Public listings checked 25/10/2026. Dates use each event’s local time. Check organiser details before travelling.
Explore the region
Explore Townsville and its mainland suburbs. Magnetic Island requires a ferry; Paluma and Rollingstone are day-trip destinations.
Listings across Balgal Beach, Bushland Beach, Kirwan, Magnetic Island, North Ward, Paluma, Rollingstone, South Townsville, Thuringowa Central, Townsville.
Attractions and places to visit
46 places in this selection. Opening hours, access and admission vary; check the place details.
Established in 1870, Queens Gardens are the oldest botanic gardens in Townsville. Covering four hectares, the gardens are a lush green oasis set against the dramatic pink granite monolith of Castle Hill, offering a quiet, cool retreat from the nearby city centre. .
The garden is divided into quadrants, each with a central fountain. Special areas include a formal rose garden, the Herb Society's garden, the annuals garden beds, the two small hedge mazes, a rainforest walk and the black bean (also known as Moreton Bay chestnuts) avenue. There is also a small aviary featuring peacocks, lorikeets and sulfur-crested cockatoos.
A significant site for both the Australian military and local Indigenous peoples, the Jezzine Barracks or Garabarra are now open to the public and include coastal boardwalks, artwork, traditional plantings and parklands.
The 15-hectare heritage precinct commemorates the military and Aboriginal heritage of the Kissing Point headland through 32 specially commissioned public artworks, extensive interpretive signage and the restoration of significant elements of the Kissing Point Fort complex.
The space includes a coastal walkway connecting Rowes Bay and The Strand, observation decks up at Kissing Point Fort, traditional plantings along the ethno-botanical walk, the Crossed Boomerang Amphitheatre, Norman and Brigadier North parklands and the Kennedy Regiment Plaza
The Traditional Owners of Garabarra are the Wulgurukaba people, who retain an enduring connection to Country despite the impact of non-Aboriginal settlement in the area. For thousands of years Garabarra was the centre of a common food foraging area for local Aboriginal people - an area with immeasurable cultural and spiritual values.
The Fort was established in 1870 after the British withdrew from the colonies and it was in continuous military use from 1885 to 2006. In 2007 a community trust was established to keep this land in public hands.
Pelorus Island, located 800 metres north of Orpheus Island in the Palms Island group, is an untouched, pristine environment accessible by private boat or on a dive tour. Pelorus Island offers spectacular fringing reefs accessible straight off the beach, which make for a remarkable snorkel or dive experience on the Great Barrier Reef.
For outdoor explorers camping is permitted on Pelorus Island, however all equipment must be carried with you as there is no access to fresh water and camping facilities are not available. No permit is required.
The Townsville Tennis Centre, North Ward is the largest and most modern tennis centre in North Queensland. It is located only five minutes from Central Business District and 10 minutes from Townsville airport.
The centre has 12 plexipave tennis courts and all are lit for night play. The centre has also a clubhouse, a bar and barbecue facilities. It caters for corporate social functions, public court hire, coaching of juniors and adults.
At the centre a comprehensive junior development program is conducted as well as night fixtures and daytime ladies fixtures and premier league. The public are most welcome.
Just metres short of a mountain, Castle Hill is the giant pink granite monolith that stands proud in the centre of Townsville - a perfect place for visitors to orientate themselves. Castle Hill offers vehicle access as well as a number of popular walking tracks, which are frequented by more than 2,500 locals a day! The 360-degree views of Townsville at the top are well worth the journey. Be sure to have a camera on hand, particularly for sunrise or sunset as these are photo opportunities that shouldn't be missed.
Apart from being an iconic centrepiece for the city and a lookout for spectacular scenic views, Castle Hill has a significant history. The Hill's vantage was used by visiting American soldiers during World War II. According to local legend, the visitors famously offered to demolish the hill and use the rock to build a bridge to Magnetic Island. A World War II observation bunker sits on one corner of the Hill reminding visitors of Castle Hill's military history.
Castle Hill facilities include car parking, public amenities, drink fountains and shaded seating to enjoy while taking in some of the best views of the city and across to Magnetic Island.
The Ocean Siren is a 4m high illuminated sculpture by artist Jason deCaires Taylor and inspired by Takoda Johnson, a young indigenous girl from the Wulgurukaba tribe. It serves as a warning signal about the warming seas' threat to the Great Barrier Reef.
The sculpture showcases Takoda holding a traditional indigenous communication device, a Bayliss shell, while looking out towards Magnetic Island and the Great Barrier Reef. At night, the sculpture's colour changes based on daily water temperature data from an AIMS weather station on Davies Reef.
This visual representation of current conditions helps raise awareness about the risks of warming seas to coral reefs. The structure of Ocean Siren, fabricated with stainless steel and translucent acrylic, features a matrix of LED lights that gradually change colour, resembling a heat sensing camera image. The sculpture aims to bring reef science to urban areas in a live, visual, and impactful manner, conveying a clear message about this complex issue.
The Palmetum is a unique tropical experience covering over 17 hectares. It is a botanical garden featuring one family of plants - the palms.
Approximately 60 species of palms are native to Australia and most are represented in the Palmetum. The collection contains around 300 species, many rare and threatened in their natural habitat. The Palmetum has been designed to display plants in environmental context to habitat type from the dry tropics to the wet tropical lowlands. .
In addition to these recreated habitats there are expansive lawns and water features frequented by numerous bird species. The Palmetum features the magnificent 'Tumbetin Lodge'- a heritage building with a long history. Facilities include art exhibitions, public amenities, meeting rooms and restaurant and tea room.
The Palmetum also features a Memorial to the Black Hawk Disaster.
See the Instagram-Famous SS Adelaide, Australia.com’s most liked post of 2018. 186,502 (and counting) likes can’t be wrong, this shipwreck in the waters of Magnetic Island is a sight to behold.
The city of Adelaide ran aground at Cockle Bay in 1916 while being transported. It is located 300 metres offshore and can be accessible during low tide. Hidden behind a sea of mangroves, the City of Adelaide is a off the beaten track experience but it sure does excite the senses!
The City of Adelaide is a great wreck for viewing if you don't feel like getting in the water and the beautiful mangroves nestled in the middle of the exposed hull pose an amazing photo opportunity.
With a sweeping beach, tranquil setting and the iconic jetty, Picnic Bay on Magnetic Island is a spectacular location to enjoy a relaxing swim, beachside dining or a spot of fishing on the jetty. Snorkel and explore the abundant marine life of Picnic Bay or see what you can spot from above while taking a stroll along the jetty. If you are lucky, you might spot a turtle or a shy dugong.
With a number of shopping, dining and accommodation options, Picnic Bay is well suited to meet everyone's holiday desires and budgets. Enjoy a meal along the beachfront at one of the dining outlets or pack a picnic and find a shady spot to take in the picturesque views!
Picnic Bay is also home to Magnetic Island's only golf course. With breathtaking views and curious wildlife including koalas, wallabies and birdlife, a game of golf on Magnetic Island will be one you never forget.
The two bays either side of Picnic Bay are well worth visiting. Cockle Bay is where you will find the wrecked City Of Adelaide, and Rocky Bay is a local hot spot for sun-lovers and one of the Island's top beaches for swimming and snorkelling.
Throw down a picnic rug and relax by one of the many water features Dan Gleeson Memorial Gardens offers while spotting the array of wildlife nearby. These lush gardens are home to a diverse range of wildlife, from long neck turtles, mangrove jack, barramundi, eels, redclaw and prawns to bowerbirds, barking owls, fig birds, ducks, cormorants, egrets, butterflies and a range of beetles and lizards.
Whether you are walking the dog or taking the kids out for a ride on their bikes or scooters, Dan Gleeson Memorial Gardens has a number of well maintained walking paths set amongst gorgeous scenery that is perfect for an afternoon stroll.
Dan Gleeson Memorial Gardens offers ample parking, wheelchair access and barbecue facilities.
Pinnacles Gallery is a dynamic art space committed to offering a diverse exhibition program with a strong community focus. Pinnacles Gallery is located in Townsville's premier Riverway precinct in Thuringowa, providing a perfect backdrop for you to enjoy local and touring exhibitions of visual arts, craft, social history and more.
Once you have browsed the latest exhibition, take a swim in Riverway lagoon, stroll along the riverfront under the shade of the large rain trees or catch a performance at the Riverway Arts Centre.
Pioneer Park is located in Townsville on the banks of the Ross River and Ross River Dam. The park provides recreational facilities and is a popular fishing location.
Facilities include sporting fields, picnic and barbecue areas. This park is also home to the Riverway Precinct, a major community facility with integrated facilities and attractions including retail, community, environmental and entertainment precincts.
