1. Enjoy Townsville’s Parks
Townsville is home to some incredible parks with some beautiful views. They are perfect for a walk, picnic or (in many cases) a swim too! The Strand is Townsville’s seaside foreshore. Families love to spend the day here as there are restaurants, a playground, coffee shops and a man made rock pool. Riverway, Townsville’s riverfront park and Warrina Lakes in Innisfail are great too. Both offer beautiful walking tracks, picnic areas and playgrounds. Make sure you take some provisions to feed the ducks and turtles too! Plus at Riverway, there are some outdoor pools to splash about in.
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2. Walk and Explore
This area is absolutely chock-full of walking adventures on which you can learn about the local history and culture and experience wildlife too. “The Forts” on Magnetic Island is one of the most popular as wild koalas line the trees on the way up to The WWII Forts at the top.
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3. Take A Dip
Chasing waterfalls and jumping into water holes is another of the region’s best experiences. Wallaman Falls, 160kms North West of Townsville, is Australia’s largest single drop waterfall and is certainly worth a visit. Cardwell Spa pools are an insta-lovers dream (but they’re not warm as the name might suggest. Little Crystal Creek and Big Crystal Creek are lovely water holes to spend an afternoon. There are too many ‘watery’ places to name here but wherever you choose to go, you won’t be disappointed!
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4. Get Adventurous In Mission Beach
If you are adventurous you can jump from a plane at 15,000ft from up there you can see the Great Barrier Reef, finishing with a beach landing, definitely a one of a kind experience. There is also a mountain bike rainforest circuit in Mission Beach. The track is suitable for beginner mountain bike riders, but keep in mind it can get very humid which will add to the challenge.
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5. Put Your Learning Hat On
Townsville and surrounds is a museum mecca! The Museum of Tropical Queensland, The North Queensland Army Museum, The Maritime Museum of Townsville are just a few. There are a number of outdoor learning experiences which are both entertaining and great for families.
At Paronella Park, you’ll find a beautiful old Spanish Castle with an incredible history. At Tyto Wetlands, you’ll experience culture and nature combined. At Mamu Tropical Skywalk, you’ll learn about the rainforest while journeying to the top of the canopy. This region certainly adds thrill to learning experiences!
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6. Go Fishing
Townsville loves fishing! The area offers a number of fishing charters, but there are some other cool places to go too, both on the coast and inland. The piers at Townsville and Cardwell, rocks South of the main beach at Mission Beach (almost to Clump Point) is a very good and popular spot for fishing on the reef too. If you’re looking for something a little different, Barra Fun Park is an eclectic mix of theme park and barra fishing experience!
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7. Island Hop
There are so many incredible islands in the area to explore. Magnetic Island is the obvious choice as it’s one of the biggest and offers the most to do, but have you considered Dunk Island, Coomb Island or Wheeler Islands? Easily accessible by water taxi from Mission Beach, these islands are part of the Family Islands National Park. If you’re looking for a unique experience, try Hinchinbrook Island – but book your spot early, only 40 people are permitted to stay at one time to protect biodiversity.
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