On a warm Sunday afternoon in Townsville, nearly 70 passionate locals gathered for a powerful Climate and Energy Rally - and what an inspiring show of strength, unity, and vision it was.

Against the backdrop of intensifying climate impacts and looming policy choices, people came together to listen, share, and stand up for a safer, fairer, and more sustainable future for North Queensland and beyond.

The rally brought together a diverse line-up of speakers -  each adding their voice to a common call: our energy future must be clean, just, and community-powered.

Climate Impacts Are Here - and So Are the Solutions

From rising sea levels to skyrocketing insurance premiums, we know climate change is no longer a distant threat - it's reshaping lives and landscapes right here in North Queensland. Nevertheless, NQCC Community Campaigner Luna Prince  reminded us that for many people, climate change still feels abstract - until we talk about it. Building climate resilience starts with real conversations and listening to lived experience. It starts with recognising that the system isn’t working for everyone and having conversations about how we want to address these challenges as a local community.

Luna shared a grounding reminder that resilience is about connection. Whether it’s supporting neighbours through heatwaves or standing shoulder-to-shoulder at a rally, it’s our shared care and action that give us the strength to face the climate crisis. 

“Resilience is not the opposite of weakness. It’s not just sitting out the storm or avoiding the challenges - it’s choosing to act despite the uncertainty. It’s showing up. It’s having the courage to care.”

From the Reef to the Streets: Caring Starts with Connection

Marine scientist Jacinta Jefferies from ReefEcologic brought the ocean to the heart of the rally, sharing her personal story of falling in love with the sea at Ningaloo Reef - and her ongoing work in Townsville to protect marine ecosystems.

Jacinta spoke about her work with Reef Ecologic and the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA), explaining how the Ocean Siren sculpture on The Strand visually tracks rising ocean temperatures — warning us of the urgent need for climate action.

She reminded us that connection creates care: by experiencing the beauty and vulnerability of our Reef firsthand, we become inspired to protect it.

Jacinta invited the community to join World Ocean Day events in June - including coral planting, snorkelling, citizen science, and more.

"If you haven’t seen the Reef, or haven’t visited in a while, please go. See it for yourself. The first step to caring is experiencing, and once you’ve seen the Reef’s beauty and vulnerability, I promise you’ll be inspired to protect it."

Build Bridges, Not Walls: Real Climate Justice

Juanita D’Aguiar, spoke on behalf of Social Workers for Climate Action, reminding us that the climate crisis is not just an environmental issue - it’s deeply social. From housing and jobs to culture and health, the people with the least are often bearing the greatest burdens.

Juanita shared real examples: her partner, a carpenter, and herself, an outdoor yoga teacher, both unable to work for months due to extreme weather. These are not isolated stories. Across our region, people are losing jobs, homes, and deep cultural ties to Country.

Juanita called for a regenerative approach to climate action, one that puts care, equity, and First Nations leadership at the centre. It’s not just about clean energy - it’s about building a better system. While the group supports the shift to renewables - it must not simply replicates old systems of profit and exploitation.

“Today I am asking you to imagine more. Not just fewer emissions, but greater justice. Not just new energy systems, but new ways of relating to each other and the Earth.”

Torres Strait Communities on the Frontline

Mary-Ann Kesia Whap has been raising her voice for years about the real, immediate impacts of climate change on her family’s homelands in the Torres Strait. She shared the deep pain of losing gravesites to the sea, the inability to grow foods, and the heartbreaking fear of what the next 10-15 years might bring.

Her plea was simple and urgent: don’t look away. The community already had to take the Australian Government to the UN court – and they won – because their basic right to protection was being ignored. But today, the government is still not fulfilling their duty of care. Residents are often left to fend for themselves during flood events. 

She asked everyone to have the conversation - to yarn about climate justice, to share stories, and to act. The knowledge is already there, now it is time for governments to act. 

“I'm asking you today, have a yarn about this. And also show support. This is what I think about every day. What it's gonna be like for us up there? Are our Torres Strait Islanders gonna become climate refugees?“

Nuclear is not the answer - A Local Warning

NQCC activist David Sewell, shared a sobering firsthand account of the Ben Lomond uranium mine spill in the early 1980s - when radioactive contamination entered local waterways, threatening communities and ecosystems.

The mine - located just 50km from Townsville - posed a risk to the Burdekin River system, which supplies water to Charters Towers and ultimately flows to the Great Barrier Reef. Despite the mine now being closed, he warned it still sits in an extremely vulnerable location - one prone to cyclones, earthquakes, and military activity - with risks of radioactive leakage persisting.

David argued that nuclear power, often proposed as a clean energy solution, is far from clean when you consider the entire fuel chain - from mining and transport to waste disposal. He also warned of the ongoing problem of radioactive waste, which no country has safely and permanently solved. The risks, including potential for war, terrorism, or accidents, make nuclear power far too dangerous in his view.

"Far safer to leave the stuff in the ground and use renewables - provided you have decent renewable resources, storage and the available real estate to site them, which we have in abundance in Australia."

Facing the Real Challenges of the Energy Transition

Benjamin Clarke, a Townsville-based environmental professional, acknowledged that the energy transition is accelerating quickly - but with that challenges are arising and communities, particularly in regional and rural areas, are raising real concerns. Many support climate action, but worry about the pace, placement, and fairness of large-scale renewable developments. These tensions are often made worse by poor communication from developers, a lack of coordinated planning from governments, and a growing campaign of deliberate misinformation from powerful interests seeking to stall progress.

At the same time, Ben emphasized that we must face them head-on: better truth-telling, more community engagement, local benefit-sharing, and smarter, more strategic planning.

Despite the challenges, he expressed optimism: Australia has the natural resources, the skills, investment, and technology to build a cleaner, fairer energy future.

"We can keep building a cleaner, fairer energy future - or we can slide backwards into 40 years of inaction. I know which way I’d like to see it go."

Local Power - Lessons from Yunbenun

Joe Niven shared a powerful story of local climate action through the success of Totally Renewable Magnetic. Over the past four years, the island has rapidly increased rooftop solar, now generating about 26% of its own electricity, and preventing around 5,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year - the equivalent of taking 1,000 cars off the road. Last year, for the first time, the island even exported power back to the mainland.

Joe described practical steps they took: helping over 30 households install solar despite misinformation, supporting businesses to reduce energy use, and leading a feasibility study for future microgrids. Despite frustrations working with slow-moving energy providers, Joe emphasized the importance of collaboration.

Joe called on the community to keep pushing for change by investing in rooftop solar, home batteries, and improving energy efficiency, noting that local action drives system-wide transformation. As he said, generating your own solar energy is the “cheapest electricity you’ll ever buy” and an important step in reducing Australia's heavy reliance on coal and gas.

“That’s the future I see: communities with solar, batteries, and microgrids - sharing energy locally, without relying on distant coal or nuclear plants and expensive transmission lines. We must change. And if you install solar and a battery, you are the change."

Nature as an Ally, Not a Casualty

NQCC Coordinator Crystal Falknau reminded the crowd that our transition to clean energy is already underway - Australia is set to hit 50% renewable energy this year - but the path forward must be guided by values, not vested interests.

She shared her vision of a future in which Australia reclaims its democracy from fossil fuel giants, stops exporting pollution, and becomes a leader in clean energy and climate solutions. And she made it clear that nature is not just something to protect - it’s a powerful ally in adapting to climate change.

"You cannot fix the climate crisis alone. But that's why we have each other. And I think you should sleep soundly knowing that we are trying. And there are more candidates running in this federal election now that are trying to do something about the climate crisis than ever before. So when it does come to the ballot on Saturday, think about which parties and which candidates are trying."

The Power of Your Vote

This Saturday, we have a real opportunity to shape our future. With more climate-focused candidates than ever before, this election matters.
Check the climate and nature scorecards to see where your candidates stand & Vote for people who will fight for communities, Country, and climate.

This rally reminded us that change doesn’t come from Canberra - it comes from here. From conversations, courage, and community.
Together, we can build a cleaner, fairer, safer future - but it won’t happen without us.

Thank you to our inspiring speakers and a special thanks to Aquapella for lifting our spirits with beautiful climate action songs.

Let’s keep showing up, speaking out, and building the future we deserve.