David Astley
Semi-retired Media Consultant
What’s your link to Townsville?
I came to Townsville in 1984 to work for TNQ before it became Ten Queensland, and much later Southern Cross Nine. We bought a house on Yarrawonga that had magnificent views of Magnetic Island and it only took me five minutes to drive to my office in the old Queen’s Hotel building.
Where are you living now?
We are living in the Philippines now (because my wife Lydia is from the Philippines) and have built our retirement home on top of a hill overlooking Metro Manila. The view is magnificent too, but instead of looking over Belgian Gardens and North Ward to the ocean, we are looking over an urban metropolis that’s home to 16 million people and to the more distant South China Sea. I’m semi-retired now but still doing some media consulting work for broadcasters in the developing countries of Asia. My wife and I will celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary at the end of this year. Our daughter Karin and son Alan live in Brisbane so we make trips back and forth between Manila and Brisbane once or twice a year.
How did your time in Townsville set you up for success?
During the years I was in Townsville, new commercial stations were being launched, pay-TV started in Australia and there were mergers and takeovers happening right across the media sector. I was closely involved in many of those deals and learned a lot from people more experienced than me.
Do you still come ‘home’ to Townsville to visit?
I’ve only been back to Townsville once in 2010 for a TNQ reunion but I’d love to visit again soon to see how the city is evolving. Townsville was our home for more than a decade and we have many fond memories of the city.
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