AustLit

The Townsville Herald resulted from the merger of The Cleveland Bay Express with The Townsville Times in August 1876. Initially co-owned by James McManus, formerly of the Times, and Thomas Williams, formerly of the Express, McManus became sole proprietor from 1 December 1876. In September 1884, the Herald was purchased, along with The Townsville Daily Bulletin and The North Queensland Bulletin, by a limited liability company. The North Queensland Bulletin was incorporated into the Herald, which became the weekly edition of the Townsville Daily Bulletin until it was replaced by The North Queensland Herald in 1891.

In 1880 the Sydney Bulletin commented on the high turn-over of editors at The Townsville Herald, reaching thirteen in a two year period.

The Townsville Daily Bulletin was founded in 1881 by Edward Rhode, John Kiley Mehan and D. S. Clarke. Clarke also served as editor for the first 30 years. Initially titled The Townsville Bulletin, it changed from a bi-weekly to a tri-weekly in 1882, before becoming Townsville's first daily newspaper on 1 January 1883. From 7 July 1883 the paper also published a weekly edition under the name of The North Queensland Bulletin. After the merger with The Townsville Herald on 30 September 1884, the title of the weekly edition changed to The Townsville Herald then The North Queensland Herald until it ceased publication in 1911.

The daily edition of The Townsville Daily Bulletin continued publication until 1984, when the name changed to The Townsville Bulletin.