ACTIVITIES THURINGOWA CENTRAL

You can cuddle a koala, hold a wombat, and if you're brave enough, there's snake and crocodile handling too!

Koalas, Crocodiles, Snakes and WombatsNowhere else in Australia can you interact with so many of Australia's native animals. Join us here at Billabong Sanctuary for a fantastic day!

Nestled in 11 hectares (25 acres) of tropical bushland, we are home to a magnificent variety of native mammals, birds and reptiles.

Stroll around the park with our friendly kangaroos and wallabies, take part in all the handling and feeding shows, or simply relax by the pool.
Rock the Croc!

When you're feeling peckish, Blinky Bill's Café offers a tempting array of freshly-made light meals, cold drinks, tea and coffee, and yummy desserts. You're also welcome to use our gas barbecues, free of charge.

Our stunning new Function Centre, Melaleuca on Billabong, allows us to cater for Conferences, Staff Training, Meetings, as well as Weddings and Receptions, Family Get-togethers, Christmas Parties and Evening Functions.

Experience the Great Barrier Reef without getting wet, at the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium. As the National Reef Education Centre for the Great Barrier Reef, Reef HQ Aquarium offers education, entertainment and enlightenment – an amazing Great Barrier Reef experience!

Immerse yourself in the beauty of our 2.5 million-litre Coral Reef Exhibit, home to thousands of reef creatures great and small. Experience the incredible underwater viewing tunnel where predators prowl the watery depths of a replica bow section of the SS Yongala wreck. Visit North Queensland's only turtle hospital departing 12 noon and 3.30pm daily.

Reef HQ Aquarium has a full daily program of tours, talks and regular animal feedings; the Aquarium is also home to the Waterview Café and Reef-In Store gift shop. Reef HQ Aquarium is conveniently located in the heart of Townsville, North Queensland and open 9:30am to 5:00pm, 7 days, except Christmas Day.

We are a locally owned and operated tour business based in Townsville, Tropical North Queensland. I am a born and bred local with over twenty years experience in the hospitality industry and I have a passion for the bush and our back yard.

In establishing our business, I had a mission to introduce visitors from around the world to the amazing diversity of our Life in the Tropics, from World Heritage Listed Wet Tropics Rainforest, to tropical coastal living, to the Outback.

Kookaburra Tours & Charters pride ourselves on providing legendary hospitality and experiences through expert commentary, interpretation and story telling on our great part of Australia. We enjoy forging new friendships and creating lasting memories for all of our visitors.

Jupiters Townsville Hotel & Casino is superbly located on the Townsville breakwater, set amongst tropcial landscaped gardens and overlooking magnificent Magnetic Island, the Coral Sea and Townsville City.  The property is within walking distance of the Magnetic Island Ferry terminal, the CBD and the restaurant precincts of Palmer Street and Flinders Street. Jupiters Townsville is also only a short stroll to Reef HQ Aquarium, Museum of Tropical Queensland, the Cultural Centre, shopping precinct and Townsville’s award-winning beachfront,  The Strand. There is so much to do - so much to see in Townsville and Jupiters is the “premier destination” for lifestyle and holidaying in the tropics!

Welcome to the home of the Royal Australian Air Force Townsville Museum. The RAAF Townsville Museum was established in Townsville to document the aviation and military history of North Queensland. The Royal Australian Airforce Townsville Museum has extensive collections located in historical buildings located on the Townsville RAAF Base.

The dedicated team of the RAAF Townsville Museum have painstakingly upgraded, restored and built advance multimedia displays at the RAAF Townsville Museum that provide you an insight into the North Queensland Aviation history from World War II to the present day.  The RAAF Townsville Museum contains artifacts that have been kindly donated or acquired through purchases provided by key benefactors of the RAAF Townsville Museum. This has ensured that the local North Queensland History of the Townsville RAAF is not lost forever.

Looking for a fun, exciting day out? Head out to Townsville’s Barra Fishing & Cable Ski Park!

We have awesome cable ski facilities open to all ages and experience levels... Whether you are a complete beginner, or a seasoned pro, we'll ensure you get the ride of your life!

If you prefer something a little more relaxed, drop a line in our Barra ponds, stocked full of beautiful Barramundi up to 120cm! Or enjoy a BBQ in our lovely surrounding bushland.

Enjoy a spectacular fun filled day with friends and the whole family at Townsville’s Barra Fishing & Cable Ski Park!

The Townsville Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Centre will delight and inform visitors with its Exhibitions and performances, it provides an insight into the traditional and contemporary life and cultural practices of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and is an ideal venue for promoting their exceptional artworks to the wider world.

The Cultural Centre is a place to preserve, celebrate and display...

• Traditional cultural artifacts,
• Dance and language
• Contemporary performance
• Art created by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.

A variety of informative and appealing activities are provided by the Cultural Centre. These include

• Didgeridoo workshops,
• School programs,
• Theatre and dance performances,
• Group tours,
• Conferences/seminars
• Selection of fascinating exhibitions.

Performances by both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Traditional dance performances can be seen at the Centre. Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance troupe can also be booked to perform at functions and venues outside of the Cultural Centre.

The Townsville Museum is the only museum whose displays are solely dedicated to the history of Townsville. The Museum's document collections extend beyond the Townsville area into the North Queensland hinterland, and provide researchers with valuable resource material.

Hall One

• is dedicated to the people of Townsville. It contains a rotation exhibition of individual histories and the fascinating artefact displays are also linked to local personalities.

Hall Two

• houses our larger exhibits, and traces our history from the time of European settlement.

In addition to its Exhibition Halls, Townsville Museum also has an area dedicated to researchers. Here you may examine documents, books and photographs containing crucial information about our region. The museum also provides talks to give you further insight into our Townsville past and runs workshops on Museum techniques.

Event Cinemas Townsville has five cinemas with RealD 3D Digital and 35mm projection. Featuring Dolby Digital sound, Birch Carroll & Coyle Townsville is the perfect spot to catch the latest movies.

We have just launched our new Vmax cinema! Luxury Leather chairs, Stadium style auditorium, 7.1 surround sound, Reserved seating and the BIGGEST screen in Townsville!

Vmax
Experience all the power of the movies from the best seats in the house. Every Vmax auditorium features ultra-comfortable stadium-style seating, thousands of watts of powerful surround sound and the latest state-of-the-art digital screen.

Digital 3D
Experience the world's latest 3D technology! Get totally immersed in the action that you can almost reach out and touch.

Private Movie Screenings
Event Cinemas are available for private screenings, corporate functions and presentations, product launches and promotions. We have the experience to meet your needs and back-up your technical requirements.

Closed caption viewing system
Captions are now available so you can read what you can’t hear and enjoy the latest movies with your friends and family.

Adrenalin Snorkel & Dive, operating since 1987 is the regions premier dive operation. Offering 1 day and liveaboard trips and PADI dive courses to the Outer Reefs and the mighty SS YONGALA.

We strive to exceed our guests' expectation of their visit with us.

Our Experienced, Professional and friendly crew work hard to ensure your stay with us is safe, comfortable and lots of fun.
 

A National Trust of Australia (Queensland) property, the Centre displays three historical houses typical of 19th century and early 20th century North Queensland homes. Two are open to the public with guided tours. They are beautifully furnished with artefacts appropriate to their histories. A Townsville experience not to be missed.

Opening hours

Wednesdays 10am to 1pm
Weekends 1pm to 4pm

Special School and Group tours at other times by appointment – Phone 4779 2815

Located in Townsville on the magnificent Ross River frontage, Riverway is fast becoming one of the most exciting destinations the region has to offer. Riverway offers a dynamic combination of residential, commercial, cultural, sports and leisure activities. The precinct provides an exciting environment to enjoy a variety of water-based and waterfront activities. With two huge swimming lagoons, the Riverway Arts Centre, Pinnacles Gallery, the Riverwalk, public art, village spine, restaurant, and parklands, there truly is so much to explore. Other quality restaurants, cafes and shops are part of the commercial precinct planned for construction in addition to a national-standard cricket and AFL sports facility. The area is a year round visitor destination with an annual calendar of events including festivals, Christmas festivities, New Year's Eve, Australia Day Celebrations, as well as food, wine, art and sporting events. The picturesque promenades, glorious Ross River, spacious parklands and state of the art Arts Centre, Gallery and Sports Centre are all venues used to host a range of public events.

Set in a scenic coastal location amongst open woodland and vine thickets, this park features an historic quarantine station, established in 1915. The station was initially used to quarantine passengers on incoming ships. During World War II the area was a strategic defence location. American and Australian armies set up camps on nearby beaches and used the Quarantine Station as a hospital. Walk or mountain bike the shared trails throughout the park to see the World War II structures on the Cape Pallarenda headland and explore the beaches and forested slopes of Many Peak Range. Enjoy a picnic on the foreshore. Look for wallabies, lizards and many kinds of birds in the woodland. Find out more about the quarantine days at the station's historic display.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is a leader in tropical marine science. The Institute is consistently ranked among the top one per cent of specialist research institutions internationally and is known for its unique capacity to investigate topics from broad-scale ecology to microbiology. AIMS is committed to the protection and sustainable use of Australia's marine resources. Its research programs support the management of tropical marine environments around the world, with a primary focus on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, the pristine Ningaloo Marine Park in Western Australia and northwest Australia. Public tours are available including data projection shows, information on research and guided tours of the facility.

Owned by NQ Water, Lake Ross stores over 200,000 million litres of water and supplies up to 80 per cent of the region's potable water supply. The dam wall stretches 8.3 kilometres across the Ross River floodplain (longest in the Southern Hemisphere) providing an additional flood mitigation benefit to the downstream community. In recognition of its habitat values, Lake Ross is listed as a Wetland of National Significance. The extensive shallow margins of the lake provide habitat for a diversity of water birds. The lake is also surrounded by thousands of hectares of unspoilt open savannah teeming with wildlife. Over 220 species of bird have been recorded on or around the lake to date.

The Riverway Arts Centre features a 380-seat flexible performance space doubling as a function room, the Pinnacles Art Gallery, rehearsal space, meeting room and working spaces for resident art groups. The Pinnacles Gallery is a contemporary art gallery showcasing all aspects of visual arts for the community and featuring local, state and national artists in exhibitions across all themes and media. Riverway Arts Centre is located at Pioneer Park, Riverway - diagonally opposite to Willows Shopping Centre, Thuringowa Central.

The Ross River hosts a wide range of sporting and leisure activities. Riverwalk, a three metre wide pathway which overlooks the beautiful Ross River, runs along the river and provides numerous opportunities to enjoy its natural beauty. The Riverway Loam Island and Pioneer Park developments provide entertainment venues and fishing spots. Skiing and wakeboarding are popular activities on the water. Ross River also offers some excellent bird watching opportunities, particularly from Pioneer Park, Loam Island, Apex Park and Dam Park.

The Strand is a seaside foreshore located in Townsville, Australia. It is located in the suburb of North Ward. The Strand has a magnificent view of the Port of Townsville and Magnetic Island, as well as views stretching all the way out to Cape Cleveland. Townsville's fantastic beachfront promenade, The Strand incorporates a jetty, recreational park, restaurants, cafes, a series of headlands, a free water park, picnic areas and swimming pools and enclosures.

At Wheeler Reef, On the Great Barrier Reef off Townsville, you can enjoy diving or snorkelling on some of the most pristine reefs. Wheeler Reef is an ideal location for certified divers, the novice diver or snorkellers. The maximum depth is 18m and the lagoon is abundant with an exciting array of marine life. Explore the myriad of gullies, canyons, caves and swim-throughs that this reef is famous for.

Dan Gleeson Gardens is situated on just over five hectares in Townsville North Queensland. The gardens are home to a diverse range of wildlife, in the lakes aquatic life such as long neck turtles, mangrove jack, barramundi, eels, redclaw and prawns are regularly sighted as well as bower birds, barking owls, fig birds, ducks, cormorants, egrets, butterflies and a range of beetles and lizards as well as other fauna are often seen. Located in the suburb of Kirwan, the gardens are situated on near the corner of Thuringowa Drive and Hinchinbrook Drive adjacent to council's Civic Centre. Entrances are at Thuringowa Drive, Corveth Street and via the Civic Centre car park. Car Parking is available on the roadside boundaries and in the Civic Centre.

Castle Hill is a red rock monolith in the heart of Townsville offering panoramic views, and a slice of military history. There is a popular walking track for fitness focused locals, with a rocky "goat track" a favourite for shedding those unwanted kilos. A road offers access for vehicles and pedestrians. The hill is just metres short of being classified as a mountain. The rock face is home to Townsville's iconic "saint" - a graffiti rendition of the popular television show's stick figure emblem. The Hill's vantage was used by visiting American soldiers during World War II. According to local legend, the visitors famously offered to demolish the hill and use the rock to build a bridge to Magnetic Island. A World War II observation bunker sits on one corner of the hill, which also boasts public amenities, a function centre and car parking to those wanting to enjoy the best view of Magnetic Island.

Cotters Market is North Queensland's award winning arts and crafts market held in Flinders Mall Townsville. Cotters Market is a great place to shop. They have ultra-fresh fruit and vegetables, stunning jewellery, original art works, massages, woodwork, stuffed toads, home-baked cakes, gifts for all occasions and entertainment. Come along and check it out!

The Palmetum is a unique tropical experience covering over 17 hectares. It is a botanical garden featuring one family of plants - the palms. Approximately 60 species of palms are native to Australia and most are represented in the Palmetum. The collection contains around 300 species, many rare and threatened in their natural habitat. The Palmetum has been designed to display plants in environmental context to habitat type from the dry tropics to the wet tropical lowlands. In addition to these recreated habitats there are expansive lawns and water features frequented by numerous bird species. The Palmetum also features the magnificent 'Tumbetin Lodge'- a heritage building with a long history. Facilities include art exhibitions, public amenities, meeting rooms and restaurant and tea room. The Palmetum also features a Memorial to the Black Hawk Disaster.

Pioneer Park is located in Townsville on the banks of the Ross River and Ross River Dam. The park provides recreational facilities and is a popular fishing location. Facilities include sporting fields, picnic and barbecue areas. This park is also home to the Riverway Precinct, a major community facility with integrated facilities and attractions including retail, community, environmental and entertainment precincts.

Pelorus Island is located just north of Orpheus Island in the Palm Island Group. Pelorus is surrounded by spectacular fringing reefs that can be accessed by snorkelling right off the beach. Camping is permitted on Pelorus Island, however there are no camping facilities or freshwater on the island. All camping equipment must be taken with you. No permit is required.

Somewhat more isolated, Toomulla Beach is a great place for birdwatchers. It also boasts a boat ramp and great camping spot for the whole family to enjoy, and is designated for limited free tent and vehicle camping. Just a short drive from Townsville's Central Business District and you land yourself at a quiet beachside retreat perfect for the whole family.

Don't use Townsville war memorial's clock tower to check the time: its clock faces have long been replaced by four plaques depicting an eagle, crossed swords, anchor and the seal of the City of Townsville. As early as 1925, the clocks were unreliable as a time-piece and were later removed. The column of rough cut grey granite, supported on a red-white marble plinth and bracketed by 3 white marble fins, was dedicated by Governor Sir Matthew Nathan on ANZAC Day 1924 in what was then known as The Strand Park. Wrought-iron entrance gates and fencing and several war trophy cannons were installed nearby. Public subscription financed the memorial, designed and constructed by monumental masons, Melrose and Fenwick of Townsville. The Strand Park was renamed ANZAC Park in 1934: a metal arch bearing the new name was erected above the entrance gates, in time for the April 25 ANZAC commemorations. The Strand foreshore fronting the Breakwater Marina contains many other memorials including 27 small plinths holding bronze plaques forming an outer perimeter to the WWI memorial. The focus on ANZAC Day activities since the 1920s has become a natural home for formal and civic commemorations in the north Queensland military city.

The park's wildlife viewing areas and walking and mountain bike trails offer a range of nature-based recreation activities close to the centre of Townsville. The park features deep-water lagoons and seasonal wetlands, coastal woodlands and vine thickets, and sheltered beaches fringed by rocky headlands. Summer rains transform the area into an immense wetland, attracting large flocks of waterbirds. Hike across Many Peak Range, enjoy expansive island views while riding the Under the radar mountain bike trail or walk the trail to enjoy a picnic in beautiful secluded Shelley Beach. For birdwatchers, the park is a paradise! From bird hides and observation points, watch flocks of magpie geese, brolgas, finches, wrens and cisticolas; up to 280 species have been recorded here.

Anderson Park Botanic Gardens Townsville is one of the three separate gardens which together form the Townsville Botanic Gardens being developed by the Metropolitan Council. Being a garden of international repute, Anderson Park is often crowded by plant enthusiasts and unfussy visitors. Planned under the Botanic Gardens Masterplan of Australia, Anderson Park perfectly caters to a wide variety of public activities and expectations. The arboretum inside contains fine varieties of tropical tree ferns, palms, pandanus, tropical fruit and economic plants. The specimen flora in the botanic garden represents collections from the Cape York Peninsula tropical rain forest plants. The plant gathering from North Queensland territory is another star attraction of the park. Anderson Park is a quiescent beauty amongst Townsville's abundant natural attractions. With extensive botanic credentials, the garden in Townsville spreads over 20 hectare, today, is a ground-breaking botanic accomplishment and magnificent public asset. Visit the picturesque Anderson Park Botanic Gardens in Townsville and explore the exotic species of plants there.