Structure

Touch football has been played in Townsville since the late 1960s, with informal games taking place well before any official structures were in place. The sport began to take shape in 1974, when the Townsville Touch Football Association (TTFA) was formally established.

Initially formed to provide a social competition for ex-league and ex-union players aged 25 and over, TTFA quickly became the home for a fast-growing, modified version of rugby league — what we now know as touch football — and spurring the growth of the sport across the North Queensland region.

The 70's also saw the Castle Hill Touch Association (CHTA) established to meet the growing demand for unrestricted competitions, offering more players the chance to participate. Both associations developed a strong following and a healthy rivalry, with loyal players from the early days still remembering — and representing — the original club colours of each association.

As participation numbers soared, the need for structured support and administration became clear. On 12 December 1988, a historic meeting saw the two associations formally amalgamate to become the Townsville Castle Hill Touch Association Inc. (TCHTA Inc.). This merger introduced paid part-time administration, which soon progressed to a full-time staff role — a first for a regional touch football centre.

Another key outcome of the amalgamation was the creation of a single, premier-level, club-based Men’s and Women’s competition, bringing together the top players from both former associations. This competition has since evolved into the Colliers Shield — the region’s flagship senior club competition.

In April 2017, the organisation began a rebranding project that led to the creation of the Townsville Touch Football (TTF) brand. This unified identity honoured the history of both founding associations while modernising the image of the sport across the region.

Today, the organisation operates under the trading name Townsville Touch Football, while remaining incorporated as Townsville Castle Hill Touch Association Inc.

TTF operates two major volunteer-run sub-committees:

• Townsville Junior Touch Football (TJT) manages the operation of junior touch football competitions in the district; and
• Townsville Saints manages the representative teams and development of representative players and officials.

The Home of Touch Football

Following the amalgamation of the Townsville Touch Football Association (TTFA) and the Castle Hill Touch Association (CHTA) in 1988, all senior competitions were brought together at a single venue — Queens Park, North Ward. Prior to this, matches had been played across locations including Mindham Park (Mysterton) and Mount Louisa, but the growing scale of the sport quickly made those venues unsustainable.

With its central location, scenic backdrop of the iconic Castle Hill, and space for expansion, Queens Park became the obvious choice to serve as the home of touch football in Townsville.

The junior competition, which was established in the early 1990s, also moved between venues during its early years — including Illich Park in Aitkenvale — before permanently settling into Queens Park from the 1999 season onwards. This move unified all TTF competitions under one roof and allowed for more streamlined scheduling, administration, and community engagement.

A major milestone in the development of the precinct came in 1993, when TCHTA installed its own competition-grade lighting on the top four fields — enabling night fixtures and extending the playing calendar. At the time, this was a significant step forward for the sport in regional Queensland.

In the early years at Queens Park, the association shared clubhouse facilities with other sporting organisations. However, a boom in participation during the mid-1990s — driven by national sponsorship deals and increased television exposure — created a need for a more permanent home. In 1996, TCHTA constructed its own dedicated clubhouse, further cementing Queens Park as the heart of the sport.

By 2006–07, permanent lighting was installed on the lower fields, bringing the total to eight fully lit fields, all meeting competition and championship standards.

None of this progress would have been possible without the ongoing support of Townsville City Council, a long-standing champion of community sport. The Queensland Government Department of Sport & Recreation has also played a crucial role, with financial backing that has helped transform Queens Park into one of the most well-equipped and respected touch football venues in the state.

Today, Queens Park proudly stands as the true home of touch football in North Queensland — a central hub for players and officials of all ages, from juniors and social teams to elite-level athletes competing in the region’s top competitions.