Things to do in the Townsville region

Things to do in Townsville

• enjoy a stroll or swim on The Strand, dine at the eateries and restaurants, take a dip in the rock pool, have a barbecue, or just relax and enjoy the view of Magnetic Island and the ocean

Children's water playground, The Strand.

• visit the Palmer Street dining precinct

• enjoy the local beaches and swim in the warm tropical ocean

• walk up Castle Hill and enjoy the panoramic view of the city, bush, sea and Magnetic Island

• visit Cotters Markets in the city centre every Sunday and discover farm fresh tropical fruits and vegetables, hand-crafted souvenirs, plants, art, entertainment, food and drinks

• visit the Museum of Tropical Queensland and discover science, life in the tropics and the wreck of the HMS Pandora

• go to the Imax theatre in Flinders Street and be immersed in sight and sound in the 21 metre dome (one of only a handful in the Southern Hemisphere)!

• visit the Reef HQ Aquarium, the world's largest living coral reef aquarium, and see all the tropical fish and corals without getting wet!

Reef HQ Aquarium.

• experience the delight of the annual Australian Festival of Chamber Music – a one-week extravaganza of music featuring national and international artists held in July

• enjoy the local theatre at the entertainment centre and experience local, national and international acts

• visit the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery in Flinders Street

• visit the National Trust Heritage Centre in West End and explore the three typical old Queenslander houses, furnished in period style

• Townsville is home to the North Queensland Cowboys rugby league team and the Townsville Crocodiles basketball team - support these local teams as they battle the national competition

• go sailing – become a member of the crew by simply going along to the Motorboat and Yacht Club in Plume Street on Wednesday evening or Saturday afternoon and enjoy sailing around the bay and Magnetic Island

• participate in local team sports, including basketball, softball, football, volleyball, netball and soccer

Things to do around Townsville

A koala at the Billabong Sanctuary.

• go snorkelling or diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

• go bushwalking or camping in a nearby national park

• visit the Wet Tropics rainforest at Paluma just north of Townsville

• visit the Billabong Sanctuary and see kangaroos, crocodiles, koalas and tropical birds

• enjoy horse-riding in the bush or by the beach

Places to visit around Townsville

• Magnetic Island – an island suburb of Townsville, reached by a short ferry ride from the city centre. The volcanic island has plenty to offer visitors with many beautiful bays and coves for swimming and snorkelling, and scenic bush walks. Distance from Townsville = 20 minutes

• Charters Towers – a living historical town just west of Townsville. It was born from the gold rushes of the 1870s and today is still alive with architecture from those colourful days. This town is proud of its heritage and it shows! Distance from Townsville = 133km

Magnetic Island, near Townsville.

• Mission Beach – a popular beach side village just south of Innisfail. It caters for all tastes from expensive hotels to backpacker accommodation and there is plenty to do including great beach trails to explore and trips to nearby Dunk Island. Distance from Townsville = 225km

• Hinchinbrook Island – home to one of the most spectacular hiking trails in Australia. The Thorsborne Trail winds its way from one end of this island national park to the other, taking you through some of the most stunning natural scenery in the region. Distance from Townsville = 164km

• Bowling Green Bay National Park – one of Australia’s largest and most diverse coastal wetlands on the southern limit of the Wet Tropics rainforest. There are great facilities for day visitors and campers. Distance from Townsville = 32km

• The Whitsundays – a collection of 74 mostly uninhabited tropical islands providing a magnificent setting for snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing and all forms of water sports. Distance from Townsville = 300kms.