The former Quarantine Station at Cape Pallarenda was established between 1915 and 1916, using building materials previously used in the construction of an earlier quarantine station constructed in 1884–1885 at West Point,
Magnetic Island. During
World War II, Townsville was a major military
staging point for fighting in the
war in the South West Pacific against the Japanese. There were two coastal
artillery batteries in Pallarenda: • Cape Pallarenda Coastal Battery () • Three Mile Creek Anti Aircraft Battery () The area was attacked early in the morning of 27 July 1942 during a
Japanese air raid on Townsville. The suburb was officially named and bounded on 12 June 1992. It is believed the name
Pallarenda was given by naval officer
George Poynter Heath in 1864, possibly from castaway
James Morrill who lived with local Aboriginal people. == Demographics ==