'''Townsville''' [http://www.townsvilleonline.com.au/pages/index.cfm?ID=181&MenuCategory=Tourism] is a laid-back coastal city of around 163,000 people in Far North Queensland, Australia. '''Thuringowa''' was Townsville's 'twin city' but as of March 15 2008 Thuringowa has merged into Townsville.
Understand
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. A great spot for visitors wanting a taste of outback Australia while not venturing far from the coast. 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.
Get in
By Air
Townsville airport [http://www.townsvilleairport.com.au/] is 12 kilometres west of the city..
Qantas. ttp://www.qantas.com.au/. 3 13 13. flying from
Virgin Blue. ttp://www.virginblue.com.au/. 3 67 89. flying from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Macair. 300 622 247. ttp://www.macair.com.au/. flying from Mt Isa and Brisbane - MacAir was placed into voluntary administration February 2009 and therefore is currently not operational.
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).
As stage 2 of the Townsville-Thuringowa Ring Road (known as The Ring Road) is completed, it will become the new National Highway route through the city. The first stage, the 5.3 km Douglas Arterial Road, opened to traffic in April 2005, and stage 2 is to be opend by late 2008.
By Train
<see name="Queensland Rail, Traveltrain" url="http://www.traveltrain.com.au/" directions="4 kilometers south of Townsville City" phone="1300-131-722"> operate Tilt Train services to both Cairns and Brisbane three times a week each direction, The Sunlander also serves Cairns and Brisbane twice a week. The Inlander to Mt Isa is operated twice a week.</see>
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 thought-out Townsville, plus special services for the football nights at Dairy Farmers Stadium, 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 Sunbus website at [http://www.sunbus.com.au/tt_townsville.php] or Phone: (07) 4725 8482. There is also a bus service available from the Townsville's Hermit Park Bus Service, running from Bushland Beach in the Northern Beaches area to the Townsville CBD, For more information, visit the Hermit Park Bus Service website at [http://www.hpbs.com.au] or phone: (07) 4779 1658 or 1800 351 225. Detours is another bus service that can take care of your charter or tour needs.
By Taxi
Taxis operate 24 hours and service all areas of Townsville.
Tour Operators
North Queensland River and Road Tours
Pop Sullivan Tours
Tropical Tours
David and Justine Olsen's 4WD Tag-Along Tours
Get around
The Sunbus [http://www.sunbus.com.au/tt_townsville.php] bus route operates 7 days a week with 7 main lines going around the town
See
Dairy Farmer's Stadium. ttp://www.dairyfarmersstadium.org.au/. olf Links Drive, Kirwan. 5 kilometers north west of Townsville. 61-7-4760-7590. 61-7-4760-7594. nfo@dairyfarmersstadium.org.au. If you have the chance to see a '''football''' (rugby league) match while your in the area, I would advise do so. The atmosphere in Dairy Farmers' Stadium, the home of the North Queensland Cowboys, is abuzz at all home matches. The stadium was previously known as Stockland Stadium and Malanda Stadium.
Castle Hill. Castle Hill at the center of the city has amazing views both east to Great Barrier Reef Trips
Day Trips to Outback or Rainforest.
'''Riverway''' [http://riverway.thuringowa.qld.gov.au/map] is a riverfront parkland attraction located in the Thuringowa CBD that opened in July 2006. The area is a cultural hub opening up the rivers habitat for residents and tourists, the main attractions are the public art gallery, cultural centre, swimming lagoons and cafe. Riverway runs for 11km of the Ross River, with areas at Pioneer Park, Loam Island, Apex Park and Ross Park at the Ross River Dam where the community, visitors and tourists can enjoy all sorts of activities from sport, swimming, entertainment, dining and shopping in one of Queensland_fs most spectacular river settings.
'''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 center to the well known '''Yongala Wreck'''. The Yongala was a luxury passenger ship sunk in a cyclone on 23rd 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.
Pro Dive Townsville. 4 Plume St, South Townsville. 61-7-4721-1760. ttp://www.prodivetownsville.com.au/. he base price is $495, $425 if only snorkeling. Full equipment hire is an extra $95. PADI certification courses are available, including the introductory Open Water ($685 including equipment hire and the liveaboard trip) and Advanced Open Water ($725 including hire and the trip). As of late 2005, all trips were incurring an extra $55 on top of these fares covering reef tax, insurance and a fuel levy.. Pro Dive run 3 day/3 night/10 dive liveaboard trips to the reef, spending 1 day diving on the Yongala weather permitting. Trips board at 8pm Tuesday and Friday, travel to the reef overnight and return at 5pm on the 3rd day.
Adrenalin Dive. 21 Flinders Street. 61-7-4724-0600 or 1300 664 600. 61-7-4771-6527. nfo@adrenalindive.com.au. ttp://www.adrenalindive.com.au/. he base price is $179, equipment hire $35. Divers must have at least 6 logged dives, and divers with less than 15 logged dives will need to pay $30 for a guided dive.. Adrenalin Dive offers 2 dive day trips to the Yongala departing Townsville and Magnetic Island. PADI certification courses are available via the Pro Dive liveaboard for the Pro Dive prices.
Tropical Cruise and Dive. /58 Perkins Street West, South Townsville. ttp://www.tropicaldiving.com.au/. nfo@tropicaldiving.com.au. 61-7-4771-6150 or 1800 776 150. 61-7-4771-6151. norkeling trips $145 adults and $79 children, certified scuba dives from $40, introductory scuba dives from $75, Open Water certification $499. Tropical Cruise and Dive operates one day snorkeling and diving trips to Wheeler Reef most days. The diving is primarily aimed at inexperienced or uncertified divers with lots of supervision available. They also operate full diving certification courses
Remote Area Dive. 5 Ingham Road, Townsville. 1 7 4721 4425. ww.remoteareadive.com.au. Remote Area Dive offers day trips to the Yongala wreck, Pelorus/Orpheus Island. Open Water certification is also available for a total of $615.00 all inclusive.
Buy
Markets
'''Night market''' 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 help 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 a selection of '''fast food restaurant''' chains including McDonalds, Eagle Boys Pizza, Hungry Jacks, Red Rooster and Subway.
Mount View Cafe and Takeaway
Richshaw Chinese Takeaway and Noodle bar
C Bar Cafe. regory Street Headlands, The Strand, North Ward. 61-7-4724-0333. The C Bar Cafe is right on the water's edge and you can look out over the bay, which just about makes the wait bearable: despite enormous demand there are few staff and at peak times you could wait up to an hour for a simple cafe meal. Breakfast lunch and dinner.
Molly Malones Irish Pub. olly Malones Irish Pub. linders St Townsville, QLD 4810. 07) 4771 3428. ttp://www.mollymalonesirishpub.com.au/. Molly Malones Irish Pub encapsulates the authentic Irish atmosphere, bringing a considerable slice of Ireland to Townsville, North Queensland. With four different venues, Molly Malones Irish Pub presents an entertaining complex catering for all, from the grand craic at Molly_fs to the ultimate clubbing experience at Mantaz Club and Bar.
'''Restaurants'''
Cactus Jacks Bar and Grill
Fasta Pasta
Hog's Breath Cafe
Giardini Pizza and Pasta Bar
La Cucina Pizza and Pasta House
Joy Thai Restaurant
Tom Yum Thai Restaurant
Ocean Palms Bistro
Brothers Leagues Club
Hobbo's Hut (opened 2007 in the old BJ's night club on Thuringowa Drv)
Chinese Tea House
Nanking Restaurant
Masala Indian Cuisine [http://www.masalaindian.com.au/contacts.html]
Drink
Jupiters Townsville. ir Leslie Thiess Drive. 61-7-4722-2333. 61-7-4772-4741. TV-info@jupiterstownsville.com.au. ttp://www.jupiterstownsville.com.au/. Jupiters is a waterfront casino and hotel, featuring blackjack, routlette and poker among others. It contains five bars, including three in the casino.
Sleep
Aquarius on the Beach. The Strand. 61 7 4772 4255. ttp://www.aquariusonthebeach.com.au/. 4.00" checkout=10.00". waterfront views
Adventurers Backpackers Resort. 9 Palmer Street. 61-7-4721-1522 or 1800 211 522. ackpackers@adventurersresort.com. ttp://www.adventurersresort.com/ checkin=". orm beds $22 per night, single rooms $35 per night, double rooms $44 per night. An airconditioned backpackers resort with a swimming pool and BBQ area.
Beach House Motel. 66 The Strand. 61 7 7 4721 1333 Toll free 1800 066 333. ttp://www.beachhousemotel.com.au. waterfront accommodation on Townsville's Strand. Views over Cleveland Bay to Magnetic Island.
Civic Guest House. 62 Walker Street. 61-7-4771-5381 or 1800 646 619. 61-7-4721-4919. ontact@civicguesthouse.com. ttp://civicguesthouse.com/. orm beds $22, twin rooms from $45, double rooms from $50. Civic Guest House is a budget hotel. There are internet, barbecue and pool facilities. Air-conditioning available in some rooms.
Globetrotters Backpackers Hostel. 5 Palmer Street, South Townsville. 800 008 533 or +61-7-4771-3242. 61-7-4721-6402. lobetrotters@austarnet.com.au. ttp://www.globetrottersinn.com.au/. orm beds $21 per night, private rooms for singles or doubles $53 per night. Globetrotters has a pool and barbecue area. Rooms have fans, airconditioning available on request.
Mercure Inn Townsville. oolcock Street, Hyde Park. 61-7-4725-2222. 61-7-4725-1384. 1753-RE01@accor.com.au. ttp://www.accorhotels.com.au/hotdeals/detail.asp?id=950. ooms from $120 per night. The Mercure is located 4.5 kilometers from Townsville's center. Facilities include a pool, a barbecue area, tennis courts and babysitting.
Seagulls Resort on the Seafront. 4 The Esplanade. 61-7-4721-3111. 61-7-4721-3133. esort@seagulls.com.au. ttp://www.seagulls.com.au/. Seagulls is located close to the city and Castle Hill. Accommodation is available in the form of resort rooms, family rooms, rooms with kitchenettes, self contained two-bedroom apartments or suite rooms. Two pools, half court tennis, playground, barbeque facilities, bar and award winning restaurant on site. Complimentary off street parking. Rooms start at $110 per night.
The Summit Motel. -8 Victoria Street. 61-7-4721-2122. 61-7-4721-3986. ttp://www.summitmotel.com.au/. ooms from $99 per night. The Summit Motel is a 2 minute walk from the city centre and a 5 minute walk to the strand beach. Includes satellite TV, a pool, and airconditioning
Waters Edge The Strand Hotel. 3 The Strand . 61 7 4721 1777. ttp://www.watersedgethestrand.com. Direct access to the beachfront and views that overlook Cleveland Bay. There are 40 self-contained air-conditioned holiday apartments with kitchenette studios and 4 self-contained air conditioned one-bedroom kitchenette apartments
'''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'''
Contact
Internet
Internet on the Mall. hop 1, 313-335 Flinders Street. nfo@internetonthemall.com.au. 5 for 45 minutes, laptop access $7 for 45 minutes. am until late evening. Internet on the Mall is a fully automatic internet cafe with a 1.5Mbit connection. PC access is available via pre-paid cards, and wired and wireless laptops are available via credit card purchase. It is located in the CBD (in the mall!).
Internet Lounge. /238 Charters Towers Rd, Hermit Park Townsville Qld 4812. nfo@internetlounge.com.au. ttp://www.internetlounge.com.au. rading Hours: Mon - Fri 0900 - 1800, Sat 0900 - 1300, Closed Sunday. The Internet Lounge has access to ADSL2+. There are computer terminals or you can use your own laptop. It is located out along one of the main arterial roads in Townsville, about 10 minutes from the CBD by car (half an hour walk).
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.
Get out
Excellent access to the Outback, the rainforest of the Paluma Range, the Great Barrier Reef and Magnetic Island.