during World War II. Apart from rebuilding the air base, the American forces converted several of the main roads to use as taxiways and subsidiary airstrips, and maintenance workshops were built along these roadways. The remains of some of these installations and airstrips are still evident.
Some of the units based in Townsville were:
� No. 3 Fighter Sector RAAF, Wulguru & North Ward
� 1 Wireless Unit, Pimlico & Stuart & Roseneath
� North Eastern Area Command HQ, Townsville, Sturt Street (now the Federation building)
� Castle Hill, Townsville underground tunnels & bunkers
� Green St. Bunker, West End, Sidney Street West End, Project 81 (now the SES building)
General Douglas MacArthur allegedly had his headquarters in an underground bunker that still exists under an office building in the suburb of Garbutt. There have also been references to numerous hidden air raid bunkers, reports of secret tunnels and similar secret units.
In July 1942, three small Japanese air raids were made against Townsville, which was by then the most important air base in Australia. Several 500-pound (230 kg) bombs were dropped in the harbour, near the Garbutt airfield and at Oonoonba, where bomb craters are still clearly visible. No lives were lost and structural damage was minimal, as the Japanese missed their intended target of the railway and destroyed a palm tree. Although the Japanese aircraft were intercepted on two of the three raids, no Japanese planes were shot down.
1970 onwards
On Christmas Eve 1971, Tropical Cyclone Althea, a category 4 cyclone, battered the city and Magnetic Island, causing considerable damage. Other tropical storms have threatened the area in the intervening years, but with less effect.
Two very significant hotels on Flinders Street were lost, Buchanan's Hotel (regarded by
