Reef, rainforest or outback? It’s a question 2.5 million people ask themselves every year while planning a trip to Tropical North Queensland (TNQ). Here, we help you with the life-changing quandary.
You can combine reef and rainforest at Port Douglas, reef and outback at Seisia on the tip of Cape York, or see all three by driving along the 1000 kilometres of corrugated roads connecting the two. But there’s an often-overlooked place in the north that offers easy access to all three, and it happens to be the sunniest place in the state of Queensland, with an average of 320 rain-free days each year. Welcome to Townsville, a former mining town turned army town turned university town, and the unofficial capital of TNQ.
The fascinating history of Townsville
Townsville lies on the traditional lands of the Bindal and Wulgurukaba people. In 1864, it was transformed into a port town to service the growing pastoral industry and the various nearby goldfields, including Charters Towers, which was the richest mine on the continent at the time.
In WWII, Townsville officially became a city when the Allies built one of the biggest air force bases in the world within its bounds, with 22 buzzing airstrips and space for 90,000 service personnel. Due to this important military operation, the city was bombed by the Japanese air force three times during the war.
A great way to see Townsville’s sights and learn about its colourful past is on a military and scenic tour with ex-army man Toby Dean of Tour Townsville. Dean’s tours take in sights like the Brandon Heritage Precinct, Strand Waterfront Precinct, the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, and the Old Brandon Church. They culminate on top of Castle Hill, a 268 metres high rock with 360-degree views of the city and across the Coral Sea to nearby Magnetic Island.
“Most people who come to Townsville have already been to Cairns and end up here by accident because they didn’t think of Townsville as a touristy place,” Dean says. “But the first thing they notice is that it’s bigger than Cairns with lots of art galleries, museums and restaurants. The other thing visitors all talk about,” he says, “is how pretty the coastline is. All the other cities in Far North Queensland have extensive mudflats, but Magnetic Island shelters the harbour here and keeps the sand on the beaches.”
Step back in time at Charters Towers
Beyond the city limits, adventure awaits. Take a step into the outback at Charters Towers, one and a half hours’ drive south of Townsville.
Today, the former gold rush town is one of the largest cattle-producing areas in Australia. Rowdy live cattle auctions are held every Wednesday at the Dalrymple Sales Yard, and visitors are welcome to attend. There are a few good pubs in town, and they’re pretty serious about their steaks, though it’s hard to beat the T-bone at Cattleman’s Rest Steakhouse.
Make sure to wander the main strip, where you’ll see a number of beautiful heritage buildings, including the old Stock Exchange Arcade, the World Theatre, City Hall and Post Office Tower.
Charters Towers is also home to the Venus Gold Battery, which is the largest surviving Battery relic in Australia. It was used to crush ore from underground mines to extract gold, and today visitors can join an hour-long tour of the historical site to learn about the process of milling ore, and discover the ghosts many believe haunt the Battery.
Families will love the gold panning experience, where you’ll pan gravel and river sand under the guidance of an expert while learning about local history. You can even keep any gold you find along the way!
Fairytale forests and world-renowned waterfalls
Two and a half hours’ drive north of Townsville is Wallaman Falls, also known as Queensland’s Niagara Falls. At 268 metres high, it’s the largest single-drop waterfall in Australia.
Here, there are several hiking trails that offer spectacular views of plunging gorges and prehistoric rainforests of the surrounding Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The creeks and rivers are home to platypus, eastern water dragons and saw-shelled turtles. While hiking through the park, you may even spot an endangered southern cassowary.
From heritage precincts to historic pubs
The Jezzine Barracks are a 15-hectare heritage precinct honouring military and Aboriginal heritage through 32 specially commissioned public artworks. Along the way, you will also find detailed signs sharing stories of important historical figures and interpreting the artworks.
The precinct is home to the Kissing Point Fort, which was built in 1891 as part of the Queensland coastal defence scheme. The fortress included two mounted guns, and later housed training encampments in WWII. Visitors can wander the site on several trails, including an etho-botanical walk with traditional flora, or view it from above on observation decks. There are also multiple electric barbecues, picnic shelters, toilets and a playground as part of the precinct.
The Army Museum of North Queensland is situated in the centre of the Jezzine Barracks. It showcases an extensive collection of objects and stories linked to the history of the Australian Army in North Queensland. There’s also a gift shop run by volunteers, where visitors can purchase memorabilia and books.
After wandering the grounds, head to Townsville’s oldest operating pub, West End Hotel, for a cool drink and a taste of local history. Constructed in 1885, the pub remains a popular spot for locals and visitors, offering a restaurant with all your pub favourites, gaming rooms and regular specials including discounts for seniors.
Magnetic Island in Tropical North Queensland
No trip to Townsville is complete without a stopover at Magnetic Island. Only a 20-minute ferry ride from the CBD, the island has 23 bays and beaches, 25 kilometres of walking trails, northern Australia’s largest population of koalas, plenty of places to eat and drink, and a series of old hilltop forts that were built to protect Townsville during WWII.
“Magnetic Island is almost like a movie – that’s how beautiful it is,” says Melia Hinks, whose parents, Steph and Adam of Aqua Scene Charters, run daily snorkelling from Magnetic Island to nearby coral cays crowded with turtles and tropical fish. “I don’t think any photograph can truly capture its beauty.”
On a Sunset & Shipwrecks tour, guests will spend two hours visiting the coastline between Nelly and Cockle Bay on Magnetic Island, while informative guides share stories of unlucky ships that didn’t make it to shore. Twitchers will love watching scenic birdlife at sunset, while history buffs will be able to snap a photo with the wreck of S.S. City of Adelaide. Make sure to bring your own drinks and snacks for a sundowner you won’t soon forget!
For more history on Magnetic Island, take the 1.5 hour Forts Walk to tour the island’s fortifications and military infrastructure. During conflict, the high hills of the island made for great lookouts, and giant lights able to spot planes from more than 30,000 feet away were installed on several bays. As you discover the fort, you will also find art sites, shell middens and stone tools from the Wulgurukaba people, who are the traditional owners of the land.
Immerse yourself in Indigenous culture
Just an hour and a half’s drive from Townsville is the rural town of Ingham, home to a historical homestead and cattle ranch known as Mungalla Station. On a guided tour with Mungalla Aboriginal Tours, you will learn about the Nywaigi Aboriginal culture and pioneering history of the area.
The standard tour goes for 3.5 hours. Over the course of the day, your Indigenous guide will discuss the powerful, and sometime tragic, history of the Indigenous owners of the region, share traditional artefacts, and teach you how to throw a boomerang. You will also explore the Mungalla homestead, where you will hear stories of early European settlers and discover what it was like living in the outback in the 1800s.
Explore more in Tropical North Queensland by planning a dreamy holiday to Cairns.
Travel to Townsville
Getting to Townsville has never been easier thanks to Rex. Book your flights here and check out the route map below.
