Townsville

Townsville, Australia

With over 300 days of sunshine a year, Townsville is a very popular destination for sun seekers and provides easy access to the Great Barrier Reef. Townsville is situated in the dry tropical region and serves as a gateway to the Outback, wet tropical rainforest, with wetlands teeming with bird life. A number of tropical islands can be reached easily reached from Townsville. Boasting a 2.5 km beachfront area known as the Strand, it is an exciting and vibrant city to visit.

Population:

193,601 (Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population, 2017)

Currency:

Australian Dollar (AUD) $1 = 100 cents

Emergency Numbers:

Fire, Ambulance and Police: 000

Opening Hours:

Newspapers:

North Queensland Register
Townsville Bulletin
Southern Cross Ten
WIN News Townsville
7News

The City

Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland. It is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast and is considered the unofficial capital of North Queensland by locals. Townsville City takes its name from Robert Towns, a merchant and businessman, who was a pioneer financial supporter of pastoral development around the Ross River area.

The central business district is a strip of land along the Ross Creek at its mouth at the Coral Sea. It is overlooked to the west by Castle Hill, which is a popular tourist attraction. The CBD offers a vast array of world-class bars, restaurants, hotels and shops. It also houses the world renowned Reef HQ — the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium.

Townsville City is situated in the traditional Wulgurukaba Aboriginal country.

Do & See

There is plenty to do and see in and around Townsville.

The tropical climate allows for lots of water-based activities, such as the free water park, swimming pools and Reef HQ Aquarium.

The wreck of the SS Yongala just off the North Queensland coast, measuring more than 100 metres, has been labelled one of the world’s top 10 diving sites. Also, just 135 km to the southwest is Charters Towers, a living history site, which was established during the gold trade in the late 1800s. Today it contains a number of superb historic buildings.

For families and nature lovers, there is Billabong Sanctuary with its wombats and koalas, as well as the Reef HQ on Flinders Street. Culture is catered to at the Aboriginal Centre and at the National Heritage Complex in the West End.

Dining

Townsville boasts three fine dining precincts: on Palmer Street you’ll find various cuisines from Greek, Italian, Asian to French and traditional Australian. Townsville’s waterfront esplanade, the Strand offers a string of waterfront cafes with stunning views, fine restaurants, and the famous Seaview Hotel Steakhouse. Finally, Gregory Street offers fine coffee and light al fresco dining. Flinders Street also offers a range of eateries for those out to experience Townsville’s nightlife.

Cafes

No matter where you choose to enjoy your coffee and snack, you will not be disappointed with Townsville's great selection of cafes and bakeries. Nothing is as relaxing as sipping on a latte in this lovely atmosphere surrounded by friendly people and great weather.