Townsville
Townsville is a smaller city of around 150,000 people that is located 215 miles south of Cairns and 850 miles north of Brisbane. With the Great Barrier Reef to the east, rainforest to the north, Outback terrain to the west and beautiful coastal farming towns to the south, you are rewarded which ever direction you head. Townsville is a vibrant town where you can enter through the international and domestic airports, by car or even one of the trains that pass through.
The place to start exploring the town is Castle Hill where you will have spectacular views of the city and all the way out to Magnetic Island. Townsville is eclectic. You can find ReefHQ, the world’s largest coral reef aquarium. There is the largest collection of different palm species. And the Museum of Tropical Queensland’s display of the 1971 HMS Pandora Shipwreck is a must for any history buff.
Enjoy a visit to Charters Towers. This is a living museum with heritage buildings and the remnants of the Stock Exchange from the1880’s Gold Rush. Ravenswood is an old gold mining town and at Venus Battery you can see historic gold milling.
You can stay at a cattle station and experience outback life. At Burdekin you will find one of the largest sugar producing regions and most productive farming areas in the country.
The World Heritage listed Magnetic Island is only a 25-minute ferry ride from Townsville. This distinctive destination has a coastline made up of 23 bays and beaches with Hoop pine trees and rocky granite headlands. When Captain Cook discovered the island in 1770 he thought it’s magnetic force interfered with his compass. It was later proved wrong but the name stuck.
Mount Cook can be seen from the sea, above the green vine forests and eucalyptus woods. The coral reefs and tranquil waters are full of marine life and tropical fish. The National Park covers over two thirds of the island and is a haven for native animals like possums, rock wallabies and 100 species of birds. The largest colony of koalas in the wild can be found on Magnetic Island.
To the south of Townsville is Bowen, the home of mangoes. At Bowling Green, also close to Townsville you have the spectacular scene of turtles coming ashore. To the north you can see the unusual cassowaries at Lumhotz National Park. Make sure to experience the cafes, bars and nightclubs along Flinders Street. Enjoy the tasty seafood from Queensland, and the delicious local produce. Visit one of the interesting art galleries.
When leaving Townsville enjoy the Great Tropical Drive north up to Cairns, or one of the 13 Discovery Trails that show you a unique side to this area.
