Top wildlife experiences

Koalas

Spot one of the many koalas on Magnetic Island that make up Northern Australia’s largest colony living in the wild. The Forts Walk is one of the best places but be sure to admire from a distance to leave these cute creatures undisturbed.

Selina Magnetic Island or Billabong Sanctuary

Platypus

Voted by Australian Geographic as one of the top five places to see a platypus in the wild, spot the elusive Northern Platypus in Paluma Range National Park.

Hidden Valley Cabins

WALLABIES

Get up close and personal to the social rock wallabies at Geoffrey Bay on Magnetic Island, with furry friends also on the mainland including Towers Hill in Charters Towers, Inkerman Hill in the Burdekin and the TYTO Wetlands in Hinchinbrook. Visit at sunset when the wallabies are most active.

Bird Watching

With more than 400 different bird species waiting to be spotted, get twitchin’! Popular locations include: TYTO Wetlands, Ingham, Townsville Town Common Conservation, Paluma Range National Park, Horseshoe Lagoon, Burdekin, Charters Towers Weir.

for any reef enthusiast. Coral Spawning occurs after the full moon between October and November.

Reef operators see page 34.

Whales

Dolphins and dugongs can be spotted regularly off the coast of Townsville, but a fan favourite is the Humpback Whale! July to September is prime time for spotting these gentle giants during migration.

Turtles

The coastal environment of our region is an important breeding spot for green and flatback turtles (particularly on Magnetic Island), with freshwater turtles also commonly spotted in creeks and waterholes, including Townsville’s Ross River.

Butterflies

An annual migration of Blue Tiger Butterflies fills a paperbark forest on Magnetic Island with thousands of these delicate travellers for their yearly ‘hibernation’. Visit between April to September, particularly in the mid-afternoon.

The big moments are even better when the encounter is big.

Big horns Texas Longhorns

Meet Australia’s largest herd of purebred Texas Longhorns Once home to JR, a Guinness World Record Holder, view his award-winning 3.15m horns at the ‘JR Gallery of Horns’.

A message from Netflix star Izzy from Izzy’s Koala World

Our part of the world is a special place, and many unique –and some endangered – animals call this place home.

Learn from the care givers and protectors, and remember to admire from afar to keep our animal friends safe and healthy. If you see sick, injured or abandoned wildlife, don’t touch it – call a trained wildlife professional for help.

Big croc

Meet mainland Queensland’s largest captive estuarine crocodile – Krakatoa Practically a living dinosaur, Krakatoa measures 5.1m long, and weighs over 800kg. Meet him, and other dinosaur descendants – like Troppo the cassowary at Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville.

Big falls

Towering at 268m, Wallaman Falls is Australia’s tallest singledrop waterfall. A short drive from Ingham will have you atop this mighty natural wonder. To feel her true thunderous roar, take the 4km hike to the base – we promise the rugged trail down (and more so back up) will be worth every step!

Big flutter

A little-known phenomenon, the annual Butterfly thousands of these flittering fancies to the forests of each year.