π΅ Chamber Music Festival announces move to Cairns in 2026
QLD wins Game 2 | Meta's insane $100m staff signing bonus | AI agents take Townsville by storm and more
Gβday and welcome back to another Townsville Times Thursday, June 19.
Today's newsletter is 1,230 words and a 6-minute read.
Bring on Game 3 #Queenslander πͺ
In today's email:
One Big Thing: Chamber Music Festival announces move to Cairns in 2026
Kleinβs calls fuel: Maroons to Perth victory
Trending: This artefact from the 70s/80s - anyone recognise it?
Around the web (Snippets): Agribusiness sector is in a state of flux, Louvre shuts down in classic French fashion, Cairns teen kidnap case update and more
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1. One Big Thing: Chamber Music Festival announces move to Cairns in 2026
Whatβs Happening: After 35 years in Townsville, the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) is preparing to relocate to Cairns from 2026, marking a bold new chapter for one of the worldβs most celebrated classical music festivals.
The announcement follows record-breaking success in 2024 and reflects AFCMβs commitment to growth, enhanced experiences, and broader community reach, all while remaining proudly in northern Queensland.
βThis is not a departure from northern Queensland β it is an evolution within it,β said AFCM Chair Mary Jo Capps, AM. βWe are deeply grateful to Townsville for 35 extraordinary years of support and look forward to celebrating that legacy in full during our 2025 Festival from 25 July to 2 August.β
Why It Matters: This strategic move supports sustainable growth, improved access for artists and patrons, and the delivery of expanded programs like international collaborations and youth development initiatives.
Cairns was selected for its modern infrastructure, walkable venues, strong tourism appeal, and regional appetite for cultural connection.
What To Look For Next: AFCM 2025 tickets are now on sale, offering a range of subscription packages including Gold, Silver, and three-night holiday options.
Read more in the full article belowπ
2. Kleinβs calls fuel Maroons to Perth victory
By King Cane Toad contributor
Rugby league referee Ashley Klein should be shortlisted for the Kingβs Birthday honours list after an incredible stellar performance in the second game of the 2025 State of Origin Series held in Perth.
Kleinβs amazing first-half performance, during which he awarded an 8-0 penalty count to the Maroons, allowed Queensland to jump out to a 26-6 lead by halftime.
It also gave the Cameron Munster-led Maroons enough of a gap to have a bit of a nap in the second half and finish the game as 26-24 victors.
Kleinβs inspirational performance understandably waned in the second half after becoming exhausted after such a dominant powerhouse first 40 minutes.
This gave the Cockroaches numerous opportunities to claw back the lead in what would have been the Bluesβ greatest comeback ever.
Unfortunately, NSW simply forgot to pack a kicker in the kit bag. Two from five conversion attempts was simply not good enough.
The refereeβs first-half performance was good enough to ensure Game 3 in Sydney will be an exciting climax to the series.
The consummate performance also ensured Blues fans were sucking on cans of Perth Very Bitter on Wednesday night and spewing in their Cornflakes the morning after.
Klein is already being compared to the late Queensland great Barry Gommersall, who refereed nine State of Origin games in the 1980s. When Gommersall, known as The Grasshopper, was asked how Queensland won seven of the nine Origin games he officiated, he reportedly replied, "Well, surely anyone's entitled to two bad games".
The outstanding performance also raises questions as to other ways Australia and the World could take advantage of Kleinβs prodigious talents.
Forget the United Nations and the unbelievable red-headed comb-overed blowhard in Washington, we should send Klein off to solve the Middle Eastβs problems before he jaunts off to have a quiet chat to Vladamir Putin to encourage him to leave the weapons on the sidelines.
Judging from his Game 2 performance (we wonβt mention Game 1), we have absolute faith the Mid East and Ukraine crises would be well over before Wednesday, July 9.
Bring on Origin 3.
Weekly Dream Gig
This week - Townsville Enterprise is hiring a Tourism Recovery Officer to support flood-affected tourism operators in Townsville North Queensland.
This 18-month contract role offers $70,000β$75,000/year and involves helping tourism businesses access grant funding, build long-term resilience, and drive visitor recovery. The role includes stakeholder engagement, project management, campaign support, and reporting. Apply now.
Have a job opening? Promote your vacancy here π
3. Trending
π°οΈ In Case You Missed It - Last weekβs newsletter
4. Around The Web (Snippets)
Australiaβs agribusiness sector is in a state of flux this June: As extreme weather patterns, supply constraints, and global pressures shake up markets across the board
Meta is offering insane bonuses of: $100,000,000.00 to OpenAI employees in an unsuccessful bid to poach the ChatGPT maker's talent
Townsville hosted a sold-out Queensland AI Hub event titled: βRise of the AI Agents - What Can They Really Do?β last Wednesday. The evening explored the capabilities, applications, and future of AI agents - systems that can think, plan, and act on behalf of users or organisations.
Midjourney one of the most popular AI image generation startups, announced on Wednesday the launch of its: Much-anticipated AI video generation model, V1
Councilβs 2025/26 Budget and Operational Plan will introduce a: Fairer rating system for short-stay accommodation, aligning properties more closely with their commercial nature to strengthen the tourism sector
In classic French striking style, the: Louvre museum shut down this week due to staff strike action protesting mass tourism
Another person charged after Townsville woman: Allegedly kidnapped a Cairns teenager
In another Terminator movie-type AI event, OpenAI was just awarded: USD 200,000,000 ($308,600,000.00 AUD) to develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in warfighting
Powerlinkβs 2025 Community Grant Round, offering up to: $5,000 for initiatives that boost wellbeing or promote sustainability, will now include the Townsville Local Government Area
Scientists are using drones to unleash thousands of: Mosquitoes in Hawaii in a bid to save native birds.
5. Upcoming Events
π€ You Am I - Live in Townsville: June 20 from 7:30 pm onwards; Australian rock legends You Am I hit the stage with two sets of classic and deep-cut tracks at The Warehouse Townsville
π Townsville Murder Mystery - Death in the Shadows: June 20 from 11 am to 4 pm; step into the mystery and help crack the case in this interactive whodunnit at 31 Walker St
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ Townsville Tartan Day - Scottish Celebration: June 22 from 8:30 am onwards; come together for a FREE community event in conjunction with the Cotters Market
πΆ CostβofβLiving Emo Night: June 27 at 8 pm; A throwback to the midβ2000s emo scene with hits from My Chemical Romance, Paramore and more at Otherwise Bar