6 minute read
Award-winning
Townsville is home to three Chef-hatted restaurants including –Bridgewater, A Touch of Salt and JAM, and several other fine dining options, including Miss Songs at The Ville, Shorehouse and Saltwater Restaurant on Magnetic Island – bringing the best of local produce to the silver platter.
Cultural Cuisine
With a rich history and diverse cultural influences, treat your taste buds to a range of unique international flavours. You’ll find an assortment of delicatessens – including JK’s Deli (Ingham) and Lou’s Food Emporium (Ingham) and Dal Santo’s Deli (Ayr) – thanks to the diverse Italian communities across our region.
For a taste of the world’s oldest culture, visit the Gudjuda Café in Ayr – with influences from the local bush tukka trail, and delicious local produce, this is a must do when exploring Plantation Park.
For relaxed dining options with a twist, head to The Rix in Charter Towers for some country hospitality, or go urban in Townsville with a visit to some city favourites, Courtyard, Shaw & Co or Cactus Jacks
Paddock To Plate
Local fishmongers take incredible pride in sourcing locally sustainably caught seafood. Trawlers based in Ingham and Townsville bring the freshest seafood to restaurants and eateries daily – sample our seafood from prawns, fish, crabs and more!
Breathe in cool mountain air and sample the scones at Herveys Range Heritage Tea Rooms. Coffee connoisseurs can try the infamous Kopi Luwak coffee bean – just don’t ask how it’s made before you taste it.
Home to an abundance of tropical fruits grown right here, tempt the taste buds with tangy treats year-round, thanks to our sunny climate. Try the exotic South American achacha fruit at the world’s largest commercial plantation of the fruits in the Burdekin, or sample Hinchinbrook’s rare varieties of Damree Honey. Don’t miss a visit to the iconic Frosty Mango, offering locally made ice-cream from fresh fruity produce. See Markets, page 85
Local brews
Daytime Brews
Here are some of the unique cafes to kickstart the hunt for your morning cuppa. But this isn’t all – be sure to search online for cafes near you!
• Café Nourish
• CBar
• Claredale Pastures
• Dal Santos Continental Deli
• Grandma’s
• Gudjuda Café
• Herveys Range Heritage Tea Rooms
• Hoi Polloi
• JKs Deli
• Otto’s Fresh Food Market
• Scallywags
• Shaka
• Stock Exchange Café
• Whitbread’s Soft Drink and Cordial
Go ‘Green Caffeine’
Evening Brews
Cool off after a days adventure with this list of brews and bars. But this isn’t all – be sure to search online for watering hole near you!
• 237 Bar
• Buzuka
• Heritage Exchange
• Osk Cocktail Bar
• Quarterdeck and Splash Bar
• Railway Hotel
• Rambutan
• Tan Lines Distillery
• The Rix
• Magnetic Island Brewery
• Whitbred’s Soft Drink
• The Taphouse
• Tiny Mountain Distillery
• Townsville Brewing Co.
• Watermark GREEN CAFFEINE PARTICIPATING CAFES IN TOWNSVILLE
Download the Green Caffeen App and you're good to go! It is free to join the Green Caffeen movement as long as you return the cup once you're finished. Even if a re-useable coffee cup accidently makes it’s way back in your suitcase after your holiday, with over 750 participating cafes in Australia you can continue to use “Swap & Go” on the app even in your home city.
A recognised cultural capital of regional Australia, Townsville’s cultural and performing arts scene is part of the fabric of community life, with a variety of acts, live show s, and exhibitions regularly presented throughout the city’s creative spaces and galleries. And this extends to the regions – each offering unique and thought-provoking experiences. See page 69 for further cultural experiences.
ZOOS, AQUARIUMS & MUSEUMS
Museum of Tropical Queensland
Townsville
Maritime Museum
Townsville
Army Museum
Townsville
Townsville Museum
Ayr Nature Display
Burdekin Machinery
Preservationist Society
Courthouse Museum
Ravenswood
Historic Ambulance Museum
Charters Towers
Zara Clark Museum
Charters Towers
Herbert River Museum
Billabong Sanctuary
Reef HQ Great Barrier Reef Aquarium*
Selina Magnetic Island (Wildlife Park)
REEF HQ GREAT BARRIER REEF AQUARIUM*
The world’s largest living coral reef aquarium, Reef HQ Great Barrier Reef Aquarium is home to charastmatic marine creatures, immersive exhibits and a Turtle Hospital.
* Reef HQ Aquarium is currently closed for transformation. Please check www.reefhq.com.au for the latest updates.
From public murals dotted around Charters Towers, the Burdekin and Townsville city. North Queensland’s love of the arts has been integrated into everyday life.
Venture through Townsville’s inner City Walking Trail to uncover astounding pieces amongst the streets and laneways. Tick off Ayr’s Heritage Town Walk to visit the granite and bronze Living Lagoon Sculpture. In Ingham, you can explore the amazing 42m long mosaic art panels of Mercer Lane, created by more than 3,000 locals and visitors, which depicts the history of the local sugar cane industry.
DOWNLOAD THE STREET
ART WALKING TRAIL MAP FOR TOWNSVILLE
If awe-inspiring landscapes and breathtaking views feature on your holiday list, then Townsville North Queensland is sure to impress. With diverse landscapes at every turn, it’s the perfect place to embrace nature, and let your active mind explore.
Check Queensland National Park website for updates on park access, permits and tips to visit with care.
Magnetic Island
NATIONAL PARK
Over two-thirds of Magnetic Island is classified as a National Park, but unlike most other tropical islands, Maggie is filled with eucalyptus woodlands and rocky foreshores. Hike to spectacular views along a network of bush tracks, explore the rocky granite headlands studded with hoop pines, or spend some time on one of 23 sun-soaked beaches while you take in the spectacular coastlines.
Orpheus Island
NATIONAL PARK
Part of the Palm Island Group and within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, Orpheus Island offers secluded, sheltered bays, spectacular fringing reefs and interesting geology within its 1,300 hectares of pristine National Park.
Wallaman Falls Girringun National
PARK
Experience the highest single-drop waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere at Wallaman Falls, just an hour west of Ingham. Hike to the base of the Falls and explore the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area of Girringun National Park, home to some of the oldest rainforests on earth.
Hinchinbrook Island
NATIONAL PARK
Stepping onto Hinchinbrook Island is like taking a step back to prehistoric times, with its rugged cloud-covered mountains, mangrove-lined channels and untouched wilderness. Only 40 people are permitted to camp on Hinchinbrook Island at any given time to protect the Island’s environmental biodiversity, giving visitors the best chance to truly immerse themselves in this natural playground. Book your permits well in advance online at Queensland National Parks or by phoning 13 74 68.
Paluma Range National Park
As the southern gateway to the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, escape to the cool mountain air and tranquility of the Paluma Range. Big Crystal Creek sits just 7km off the Bruce Highway and offers waterholes, large rocky outcrops to soak up some sunshine and natural rockslides. Further up the range, Little Crystal Creek is well known for its historic stone arch bridge (c.1930) overlooking some of the best freshwater swimming holes in the North, or trek further north along the highway to the spectacular Jourama Falls
Townsville Town Common Conservation Park And Cape Pallarenda
The Townsville Town Common is an ever-changing landscape, a series of dry saltpans in the winter months to a flourishing wetland following summer rains. The area is home to over 280 bird species and offers a number of trails spanning mountain tops, sandy beaches and coastal wetlands along Cape Pallarenda.
Bowling Green Bay National Park
Rugged mountains rise from the wetlands, saltpans and mangroves of this coastal plain in the Mount Elliot section of Bowling Green Bay National Park, south of Townsville.
Alligator Creek descends in a series of cascades, deep pools and waterfalls to explore, or venture to the coast to Cape Bowling Green (Burdekin) to see Australia’s longest sand spit, extending over 14km.
White Mountains National Park
(140km South-West of Charters Towers) Spectacular white sandstone bluffs and gorges, seasonal wildflowers and exceptionally diverse habitats, ranging from lancewood forests to sand dunes, make this outback park truly unique.
DISCOVER MORE WALKING & CYCYLING TRAILS
White Blow Conservation Park
A milky quartz outcrop, locally known as White Blow, is a prominent feature of the park, which protects unique geological features and open woodland forest.
Townsville
ANDERSON GARDENS
Townsville’s largest botanic garden, with tropical trees, palms, grand avenues and the World Cycad Collection covering 25 hectares
QUEENS GARDENS
Heritage-listed, the oldest botanical garden in Townsville (1870), Queens Gardens offers a quiet, cool retreat from the city centre with its lush green oasis set against Castle Hill.
PALMETUM
A 17-hectare display offering some of the most diverse public collections of palms in the world. In addition to the recreated habitat zones, there are expansive lawns and water features frequented by numerous bird species. Collect a ‘Birds of the Palmetum’ brochure at the Tumbetin Lodge cafe
JEZZINE BARRACKS
Wander the outdoor art gallery on the Garabarra headland at the Jezzine Barracks to discover sculptures by local First Nations artists. Take a stroll along the coastal boardwalk and walk in the footsteps of the First Australians.
Throw caution to the wind and lace up your best hiking boots or pump up the tyres to take your adventure off the beaten track. Immerse yourself in unspoilt nature from trails to multi-day hikes – let’s do this!
