{"id":"F2005B00912","name":"Licence Area Plan – Townsville Radio","slug":"licence-area-plan-townsville-radio","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":32311,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2005B00912-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"licence Area Plan — Townsville Radio","sectionType":"part","heading":"licence Area Plan — Townsville Radio","content":"# licence Area Plan – Townsville Radio","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"DETERMINATION","sectionType":"division","heading":"DETERMINATION","content":"### DETERMINATION\n\n(1) The Australian Broadcasting Authority hereby makes this plan for radio broadcasting services in the Townsville area of Queensland, under subsection 26(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.\n\n(2) One community radio broadcasting service is to be made available in the Bowen area described at Attachment 1.1 to this determination with the use of the broadcasting services bands. The characteristics, including technical specifications, of the service that is to be available in the area described at Attachment 1.1 are set out in Schedule One and Attachment 1.2 to this Determination.\n\n(3) One community radio broadcasting service is to be made available in the Palm Island area described at Attachment 2.1 to this determination with the use of the broadcasting services bands. The characteristics, including technical specifications, of the service that is to be available in the area described at Attachment 2.1 are set out in Schedule Two and Attachment 2.2 – 2.4 to this Determination.\n\n(4) Four commercial radio broadcasting services, 11 national radio broadcasting services and five open narrowcasting radio broadcasting services are to be made available in the Townsville area described at Attachment 3.1 to this determination with the use of the broadcasting services bands. The characteristics, including technical specifications, of the services that are to be available in the area described at Attachment 3.1 are set out in Schedule Three and Attachments 3.2 - 3.29 to this Determination.\n\n(5) One community radio broadcasting service is to be made available in the Townsville area described at Attachment 4.1 to this determination with the use of the broadcasting services bands. The characteristics, including technical specifications, of the service that is to be available in the area described at Attachment 4.1 are set out in Schedule Four and Attachment 4.2 ‑ 4.3 to this Determination.\n\n(6) Two community radio broadcasting services are to be made available in the Townsville area described at Attachment 5.1 to this determination with the use of the broadcasting services bands. The characteristics, including technical specifications, of the services that are to be available in the area described at Attachment 5.1 are set out in Schedule Five and Attachment 5.2 ‑ 5.3 to this Determination.\n\n(7) In this plan, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n (a) a reference to a schedule or an attachment is a reference to a schedule or an attachment to this plan; and\n (b) a reference to the Broadcasting Services (Technical Planning) Guidelines 2017 is a reference to that instrument as in force from time to time; and\n (c) a reference to any other legislative instrument is a reference to that other instrument as in force from time to time; and\n (d) a reference to any other kind of instrument or writing is a reference to that other kind of instrument or writing as in force or in existence at the time the reference was included in this plan.\n\nNote 1: For references to Commonwealth Acts, see section 10 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901; and see also subsection 13(1) of the Legislation Act 2003 for the application of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to legislative instruments.\n\nNote 2: All Commonwealth Acts and legislative instruments are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.\n\n(Determined by the Australian Broadcasting Authority on 30 October 1997) \n\nSCHEDULE ONE\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Townsville Radio\n\nLicence Area : BOWEN RA1\n\n| Service Category | Channel/ Frequency | Service Licence No | Transmitter Specification No | Attach No | Area Served |\n| ---------------- | ------------------ | ------------------ | ---------------------------- | --------- | ----------- |\n| Community | 95.1 MHz | SL1150017 | TS10007525 | 1.2 | Bowen Town |\n\nSCHEDULE TWO\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Townsville Radio\n\nLicence Area : PALM ISLAND RA1\n\n| Service Category | Channel/ Frequency | Service Licence No | Transmitter Specification No | Attach No | Area Served |\n| ---------------- | ------------------ | ------------------ | ---------------------------- | --------- | ----------------- |\n| Community | 97.3 MHz | SL1150090 | TS10008024 | 2.2 | Palm Island |\n| | 96.5 MHz | SL1150090 | TS12000298 | 2.3 | Palm Island North |\n| | 96.5 MHz | SL1150090 | TS12000299 | 2.4 | Palm Island South |\n\nSCHEDULE THREE\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Townsville Radio\n\nLicence Area : TOWNSVILLE RA1\n\n| Service Category | Channel/ Frequency | Service Licence No | Transmitter Specification No | Attach No | Area Served |\n| ------------------ | ------------------ | ------------------ | ---------------------------- | --------- | ---------------- |\n| Commercial | 107.9 MHz | SL4168 | TS4168502 | 3.2 | Bowen |\n| | 103.1 MHz | SL4168 | TS4168001 | 3.3 | Townsville |\n| | 93.1 MHz | SL4168 | TS1137995 | 3.26 | Ayr/Home Hill |\n| Commercial | 98.3 MHz | SL4185 | TS4185002 | 3.4 | Bowen |\n| | 102.3 MHz | SL4185 | TS4185001 | 3.5 | Townsville |\n| | 92.3 MHz | SL4185 | TS1137918 | 3.27 | Ayr/Home Hill |\n| Commercial | 99.1 MHz | SL1150009 | TS10007524 | 3.6 | Bowen |\n| | 106.3 MHz | SL1150009 | TS6430001 | 3.7 | Townsville |\n| | 91.5 MHz | SL1150009 | TS1138001 | 3.28 | Ayr/Home Hill |\n| Commercial | 97.5 MHz | SL1150091 | TS10008026 | 3.8 | Bowen |\n| | 100.7 MHz | SL1150091 | TS6433001 | 3.9 | Townsville |\n| | 90.7 MHz | SL1150091 | TS1138018 | 3.29 | Ayr/Home Hill |\n| National | 92.7 MHz | N/A | TS1983601 | 3.10 | Bowen Town |\n| National | 101.5 MHz | N/A | TS3020602 | 3.11 | Townsville |\n| National | 104.7 MHz | N/A | TS3611001 | 3.12 | Townsville |\n| National | 630 kHz | N/A | TS4042001 | 3.13 | Townsville |\n| National | 105.5 MHz | N/A | TS7326001 | 3.14 | Townsville |\n| National | 95.9 MHz | N/A | TS10007307 | 3.15 | Townsville North |\n| National | 96.7 MHz | N/A | TS10007308 | 3.16 | Townsville North |\n| National | 97.5 MHz | N/A | TS10007309 | 3.17 | Townsville North |\n| National | 96.7 MHz | N/A | TS1131041 | 3.23 | Bowen Town |\n| National | 94.3 MHz | N/A | TS1130961 | 3.24 | Townsville |\n| National | 93.5 MHz | N/A | TS1130966 | 3.25 | Townsville North |\n| Open Narrowcasting | 97.1 MHz | N/A | TS10008020 | 3.18 | Ayr/Home Hill |\n| Open Narrowcasting | 93.5 MHz | N/A | TS10008029 | 3.19 | Bowen Town |\n| Open Narrowcasting | 96.9 MHz | N/A | TS10007655 | 3.20 | Ingham |\n| Open Narrowcasting | 891 kHz | N/A | TS7661001 | 3.21 | Townsville |\n| Open Narrowcasting | 98.9 MHz | N/A | TS10010371 | 3.22 | Townsville |\n\nSCHEDULE FOUR\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Townsville Radio\n\nLicence Area : TOWNSVILLE RA2\n\n| Service Category | Channel/ Frequency | Service Licence No | Transmitter Specification No | Attach No | Area Served |\n| ---------------- | ------------------ | ------------------ | ---------------------------- | --------- | ----------- |\n| Community | 95.9 MHz | SL5552 | TS1131006 | 4.2 | Bowen Town |\n| | 107.1 MHz | SL5552 | TS5552001 | 4.3 | Townsville |\n\nSCHEDULE FIVE\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Townsville Radio\n\nLicence Area : TOWNSVILLE RA3\n\n| Service Category | Channel/ Frequency | Service Licence No | Transmitter Specification No | Attach No | Area Served |\n| ---------------- | ------------------ | ------------------ | ---------------------------- | --------- | ----------- |\n| Community | 103.9 MHz | SL3072 | TS3072001 | 5.2 | Townsville |\n| Community | 99.9 MHz | SL1150010 | TS6429001 | 5.3 | Townsville |","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Table of Instruments","sectionType":"part","heading":"Table of Instruments","content":"## Table of Instruments\n\n| Year | Date of notificationin Gazette or registration | Date ofcommencement | Application, saving ortransitional provisions |\n| ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |\n| Licence Area Plan – Townsville (Radio) – October 1997 | 19 November 1997F2005B00912 | 19 November 1997 | |\n| Licence Area Plan – Townsville (Radio) – Variation - August 2001 | 12 September 2001F2005B00914 | 12 September 2001 | |\n| Licence Area Plan – Townsville Radio – Variation No. 1 of 2008 | 1 December 2008F2008L04437 | 2 December 2008 | |\n| Variation to Licence Area Plan – Townsville Radio (2019 (No.1) | 24 September 2019F2019L01257 | 25 September 2019 | |","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"Table of Amendments","sectionType":"part","heading":"Table of Amendments","content":"## Table of Amendments\n\n```html\n

ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

Title...............

am. No.1 of 2019

Clause (1)...........

am. No. 1 of 2008

Clause (2)...........

am. No. 1 of 2008

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am. No. 1 of 2008, am. No.1 of 2019

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am. No. 1 of 2008

Clause (6)...........

am. No. 1 of 2008

Clause (7)...........

ad. No. 1 of 2008, rs. No 1 of 2019

Schedules

Heading and text......

rep. No. 1 of 2008

Schedule One........

rs. No. 1 of 2008, rs. No. 1 of 2019

Schedule Two........

rs. No.1 of 2019

Schedule Three.......

rs. var. 2001; rs. No. 1 of 2008, rs. No.1 of 2019

Schedule Four........

rs. No. 1 of 2008, rs. No.1 of 2019

Schedule Five........

rs. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 1.1.......

rs. No. 1 of 2008, am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 1.2.......

am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 2.1.......

rs. No. 1 of 2008, am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 2.2.......

rs. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 2.3.......

ad. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 2.4.......

ad. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 3.1.......

rs. No. 1 of 2008, am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 3.2.......

am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 3.3.......

am. No.1 of 2019

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am. No.1 of 2019

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am. No.1 of 2019

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Attachment 3.8.......

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Attachment 3.9.......

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Attachment 3.13......

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Attachment 3.15......

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Attachment 3.16......

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Attachment 3.17......

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Attachment 3.20......

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Attachment 3.21......

am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 3.22......

rep. var. 2001; ad. No. 1 of 2008, am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 3.22.1.....

ad. var. 2001; rep. No. 1 of 2008

Attachment 3.23......

ad. No. 1 of 2008, rs. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 3.24......

ad. No. 1 of 2019

Attachment 3.25......

ad. No. 1 of 2019

Attachment 3.26......

ad. No. 1 of 2019

Attachment 3.27......

ad. No. 1 of 2019

Attachment 3.28......

ad. No. 1 of 2019

Attachment 3.29......

ad. No. 1 of 2019

Attachment 4.1.......

am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 4.2.......

rs. No. 1 of 2008, am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 4.3.......

am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 5.1.......

rs. No.1 of 2008, am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 5.2.......

am. No.1 of 2019

Attachment 5.3.......

am. No.1 of 2019

\n```","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Originally made in 1997 for basic Townsville radio services, the plan has expanded significantly through amendments. The 2008 and 2019 variations added new transmission sites (Palm Island North/South, Ayr/Home Hill, Townsville North), increased commercial services from 3 to 4, and added numerous national and narrowcasting services. The 2019 amendment in particular was substantial—replacing all schedules and adding 8 new attachments (3.24-3.29) for additional coverage areas, effectively growing from a simple city plan to a comprehensive regional coverage scheme spanning multiple towns and islands."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple overlapping licence areas (Bowen RA1, Palm Island RA1, Townsville RA1/RA2/RA3) with different service categories in each","Extensive cross-referencing to 29 separate attachments containing technical specifications (Attachments 1.1 through 5.3)","Four separate amending instruments since 1997, with the 2019 variation substantially rewriting all schedules and many attachments","Technical terminology requiring reference to external Broadcasting Services (Technical Planning) Guidelines 2017","Multiple service categories with different regulatory regimes: commercial, national, community, and open narrowcasting","Interpretation clause (clause 7) with dynamic references to legislation 'as in force from time to time'"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a **Licence Area Plan** made by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (now the Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA) that sets out what radio services can operate in and around Townsville, Queensland.\n\n**What it does:**\n- Allocates specific radio frequencies (FM and AM) to different types of broadcasting services across five distinct licence areas: Bowen, Palm Island, and three Townsville areas (RA1, RA2, RA3).\n- Specifies **who** can broadcast and **where**:\n - **Commercial services** (4 licences): Private radio stations that run ads and compete for listeners\n - **National services** (11 licences): ABC and SBS stations funded by government\n - **Community services** (5 licences total): Non-profit, volunteer-run stations serving local communities\n - **Open narrowcasting services** (5 licences): Specialised services targeting specific audiences or interests\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Radio broadcasters applying for licences in the Townsville region\n- Local communities in Bowen, Palm Island, Ayr/Home Hill, Ingham, and Townsville who rely on these services\n- Anyone wanting to set up a new radio transmitter (they must comply with these frequency allocations)\n\n**Why it matters:**\nWithout this plan, radio stations would interfere with each other on the airwaves. It ensures orderly use of the broadcasting spectrum (the limited range of radio frequencies available), guarantees a mix of commercial, public, and community voices, and prevents signal clashes between neighbouring transmitters. The technical specifications in the attachments ensure each transmitter operates at the right power and location to cover its intended area without bleeding into others."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument remains a licence area plan whose core purpose is to allocate radio service categories, frequencies and transmitter specifications for the Townsville licence areas (Clauses (1)–(6); Schedules One–Five). Subsequent variations and amendments (listed in the Table of Instruments and Table of Amendments) have updated technical details, attachments and coverage entries (for example additional transmitter entries for Palm Island and changes to Attachments), but these are refinements of the original allocation function rather than an expansion beyond the plan’s original scope."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple parts: 7 explicit clauses plus 5 schedules and ~29 attachments","Many transmitter specification references (TS numbers) tied to each listed service (dense technical cross-referencing in Schedules)","Several service categories (community, commercial, national, open narrowcasting) across multiple licence areas — conditional allocations per area (Clauses (2)–(6), Schedules One–Five)","Cross-references to external instruments (Broadcasting Services (Technical Planning) Guidelines 2017 and other legislative instruments) (Clause (7)(b)–(c))","History of amendments and variations with many items in the Table of Amendments — increases maintenance complexity though not changing substantive rules","Interpretation proviso that references instruments 'as in force from time to time' (Clause (7)(b)–(d)) which creates dynamic dependency on external updates"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanically)\n\n- This is a licence area plan for radio services covering the Townsville region of Queensland, made under subsection 26(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (see Clause (1)).\n- The plan allocates specific radio broadcasting opportunities (by category, frequency/channel and transmitter specification) to defined local licence areas (see Clauses (2)–(6) and Schedules One–Five). It names frequencies, the service licence numbers (where applicable) and transmitter specification numbers (TS numbers) for each listed service.\n\nKey allocations (how many and where)\n\n- Bowen (Schedule One / Attachment 1.1): 1 community radio service (95.1 MHz) (Clause (2), Schedule One).\n- Palm Island (Schedule Two / Attachment 2.1): 1 community radio service with three transmitter entries / localised coverage points (Schedules Two and Attachments 2.2–2.4) (Clause (3), Schedule Two).\n- Townsville RA1 (Schedule Three / Attachment 3.1): 4 commercial services, 11 national services and 5 open narrowcasting services, listed with their frequencies and TS numbers (Clause (4), Schedule Three).\n- Townsville RA2 (Schedule Four / Attachment 4.1): 1 community service with two transmitter entries (Clause (5), Schedule Four).\n- Townsville RA3 (Schedule Five / Attachment 5.1): 2 community services (Clause (6), Schedule Five).\n\nWho this affects\n\n- Broadcasters and prospective broadcasters: existing licence-holders listed by Service Licence No. must operate within the frequencies and transmitter specifications recorded in the Schedules and Attachments (Schedules One–Five and the listed TS numbers). Prospective entrants are affected because the plan fixes the number and category of services available in each licence area.\n- Technical planners and engineers: they must use the transmitter specification numbers and the Broadcasting Services (Technical Planning) Guidelines (Clause (7)(b)) when designing and approving transmission facilities.\n- The regulator/authority: the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) (Clause (1)) is the decision-maker that made and can amend this plan.\n- Local listeners and advertisers: indirectly affected because the plan determines how many commercial, community, national and narrowcast services are permitted in each local licence area (Schedules One–Five).\n\nWhy it matters (stated purpose and mechanical effects)\n\n- Purpose as presented: the instrument records which radio services are to be made available in specific local licence areas and the technical characteristics they must meet (Clauses (2)–(6); Schedules One–Five).\n- Mechanical effect: by fixing service categories, frequencies and transmitter specifications, the plan sets the supply of radio carriage opportunities in local markets. That creates exclusivity for each assigned frequency and constrains new entry until the regulator revises the plan or licences change hands.\n\nPractical implications, trade-offs and implementation notes\n\n- Who decides and who pays: the ABA (Clause (1)) decides the allocations; licensees bear the costs of building, operating and complying with the transmitter specifications referenced by TS numbers in the Schedules and Attachments. The plan itself does not set licence fees, but it prescribes the technical and categorical constraints licensees must meet.\n- Compliance burden and operational constraints: licence-holders must meet the technical parameters in the listed transmitter specifications (TS numbers cited in each schedule) and follow the Broadcasting Services (Technical Planning) Guidelines as those instruments operate from time to time (Clause (7)(b)). That creates an ongoing engineering and regulatory compliance obligation.\n- Effects on competition and market entry: the plan limits the number of services by category in each licence area (for example, four commercial services in Townsville RA1 — Clause (4), Schedule Three). This means market structure (number of commercial channels, community presence, narrowcasting capacity) is partly determined by the plan; entry can only occur if the plan or licences are changed.\n- Concentrated benefits vs diffuse costs: benefits are concentrated to the licence-holders who obtain the assigned frequencies and transmitter rights (listed in Schedules with specific Service Licence Nos and TS numbers). Costs (fewer potential entrants; fixed local supply of radio services) are spread among prospective broadcasters and indirectly among listeners through the available choice of services.\n- Bureaucratic discretion and cross-references: the plan depends on external instruments (notably the Broadcasting Services (Technical Planning) Guidelines 2017 and other legislative instruments — Clause (7)(b)–(c)). That passes some technical discretion to guidelines and to the authority responsible for updating them, which can affect how the plan is implemented in practice.\n- Implementation risk and substitutions: relocating or reassigning coverage (e.g. different transmitter sites or frequencies) requires amendments to the plan and to the relevant Attachments and TS documents. The instrument includes a history of variations and amendments (Table of Instruments and Table of Amendments), showing the plan has been updated in service details rather than changing its core purpose.\n\nReference mechanics in the instrument\n\n- Clause (7) sets interpretation rules and confirms that all cross-references to other instruments are to those instruments as in force from time to time; Schedules One–Five and multiple Attachments provide the granular frequency and transmitter data for each service. The Table of Instruments and Table of Amendments list later variations and the dates they took effect.\n\nSummary sentence\n\n- Functionally, this instrument is a technical and planning allocation: it lists which radio services (by category and frequency) are to be permitted in defined Townsville-area licence areas, ties those services to specific transmitter specifications, and thus fixes the local supply of radio broadcasting opportunities until the authority or legislation is changed (Clauses (1)–(7); Schedules One–Five)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-townsville-radio","history":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-townsville-radio/history","analysis":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-townsville-radio/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-townsville-radio/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-townsville-radio/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-townsville-radio/documents"}}