Until 1956, the board was directly elected, and had members representing several local government areas (LGAs).

[2] On 10 August 1893, a conference of LGAs met in Charters Towers to discuss the establishment of a Harbour Board for the Port of Townsville.

According to the Brisbane Courier, it was agreed that the board should be composed of "two representatives from the Townsville Municipality, one from the Thuringowa Division, two from the Charters Towers Municipality, one from the Dalrymple Division, one from the Ravenswood Division, one from the Hughenden Division, one from the Hughenden Municipality, one to represent shipping interests, and two nominated by the government".

[3] However, the final model reduced the amount of LGAs represented to only include Townsville, Thuringowa, Charters Towers and Hughenden.

[4] A bill to formally create the board passed parliament in late December 1895, and it was formally established on 1 January 1896, with the first election in February of that year.