Townsville travel guide

Townsville Tourism | Townsville Guide

You're Going to Love Townsville

With a population of 196,219, Townsville is a must-see destination in Queensland, Australia. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Townsville deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Townsville

Townsville City is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Townsville. These include popular favourites such as A Touch of Salt (86 Ogden Street), Miss Songs (Sir Leslie Thiess Drive) and Splash Bar (Sir Leslie Thiess Drive). If you’re looking for affordable options, The Palm House (Sir Leslie Thiess Drive) and Shorehouse (118 The Strand) are great picks.

When to visit Townsville

Townsville in January
Estimated hotel price
$140
1 night at 3-star hotel
Townsville in January
Estimated hotel price
$140
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Townsville in January, when the average temperature is 27 °C, and the highest can go up to 31 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is July, when it can get as cold as 13 °C, with an average temperature of 19 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in February, when precipitation is around 290 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Townsville, with an average rainfall of 10 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Townsville

Plane

When flying to Townsville, you’ll arrive at Townsville (TSV), which is located 5 km from the city centre. Airlines that fly from Australia to Townsville include Etihad Airways, Qantas Airways and Qatar Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Townsville departs from Brisbane and takes around 2h.

Car

Another option to get to Townsville is to pick up a car hire from Cairns, which is about 282 km from Townsville. You’ll find branches of Bargain Car Rentals and Simba Car Hire, among others, in Cairns.

Plane

When flying to Townsville, you’ll arrive at Townsville (TSV), which is located 5 km from the city centre. Airlines that fly from Australia to Townsville include Etihad Airways, Qantas Airways and Qatar Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Townsville departs from Brisbane and takes around 2h.

Car

Another option to get to Townsville is to pick up a car hire from Cairns, which is about 282 km from Townsville. You’ll find branches of Bargain Car Rentals and Simba Car Hire, among others, in Cairns.

Airports near Townsville

Airlines serving Townsville

Emirates
Excellent (3,621 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,986 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,570 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,329 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,228 reviews)
Qantas Airways
Good (851 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (12,892 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Excellent (545 reviews)
Jetstar
Good (572 reviews)
Fiji Airways
Excellent (207 reviews)
Virgin Australia
Good (509 reviews)
Airnorth
Good (2 reviews)
Alliance Airlines
Okay (1 reviews)
Rex
Excellent (25 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Townsville

From 5-star hotels such as the Belmoral Corporate Suites to great affordable options like the Strand Motel, Townsville offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $190 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $166 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Summit Motel and Reef Lodge Backpackers. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Townsville, with prices from $85 to $563 per night. North Ward is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Townsville are about 24% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Townsville

Most booked hotels in Townsville

The Palmer Collective
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
$149+
Rambutan Resort
5 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$121+
Aquarius on the Beach
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
$140+
Hotel Grand Chancellor Townsville
4 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
$181+
Arcadia Beach Guest House
3 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
$40+
Mercure Townsville
4 stars
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
$143+

Hiring a car in Townsville

Hiring a car in Townsville costs $91 per day, on average, or $181 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay $1.69 per litre in Townsville (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $20.26 and $27.01. Supplier choice (Class Special Sedan or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Townsville, while also 52% cheaper than other types, on average.

Hiring a car in Townsville costs $91 per day, on average, or $181 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay $1.69 per litre in Townsville (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $20.26 and $27.01. Supplier choice (Class Special Sedan or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Townsville, while also 52% cheaper than other types, on average.