Townsville University Hospital maternity guide

Townsville University Hospital (TUH) is a public hospital in Douglas, run by Townsville Hospital and Health Service. It is the only tertiary referral centre in North Queensland, with a Birth Centre, a Birth Suite and a level six neonatal unit. If you think you are in labour, phone the Birth Suite first on (07) 4433 2222 to speak with a midwife. For hospital antenatal clinic appointments, call the Women's and Children's Clinic on (07) 4433 1450, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Townsville University Hospital maternity at a glance

• Hospital type: Public, the only tertiary referral centre in North Queensland
• Run by: Townsville Hospital and Health Service
• In labour: Call the Birth Suite first on (07) 4433 2222
• Pregnancy care options: Birth Centre, MGP, hospital clinics, GP shared care, specialist care
• Antenatal clinic: Women's and Children's Clinic, ground floor of the hospital
• Birth Suite: Seven rooms on Level 2, each with a bath
• Nursery: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Special Care Nursery, Level 2
• Typical stay: 1 to 2 days after a normal birth, or home from six hours if you and your baby are well

Where is Townsville University Hospital maternity, and how do I contact it?

• Address: Townsville University Hospital, 100 Angus Smith Drive, Douglas QLD 4814
• Birth Suite: (07) 4433 2222, Level 2
• Maternity Ward: (07) 4433 2300, Level 2
• Women's and Children's Clinic: (07) 4433 1450, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm, ground floor
• Townsville Birth Centre: (07) 4433 2779, ground level
• Hospital switchboard: (07) 4433 1111
• In labour: take the main lifts to Level 2 and press the intercom at the Birth Suite's glass door. After hours, go to the main entrance, turn right and follow the corner round to the left, then press the "main desk" buzzer on the brown box on the wall.

How do I book in at Townsville University Hospital?

Public pregnancy care starts with a referral. Act early, as some care types have limited places.

1. Get a referral. See your GP, who sends a referral to the hospital. You can also fill in the Queensland Health maternity care referral form yourself.
2. Say which care you want. If you would like the Birth Centre or Midwifery Group Practice, write this in the comments section of the online form. You must live within 40km of the hospital, not including Magnetic Island.
3. Wait to hear back. A midwife contacts you for a first talk about your care. If you want the Birth Centre or MGP and no one has contacted you by 12 weeks, you have not been given a place, and your care continues through the hospital antenatal clinic.
4. Go to your booking-in visit. In the hospital clinics, a midwife sees every woman for a booking-in appointment, and again at 32 to 34 weeks.
5. Book your classes. Childbirth and parenting sessions are free with a valid Medicare card. Book at about 20 weeks on (07) 4433 1450.

What pregnancy care options does Townsville University Hospital offer?

• Birth Centre. One-to-one care from a known midwife in a home-like setting, for low-risk pregnancies. Care continues until six weeks after the birth.
• Midwifery Group Practice (MGP). A known midwife, with backup midwives, from early pregnancy to six weeks after birth, at any level of risk. You give birth in the TUH Birth Suite.
• Hospital midwife and doctor clinics. Doctors and midwives give your care based on your risk factors. You give birth in the Birth Suite.
• GP shared care. Your GP shares your care with a hospital obstetric team. You visit the hospital before 12 weeks, and at 36 and 41 weeks.
• TAIHS outreach midwife clinic. For clients of the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service medical centre.
• Maternal Fetal Medicine. Specialist care by referral, for example for twins, heart disease or diabetes.

For more on choosing your care, see the Queensland Government maternity care options page.

Where is the Townsville University Hospital antenatal clinic?

The Women's and Children's Clinic is on the ground floor of the hospital, open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm, by appointment only. It includes the midwife and obstetric clinics, an early pregnancy assessment service and an antenatal day assessment unit. MGP antenatal care is held at Kirwan Health Campus where possible, at 138 Thuringowa Drive, Kirwan, where a new maternity clinic opened in 2026. Check which site your appointment is at before you go.

What is the Townsville University Hospital Birth Suite like?

The Birth Suite is a seven-room unit on Level 2. Each room has a bath for pain relief, and you may be able to have a water birth if it is safe for you. It is close to the operating theatres and the neonatal unit, and there is usually room for two to three support people. Call (07) 4433 2222 before you come in if your waters break, contractions are too painful to manage at home, you have bleeding, your baby moves less than usual, or you are worried. Under 20 weeks, contact your GP or the TUH Emergency Department.

See inside: watch the Birth Suite and maternity ward walkthrough videos (videos by Townsville Hospital and Health Service, 2020).

Does Townsville University Hospital have a NICU?

Yes. The neonatal unit has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a Special Care Nursery on Level 2. It is the only level six tertiary referral centre for newborns outside South East Queensland, offers newborn surgery, and cares for more than 800 preterm and unwell babies from across North Queensland each year. Families from out of town can use the Ronald McDonald House on campus. Phone the unit on (07) 4433 2980.

How long will I stay in hospital after giving birth at Townsville University Hospital?

The average stay after a normal birth is 1 to 2 days. If you and your baby are well, you can go home six hours after the birth, or you can move to the Maternity Ward, where your baby stays in a cot next to your bed. Visiting hours across the health service are 8am to 8pm every day.

What support is there after I take my baby home?

• Home visiting midwives: if you live in the Townsville area, ask your ward midwife about midwife visits at home. The number of visits depends on your needs.
• Birth Centre and MGP: your own midwife sees you for six weeks after the birth.
• Feeding help: in hospital, all midwives can help with breastfeeding, and lactation consultants are available on request.
• Your GP and Child Youth and Family Health Service: ongoing support for you and your baby.

For sleep, follow the Red Nose safe sleep recommendations from your first night at home.

Other maternity hospitals in North Queensland

• Mater Mothers' Private Townsville Private
• Cairns Hospital Public
• Mackay Base Hospital Public
• Mater Mothers' Private Mackay Private

See all Queensland birthing hospitals.

Townsville University Hospital maternity FAQs

Hospital details checked against Townsville Hospital and Health Service on 19 October 2026. Services and contact details can change, so confirm with the hospital before you go. This page is general information and is not medical advice.