The Opportunity
Spurred by the increasing use of simulation in advanced education and moves by the Australian Defence Force and other North Queensland-based agencies towards extensive augmented and virtual reality for training and research, a Townsville-based consortium approached all levels of government with a concept to create a centre of simulation excellence in Townsville rather than relying on disparate providers often using overseas technology and or data warehousing.
Townsville is a unique location, home to Australia’s largest combined Army and Air Force base, James Cook University, Townsville University Hospital (Australia’s largest tropical teaching hospital), the Australian Institute of Marine Science, headquarters of Cubic Defence Australia, and the centre of a growing ecosystem of scientific, medical, research and defence industry organisations. It also lies at the junction of major national commercial and research fibre-optic data links.
In 2023, the Department of Defence provided a grant through the tripartite Townsville City Deal to fund the research, development and operation of what has become NQ SPARK.
iSPARK
While the development team completed stakeholder engagement and detailed project scoping, NQ SPARK occupied temporary facilities (the Interim Spark – iSPARK) provided by Townsville City Council.
NQ Spark
In 2025, NQ SPARK reached agreement with James Cook University to move to a permanent home on the ground floor of the Clinical Practice Building within the tropical innovation precinct of the Bebegu Yumba campus in the Townsville suburb of Douglas (adjacent to both the Townsville University Hospital and Lavarack Army Barracks.
A lease has since been signed, allowing NQ SPARK to begin fitout of the complex.
Future development
NQ SPARK’s strategic location allows for additional facilities to be developed as and when needed to meet the future needs of partners and allies for additional or different simulation and training spaces.
Future development will be demand-based and respond to changing user needs and technology.
