Townsville is home to Lavarack military base which makes for a diverse population. Townsville is also home to the Australian Institute of Marine Science, it is the southern entry to the Reef and home to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Townsville hosts some major international cultural events annually, such as the Australian Chamber Music Festival, which draws over 16,000 attendees across 9 days of national and international artists, as well as large audiences from across Australia and abroad.