The city of Townsville from Castle Hill

During the war the small wharves of Townsville were jammed with ships loading or unloading trips and fighting materials. behind the breakwater were berthed the flying boats of the Royal Australian Air Force Transport Squadrons. Small landing barges clustered in packs along the banks of the Ross Creek. Far out in Townsville Bay more ships ride at anchor, waiting to dock of for naval escort into enemy waters. On the morning of 26th July 1942, shortly after midnight, an abortive enemy raid was made on Townsville by two or three 4-engined Kawanisi flying boats. Five bombs were dropped almost simultaneously and exploded in the bay about 300 yards from a nest of oil tanks on the rocky knoll at the entrance to inner harbour. From August 1945 in his capacity as official war artist Emerson Curtis undertook a three month tour of Queensland. Travelling mostly by train he captured a rich visual record of the extensive wartime activities, people and industry of this ' frontier ' state.