Top Ten Things to Do in Townsville Australia During a Weekend Getaway

If your mystery weekend getaway destination happens to be Townsville, Australia, you are in for a fantastic excursion. Intriguing places to visit and enjoy are plentiful in this exotic, picturesque location. This tropical region is located in north Queensland, and it is often not included in the travel agendas of global travellers visiting Australia. However, it offers fascinating attractions that will delight every member of your family or travel party. In fact, there are numerous enthralling day trips in this area, all nearby the celebrated Great Barrier Reef.

Top Ten Visitor Attractions in Townsville for Your Weekend Surprise Excursion

The leading ten attractions to enjoy in and around Townsville during your mystery weekend getaway include the following fascinating venues:

1. Billabong Sanctuary. This scenic wildlife park is accredited with Advanced Ecotourism certification from Ecotourism Australia based on its outstanding environmental operation. This family-owned natural park is dedicated to conservation, educational events and local community partnerships. Animals living in the wildlife park include kangaroos, koalas, emus, echidnas, snakes and crocodiles. 

2. Castle Hill. This location is one of the most remarkable natural treasures in Queensland. Right in the middle of Townsville, this historical monolith of pink granite attracts visitors and residents of the area alike. Large numbers of people hike upward on the hill’s verdant trails each day or drive to the hilltop to enjoy 360-degree, panoramic views of Townsville below from several outstanding lookouts.

3. Riverway. Located along the Ross River in Kirwan, this extensive park area contains a seven-mile (11-kilometre) walking track that follows the river banks. It also offers the Riverway Arts Centre, Pinnacles Gallery, Toney Ireland Stadium, an art trail and free movie nights for all. The famed Riverway Lagoons, stretching across an area equaling the size of three Olympic swimming pools, also offers shallow sections that are ideal for small children to enjoy. In the upper lagoon, there is plenty of space for swimming laps. 

4. Museum of Tropical Queensland. This highly honoured museum features historical, natural history and archaeology exhibitions. In the Great Gallery, you can view an HMS Pandora replica. This ship sank at the Great Barrier Reef in 1791. Some fascinating objects that survived the wreckage are displayed in the Pandora Gallery. Also included are exhibits of colourful Torres Strait masks and the World Heritage reef and tropical rainforest of Queensland.  

5. Perc Tucker Regional Gallery. This attraction can be found inside a well-known historic building in Townsville. Its major focus is on the artworks of artists in North Queensland. The extensive permanent collection of the gallery offers more than 2,000 separate works of art divided into the categories of Contemporary and Historical Art of Tropical Queensland, Contemporary Art from Papua New Guinea and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Art. This inspiring gallery hosts talks and educational programs and events for all.  

6. Magnetic Island. This intriguing locale is a Townsville suburb just five miles (eight kilometres) off the coast. It can only be reached by barge or ferry and is a fabulous location for a day-long outing. You can spot numerous koalas or wallabies and take a swim in one of the 23 different bays. You can also enjoy a bush walk in Magnetic Island National Park, take a ride in a pink topless car (Barbie style) from Tropical Travel or take part in water sports at Horseshoe Bay. 

7. SS Yongala Wreck Dive. This fascinating shipwreck dive site enables you to examine the remains of the SS Yongala, which sank off Cape Bowling Green during 1911 while sailing from Melbourne to Cairns. More than 10,000 curious divers see this wreck each year at its location in Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, where there is also a wide variety of tropical marine life to see. These sea animals include sea turtles, rays, sharks, gropers and numerous other fish.  

8. Paluma and the Rainforest. Paluma is a short 45-minute drive to the north of Townsville, located at the south edge of the Wet Tropics of Queensland, a World-Heritage site. This charming rainforest village is home to bush walks, waterfalls, freshwater swimming holes and a wide variety of bird species. Along the way, you can enjoy a swim at Little or Big Crystal Creek. Big Crystal Creek is frequented by the local residents, and Little Crystal Creek has a scenic stone arched bridge that was built in the 1930s.   

9. Reef HQ. This is the largest living coral reef aquarium worldwide as part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. More than 110,000 individuals visit this location each year to experience the Great Barrier Reef’s fascinating marine environment. Here you can visit the Predator Exhibit, the Coral Reef Exhibit and the only Turtle Hospital in North Queensland. The Coral Reef Exhibit is the size of an Olympic swimming pool and houses upwards of 150 different types of fish as well as 120 choral species found only in this region.   

10. The Strand. This site is known as the crown jewel of Townsville. It includes a 1.37-mile (2.2 kilometre) beachfront walking trail with breathtaking views in the direction of Magnetic Island. There are numerous attractive cafes and restaurants along this path, such as the Longboard Bar and Grill as well as the saltwater Rockpool. You can enjoy fishing from the pier as well as Tobruk Pool, the Strand Park and Jezzine Barracks at the end of the Strand. 

When you contact the expert travel agents of Mystery Weekends Australia, you can schedule a fabulous weekend getaway to an exotic and intriguing surprise destination. Our highly experienced professionals will plan a thoroughly enthralling, exciting and delightful excursion for you and your partner, family or travel friends to a fascinating locale for the weekend holiday of your dreams.