10 Fantastic Family-Friendly Things to do in Townsville
Townsville often lives in the shadow of Cairns a further 350 km north. When it comes to family holiday destinations, this charming city and its surrounds are seriously under-rated, offering many of the great features that Cairns does! Expect to discover access to the reef, beautiful freshwater swimming holes and a fantastic free-to-use public beachfront area.
We LOVED Townsville!
Watch our YouTube clip below for a brief overview, or keep reading for more information on things to do in Townsville that the whole family (including the parents) can enjoy.
1 – Scooter Along The Foreshore (AKA The Strand)
The Strand is a 2.2km stretch of Townsville’s foreshore that the whole family can enjoy. Bring your own or hire one of the bright orange scooters to zoom along the palm-lined stretch of walkway. Families can stop to enjoy the free waterpark, playgrounds and ocean waters between scootering.
Hire a scooter using your phone with prices beginning at AUD $1 to unlock the scooter and then 38 cents per minute. A more affordable option is to sign up for a three-day pass.
Stop for a swim, take a break for an ice cream, or simply laze on the beach between scootering. There are stinger nets installed during the wet season, usually from November through to March.
If you have bought your own scooters, this is a fun free thing to do in Townsville!
Credit – Jessica Palmer
2 – Swim at The Rockpools and Play at The Park
Another great free thing to do in Townsville, the Rockpools and park are located along the northern end of The Strand. The Rockpools are a manmade stinger-resistant seawater pool and the park is located right next to it. The park features plenty of green grass for a picnic and some BBQs.
There are toilets and outdoor showers here with a lifeguard on duty from 8am- 6pm in the Summer school holidays.
Credit – Jessica Palmer
3 – Take a Selfie at The Townsville Sign
Even if you don’t love taking selfies … I bet the kids do! Mine were more than happy to show off in front of the Townsville sign. Grab an even better photo opportunity when the sun goes down as the giant letters are illuminated by lights on the ground!
Credit – Jessica Palmer
4 – Swim in Alligator Creek
Located at Bowling Green Bay National Park, Alligator Creek is a fun spot for a family swim that does not include crocodiles or stingers. There is sand, rocks and fresh water for nature based fun but like most creeks, exercise caution as it does have a flowing current.
A day-use area is available featuring picnic tables, BBQs and toilets. You can also camp here but there are no bins so you will need to pack your rubbish out.
Try one of the three walks departing from Alligator creek. These include the 200m return Alligator Creek boardwalk, the 1km return Alligator Creek lookout and the 3km return Cockatoo Creek track.
Out of all the free things to do in Townsville, this is probably my favourite!
Credit – Jessica Palmer
5 – Stroll Jezzine Barracks
The Jezzine Barracks is a 15-hectare precinct that commemorates both the military history of the area and the Aboriginal heritage of the Kissing Point headland through interpretive signs and public artworks.
Walk up the steps for some great views and make sure to take your time and read all the signage. Although there are some stairs involved, the walk can be managed at a leisurely pace to take it all in.
6 – Visit The Billabong Sanctuary
When it comes to great things to do in Townsville, you can’t go past a visit to the Billabong Sanctuary. Located just 20 minutes drive south of Townsville, the Billabong Sanctuary is a 27-acre sanctuary with lots to occupy the whole family, including a daily crocodile show where you can learn the do’s and don’ts of swimming in North Queensland.
Families can feed a cassowary, cuddle a koala and experience many other Australian animals. We loved the Billabong Sanctuary for its size as it’s easily managed in half a day and doesn’t have to be a drawn out all day event.
Credit – Tourism & Events QLD
7 – Play at The Waterpark
This free waterpark is located along The Strand and is a popular spot for families to beat the heat and relax. Kids will love the slides, dumping bucket, water cannons, and more. Parents will enjoy the opportunity to relax on a picnic rug while the kids are occupied by the waterpark. I know I did!
There are toilets, BBQs and outdoor showers located here and the park is open from 9am – 8pm from December to March, and 9am – 6pm from April to November. The waterpark is closed every Tuesday for maintenance excluding public school holidays.
Credit – Jessica Palmer
8 – Watch Art Come to Life on The Public Art Trail
When looking for things to do in Townsville city, don’t miss the Townsville Public Art Trail! Why? Because some of the fantastic artwork features Augmented reality and comes to life with the simple use of a free app on your phone or tablet.
Grab a map from the information centre and hit the pavement across Townsville’s CBD to find the series of public art pieces. If you see a QR code located on the ground near the artwork, scan it with your phone, download the app, point your device at the artwork, and TADA … it comes to life!
Credit – Jessica palmer
9 – Spend The Day at Little and Big Crystal Creek
Located in the Paluma Range National Park, families will love a day trip out to Little Crystal Creek and Big Crystal Creek. Little Crystal Creek is stunning, featuring an old rounded bridge with water flowing underneath and Big Crystal Creek is a lot of fun, with both shallow sections and deeper sections.
The rocks are slippery so care needs to be taken and of course, it’s better not to jump in the water from a height as you never know if there is a submerged log or rock underneath.
There are a few walks to do in the area. More information can be found here.
Credit – Jessica Palmer
10 – Day Trip Over to Magnetic Island
Take the ferry over to Magnetic Island for a fun day of swimming, hiking up to great viewpoints, snorkelling and feeding the cute rock wallabies. There is a lot to do on Magnetic Island and it’s worth spending a few days if you have the time!
Check out our article on Fantastic Things to do on Magnetic Island for more information!
Credit – Jessica Palmer
Where to Stay in Townsville for Families
The Park Regis Anchorage is a surprisingly affordable and incredibly spacious apartment building fronting Ross Creek on Palmer Street. We LOVED our stay here and really appreciated the air-conditioning when the temperature soared! The Park Regis is an upscale brand of quality accommodation and is part of the Stay Well Group.
They appeared to take health and safety seriously and you can read more about the Stay Well Program here.
Although it’s located near the restaurant precinct of Townsville, the two-bedroom apartments also feature a fully decked out kitchen and both indoor and outdoor eating options.
Book your stay at the Park Regis Anchorage here.
Credit – Jessica Palmer
Looking for More Townsville and Magnetic Island Inspiration?
For more information on great places and awesome activities to do as a family in Townsville and Magnetic Island, jump on over to our Townsville & Magnetic Island page. Alternatively, head back to the home page for Australian and worldwide inspiration.
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Resources For Visiting Townsville & Magnetic Island
Getting to and Around Townsville
Located in North Queensland, Townsville can be found around 350km South of Cairns, and 1,330km North of Brisbane. Get a great deal on flights into Townsville at Trip.com. If you have flown in and need to hire a car, score a great deal through Discover Cars.
Getting to and Around Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is located around 10km off the coast of Townsville in North Queensland. It’s as easy as jumping on one of the ferries below.
Magnetic Island Ferry
Magnetic Island is reached by ferry from Townsville. There are currently two main ferry services, a 25-minute passenger only ferry and a 45-minute vehicle and passenger ferry. I’ll be writing more on this soon, stay tuned!
Hire a topless car on Magnetic Island island for a bit of fun!
Accommodation Townsville
We couldn’t fault the Park Regis Anchorage for great value, location and plenty of space. This is the best self contained accommodation in Townsville!
Accommodation Magnetic Island
Camping
We stayed at a HipCamp on Magnetic Island for a very affordable price. Learn more about HipCamp here and receive $10 credit for signing up using the link within the blog!
Hotel Style Accommodation
