Townsville Qld August 7th 2023

 Townsville Qld August 7th 2023

We came down to Townsville, only a 50km run from Rollingstone, for our week-long stay, which is a bit of a novelty for us. This is day 3 and we haven't got bored yet. Mind you, it's a 20km drive into town and to the Strand, which is pretty well the main attraction really. 

Just wandering around really, I took a couple of snaps for posterity:

Main Street, Townsville Qld

The Grand Chancellor Hotel, aka The Sugar Shaker. Townsville Qld

Everyone waa just hanging around, so we did the same. Townsville Qld

The marina seems much larger than last time we were here.  Townsville Qld

Our van park is in one of the northern-most suburbs of Townsville, a place called Deeragun. When we first came here in 2017 the van park was just nestled off the side of the Bruce Highway at a nondescript crossroad. At this point the highway runs next to the railway line. There were two trains a day, one up to Cairns and one back. Over the years, they started to do road works behind and around the park. Now it is nestled in between the Bruce Highway, the Railway line, Mount Low parkway and The Ring Road!

Here's a view from up on The Ring Road, for some reason or other there is a set of steps that lead up to, but not onto the RR. Odd.

Caravan Park on right. Major intersection Bruce, Mt Low and Ring roads. Train line just past The Bruce

You would think it would be noisy, but it isn't too bad. Gets a bit busy during morning and afternoon peak hour, but surprisingly quiet except for the odd hoon and the odd police siren. The trains seem much more frequent, hauling all manner of goods into the port for export. Sugar, phosphate, nickel, copper even molasses are the main ones. 

Friday 11th August

We're on holidays, we treat ourselves occasionally. Today's treat was a whale watching cruise on board the Kalinda, a time-worn old timber vessel working out of the marina. It wasn't cheap, but sometimes you have to splurge. Unfortunately, the vessel isn't particularly comfortable when you are expected to sit for hours on end while it plows its way through the rising swell and chop. 

We saw turtles for two seconds. More hours of hanging on and watching others succumb to motion sickness. The clue is to stay outside in the howling wind, focus on the horizon and think of England...

We actually saw the backs of a whale or two, taking snaps was just a waste of time given the extreme motions of the boat and the distance between us.

Lunch was nice though.

Judy sustained a nasty bruise to her elbow from being thrown against a table and back across onto a lounge in the saloon as a larger than normal wave smacked into the side of the already reeling boat. The crew member worked hard to make her comfortable, but what can you do? Still 3 hours to go before we can get off.

Judy on board Kalinda. Townsville Qld

Cape Cleveland Lighthouse Townsville Qld

Turtle. Cape Cleveland. Lighthouse Townsville Qld

Just have to tough it out. Ended up in Townsville Hospital for an ex-ray, a sling and some reassurance.

Saturday 12th August

I did the newest of the the three Parkruns in Townsville : Aplins Weir. And very pleasant it was as well. Even did a 1/2 respectable time.

Later we went exploring and found the Palmetum (yes, that's a real word apparently) Botanic gardens, called thus because it theoretically only has palms, 300 plus varieties of them. Actually, a very pleasant place to visit and a well hidden secret of Townsville. We had lunch in the attached cafe and the meal was excellent. We even has a sunbird come and visit its nest, right behind my head!

Palmetum Botanic Gardens, Townsville Qld

Palmetum Botanic Gardens, Townsville Qld

Palmetum Botanic Gardens, Townsville Qld

Townsville / Bowen Qld 19-21 August 2019

Townsville / Bowen Qld 19-21 August 2019

Two short-run days. One from South Mission Beach to Townsville, where we stayed at the Woodlands Big 4 overnight, right out on the northern fringe of town, and the second from Townsville to Bowen.

Our first stop out of South Mission Beach was Ingham, where we thought we might get a nice coffee overlooking the wetlands. The parking is near the info centre and you walk across bridges spanning the wetland to get to the cafe, but sadly the cafe has closed. We stopped on one bridge to look at the Lotus flowers and scan for birds, of which there were none other than the usual wetland varieties. What we did notice though was that as soon as you stopped on the bridge and looked down, turtles started coming straight toward you, from all over the pond, not one or two but 30 or 40! Obviously these are being fed by someone.

Judy trying to tickle a turtle. Ingham Qld

In Townsville, the park was deserted except for 'tradies' who have picked up work and need to stay, and longterm residents. The park itself has had heaps spent of facilities such as playgrounds, putt-putt, pools, water play areas and they were just putting in more 'drop' slides for the kiddies. We made the obligatory 20km trip over to The Strand, which is the jewel of Townsville, for a stroll and an ice-cream from Juliettes. We tossed up about going back to the park or having a drink and nibbles at Cbar, overlooking the water. No points for guessing where we spent the next hour, mostly watching the local hero on a kite-board, with winged keel.

Wave warrior with winged keel. Townsville Qld

The Woodland van park is right at the on-ramp to the fabulous Townsville By-pass, just pull out and get the hammer down and just 20km or so later you are leaving Townsville, south-bound on the mighty Bruce. But wait. Not so fast. Another 40km of roadworks later and you're finally under way. Going to be great when its done though.

We finally arrived in Bowen, which at first glance always looks deserted, and went straight through to the van park out on the Queens Beach in Greys Bay. We had walked through here last year and it was packed and so never really gave much thought to coming here this year. But as we have found on this trip, a lot of places seem to have vacancies where once they would have been full. Anyhow, our spot was the second row from the beach and the park itself was quiet and pleasant. In Bowen we did the usual round of tourist sights: Horseshoe Bay Beach, Kings Beach, Flagstaff Hill (where the 'interpretive centre and cafe' is still closed following cyclone damage years ago), Catalina Flying Boat base, museum, Woolies. Pretty intense. On the second day we wanted a swim so went to Horseshoe Bay, but the wind was up and howling straight in and up the beach, very unpleasant. We considered our next move over coffee. The obvious thing to do is drive the few hundred metres back around the headland and swim in the completely protected little beach everyone drives past on their way to the 'name' beach. And very pleasant it turned out as well, mind you the water was 'fresh'.

Looking south along Queens Beach from the Big4. Bowen Qld

Horseshoe Bay Beach. Bowen Qld

Early morning walk along Kings Beach. Bowen Qld

Townsville Qld 12 August 2017

Up at six again this morning to catch the 7 o'clock start of Parkrun on Riverway. last year I did the one called Northside, where I managed to get lost and where there were a handful of people. The one they call Riverway is, oddly enough, right next to the river. It starts in front of the stadium, does a bit of a circle out past the tennis courts then back to the river. First we go upstream and across a bridge and then way down the river to the next bridge, back across and back to the start. Rather a pleasant setting I must say and I managed to squeak under 40 minutes, so it's all good, as they say.

This area seems to be new and boast a stadium, arts centre and this humungous pool. At least twice as long as an olympic pool and an illusion finish at the end. Oh, and then theres another huge pool past that as well. And it's all open to the public all the time, acres of water and facilities and not a fence or a gate in sight.

New pool at the Arts Centre Riverways. Townsville Qld

Back at the van park, I had a nice long swim to round off my exercise for the day.

But what to do with the day? First we tried the wetlands, which due to the unseasonal lack of rain are almost dry, where we took some snaps of the wild life.

Red-backed wren. The Common. Townsville Qld

Great Egret. The Common.  Townsville Qld

Blue-winged kookaburra. The Common. Townsville Qld

Brolga coming into land. The Common.  Townsville Qld

The not-so-wet wetlands. The Common.  Townsville Qld

Next was lunch, and really there is no question about it: it has to be at the Longboard Restaurant, sitting out over the water's edge at the Strand. Yes, we know; it's a tough job but someone has to do it!

Longboard Restaurant. The Strand.  Townsville Qld

Longboard Restaurant. The Strand.  Townsville Qld 

Longboard Restaurant. The Strand.  Townsville Qld

Longboard Restaurant. The Strand.  Townsville Qld

Longboard Restaurant. The Strand.  Townsville Qld

After lunch we went to get fuel and ended up back at the pool from this morning, where apart from the pools there is a rather nice boardwalk along the river's edge. We stopped to stare out and were surprised to see a whole pile of turtles swimming about at our feet.

Turtles in the river. Townsville Qld

We had planned a swim back at the sea-baths back at the end of the Strand but the on-shore breeze was belting in so we had to settle for ice-creams at Juliettes, a bit further along from the pool.

Eat your hearts out! B&J in Townsville, Qld

Townsville Qld July 21-23 2016

Townsville Qld

Three days in Townsville? You must be mad. What will you do?

Good point, but let me put the record straight; Townsville has got some great public spaces, some good tourist attractions and a few hidden things that are quite interesting.

Our van park, the Big 4 Woodlands at Deeragun is a fair way out of town itself, but provided you book into one of en the suite sites, perfectly comfortable. We stayed here last year, down on the powered site row and it was 'horrible, you had to take the car to the loo. This poor sods have been struggling with massive road works out the front and behind the parker over 2 years. The fact that they have managed to build a huge new lagoon pool, a mini-gulf course and a water play area for the kids is quite remarkable.

Interesting signage. Big 4 Woodlands, Deeragun, Townsville Qld 

A clean sweep of the 18 hole mini golf. Big 4 Woodlands, Deeragun, Townsville Qld

However, with the roadworks goes noise and smell and when the Strand is not that far away and is quite beautiful, why would one stay inside the park?

We hot-footed down to the Strand and sat in Adirondack chairs and ate ice-creams. Seemed like the best way to finish the day.

Apart from my struggling around the Townsville North Side Parkrun on Saturday morning, avoiding wild dingos, cyclone damaged tracks and lack of signage, we had no plans. Except, for I promised Judy lunch at the Strand at one of the nice places sitting out over the water. We chose Longboards, which is a nice casual sort of surfie place with slight Mexican slant to its food.

Judy pretending to study the menu, but really ignoring my prying lens.
Longboard Cafe The Strand. Townsville Qld

Longboard Cafe The Strand. Townsville Qld

Longboard Cafe The Strand. Townsville Qld

The Strand is about a 4km stretch of parkland  and playground and beaches all tied together with a great walkway that runs from the city proper up to the Rock Pool. There are a number of jetties out over the water, mostly eateries and gelato joints. One thing they have: free all day parking right the way along; this place is designed to be used! Strolling back from the Longboard to the car we came across a group of Black Cockatoos who were circling around and landing in the trees. We stopped for a good while trying, mostly in vain, to get the ultimate bird snap. They sure are pesky things! Birds in general that is. One came and sat in the fig right above us so we had a chance of sorts to get a close up, and get pooped on at the same time!

The Strand. Townsville Qld

Black Cockatoo. The Strand. Townsville Qld

Black Cockatoo. The Strand. Townsville Qld

They also have this place called the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium, so we went and spent a few hours ogling fish and coral and turtles.

Great Barrier Reef Aquarium. Townsville Qld

Great Barrier Reef Aquarium. Townsville Qld

Great Barrier Reef Aquarium. Townsville Qld

Great Barrier Reef Aquarium. Townsville Qld

Great Barrier Reef Aquarium. Townsville Qld

Great Barrier Reef Aquarium. Townsville Qld

On Sunday we went to try out the Rock Paper Scissors chain of seafood cafes, down on the strand of course. The food was overcooked deep fried heart failure material, quite disappointing really.

Since we were here last they seem to have redeveloped the headland next to the Rock pool up at the other end of the Strand. Nice new cafe for a start! Why didn't we go there? The headland, now known as Jezzine Barracks, had been used for army barracks for ages; to be ready for  the Russian invasion first and then later the Japanese. No surprise that they never fired a shot in anger, but that's our paranoia and our history. Now its all parks and an army museum and boardwalks and artworks. Its really nice and well worth a visit and a wander around.

Judy inside the rock symbolising the joint of the Black &White tribes in the area. Townsville Qld

Jezzine Barracks boardwalk. Townsville Qld

Land snake.. Townsville Qld

Nice artwork, you can just see them shoving off out into the bay. Townsville Qld

Being at a bit of a loose end, we followed the sign declaring 'Town Common Conservation Area' and were greeted with an extensive wetland with a heap more birds than you will see in Kakadu. One flock was a bunch of Magpie Geese which we stopped and watched for a while. Further along we came across some bird hides, so we hid and waited for something exciting to happen. The only excitement was the appearance of a water snake right at our feet.

Magpie Goose. Wetlands. Townsville Qld

Magpie gees. Wetlands. Townsville Qld

Weeds. Wetlands. Townsville Qld

Water Snake. Wetlands. Townsville Qld

A truly lovely and tranquil place, except for the occasional aeroplane coming or going to the airport, at the back of the wetlands.

Back out from the swamp, and further around on the headland we found the remains of the quarantine station and also more WWII bunkers. There is no doubt that we were ready for invasion and that the threat was real. We have seen heaps of this sort of thing all over Australia

WWII bunker, city in the distance. Townsville Old 

WWII bunker, city in the distance. Townsville Qld

Also on the top of the ridge is some state-of-the-art radar system or something for the airforce, looks like a great big golf ball

RAAF Radar or something. Townsville Qld

Anyhow, who said there was nothing to do here?