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.
Bushland Beach is a beautiful stretch of beach in a suburban area, with visitor accommodation and facilities available. Ideal for fishing, swimming, walking and water activities. Low tide uncovers an old wooden shipwreck. The beach is well serviced with a resort, barbecue facilities, playgrounds and a boat ramp.
Bushland Beach is part of the Northern Beaches area of Townsville, located 25 minutes drive from Townsville's central business district. Access to Bushland Beach is via a turnoff along the Bruce Highway.
This secluded beach is a great spot for birdwaters and family outings. With a designated free tent and vehicle camping area and views across the ocean, Toomulla Beach is a perfect beachside retreat. Launch for a day of fishing from the boat ramp. You must book online to secure a free camping site.
Toomulla Beach is an ideal location enjoy the unwind and escape everyday hustle and bustle.
Balgal Beach forms part of the popular Northern Beaches district of Townsville North Queensland. Offering a superb sand beach and secure swimming in the stinger net from November to May, Balgal is ideal for a relaxing day by the ocean or a fun way to spend time with the whole family. The area is also a renowned river fishing location.
For those wishing to explore deeper and head out to the Great Barrier Reef, Balgal Beach provides excellent boat ramp facilities and easy access to the spectacular Palm Island group.
There are a number of licensed cafés and accommodation available in the area including holiday units and designated tent camping and vehicle camping areas. Please note, for access to the free RV camping site you must book online.
Pitch your tent and relax by the freshwater creek at Rollingstone Park. With a free designated tent and vehicle camping area, this is a great spot for a weekend getaway and cool down in the freshwater swimming area. Please note you must book online to secure a spot in the free camping area.
Regular community markets are also held there, on the first Saturday of each month from April to September from 8 am to noon.
Rollingstone also boasts a Museum, the restored Rollingstone Railway Station filled with historical mementos of the area, as well as a network of interpretive historic signage. Contact the Rollingstone Historical Society for more information on the history of the area and the markets. Other facilities include the local pub which is a community landmark and a popular stopover for day visitors to enjoy local bands and arts and crafts markets. Rollingstone also has a beach caravan resort a little further down the Highway.
The crystal clear waters and pristine waterfalls of this freshwater creek are ideal for a refreshing swim. The mountain water cascades under a picturesque heritage-listed stone arch bridge built in the 1930s depression. It's bridge is a popular place amongst the Townsville locals on the weekend.
Just above the bridge as some very spectacular waterfalls. It's also the most popular place in Little Crystal Creek and for good reasons. A perfect place to escape the summer heat by having a quick dip in refreshingly cool water. The rain forest has a good canopy so the vegetation isn't too dense.
Lodestone Reef is a popular dive site off Townsville visited by day boats that both snorkelers and divers will enjoy. This lovely reef has pretty hard coral gardens in the shallows that are overflowing with reef fish. This is a good location to see anemonefish, butterflyfish, angelfish and blue tangs. If you can look pass all the colourful fish you will also see octopus, nudibranchs, sea stars and many other invertebrate species.
In deeper water at Lodestone Reef are coral canyons and bommies to explore in depths to 25 metres. In this area are wonderful soft corals, gorgonians and sea whips, plus larger reef residents like reef sharks, stingrays, sweetlips, gropers, trevally, barracuda and the occasional turtle.
Lake Paluma is an attractive lake surrounded by World Heritage Rainforest. It provides a water supply for approximately one third of the year. Weather proof shelters for day use with barbecues are available and camping sites for longer stays. Swimming and non-motorised vessels are allowed. If you are lucky you may see a platypus, peregrine falcon or eastern water dragon.
Due to the popularity of Lake Paluma as a camping destination, there are a limited number of camp sites available and you must pre-book a permit. Access is via a 12 kilometres gravel road just past the Paluma township. All rubbish taken in must be removed, and no domestic animals are allowed.
Situated near Cape Bowling Green off the coast between Townsville and Ayr, the SS Yongala is possibly the best wreck dive in the world. The ship, at 110 metres long, is one of the largest, most intact historic shipwrecks, as well as one of the most intriguing maritime mysteries - after sinking in 1911, the SS Yongala lay undiscovered for more than half a century.
Due to being the only reef formation in the region, the ship attracts a much higher amount of sea life than other dive sites. Everything about the SS Yongala is massive: huge fish, enormous structures of coral and with so much of the ship still intact, it makes for a stunning sight and one that won’t compare to anything else. You will find eagle rays, turtles, giant Queensland gropers, schooling barracuda, sea snakes and much more living on board the SS Yongala.
Located off Townsville, Keeper Reef offers a wonderful dive for those that love to explore healthy coral gardens. It is easy to get lost at this dive site as the coral gardens are divided by ridges and bommies, creating a coral maze.
Some of the best corals at Keeper Reef are the beautiful gorgonians and spikey soft corals. Going no deeper than 16 metres divers will see schools of fusiliers, coral trout, rabbitfish, batfish, turtles, whitetip reef sharks, sweetlips and barramundi cod. There are also plenty of ledges to investigate, which are home to crayfish, rock cods, squirrelfish and shrimps.
Wheeler Reef, on the Great Barrier Reef, is an easy boat trip from Townsville in North Queensland. The site offers some of the most pretty reefs for exploring by snorkelers as well as divers of all experience levels. With the reef depth varying from two metres down to 18 metres, there is an abundance of coral and sea life coating every last surface. The impressive lagoon is home to large schools of reef, tropical and pelagic fish, all waiting to explore the many gullies, canyons, caves and swim-throughs that this reef is famous for with you.
