Following the drums: Townsville's Full Moon Drum Circle
We were out on The Strand as a family when we heard the drums.
We hadn’t gone there for a drum circle, but we were welcomed into the group and shown how to join in. Before long, we were sitting among what must have been about forty people, all playing drums of different heights, depths and sizes, with Alex Salvador guiding us through the rhythm.
It was a lovely experience. There was something quite special about being able to wander over, be welcomed in and become part of the music together.
I thought about that evening again when I read Townsville City Council’s announcement that it is extending its support for the Full Moon Drum Circle. Published on 24 September 2026, the news is that Council has renewed its partnership with The Rhythm Connection for another two years, keeping the event free for residents and visitors.
In the same announcement, Mayor Nick Dametto said:
“It brings together people from all walks of life in one of Townsville’s most iconic locations, creating a great atmosphere and strengthening community connections.”
That fits what we experienced as a family. I’m glad Council is continuing to support it.
Alex’s The Rhythm Connection has been bringing people together through music for years. He has been playing hand drums since 1997, and the Full Moon Drum Circle has been running on The Strand since 2001. Its home is the Gregory Street Amphitheatre, a place where people can stop, listen and join in.
But there is another reason Alex’s name is familiar to me.
Eleven years ago, I was part of the video crew filming TEDxTownsville. The 2015 event at James Cook University had the theme Curiosity, and Alex was one of the speakers.
His talk, Connecting and building communities through music, explored something he has spent years putting into practice. The TEDxTownsville introduction on Facebook described how music had pulled him out of a “spiritual coma”.
Looking back, it is a lovely connection to have: helping film Alex speaking about music and community, and also having experienced that welcome with my own family on The Strand.
That TEDx event has stayed with me for another reason too. SafetyCulture founder Luke Anear was among the speakers, sharing the story of an app that had grown from very modest beginnings in Townsville.
One detail I remember from Luke’s talk, How a checklist app is saving lives, was a Friday afternoon software update that hadn’t gone smoothly. As I remember it, the lesson they took away was to stop releasing updates just before a weekend.
Working in IT, that was the sort of practical lesson that stuck with me. Eleven years later, I still remember it.
It was quite a day to be involved in, with people from our own community sharing what they had built, experienced and learned.
A lot has changed since then. Luke handed the CEO role to Kelly Vohs in January 2025, but his return as interim CEO was announced in February 2026. The company’s August 2026 announcement of its new name, Mitti, identifies him as founder and CEO.
The Townsville part of that story matters to me. I remember the talk of the city remaining a central home for the business. My understanding, from a source in the industry, is that SafetyCulture no longer has a local presence in Townsville.
The office closure is publicly documented: Knight Frank reported in March 2026 that SafetyCulture closed its Townsville office in 2024. Paradise Outdoor Advertising (POA) purchased the former premises at 221–229 Sturt Street from investor SJL Developments for its own Townsville headquarters.
It is good to see another business putting that building to use. It also leaves me thinking about what stays local as a business grows. Building something in Townsville that reaches the world is an achievement. Keeping opportunities here for the people who want to build their careers in North Queensland matters too.
Thinking back over those eleven years also makes me appreciate the continuity of Alex’s work. Here we are in 2026, and he is still bringing people together around a circle of drums on The Strand.
In Council’s announcement, he put it simply:
“In the circle everyone is equal, everyone can join in and everyone can contribute to the rhythm that is created by the group.”
That fits our experience. We heard the drums, somebody made room for us, and we were shown what to do. A family outing became a chance to make music with people we hadn’t arrived with.
If you would like to experience the Full Moon Drum Circle on The Strand, check What’s On Townsville for upcoming dates. You can also learn more about Alex and his work through The Rhythm Connection.
I’m glad this is something Townsville continues to support. It gave our family a lovely memory, and it is good to know there will be more opportunities for others to wander over and find a place in the circle.