Townsville
The Unofficial Capital of North Queensland
On the lands of the Wulgurukaba and Bindal people.
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
The largest city in north Queensland and the jumping-off point for Magnetic Island and the SS Yongala, repeatedly voted one of the ten best wreck dives in the world. Townsville's 2 kilometre Strand promenade has a stinger-safe swimming pool year-round.
Townsville was founded in 1864 on Wulgurukaba and Bindal country and is the largest city in north Queensland. Castle Hill, the 286 metre pink granite monolith in the middle of town, is the symbol of the city and has a short, steep sealed walking track to a 360 degree view.
The Strand is a 2.2 kilometre beachfront promenade with a stinger-net swimming enclosure, a free waterpark, and a rock pool that doubles as an open-air swimming venue. The Museum of Tropical Queensland in the city centre is built around the salvaged relics of the HMS Pandora, the ship that was sent to bring back the Bounty mutineers and wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef in 1791.
Offshore, the SS Yongala is a 109 metre passenger steamer that sank in a cyclone in 1911 and now sits on a flat sandy bottom 15 metres below the surface. It is considered one of the best wreck dives in the world thanks to the abundance of large marine life (giant gropers, sea snakes, eagle rays, loggerhead turtles) that aggregates around it. Magnetic Island, a half hour ferry ride away, is a granite island of beaches, koalas and walking trails.
Tourist locations
Places to visit in Townsville.
5 locations to explore
Billabong Sanctuary
Hold a wombat, meet a croc
$54 adult, $37 child (4-16), $152 family
Full guide arrow_forwardCastle Hill Lookout
360-degree views over Townsville
Free
Full guide arrow_forwardMagnetic Island - Forts Walk and Koalas
Wild koalas and WWII history
Free (ferry fare applies)
Full guide arrow_forwardMuseum of Tropical Queensland
Pandora's secrets, reef science
Free (some temporary exhibitions ticketed)
Full guide arrow_forwardThe Strand
Townsville's beachfront playground
Free
Full guide arrow_forwardWhere to stay
Holiday parks near Townsville.
1 option via our booking partner
Bookings handled by our partner Parkbooker. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Things to do
Recommended Experiences
3 bookable experiences at or near Townsville.
On the itinerary
Trip plans that include Townsville.
Scenic views
Lookouts near Townsville.
You may also like
Attribution
Sources & credits
Content (1)
Images (2)
- Cape Pallerenda beach Townsville Queensland IGA 1 6 2018 6 4... · John Robert McPherson · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Castle Hill seen from North Ward, Townsville, 2023, 01.jpg · Kgbo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under licenses that permit commercial use. If you are the rights holder and believe an attribution is incorrect, please contact us.