The North West Star’s detailed analysis of Queensland’s Royalties for Regions reveals the funding is going to the larger cities near the regions which generate the royalties. 

Toowoomba Regional Council received $64.5 million, Townsville City $36 million and Maranoa Regional Council $24.7 million through the three rounds of funding.

Toowoomba is the seventh highest royalty earner in Queensland, and sits behind Cloncurry (10th) and Mount Isa (32nd).

Townsville City and Maranoa Regional Council are not on the list of the 10 highest royalty producers. 

The regions to receive the least return in royalties were Isaac, Mount Isa and Central Highlands. 

McKinlay and Cloncurry were in the list of 10 regions to receive the worst return in royalties.

Cloncurry generates about $119 million in royalties a year, according to the Queensland Resources Council, but it only received $6 million funding within three years. 

Mount Isa provides the fifth highest amount of royalties in the region, which is about $94million, but the city has received one grant worth $500,000.

Mackay Regional Council received $12.5 million but it does not generate any royalties, according to the Queensland Resources Council. 

The neighbouring region, Isaac, provides $1.2 billion in annual royalties, about 46 per cent of Queensland’s total royalty revenue.

Isaac has only received about $1 million in Royalties for Regions funding, which is about a return of 0.028 per cent. 

Cook has received $3,878,720 in royalties while its neighbouring region, Napranum Aboriginal Council, received $2,513,587.