Townsville Things to Do

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The main part of this museum is the HMS Pandora , which was sent from England to Australia in 1790 to find the mutineers of the Bounty and bring them to England. But when going back, the Pandora was smashed to pieces on the Great Barrier Reef. Only a few men survived, holding on on a sandback for two weeks and then making it to Timor in a small lifeboat.
You can see pictures of a large model of the Pandora in my fotos.
The museum features many original things that were found in the wreck, for example crockery and cuttlery, coins and basic commodities. There are a lot of displays and models, you can learn everything about the story of the ship and about seafaring in the end of the 18th century in general. I found it very interesting, it's like a journey to the past.

But there is more to see in the museum: There are displays about the dinosaurs that lived here ages ago, about the Great Barrier Reef and the ecosystems of Far North Queensland, about Queensland's history and its people and their lifestyle.

The costs are 13,50AUD for an adult, 8AUD for a child and 33AUD for a family. It is open from 9.30am til 5pm seven days a week.
Entry is free for locals from Townsville, Hinchinbrook, Charters Towers and Burdekin!

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Yes, I must admit, I didn't make it up Castle Hill... It was too hot and I was too tired, but otherwise I'm sure I would have loved to do it. You can see Castle Hill from almost everywhere in town and it looks very prominent, being 290m high and made of red rock, that is why I still wanted to include it in my tips.
The way up starts at the corner of Hills Street and Victoria Street, near Stanton Tce.

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The Anzac Memorial Park is located at the Strand, so if you walk down there, you will come across it. The main memorial is 25 feet high and made of granite blocks and marble. There are plates with names and quotations to remember the dead.
For me, this is always an incident to stop and pay my tribute to the men who died so far away from their homes for causes that had nothing to do with them.

On The Strand, I also saw this nice water playground and thought I'd include it in my tips, as people travelling with children might find it helpful. After exploring the city, your children can play and you can relax in the shade and enjoy The Strand's atmosphere while watching them.
I bet I would have loved it as a child :-)

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The Strand is Townsville's beach promenade, similar to The Esplanade in Cairns. It features cafés and restaurants, a small beach, shops, a water playground, lawns and picnic places and a lagoon.
It is great to stroll around here, to enjoy the sun and the lively atmosphere. I loved having a coffee in one of the many cafés and watch the people, and then hanging around at the beach.

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Ross Creek coils its way directly through Townsville's center, giving it a special and maritime atmosphere. You can watch little boats and marine birds. The creek is fed by the Ross River.
I very much liked to stroll around the creek and to watch what was going on!

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Townsville is a very nice city, but most people come here to see Magnetic Island, Townsville's island getaway. You can easily go there by ferry, as a daytrip or staying overnight, and I'd absolutely say: If you come to Townsville, you should not miss Maggie!

Here one can explore the delights of Tropical North Queensland through marine exhibits and pioneer lore. Learn the fascinating story
of the MHS Pandora, the ship that chased the Bounty mutineers, only to be wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef in 1791.