This underrated town offers the best of Queensland stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Rooftop pools, bars and breweries, a fascinating underwater gallery and Magnetic Island a 20-minute ferry ride away – there’s plenty to see and do in Townsville.
Townsville, Queensland travel guide and things to do: Nine highlights smh.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from smh.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
I’ve come at the start of rainy season to see how this region, more famous as a winter getaway, will lure Australians to their own backyard.
I’m taking a one-way trip, arriving in Cairns, then heading north to Port Douglas along the Captain Cook Highway – known for being one of Australia’s prettiest stretches of road. The rest of the drive will run all the way south to Townsville, along a rainforested route called the Great Green Way.
Day 1: Cairns
Arriving in Cairns, my first stop is a new hotel called Flynn, which is bidding to transform Cairns from its cheap and cheerful backpacker image into an upmarket destination.