Townsville

4-MIN READ4-MIN

Published: 12:00am, 21 Jun 2006

1 Waterfront delights

Enjoy Townsville's beachfront by strolling along the Strand, a vibrant recreation area with stretches of green lawn, trees and fountains, large colourful waterslides where children can cool off on hot days and paved areas for power-walkers, rollerbladers and cyclists. Townsville, which has a hinterland of tropical rainforest, is close to historic gold-mining towns, the Outback, islands and the Great Barrier Reef. Go to www.townsvilleholidays.com.au.

2 Pandora's puzzle

Follow the voyage of HMS Pandora at the Museum of Tropical Queensland. In 1791, the ship was sent to capture the Bounty mutineers but sank after hitting the Great Barrier Reef. The Queensland Museum has been excavating the wreck and is piecing together the Pandora puzzle, most of which is displayed in a museum that prides itself on its focus on maritime archaeology. There is a replica of the ship, scenes from the journey and relics dug up from the ocean. Peek into the behind-the-scenes window at the far end of the Great Gallery and watch the taxidermy team at work.

3 Breathless views

The pink granite monolith that towers 286 metres above the city is aptly named Castle Hill and is the place for a bird's-eye view of Townsville and the surrounding area, from Cape Cleveland to Cape Pallarenda. There's a sealed road with vehicle access, along with two main walking tracks that lead to the top. If you're a hiker, take the Goat Track, which starts at Hillside Crescent and leads up the eastern ridge.