Whitsunday
Coast
Towns & Holiday Destinations Queensland
Townsville
Townsville,
the
capital
of North
Queensland
is the
the
third
largest
city
in the
state.
Located
in North
Queensland's
'dry
tropics',
enjoying
an average
of 320
days
of sunshine
each
year.
The
city
is the
perfect
stepping
off
point
for
tropical
islands
and
the
Great
Barrier
Reef, Magnetic
Island being
only
20 minutes
away
by high
speed
catamaran.
Also
close
by are
many
National
Parks
the
outback
and
magnificent
rainforests
. Townsville
sits
on the
shores
of Cleveland
Bay
where
Captain
Cook
sailed
in the
Endeavour
on June
5 and
6 1770.
The
first
wharf
was
built
at Ross
Creek
in1864
and
after
a report
on dredging
and
construction
the
Townsville Harbor
Board
was
formed
in 1896.
Today
it is
Northern
Australia's
premier
port
shipping
over
6.5
million
tonnes
of cargo
a year.
Townsville's
heritage
has
been
retained
with
much
of the
Central
Business
District
and
waterfront
areas
now
housed
in magnificently
restored
historic
buildings,
adding
character
and
charm
to the
city
heart.
The
city
centre
is framed
by The Strand
Waterfront
and
the
looming
pink
granites
of Castle
Hill.
Tropical
Flinders
Mall,
museums,
attractions
and
eating
places
ranging
from
the
sophisticated
through
to alfresco
style
contribute
to the
character
of this
precinct.
Mackay
Mackay,
located
halfway
between
Brisbane
and
Cairns
is surrounded
magnificent
beaches
and
country
charm.
The
streets
are
lined
with
towering
Royal
Palms
and
ferns
with
colouful
parrots
giving
the
town
a unique
tropical
appearance.
With
a population
of 40
000
the
town
is an
important
centre
for
the
sugar
industry
shipping
almost
one
third
of Australia's
total
production.
There
is easy
access
to the
Great
Barrier
Reef,
and
beautiful
mainland
beaches
and
the
spectacular
Eungella
, and
Hillsbourough
National
Parks
are
close
by.
Airlie
Beach
The
delightful
coastal
village
of Airlie
Beach
is the
mainland
centre
for
the
Whitsunday
Islands.
Surrounded
by the
Conway
Range
National
park
to the
west
and
the
Whitsundays
at its
front
door
Airlie
beach
is holiday
destination
in its
own
right.
There
are
many
popular
rainforest
walks
through
the
lush
valleys
of the
Conway
Ranges
which
take
in waterfalls
and
some
of the
oldest
surviving
rainforest
in the
world.
Daily
4WD
tours
are
also available
into
the
heart
of the
rainforest
where
visitors
can
experience
the
spectacular
flora
and
fauna
which
includes:-
red
and
white
cedars;
exotic
wild
orchids;
enormous
strangler
figs
and
famous
brilliant
blue
Ulysses
butterfly.
There
are
many
stunning
beaches
around
Airlie.
Earlando
and
Dingo
beaches
are
favorites
for
fishing
and
beachcombing while
Funnel
Bay,
4km
from
the
village
is one
of the
most
picturesque
spots
on the
coast.
Charters
Towers
Charters
Towers
in is
situated
135km
south-west
of Townsville,
with
a population
of almost
10 000
In its
"hey
day"
as a
gold-rush
town
it maintained
a population
three
times
that
of the
present.
From
1871,
and
until
1911,
some
seven
million
ounces
of gold
were
extracted
from
the
region.
The
enormous
gold
reserves
prompted
the
building
of Australia's
first
regional
stock
exchange.
This
magnificent
heritage
building
has
been
fully
restored
in recent
years.
Grand
hotels, banks
and
public
buildings
of that
era
are
still
in use
today
giving
the
visitor
a glimpse
of what
life
must
have
been
like
back
in the
boom
times.
The
major
industry
for
the
region
is now
cattle,
however
renewed
interest
in mining
has attracted
many
companies
to the
area,
the
remaining
gold
being
reached
only
by modern
mechanised methods.
Ravenswood
Located
123
kilometres
south-west
of Townsville,
the
historic
town
of Ravenswood
once
boasted
more
than
50 hotels
in the
booming
gold
rush
days
of the
turn
of the
century.
Today
Ravenswood
is classified
as a
heritage
town
through
the
National
Trust
of Queensland.
The
Ravenswood
Restoration
and
Preservation
Society
actively
works
to coordinate
the
preservation
of the
array
of historic
buildings. The
town
is a
short
90 minute
drive
from
Townsville,
and
gives
a fascinating
insight
into
the
history
and
heritage
of the
areas
gold
rush
era.
A booklet
is available
on five
heritage
trails
which
incorporate
the
many
heritage
buildings
of the
town,
historic
mining
sites
and
the
"White
Blow",
an outcrop
of white
quartz
located
several
kilometres
out
of the
town.
The
impressive
Imperial
Hotel.
Built
in 1902
is magnificently
restored
complete
with
swinging
saloon
doors,
a red
cedar
hand
carved
bar
in the
shape
of a
horseshoe
and
beautiful
leadlighting.
Bowen
Bowen
situated
on a
peninsular
in the
shores
of Port
Deninson
is Northern
Queensland's
oldest
town.
With
a colourful
past
stretching
back
to 1770
the
town
was
proclaimed
in 1861.
The
historical
museum
and
the
Bowen
Murals
are
some
attractions
See also Islands of Australia for more holiday information on the region
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