Best parks and outdoor spaces in TownsvilleUpdated

Townsville's outdoor spaces benefit from the Coral Sea, the dry tropical climate, and the national park resources that begin immediately at the city's edge, creating outdoor access that the city's defence population uses intensively during the excellent dry-season months.

Castle Hill Reserve — the 286-metre pink granite monolith at the city's centre is accessible by the Castle Hill Track from the CBD in 45-60 minutes. The summit views over Cleveland Bay, the port, and Magnetic Island are the definitive Townsville outlook and the morning walk to the summit is the most popular exercise circuit in the city.

The Strand and Rockpool — the 2.2-kilometre beach foreshore with the netted Rockpool, the parks, and the restaurants constitutes Townsville's primary social outdoor space. The Palm grove picnic areas, the skate park, and the Sunday morning markets create the community outdoor life that the Strand was designed to support.

Bowling Green Bay National Park — the coastal national park and Ramsar-listed wetlands south of Townsville provide the birdwatching, the mangrove kayaking, and the marine turtle habitat that make it one of Queensland's most ecologically significant coastal protected areas within easy reach of a major city.

Mount Stuart — the 428-metre peak south-west of the city offers the alternative panoramic view to Castle Hill, with hiking trails that range from 30-minute fire trail walks to the challenging Mount Stuart Peak walk that rewards with views extending to Palm Island on clear days.

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