(1,430km north of Brisbane, 374km south of Cairns)

Trip duration: Minimum of two days from Brisbane, four hours drive from Cairns.

On the road
Follow the Bruce Highway, south from Cairns passing through the towns of Tully, Cardwell and Ingham.

TOWNSVILLE

Townsville got its start in the 1860s, as a port serving the inland cattle stations. Today it remains the port city for minerals from Mount Isa and Cloncurry as well as beef and wool from the western plains, sugar and timber from the rich coastal region and its own manufacturing and processing industries. It houses two metal refineries a multimillion-dollar world-class aquarium, the Great Barrier Reef Wonderland. Townsville is the administrative, commercial, education and manufacturing capital of northern Queensland. Also gives access to the natural attractions of Magnetic Island, Orpheus Island, Mount Spec National Park and the Townsville Environment Park.

You can walk the length of the Strand with its tropical parks, waterfalls and overhanging bougainvillea gardens. At the end of the Strand is the Rockpool development, which allows year round swimming.

Behind the Strand, Queens Garden on Gregory St, a km from the town centre, are the original botanic gardens in Townsville, dating from 1878. For a chance to see some wildlife, make your way out to the Town Common Reserve, 5km north of the centre, just off Cape Pallarenda Rd. This 32 square km area ranges from mangrove swamps and salt marsh to dry grassland and pockets of woodland and forest. The common is best known for water birds such as magpie geese, and the stately brolgas.

Flinders Mall in the heart of the city, has the Cotter Markets every Sunday morning.

The town has many fine buildings including art galleries and museums. Townsville is the major Townsville’s major attraction is the Great Barrier Reef Wonderland, at the end of Flinders St. The Aquarium’s huge main tank has a living coral reef and hundreds of reef fish. To maintain the natural conditions, ‘tides’ are imitated by raising and lowering the water level, a wave machine simulates the ebb and flow of the ocean, and marine algae are used, in the purification system. The aquarium also has several smaller tanks, with extensive displays on the history and the life of the reef, and a theatrette where films on the reef are shown. While its impressive aquarium is the highlight, there are several other sections including a theatre and the Queensland Museum, which has displays focusing on North Queensland wetland, birds, rainforest, ocean wrecks and Aboriginal artefacts. It also has a good national parks information office, and a terminal for ferries to Magnetic Island and the Outer Reef.

The busy town of Charters Towers, 130km inland from Townsville, was the Queensland’s fabulously rich second city in the gold-rush days.

The Sheraton Breakwater Casino overlooks the marina and Magnetic Island, and has extensive gaming facilities and entertainment.

The Townsville Museum on the corner of Sturt and Stokes Sts, has a permanent display on early Townsville and the North Queensland independence campaigns, as well as temporary exhibitions.

The Jezzine Military Museum, is just off the northern end of The Stand.

Just out of town is the Billabong Sanctuary, a wildlife reserve where you can feed koalas and kangaroos, together with wetlands and environmental parks.

For further information, contact:

Townsville Enterprise Limited
Enterprise House
6 The Strand
TOWNSVILLE QLD 4810
Phone: (077) 71 3061
Fax:(077) 71 4361

Acknowledgement

Images courtesy of Tourism Queensland

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