Is Townsville Worth Visiting?

Have you ever arrived at a town that completely blew your expectations away? When we spent a couple of days in Townsville, Queensland, it did exactly that!

So when people ask, “Is Townsville worth visiting?”, it’s an astounding YES from us – here’s why!

We knew you could get to Magnetic Island from here, but we weren’t really sure what else we’d find. As it turns out, this underrated gem has so much more to offer.

From stunning coastal walks to vibrant city life, there are plenty of things to do in Townsville beyond catching the ferry to Magnetic Island – especially if you’re travelling in a campervan!

Whether you’re planning a quick stop or a longer stay, keep reading to discover why Townsville should be on your must-visit list, where to stay, and the best ways to explore this incredible destination.

Is Townsville Worth Visiting, As A Van Lifer?

When van lifers and road trippers ask us about Townsville, we always say you absolutely must visit if you enjoy free showers, free camping, amazing views and plenty of nature to escape into.

We spent several days here to break up our drive from Brisbane to Cairns, so here are some of the best things to do in Townsville that road trippers and van lifers will really appreciate!

Relax At The Free Infinity pool

Just on the outskirts of the city, you’ll find one of our favourite things to do in Townsville.

We loved the riverways lagoon, not just because it’s free but also because of the amazing views from the infinity pool.

The sports complex is located right next to the Ross River and behind that you can see the start of the Tropical rainforest, there’s an Olympic sized swimming pool for doing your fitness but the real reason for visiting is the infinity pool overlooking the river.

Another cool family-friendly addition next to the sports complex is the all abilities play area, this has play equipment that allows children in wheelchairs to join in the fun!

If you’re travelling to Townsville in a camper van it’s worth noting that not only is the pool free, the parking is free and there’s also free hot showers too! It’s a traveller’s paradise.

Enjoy Free Camping

We’ll talk about where to stay in Townsville in more detail a bit later, but another thing we loved about Townsville was the wide range of free camping options.

Freedom campers get a bad rep sometimes, but for us, camping for free meant we had more budget for eating in local cafes and doing more of the paid attractions. If we had paid for every single night we had on the road, there’s no way we would have had the budget to put money into other small businesses in the area.

Keep reading for a list of our favourite free camping spots in Townsville, as well as a few of the popular paid locations too!

Best Things To Do In Townsville

Alongside the free things that we appreciated as van lifers, we also made time to see what else the town had to offer, and like I said in the intro, we were pleasantly surprised with how much Townsville has to offer.

Here are some of the best things to do in Townsville that make it worth visiting

1. Admire The Views At Castle Hill

Castle Hill is 286m high so it’s the best place to get fantastic views of Townsville and out to Magnetic Island.

While you can drive all the way to the top, it’s a popular fitness route for walkers and runners so if you fancy a challenge, why not join them?

At the top of Castle Hill, there are 4 walking tracks that take you up a little further and give you different vantage points across the area. The track that goes above the toilet block gives an amazing view at sunset but get there early, we were amazed at how busy it got as colours filled the sky.

On the north face of Castle Hill, you’ll see the infamous ‘Saint’. A graffiti piece that was done by rebelling kids in the ’80s but it’s now a piece of history and the locals voted against having it removed.

3. Wander Around The Queens Gardens

Just like most cities in Australia, Townsville has a beautiful botanical garden filled with local and exotic plants.

Queens Garden is Townsville’s oldest and covers an impressive 4 hectare of land, so there’s plenty of exploring to be done there including 2 hedge mazes and even a small aviary that has peacocks and cockatoos! From here you can get an amazing view of Castle Hill too.

The view of Castle Hill from Queens Gaden: courtesy of Ocean Crave

4. Discover Billabong Sanctuary

The Billabong Sanctuary in Townsville is like a mini Australia Zoo.

A great day out if you’re craving some wildlife interactions. Get up close and personal to some of Australia’s most iconic wildlife and learn a bit more about the conservation efforts that go into supporting the wild population.

5. Perc Tucker Regional Gallery

Housing a significant collection of North Queensland Art, the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery is a unique cultural thing to do in Townsville when it’s raining.

6. The Museum of Underwater Art

The Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) is a one of a kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and was created to highlight the importance of Reef conservation.

Only one of the pieces can be seen from Townsville’s Strand, the rest require you to join a guided diving tour, but it’s perhaps one of the most unique things to do in Townsville for those looking for a dose of adrenaline.

Photo courtesy of Viatour

7. Museum Of Tropical Queensland

An award winning museum dedicated to showcasing the area’s natural and cultural history. It makes for another fun thing to do in Townsville when it’s raining.

Here you’ll be able to learn about war time history, see artefacts from a local shipwreck that wasn’t found for over 180 years and discover fossils that have been uncovered right across Far North Queensland.

Day Trips from Townsville

If you’re still wondering ‘is Townsville worth visiting’, maybe these day trip ideas will tip it for you.

Once you’ve had your fill enjoying the landscape, history and rich nature in Townsville, there’s plenty nearby too!

Magnetic Island

Magnetic Island is the most popular day trip from Townsville and easily the number one reason why people visit in the first place.

To do it justice you really need more than a day but if you’re short on time a day on Magnetic Island would be fine.

It’s a haven for wildlife, so it’s not hard to find koalas here and the rock wallabies are the friendliest residents on the island.

Getting to Magnetic Island requires a ferry (you can book it here), you can either take your own or rent one when you get there.

Accommodation options range from camping right through to Hostels, luxury hotels and home-stays. We use booking.com for booking accommodation.

Rollingstone Park

Just a short drive past Saunders Beach is Rolling Stones Park, there’s a free tent and campervan camping site here so if you fancy extending your day trip from Townsville it’s really easy to do so. Relax by the creeks or enjoy one of the weekly local markets and escape the hustle of the city.

Paluma Range National Park

There’s a wide range of walking tracks along the creeks at Paluma Range but the leading attraction is Jourama Falls.

Follow the track to the viewing platform, have a picnic and enjoy the fresh water swimming that the creeks have to offer. Just an hour from Townsville, Paluma Range forms part of the Wet Tropics, so this day trip from Townsville is a little glimpse into what Far North Queensland has to offer.

Where to stay in Townsville

Paid Camping

There are loads of opportunities for camping, especially if you’re looking for self-contained accommodation in Townsville, from luxury caravan sites to hostel car parks, Townsville accommodation caters for everyone. Here are just some of the popular choices;

Townsville Big4

It’s no secret that we love Big4’s. You’re pretty much guaranteed to get what you want when you stay with this franchise.

There are two Big4’s in Townsville.

The Tasman Big4 is located close to the beach but far enough out of the main town area for it to not feel too busy.

The Gateway Big4 is on the southern side of Townsville on the outskirts of the town.

Facilities at both of these include include shower, a pool, free wifi, potable water, dump station, laundrette, communal kitchen, electric hookup and more.

Big4’s typically also offer different accommodation options from budget rooms, shared dorms and luxury apartments.

Book your Big4 Tasman stay here

Book your Big4 Gateway stay here

Townsville Lake Holiday Park

Close to the Currajong is the Townsville Lake Holiday Park.

This is a pet friendly, budget option for paid camping in Townsville. Located next to a beautiful lake, it’s a quieter option than the previous holiday parks we’ve talked about and without the huge play parks it’s likely to invite fewer families.

Facilities include electric hook ups, communal kitchens, dump station and water refill taps.

Free Camping

There isn’t any official free camping near Townsville but we noticed plenty of camper vans parked up overnight in some of the city’s unrestricted parking zones, including at the top of Castle Hill.

Free camping is a grey area for a huge chunk of the East Coast so it’s best to check up on local laws (and WikiCamp reviews) before you risk it. 

However, there are a few options for free camping near Townsville, just outside of the main city;

BP Truckstop Townsville

Facilities; Showers, drinking water, cafe, toilets, rubbish bins

This is where we stayed and our recommendation is to get there early to get a good spot.

It’s the closest free camping site near Townsville so it’s also the busiest.

That doesn’t mean it’s not a good spot though! It’s kitted out for trucks so you’re not going to get moved along plus it has all the facilities you would want.

It’s also right next to a Bunnings if you want to grab a $5 snag..

Bluewater Park, Townsville

Facilities; Toilets, drinking water, rubbish bins, picnic benches

Located 30 minutes outside of Townsville, Bluewater is a nice quiet camp surrounded by nature.

Close to the river, there’s plenty of space and plenty of shade for you to park under. There are markets held here every Sunday which makes it a great place to refuel too.

Saunders Beach

Facilities; Showers, toilets, drinking water, rubbish bins, BBQ’s and picnic benches

The final option for free camping near Townsville is Saunders beach, there are free showers and plenty of spaces to get parked.

It’s located right next to the beach so on the weekends parking can still be limited.

Hotels & Motels

Townsville is packed with high quality hotels, motels, homestays and budget hostels. We’d be here all day if we listed them all, so here’s a handy Booking.com map to help you search for what fits your budget and travel dates.

Last minute Townsville tips;

• Try and book accommodation a few nights ahead, it’s a popular spot and places book up fast; especially in peak season. If you’re having a last-minute Townsville trip like us, your best bet is one of the free campsites or booking.com
• Use getyourguide.com to find great deals on activities
• Cut down costs by shopping at Coles and enjoying one of the many sea view free BBQ areas on the Strand.

We really enjoyed our couple of days in Townsville and are already planning a return trip—there’s so much more to explore, especially Magnetic Island! Have you ever visited a town that completely surprised you? We’d love to hear about it!

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