Official Language:
English
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Currency:
Australian Dollar
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Population:
Approximately 130,000 people call Townsville home.
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Weather:
Climate and current weather information for Townsville: A very dry tropical. Townsville gets approximately 320 days of sunshine a year. The climate has an average maximum of 95F°/35C° and an average minimum of 68F°/20C°.
The seasonal changes in Queensland are not really the destinct changes of summer and winter. The changes in Queensland are generally the hotter the climate the wetter it is or the cooler the climate the dryer it is.
In the northern parts of the state the hot/wet season is between November and May, particularly in January, Feburary and March where daily temperatures reach around 95-104°F/35-40°C. This time of the year is also the time for cyclones and flooding with Cairns getting around 1300mm of rain during this period. In the southern parts of the state Brisbane and other major cities average around 450mm of rain in the hot/wet season with temperatures rarely droping into the 20°C's.
In the cool/dry season the state still has relatively warm temperatures compared to the rest of Australia during the months of June to October. Temperatures hardly drop below 20°C and the nights are still warm as well unless you are in the inland/outback regions of the state where it can be cold during the nights.
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Townsville, the capital of North Queensland is the the third largest tropical city in Australia. It is the gateway to Magnetic Island and the Great Barrier Reef. Townsville is the business, cultural, educational, and industrial centre of North Queensland. The first arrival of Europeans happened in 1770 when Captain Cook sailed into Cleveland Bay, followed by the founding of Townsville in 1864 and the first wharf to be built as well. Townsville was initially developed as a base for the practice of blackbirding, the importation of Kanakas forced to work on the sugar plantations of Queensland. This lasted until the end of the 19th century. Now this port is one of Australia's main export centers for timber, bulk sugar, beef, and wool.
In the recent years, millions have been spent as an effort to attract more visitors to stay in Townsville, rather than heading on to Cairns. A hotel with casino and marina have been built on the oceanfront. There are other parts of the city that are being redeveloped yet keeping many of its 19th-century buildings. The highlight is the Great Barrier Reef Wonderland, which offers quite an impressive aquarium, an Omnimax Theater, plenty of shops and the Queensland Museum. It is from here where the ferries depart for Magnetic Island. Magnetic Island is a popular destination approximately 8 miles offshore with nice beaches, plenty of bird life, and a koala sanctuary.
The city center is fairly compact and easily explorable by foot. A short distance outside of town are several museums that certainly are worth visiting. There are also parks, gardens and wildlife sanctuaries. The dominating lookout point atop Castle Hill, offers great views of the town and the coast.
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Attractions |
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Magnetic Island-
Facing Townsville in Cleveland Bay, is a popular tourist attraction. A portion of Magnetic Island is a national park.
Outback & Great Barrier Reef
There are trips into the Outback and the Great Barrier Reef. The reef is approximately 2 hours away by fast catamaran.
Anzac Park
Anzac Park on The Strand will take you on a thoughtful stroll down The Hero's Walk.
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More Information |
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www.townsvillemagazine.com/info.htm
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