15 Unmissable Things To Do In Townsville, Queensland

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Nestled in the Tropical North Queensland, with the Great Barrier Reef to one side and the towering peak of Mount Steward to the other, there are plenty of adventures to be had in Townsville.

Townsville is best known for being the gateway to Magnet Island, a remote island with pristine beaches and spectacular views, but it offers much more than this. There are tons of fun and exciting things to do in Townsville, making it a place you want to stop and stay a while.

We even had friends who, on their trip to Australia, stopped in Townsville and stayed for about two years. So it must have had some things going for it.

On our visit to Townsville, we learned that 27 degrees is a normal winter’s day, it’s Queensland’s second biggest city, home to the biggest army base in Australia, it played a huge role in World War II and it has the best Aquarium in Australia.

It has a beautiful heritage feel to it and as a town, it’s actually very pretty.

If you’re making your way down to the popular Airlie Beach, gateway to the Whitsundays, from Cairns, then Townsville is the perfect halfway point to spend a few days on your travels around Australia. 

Things to Do in Townsville

1. Relax on The Strand

The Strand lifts Townsville up. It’s a 2.2km long beachfront playground with water parks and playgrounds for the kids, a lovely walking path, BBQ’s, cafes and restaurants.

It also has a public swimming lagoon called The Rock Pool, which is hugely popular and the place to be on one of those hot Far North Queensland days.

Take a stroll along the promenade, visit the Rockpool Water Park and cool off on the water slides, unpack a picnic on the beach, or simply enjoy a sunrise or sunset. The Strand is the place to be if you want to enjoy the tropics of Queensland and enjoy being by the ocean.

2. Visit The Best Aquarium in Australia, Reef HQ

Reef HQ is definitely the best aquarium I’ve been to in Australia, possibly the world. Speaking of the world, it is the largest living coral reef aquarium in the world!

Even if you plan on scuba diving or snorkelling the real Great Barrier Reef, I think this is worth a visit to see the vibrant coral and sea life up close and learn so much about the reef system and the interconnectedness of all living things. I really enjoyed it, and so did our kids.

There are…