Things to do in Townsville this weekendUpdated

Townsville is the commercial centre of North Queensland but its appeal on the weekend is entirely about the natural assets that surround it — the island 20 minutes away by ferry, the 286-metre granite rock in the middle of the city, and the Great Barrier Reef that begins at the outer reefs accessible by day trip from the harbour.

Magnetic Island

The 25-minute ferry to Magnetic Island from the Townsville ferry terminal delivers one of Australia's most appealing island experiences — 23 beaches, a national park covering half the island, koalas in the eucalyptus above the walking tracks, and the kind of relaxed island hospitality that survives because the island is just remote enough to filter for the right visitors. Spend the night if you can; the day trip is excellent but the island after the last ferry leaves is special.

Castle Hill

The granite monolith that rises 286 metres from the middle of Townsville is the city's most distinctive landmark and the walk to the summit is 2.3 kilometres of varying gradient from the CBD. The views from the top — across the harbour, Cleveland Bay, and Magnetic Island — are among the most complete urban panoramas in Queensland. Go at dawn for the colour; go at dusk for the light.

Museum of Tropical Queensland

The Museum of Tropical Queensland on the waterfront Strand is the best museum in North Queensland, with the wreck of HMS Pandora as its centrepiece — the British warship that sank in 1791 while transporting Bounty mutineers to justice in England, and whose salvaged artefacts are presented in one of the most engaging maritime archaeology displays in Australia.

The Strand

Townsville's foreshore — 2.2 kilometres of parks, pools, restaurants, and the Rockpool that solves the box jellyfish swimming problem with a netted ocean pool — is the city's social spine. Saturday morning at the Strand's markets is a Townsville institution. The Sunday morning parkrun along the foreshore attracts 400-plus participants every week.

Reef HQ Aquarium

The world's largest living coral reef aquarium in Townsville houses a complete living reef ecosystem — sharks, rays, sea turtles, and the thousands of fish species that constitute a healthy reef community — in a display that gives visitors the full reef experience without leaving the city.

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