Townsville

Townsville is a coastal city in North Queensland, about 350 kilometres south of Cairns. Castle Hill, a large pink granite outcrop in the middle of the city, has a road and walking trail to the summit with views over the coast and the dry inland hills. The Strand, the main waterfront promenade, has a free rock pool, a playground, and several cafés along a palm-lined path. Magnetic Island is a 25-minute ferry ride from the city and has walking trails through national park bushland where wild koalas are frequently spotted in the eucalyptus trees. The Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville is the world's largest living coral reef aquarium and is a reasonable alternative if you can't make it to the outer reef. Townsville gets over 300 days of sunshine a year, and the dry season (April to November) is reliably clear. Fish and chips, meat pies, and flat whites are the quick-meal standards. The currency is the Australian dollar.