Stable in the City, Townsville 3 to 5 December 2026: Four CBD Hubs, Times, Free Shuttle From Dean Street Car Park and Where to Park (QLD)

Stable in the City runs from Thursday 3 to Saturday 5 December 2026 at four hubs in the Townsville CBD, with all hubs open from 5:30pm to 9:00pm each night. The Main Hub, the Nativity Story at 312 Walker Street, has no dedicated event car park, so Stable NQ points drivers to the larger CBD car parks and a free shuttle that loops from the Dean Street car park.

This guide uses the organiser’s own page, read on Saturday 7 November 2026. Stable NQ describes this year’s event as a new date and says it brings Stable to the CBD after 27 years. The page carries the note “Subject to final regulatory and Council approvals” on the hub list and on the shuttle plan. Townsville is on Queensland time (UTC+10, no daylight saving), so every time below is Queensland time.

What time does Stable in the City open each night?

Day	Time	Who it is for
Thursday 3 December	5:30pm to 9:00pm	All hubs open
Friday 4 December	5:30pm to 9:00pm	All hubs open
Saturday 5 December, afternoon	3:00pm to 5:30pm	Dedicated session for seniors and people with disability; Main Hub (1) only
Saturday 5 December, evening	5:30pm to 9:00pm	All hubs open

The organiser’s page gives two end times for the Saturday afternoon session. The event times list says 3:00pm to 5:30pm, while the frequently asked questions answer says 3:00pm to 5:00pm. Both agree it starts at 3:00pm at the Main Hub, in the YWAM Youth Precinct, and is meant to be a quieter and more accessible experience for older adults and people with disability, and for people who may benefit from a less crowded environment. The page does not say which end time is correct.

What is at each of the four hubs?

Hub	Address	What the organiser lists
Main Hub 1: YWAM Youth Precinct	312 Walker Street	The Nativity Story and festival hub, with markets, food trucks, entertainment and hospitality
Hub 2: St Andrews Presbyterian and TCCM	119 Wills Street	Community carols and entertainment, BMX and skate demonstrations, creative activities for kids
Hub 3: Sacred Heart Cathedral	270 Stanley Street	Projection mapping and light installations, live music and performances; art, performances and reflection
Hub 4: Flinders Lane	Flinders Street	Creative performers, festive shopfront displays, the Gratitude Tree and atmospheric lighting

The organiser also lists other participating places within walking distance. St James Anglican Cathedral is lit up, with Nativity stories from around the world inside. The Rock Church on Wills Street has a starry night light installation by its kids, and visitors can take home their own Rock Art. The Flinders Street shops have the Gratitude Tree and business light and window displays, and Townsville City Central Mission has a Christmas themed lights display.

Where do I park for Stable in the City?

The organiser says there is no dedicated event car park at the Main Hub, but “plenty of parking” throughout the CBD within easy walking distance. For the easiest experience it recommends one of the larger CBD car parks: Dean Street, Sturt Street Cutting, Walker Street, or Wilson Parking on Flinders Street. It also asks everyone who can to park nearby, enjoy the Christmas lighting trail between the locations and leave the shuttle for guests with mobility needs.

Option	What the organiser says
Dean Street car park	Starting point of the free shuttle loop
Sturt Street Cutting	Named as a larger CBD car park
Walker Street	Named as a larger CBD car park
Wilson Parking, Flinders Street	Named as a larger CBD car park
Walker Street drop-off	Designated drop-off and turning circle beside the Main Hub

A parking map and shuttle timetable “will be released closer to the event”, according to the page. Prices and time limits for the car parks are not on the Stable NQ page.

How does the free shuttle work?

For families with young children, seniors and people with disability, the organiser says a regular shuttle service will run between all four hubs. It starts at the Dean Street car park and travels in a continuous loop. The service runs from 5:30pm to 9:00pm on 3, 4 and 5 December, according to the parking answer on the page. Small strollers are welcome on the shuttle, but prams are not, and one shuttle bus will be wheelchair accessible.

For people with mobility needs, Stable NQ says it will provide a complimentary mini-bus shuttle. Seating is limited, and the page asks people to contact Stable NQ to register interest. The loop on the shuttle map has four legs.

Leg	From	To
Option 1	Hub 2: St Andrews Presbyterian and TCCM	Hub 3: Sacred Heart Cathedral
Option 2	Hub 3: Sacred Heart Cathedral	Hub 1: YWAM Cafe and Youth Precinct
Option 3	Hub 1: YWAM Cafe and Youth Precinct	Hub 4: Flinders Lane
Option 4	Hub 4: Flinders Lane	Hub 2: St Andrews Presbyterian and TCCM

What is the best route with young children?

The organiser recommends a two-stop journey. Start at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church for the messy play activities, then take the short 7 minute downhill walk to the Main Hub at the YWAM Youth Precinct for the Nativity Story. The other options it gives are to take the shuttle with a small foldable stroller, or to pack the children into a wagon or trolley and explore the locations at your own pace.

Where can I drop someone off, eat and find first aid?

A designated drop-off and turning circle on Walker Street, beside the YWAM Youth Precinct, will be available so families can drop off passengers before parking nearby. The organiser lists family-friendly meals, snacks, drinks and desserts at the YWAM Youth Precinct and at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, and desserts and drinks at Sacred Heart Cathedral. It also suggests the Christmas lights along Flinders Street and the cafés and restaurants in City Lane before or after your visit.

Need	What the organiser says
First aid	Main station at the Main Hub; smaller stations and trained officers at each venue; look for staff in bright high-visibility vests
Toilets	Public toilets at each venue except Flinders Lane, open 5:30pm to 9:00pm on 3 to 5 December
Questions	Contact the Stable NQ team through its website

What is still to come?

The organiser’s page gives no entry price or ticket details, no rain plan, no list of stallholders, no shuttle timetable and no parking map, and the hub list and shuttle plan are marked subject to final regulatory and Council approvals. It says the parking map and shuttle timetable will be released closer to the event.

Sources

• Stable NQ — Stable in the City (read 7 November 2026)

Featured image: Flinders Street in the Townsville CBD, photographed in June 2016 (photo: Kgbo / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)

OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Stable NQ, Uptown Group, the City of Townsville or the churches named above. Event details can change; check the organiser’s page before you travel.