A north Queensland woman who allegedly tried to drown her six-year-old daughter in a backyard pool by repeatedly pushing her head under the water has been granted bail by a Townsville magistrate.

Key points: The alleged incident took place in December 2017 but only came to the attention of police last week

The alleged incident took place in December 2017 but only came to the attention of police last week The 49-year-old mother has been charged with one count of torture

The 49-year-old mother has been charged with one count of torture The court heard that on a separate occasion the woman drugged her daughter with Valium

The alleged incident took place in December 2017 but only came to the attention of Queensland police last week after a witness came forward.

It resulted in the 49-year-old mother being charged with one count of torture and one count of supplying dangerous drugs to a minor.

The Townsville Magistrates Court heard that on a separate occasion the woman had drugged her daughter with Valium.

Police alleged the child told them she had been given the medication in the week leading up to her mother's arrest.

"There was disclosures to that," police prosecutor Mark Fenlon said.

"[She told police] she gave her some medicine and it tasted like orange."

He said police would produce evidence from witnesses who alleged the woman supplied her child with dangerous drugs.

During the bail hearing, Mr Felon said there was strong evidence against the mother, provided by a witness, in relation to the torture charge.

"Were it not for [the witness's] intervention, she was concerned of what the likely outcome of repetitively placing the child's head under the water would have been," he said.

The court heard that as a result of the alleged incident, the child was afraid of water.

Defence lawyer Phil Rennick said his client, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was unemployed but had been on track to complete a staff placement at a retirement home.

The court heard the woman had been charged and sentenced for fraud offences in November last year after she made numerous transactions on a bank card she had found.

Mr Rennick said she was about to begin her community service for the fraud charges when she was arrested.

Magistrate Ross Mack said given the delay in police charging the woman and her limited criminal history, bail would be granted on the condition she did not come within 300 metres of the home where her daughter was residing.

She was also ordered to report to the Kirwan police station weekly.

The woman is also facing two dangerous drug related charges that are unrelated to the matter.

The matter will return to court in July.