Townsville



Townsville is a laid-back coastal city of over 173,724 people (2021) in North Central Queensland. Townsville is on the coast and enjoys an average of 320 days of sunshine a year. It is an appealing place for locals and a great jumping off point for visitors, especially to Magnetic Island which is only 25 minutes by passenger or car ferry. A great spot for visitors wanting a taste of rural Australia while not venturing far from the coast.

Understand
It offers a quiet cosmopolitan feel with its good choice of restaurants & bars but also has a relaxing siesta style during the hottest parts of the day in high summer. Townsville takes great pride in being the unofficial capital of North Queensland.

By car
Townsville is on the Bruce Highway (A1) between Cairns in the north, Mackay and Brisbane to the south. The city is also served by the A6 (Flinders Highway) to Charters Towers and Mt Isa to the west.

The Northern Beaches district (part of former Thuringowa) is also on the Bruce Highway (A1).

The Townsville-Thuringowa Ring Road (known as the Ring Road) is the National Highway route through the city (A1/M1).

By bus
Public transport in Townsville and the former Thuringowa city consists of bus services run by Sunbus. Sunbus provides services for most parts of the city with runs from the Thuringowa CBD, Townsville CBD and most suburbs throughout Townsville, plus special services for the football nights at Willows Sports Complex, Tony Ireland Stadium at Riverway and any major events at Black River Stadium or the Townsville Entertainment centre, for bus times and runs please visit the Kinetic website.

By taxi
Taxis operate 24 hours and service all areas of Townsville.

There are several ranks in which to catch taxis (Airport Rank, at all major shopping centres; in town, Flinders Street East Rank, Cowboys Leagues Club Rank, Palmer Street Rank and Seaview Rank).

To book taxis with your phone, dial 13 TAXI (13 8294).

Tour operators

 * North Queensland River and Road Tours
 * Pop Sullivan Tours
 * Tropical Tours
 * David and Justine Olsen's 4WD Tag-Along Tours

Get around
Kinetic operates bus services 7 days a week with 16 bus routes in Townsville plus one on Magnetic Island.

See




Do

 * Great Barrier Reef Trips
 * Day Trips to Outback or Rainforest.
 * Village Boulevard is the name of the Road into Pioneer Park and forms the city/park integration. from the car park it extends through the park as a pedestrian spine that follows the rivers edge and forms the heart of Pioneer Park.
 * Village Boulevard is the name of the Road into Pioneer Park and forms the city/park integration. from the car park it extends through the park as a pedestrian spine that follows the rivers edge and forms the heart of Pioneer Park.

Diving
Townsville is further from the reef than the Cairns region to the north and does not have as strong a scuba diving industry, but is the closest big centre to the well known Yongala Wreck. The Yongala was a luxury passenger ship sunk in a cyclone on 23 March 1911. The wreck was found in 1958. The wreck is primarily interesting for the marine life that it attracts and is one of Australia's top dive sites.



Markets

 * Strand Night markets conducted on the first Friday of each month at The Strand Park on the foreshore.
 * Cotters Markets are held on Sunday mornings in the Flinders Street Mall in the city centre, with a variety of offerings including fresh produce, foods, arts and craft and other antiquities, and the
 * Willows markets are held every Sunday and the Willows shopping centre at Thuringowa central.
 * Showgrounds Markets (Townsville Showgrounds, Garbutt, Sunday morning Flea market)

Shopping centres

 * Annandale Central (Annandale)
 * Castletown Shoppingworld (Garbutt)
 * Centro Townsville (Corner Ross River Road and Nathan Street, Cranbrook)
 * Cotters Market (Flinders Mall, Sunday mornings)
 * Flinders Mall (Central Business District)
 * Hermit Park Shopping Centre (Hermit Park)
 * Kingsvale Shopping Centre (Aitkenvale)
 * North Ward Shopping Village (two blocks from The Strand, North Ward)
 * Northtown The City (The Mall, Townsville CBD)
 * Stockland Townsville (Corner Ross River Road and Nathan Street, Aitkenvale)
 * Sunvale (Aitkenvale)
 * Vincent Village (Vincent)
 * Warrina Shopping Centre (Currajong)
 * Avenues Plaza (Kirwan)
 * Canon Park City Centre (Thuringowa Central, Queensland)
 * Centro Deeragun (Woodlands Village Shopping Centre, Deeragun)
 * Mount View Plaza (Kirwan)
 * Parkside Plaza (Kirwan)
 * Riverway Thuringowa
 * Sunland Plaza (Kirwan)
 * Upper Ross Shopping centre (Rasmussen)
 * Willows Shoppingtown (Corner Thuringowa Drive and Hervey Range Road, Thuringowa Central, Queensland, Kirwan)

Eat
Townsville has two primary restaurant districts. Palmer Street in the city and Cannon Park in the southwest suburbs. It also hosts a nice collection of grills and cafes along the Strand in addition to a wide selection of restaurants scattered throughout the city and its suburbs. It also hosts the normal selection of fast food restaurant chains including McDonalds, Eagle Boys Pizza, Dominos, Brodies, Hungry Jacks, Red Rooster and Subway.


 * (including Chinese, Indian, burgers and fries, Tex Mex, Italian and Japanese).
 * (including Chinese, Indian, burgers and fries, Tex Mex, Italian and Japanese).



Drink
In line with Queensland state laws, Townsville observes a lockout time of 3AM. This means that alcohol serving establishments have to refuse entry to patrons from 3AM onwards. Most pubs and bars on the Flinders Street nightclub strip will close between 1AM-2AM on the weekends but the nightclubs will stay open til 5AM-6AM. Patrons in clubs open until these early hours are welcome to stay past 3AM until they leave.

When visiting the Flinders Street Nightclub Strip, males are advised to wear long trousers/jeans and closed-in shoes as most venues on this strip disallow entry to those wearing thongs/flip-flops, singlets and shorts. Most other non-Strip venues listed will allow this attire, however.


 * Cactus Saloon Flinders Street East . This popular destination offering a selection of their own custom brewed tap beer and many brands of tequilas.
 * Cactus Saloon Flinders Street East . This popular destination offering a selection of their own custom brewed tap beer and many brands of tequilas.

Sleep


Northern Beaches Area:
 * Balgal Beach Holiday Units
 * Balgal Beach Holiday Units - Studio 26
 * Balgal Station Bed & Breakfast Retreat
 * Big 4 Woodlands Holiday Village
 * Black River Stadium Caravan Park
 * Bluewater Caravan Park
 * Bohle Barn Motel/Hotel
 * Forestmist Cottage Bed & Breakfast
 * Gumburu Environmental Eduction Centre
 * Hidden Valley Cabins 
 * Ivy Cottage 
 * Jollymosh Retreat House
 * Lake Paluma Camp & Picnic Ground
 * Ocean Palms Resort
 * Paluma Environmental Education Centre
 * Paluma Misthaven Units
 * Paluma Rainforest Cottages
 * Paluma Dreaming 
 * Rainforest Inn 
 * Range Caravan Park
 * Rollingstone Beach Caravan Resort
 * Rollingstone Hotel 
 * Saunders Beach Ocean View Units 
 * Upper Ross Hotel
 * Willows Golf and Tourist Resort
 * Woodlands Holiday Village

Stay safe
Box jellyfish and other stingers can be in the ocean during the summer months. Read the warning signs, and don't swim at the beach outside of the stinger enclosures. A sting from the box jellyfish can be fatal. There are two stinger enclosures along the Townsville beaches.

Saltwater crocodiles ARE present in Townsville and ALL swimming locations (including the beach) should be approached with extreme caution.

Internet

 * The three public libraries all have free wi-fi, available 24/7 in the close vicinity of the library even when the libraries are closed. Thuringowa Drive, Ross River Road and Flinders Street.
 * The three public libraries all have free wi-fi, available 24/7 in the close vicinity of the library even when the libraries are closed. Thuringowa Drive, Ross River Road and Flinders Street.

Go next
Excellent access to the Outback, the rainforest of the Paluma Range, the Great Barrier Reef and Magnetic Island.