Townsville – Tropical North Queensland

December 2, 2019 / Tina / 1 Comment

Some interesting facts about Townsville: It is Australia’s largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a population of over 185,000. Townsville is famous for an average of 320 days of sunshine per year and adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef.

My first view of this sprawling city indicated it is a modern metropolis by the sea, with a skyline unhampered by high-rise buildings. It has been thoughtfully planned and was largely re-built after the devastating Tropical Cyclone Althea just before Christmas 1971.

The Jezzine Way coastal boardwalk leading up to Kissing Point

Kissing Point – It was actually built as a Fort in the late 1800’s as a defence against the Russians – see https://www.ozatwar.com/ozatwar/kissingpoint.htm

There are many attractions such as the Strand, which meanders around the waterfront offering both locals and tourists the opportunity to skateboard, walk, cycle and enjoy the many reasonably priced cafes and restaurants. The famous Tobruk swimming pool is currently being upgraded, but there is a wonderful water park and two netted areas for swimming in the sea.

At night-time it is a pleasant stroll along the Strand, with many people walking their dogs, chatting, picnicking on the grassed areas in front of the beach and even swimming in the sea.

Townsville has a number of beautiful parks and gardens with striking examples of tropical vegetation.

So many pretty flowering lilies in the pond

My sister Jacky arrived from New Zealand to meet me in Townsville and already we have explored the city and been impressed with the markets, scenery, safety and friendly locals. And last night, the first rains arrived, which drew everyone in the place where we’re staying, to stand outside and watch!

Jacky was due to return to New Zealand on 8th December however her flights were all delayed until 9th, so we ended up having an extra day in Townsville, which was absolutely great. I packed up Bluebird in readiness for the journey south and that night we actually remembered to walk down the road and see the sunset – something that we’d been told about when we first arrived. Ha – maybe not as good as the Broome sunsets but not too bad either!!