My husband and I lived in Townsville for 6 months during the first half of 2024. While I have mixed feelings about having to uproot our lives for a mandatory job rotation, there’s no denying that Townsville is one of the more beautiful places that I’ve lived in. And if you’re visiting as a tourist, most of the downsides of living here won’t affect you, so I would wholeheartedly recommend dropping by, especially if you’re doing a road trip from Brisbane to Cairns.
One of the best things about living in Townsville is how many fun things you can do for absolutely zero cost. Most of the attractions here are completely free, and parking is also generally free (although unfortunately the council plans to start charging for carparks on the Strand).
So, here’s my list of the best free things to do in Townsville! I’m going to leave Magnetic Island out of this, because even though it’s technically part of Townsville, it really deserves its own post.
Walk to Shelly Cove, a hidden gem only accessible by foot
If you drive up Cape Pallarenda Rd as far as it will go, and then walk up the trail marked “Shelly Cove Trail”, you’ll reach a beautiful secluded cove nestled away at the tip of Cape Pallarenda. This is a fantastic place for a picnic – take fish n’ chips or sandwiches or a cheese platter, and set up next to the crashing waves with gorgeous views of Magnetic Island. If you come near sunset, you’ll often have the place to yourself. In my opinion, this is the best beach in mainland Townsville (although I’d rate Alma Bay and Horseshoe Bay on Magnetic Island higher!).
During low tide, you can walk around the tip of the cove and access Shelly Beach, a long stretch of sand facing north towards the Palm Islands. There is only one way in and out of Shelly Beach, and access will be cut off during high tide, so plan accordingly. Shelly Cove, however, is accessible regardless of the tide and you don’t have to worry about not being able to get back as long as you don’t go past the rock formation at the end of the cove.
The walk to Shelly Cove is short (less than 1km from the carpark) and fairly easy, and the path is quite well-formed, except for a bit of rock scrambling near the end.
Hike or bike the Cape Pallarenda trails
Cape Pallarenda is home to a plethora of mountain biking and hiking trails. The short Forts walk takes you through several World War II relics, and connects to the Graves circuit, which leads you through the old quarantine station and, well, graves. Pallarenda has a storied history, having been used to quarantine passengers from incoming ships, and later to defend Townsville and treat wounded soldiers in WWII.
If you’re after a longer and more difficult hike (or mountain biking), the Under the Radar and Smedley trails are shared trails that each take several hours to complete on foot.
Have a BBQ at Pallarenda Park
We’re not done with Pallarenda yet! Pallarenda Beach stretches all the way from Three Mile Creek in the south to the Old Jetty near the Cape Pallarenda trail carpark. There’s heaps of things to do in between: the southern part of the beach allows off-leash dogs (and, during specific hours, horses!), or you can use the BBQ at Pallarenda Park next to the stinger net, or you can head over to the old jetty remains for great views (I have seen couples taking wedding photos here, more than once). Looking south, you’ll see Castle Hill and the city of Townsville, and looking the other way you’ll see Magnetic Island. On windy days, there are kitesurfers to watch, and when the day is calmer, you’ll see boats and yachts cruising through.
This is the most accessible beach in the area, as you can take a ramp straight down from the carpark near Pallarenda Beach. There are also toilets and an outdoor shower.
Take in the views at Mt Stuart lookout
If you’re looking for panoramic views of Townsville and surrounds, you can’t go past Mt Stuart lookout. The sweeping vistas from the lookout point includes Townsville City, Magnetic Island, the Paluma Range, and Hinchinbrook Island. It’s only a 30-minute drive from the CBD to the lookout carpark, and the lookout itself is a very accessible 2-minute walk from the carpark on flat, even ground. There’s one picnic table and a few benches near the viewpoint, but no toilets.
Allied rock wallabies frequent the rocks and vegetation around the lookout, so keep an eye out for them especially if you are visiting around dusk (which you should, because sunsets are spectacular here!). You can also do a short, but steep and uneven loop track for views of the other side of the mountain, looking towards Ross Dam.
Tip: On Google Maps, make sure you are navigating to “Mt Stuart Lookout” and not “Mt Stuart”, otherwise you will be quite disappointed.
Stroll down the Strand
The Strand is the beating heart of Townsville, and lots of people congregate here before and after work to chill by the beach, or eat and drink at one of the many bars and cafes with water views. The beaches at the Strand are small and pretty packed during peak hours (by Australian standards – they’re very empty by European beach standards!), but they are extremely accessible and still bloody gorgeous. Strolling down the Strand on a misty morning definitely ranks as one of my favourite activities in Townsville.
Walk down the pier and do a spot of fishing, swim in one of the two stinger nets, or have a gelato at Juliette’s Gelateria while looking out over the water. If you’re up for spending some moolah, Longboard and Ardo Rooftop both have phenomenal ocean views to enjoy with your meal.
Take a safe dip in the ocean at the Strand rockpools
While Townsville is full of beautiful beaches, there are hidden dangers in the water. Stingers (jellyfish) are common between November to May, and crocodiles (including saltwater crocodiles, or “salties”, which can grow up to 6 meters long) are a risk year-round. While these crocs are most often found in estuaries and rivers near mangroves, they can and do hide just beneath the shallows at beaches as well. You can reduce your risk of encountering stingers by swimming inside stinger nets when they are up during the summer months, and you can reduce your risk of encountering crocs in the ocean by not swimming at dusk and dawn, and not swimming in murky water. Still, there is some risk.
Enter the Strand rockpools. Ocean water is pumped in through filters that prevent most stingers from getting through. Crocs, for obvious reason, tend to not be able to get in as well.
Despite being right in the heart of the Strand, the pool is big enough that it never feels crowded, not even when it’s warm outside. However, the area next to it with the bar and playground can get pretty busy. There are no lockers, and so due to the high traffic nature of the area I’d advise not bringing any valuables with you.
Do the Kissing Point board walk
After your dip in the Strand rockpool, take the very short track up the hill to Kissing Point fortifications to view the old fort and cannons, with fantastic views across to Magnetic Island. The Army Museum of North Queensland, located next to the fort, is a nice free museum run by volunteers, but they open only a few times a week for a few hours, so check opening times before you go.
The trail then descends to the Kissing Point board walk, with green bush on one side and rocky shores and sea on the other. You can keep walking through The Esplanade, and connect with Soroptimist Park at the end. This park has a basketball court and picnic tables, and leads to the Cape Pallarenda Rd walkway. Through this connection point, it’s possible to walk or bike all the way from the eastern end of the Strand to Cape Pallarenda, a roughly 10km flat walk.
Drive or hike up Castle Hill
Castle Hill is one of the first things that most people notice when they visit Townsville – a distinctive craggy hill rising up in the middle of the city. At the top of the hill, there are a few short walkways that provide 360 degree views of Townsville, if you do them all. It’s a very popular spot during sunset, and for good reason!
It’s possible to drive up and park right at the top if you want, but a (surprisingly) large number of people hike up through the goat track. However, you don’t get any good views before you reach the top, so I’d only recommend hiking up the goat track if you’re doing it for the workout. Some people even walk up the bitumen road alongside the cars – I really do NOT advise doing this, because there are blind corners and no sidewalks in some places, and it just feels really dangerous.
Explore the tidal flats at Bushland Beach
The tidal flats at Bushland Beach are a phenomenal place to explore at low tide. You can walk seemingly for miles on end, wading through shallow tidal pools and wide expanses of sand. It is near two estuaries, however, so be alert for crocodiles and don’t step in water higher than your ankles if you can’t see the bottom clearly.
Bushland Beach Tavern is a classic Australian pub just a short walk from the beach, and you should visit for lunch or dinner if you can. Try the crumbed steak – it’s super popular around these parts and tastes a bit like schnitzel, but thicker (and beef instead of veal!).
Adore wild turtles at the Palmetum
You know how annoying it is when you read reviews about “turtles spotted!” at a location and you go there and spot maybe 2 turtles in an hour if you’re lucky? Yeah, this isn’t one of those places. There’s a bridge along the Palmetum walking trail called “CDTLI – Turtle Bridge Landcare Site”, and it is absolutely bursting with turtles. I have literally never seen so many wild turtles in one place. If you go when the sun is high in the sky, you’ll get better photos… but really, it’s hard to miss the turtles.
These turtles are freshwater turtles, and a lot smaller than their sea brethren. Some of them have mossy shells!
Swim in the watering hole at Big Crystal Creek
Imagine taking a dip in water so crystal clear that you can see the fish swimming around you, surrounded by lush greenery and birdsong. The Paradise watering hole at Big Crystal Creek, situated in the Paluma Range National Park, is about an hour’s drive north of the city but feels like a world away. The watering hole is high up enough that crocodiles are unlikely to be there, and is a fantastic place for a day trip. Some of the smaller fish will nibble at your toes if you stay still for long enough!
There’s an RV park and a standard carpark – do not park in the RV park if you don’t have a camping permit. From the carpark, the watering hole is a very short and flat walk away. Getting into the water does require navigating a few rocks, but nothing too difficult.
On the way up from Townsville, drop by Frosty Mango if you can! This lovely little cafe and ice-creamery serves ice cream made from all kinds of exotic fresh fruit – we saw jackfruit, lychee, soursop, achacha, and a whole bunch of other cool stuff. You can also buy tubs of ice cream or fresh in-season fruit to take home.
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