Townsville

ABOUT THIS REGION Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2012 population of 196,219. Considered the unofficial capital of North Queensland, Townsville hosts a significant number of governmental, community and major business administrative offices for the northern half of the state. Townsville is a vibrant region that encompasses beautiful coastal towns, rainforests, rugged Outback and country terrain. The Great Barrier Reef sprawls to the east, the Outback beckons to the west, islands and rainforest entice to the north while sugar cane and mango farming communities tempt in the south. Regarded as the greatest natural playground on earth, the Great Barrier Reef lies just off the coast of Townsville. Dive or snorkel amide the rich clusters of coral, swim in the warm shallows of the ocean or search for seasonal fishing haunts. Townsville is also home of the famous SS Yongala shipwreck, Australia’s best wreck dive site and well worth a voyage into the deep blue. An abundance of sea creatures and array of coral makes this dive a must. To learn more about the Great Barrier Reef and how the different species help to sustain the reef, visit Reef HQ, the largest living coral reef aquarium in the world, which houses more than 100 varieties of coral and 200 species of fish. Billabong Sanctuary is a wonderful interactive wildlife experience where native animals roam freely in the natural habitats. The Sanctuary is set in 11 hectares (25 acres) of natural tropical North Queensland bush and is home to all kinds of native mammals, birds and reptiles. A birdwatcher's paradise at Townsville’s Town Common Conservation Park. Open woodland, grassland, swamps and vine thickets, only minutes from the centre of Townsville, provide habitat for up to 280 bird species. Summer rains transform the area into an immense wetland, attracting large flocks of waterbirds. Whitewater rafting, bushwalking, abseiling, skyseiling, parasailing, snorkelling, sailing, fishing, diving, jet skiiing, horse riding, swimming and sky diving are just some of the activities to enjoy you an adventurous life in the tropics. INDUSTRY RESOURCES Regional Tourism Website : Townsville Regional Tourism Website : Queensland Tourism Research and Statistics : Tourism and Events Queensland Local Councils : QLD Councils CREDITS Information Source : Wikipedia Information Source : Queensland Tourism Image Credit : Magnetic Island : Tourism and Events Queensland : Peter Lik Regional Map : Copyright 2014 GoPanda Communications GoPanda