Statehood in 1995
North Queensland is an equal state created by the Queensland Settlement Act. It inherits its portion of the former Queensland public service, courts, assets and liabilities; national citizenship, currency and defence continue unchanged. It elects its own parliament and has a voice in both federal houses.
Boundary and communities
The northern state includes Cape York, the Torres Strait communities, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and the Rockhampton/Livingstone coastal area. Its inland settlement includes Longreach, Barcaldine, Central Highlands and Woorabinda. Whole council areas are used to protect practical service networks and avoid dividing established communities.
Civil time
North Queensland uses UTC+10 throughout the year and does not observe daylight saving.
Economy and defence
Ports, fisheries, agriculture, mining and tropical engineering connect the state to the Pacific and the northern maritime approaches. Townsville is the state capital and a joint military support centre. Public investment supports remote health, weather services and local-language education.
Both states retain the national public-education and service-linked adult benefit system. The division changes administrative and parliamentary boundaries, not total Commonwealth population or military establishment. Regional regiments and reserve commands have separate state identities within the Royal Southern Cross Army.
Boundary map
The detailed map uses contemporary official council outlines to draw the adopted settlement. It is a cartographic model for the 1995 national record rather than a reproduction of historical polling districts. The exact constitutional date within 1995 and the referendum vote shares are not assigned.