Townsville, Australia's largest tropical city, has become the premier destination for visitors wanting to see the 'real' North Queensland.
This city of about 200,000 people is a charming blend of old and new with modern facilities which include an international casino, entertainment and convention centre, theatres, world-class museums, restaurants and accommodation to suit all tastes.
However, unlike many other tourism centres, it has retained its heritage in the form of well-preserved civic, commercial and domestic buildings dating back to the region's European settlement in the mid 19th century.
Because it is located in the dry tropics, Townsville consistently records more than 300 dry, sunny days each year perfect weather to enjoy a diversity of experiences ranging from the excitement of local evets such as the annual Australian Festival of Chamber Music and Troy Dunn bull-riding festival, sports such as rugby league, basketball and marlin fishing through to a tour of the world's largest living reef aquarium at Reef HQ, a cruise to the outer Great Barrier Reef or Yongala Shipwreck or a visit to the stunning rainforest on the nearby Paluma Ranges.
Visitors also enjoy visiting Magnetic Island, just 20 minutes from the city centre by ferry.
Here, more than 2,000 koalas roam free in an idyllic tropical setting offering superb views, palm-fringed beaches, a wide variety of accommodation and plenty to see and do including bush walks to inspect World War II fortifications.
The authentic gold rush city of Charters Towers is just 90 minutes west of Townsville and is a virtual time capsule of Victorian, Edwardian and colonial Australian architecture.
The Towers can be reached on day-trips and marks the start of the true Aussie outback.
Other interesting regions easily accessible from Townsville include the Burdekin Shire, with the vibrant sugar town of Ayr at its centre, and northern centres such as prosperous Ingham with its Italian heritage, Hinchinbrook Island - Australia's largest National Park island and the tropical playground of Mission Beach.
Townsville typifies North Queensland's relaxed tropical lifestyle and is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, rainforest National Parks and the outback.
We hope you enjoy our 'Life in the Tropics' when you visit Townsville in North Queensland - it can only be described as paradise.
Sightseeing Opportunities (Half Day)
- City Explorer tour including Castle Hill
- Magnetic Island tour - with options including jet ski tours / horseriding tours / Bungalow tours / Bungalow Bay Koala
- Tropicana Guided Adventure Co - Magnetic Island and Townsville
- Billabong Wildlife Sanctuary Tour
- World Heritage Rainforest tours
- Sealink trasfer to Magnetic Island
- Reef HQ and turtle hospital - the world's largest living coral reef aquarium
- Museum of Tropical Quuensland
- Indigneous Experiences
Sightseeing Opportunities (Full Day)
- Magnetic Island tours
- Outback tour to Charters Towers and Ravenswood
- White water rafting
- Rainforest and waterfalls tour
- Highlands Tunnel Tour including Hervey's Range Heritage Tea Rooms
Dining (Best Restaurants for Lunch and Dinner)
There is a diverse range of restaurants offerinf fresh North Queensland cuisine around Townsville. Take a wander down the Palmer Street dining precinct to find establishments offering cuisine, prepared using the freshest local seafood and produce.
- A Touch of Salt
- Aqua Restaurant (Jupiters Townsville)
- Australian Hotel
- Brewery Cafe
- C Bar & Cafe
- Cowboys Leagues Club
- Essence (Jupiters Townsville)
- Jamaica Joe's Diner Bar & Lounge
- Celsius Restaurant (Mercure Inn)
- Michel's Cafe & Bar
- Molly Malones Irish Pub
- The Pier Restaurant & Bar
- Quarterdeck on the Marina
- Seaqulls Restaurant
- Southbank Grill (Rydes Southbank Townsville)
- Stokes Street Bar & Grill (Holiday Inn)
- Sugartrain (Ibis Hotel)
- Watermark Townsville
Evening Entertainment
For nightlife head to Flinders Street where you will find the majority of the cities night clubs in this one area.
- Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre
- Townsville Civic Theatre
- Jupiters Townsville Hotel & Casino
- Reading Cinemas
- Birch Carroll & Coyle Townsville 5 Cinemas
Best Hotels
- Jupiters Townsville Hotel & Casino
- Holiday Inn Townsville
- Hotel Ibis
- Rydges Southbank Hotel
- Quest Townsville (serviced apartments)
- Mercure Inn Townsville
- Townsville Plaza Hotel
- Peppers Blue on Blue Resort (Magnetic Island)
- Mantra One Bright Point (Magnetic Island)
Best Beaches
- The Strand (Townsville)
- Pallarenda (Townsville)
- Horseshoe Bay (Magnetic Island)
- Alma Bay (Magnetic Island)
- Picnic Bay (Magnetic Island)
- Saunders Beach (Thuringowa)
- Balgal Beach (Thuringowa)
Golf Courses
- Rowes Bay Golf Club (Pallarenda)
- Townsville Golf Club (Rosslea)
- Willows Golf Club (Kirwan)
- Townsville Mini Golf (West End)
Fishing
- Barrier Reef Dive Cruise & Travel
- SV Boat Charters
- Townsville's Barra Fishing Farm
Horseriding
- Woodstock Scenic Horse Trail Rides (Woodstock)
- Bluey's Bush & Beach Rides (Magnetic Island)
Bush Walking
- QPWS Reef and National Parks Information Centre (Pallendra)
- Magentic ISland offers a vairety of bush walks over 25km's of interpretive walking trail in the National Park. One of the more popular is the Forts Walk to experience the observation points built to protect Townsville during WWII.
Other Sporting Activities
There are an array of different sporting options available in the region ranging from tennis courts, public swimming pools, to volleyball and squash courts.
Best Shopping Areas
- Flinders Mall : 3 kilometres from the port
- Castletown : 4 kilometres from the port
- Stockland : 7 kilometres from the port
- Willows : 14 kilometres from the port