville Airport — flights and airport information
SeaLink — Magnetic Island passenger ferry
Magnetic Island Ferries — vehicle and passenger services

Always use current operator information for timetables. See Townsville without a car, the Townsville Airport guide and the Magnetic Island ferry guide.

Townsville City Council

Townsville City Council — 13 48 10

Council is the right contact for parks, beaches, public facilities, local closures, animals, infrastructure and Council services. Check current Townsville City Council information for service-specific details.

Power outages and electrical hazards

Fallen powerline or dangerous electrical hazard

Ergon Energy emergency — 13 16 70. Use this for dangerous electrical situations such as fallen or damaged powerlines. Call 000 if anyone is injured or there is a fire.

Power outage

Ergon Energy outages — 13 22 96. Use this for electricity supply and outage information. See Ergon Energy outage information.

Interpreter help

TIS National — 13 14 50. Visitors who need language assistance may use the Translating and Interpreting Service.

Pet emergencies

JCU Vet emergency and critical care — 1300 528 838 for veterinary emergency and critical-care assistance. Check current official veterinary information before travelling there. Travelling with a dog? See our dog friendly guide.

Swimming and marine safety

Call 000 for a serious marine or drowning emergency. For planning, see our stinger safety guide and Townsville beaches guide, plus Beachsafe from Surf Life Saving for patrolled beach information.

Weather-related travel checks

Before travelling to Paluma, Little Crystal Creek, Magnetic Island or the northern beaches, check:

Bureau of Meteorology for forecasts and warnings
Queensland Traffic for road conditions and closures
Queensland Parks alerts for park and walking track access
Ferry operator notices where relevant
Townsville Disaster Dashboard during severe conditions

See the Paluma day trip and Magnetic Island ferry guides for practical planning.

What not to use this page for

Do not call Council instead of 000 for a life-threatening emergency.
Do not rely on old screenshots for road or weather conditions.
Do not rely solely on social-media rumours during severe weather.
Do not use cached ferry or bus times instead of current operator information.
Do not treat this page as a replacement for current official alerts.

Current-status links

Townsville City Council Townsville Disaster Dashboard Bureau of Meteorology Queensland Traffic Queensland Health Queensland Police SES (Queensland Fire and Emergency Services)Ergon Energy Translink SeaLink Magnetic Island Magnetic Island Ferries Queensland Parks alerts Get Ready Queensland — visitor safety tips

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

First Time in Townsville

Orientation and trip planning for a first visit.

Beat the Heat

Planning around Townsville's heat safely.

Rainy Day Activities

Wet-weather and indoor options.

Stinger Safety

Marine stinger season, nets and first aid.

Townsville Beaches

Beach planning, swimming and safety.

Dog Friendly Townsville

Dog beaches, off-leash areas and etiquette.

Townsville Without a Car

Buses, walking and getting around.

Magnetic Island Ferry

Crossing the bay and planning the trip.

Paluma Day Trip

Mountain day trip, road and access notes.

Townsville Airport

Arrivals, transport and airport basics.

About this guide

Written by Duncan Ross

Duncan has lived in Townsville since 2023 and writes Townsville Guide using local knowledge and carefully checked information.

This page uses current contact information from Townsville City Council, Queensland Health, Queensland Police, transport authorities and official emergency services.

Last checked: 7 August 2026

Access, safety, opening hours, rules or transport information was checked against relevant official sources where available.

Spotted an error or something that has changed?

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