Townsville, with a population of over 160, 000 is the largest city and considered the capital of tropical Queensland. It is ideally placed as a base for exploring the Great Barrier Reef, visiting the idyllic Mission Beach (several hours north), the nearby Magnetic Island, Hinchinbrook Island National Park and the North East of Australia.

The Ross river flows through Townsville and the city is a popular stop for cruise ships as well as Australian and overseas naval vessels.

Townsville is also a great place for a stop over if you are driving to Cairns – the scenic stretch of road from Townsville to Cairns, known as the Great Green Way, passes beaches, waterfalls and rainforests.

Townsville is also the location for one of the campuses of the James Cook University which is considered one of the leaders in the field of tropical research.

The Strand

The Strand is a 2km development along the Main Beach in Townsville which was officially opened in 1999. The Strand was developed in its present form following monsoons in 1997 and 1998 which caused major damage to the sea wall. The new development was not only to reinstate and protect the foreshore but also to add recreational features to make The Strand a Townsville landmark and centrepiece.

The Strand includes restaurants, cafes, enclosed ‘stinger free’ areas of the beach, rock pools, a water park, basketball courts, a military museum, parklands and pleasant walking areas. There are also a number of challenging exercise points along the Strand.

Magnetic Island

Townsville is only a 20 minute ride, across Cleveland Bay, to Magnetic Island by high speed ‘Jet Cat’. The island can also be reached by direct flights from Brisbane and by a car ferry.

The island is predominantly covered in National Park (pine, eucalypt and rainforest trees) but it does have several tourist resorts, shops, cafes, restaurants and offers a wide range of activities including relaxing on some wonderful beaches, 4WD tours, SCUBA Diving in Coral Reefs, Sailing and Kayak tours.

Great Barrier Reef Aquarium

Townsville is considered to be the leading centre for research into The Great Barrier Reef and the award winning Great Barrier Reef Aquarium will give you a taste of the reef without setting foot offshore.

There are parks, gardens, galleries, theatres, golf courses, a casino, water based leisure activities; in fact all the amenities one would expect of a large thriving city. Townsville has many hotels and resorts to suit all budgets.

Townsville Markets

Cotters Markets

Cotters Market is North Queensland’s award winning arts and crafts market held every Sunday between 8.30 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. in Flinders Mall Townsville. Cotters Market is a great place to shop. They have ultra-fresh fruit and vegetables, stunning jewellery, original art works, massages, woodwork, stuffed toads, home-baked cakes, gifts for all occasions and entertainment.

Strand Night Markets

Come along to the Strand Night Market and enjoy a diverse range of entertainment and a huge variety of food, fashion, craft, jewellery, and home and leisure displays. The Strand Night Market offers a unique insight into the diverse North Queensland culture and is held on the first Friday of the month from May to December at Strand Park from 5pm to 9.30pm. During July & August 2012 the Strand Night Market will be held on the second Friday of these months.

Other markets in the local area are listed here

We hope you enjoy your stay.