Getting Here
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Distance to Townsville
- Cairns – 347km (drive) | 55 min (flight)
- Airlie Beach – 272km (drive)
- Mt Isa – 904km (drive) | 1hr 35min (flight)
- Brisbane – 1349km (drive) | 2hr (flight)
- Sydney – 2076km (drive) | 2hr40min (flight)
- Melbourne – 2473km (drive) | 3hr (flight)
Discover something new, or rediscover what you’ve always known
Townsville to:
- Ayr/Home Hill – 88km
- Ingham – 112km
- Charters Towers – 136km
- Magnetic Island – 10km (by ferry)
By Air
With direct connections from most major capital cities and serviced by all major airline carriers–including Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Bonza, Alliance, Skytrans and Rex. Townsville Airport is located a short 7-minute drive to the centre of Townsville city, and also acts as a transport hub offering pick up points for taxis, ride shares and the airport shuttle. Rental cars are available for hire with major companies like Avis, Sixt, Europcar, Enterprise, Hertz, and Budget
By Sea
The Port of Townsville’s Quayside terminal welcomes over 20,000 domestic and international cruise ship passengers each year, with cruise liners including Viking Ocean Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Scenic Cruises and Regent to name a few.
By Rail
With regular services each week, rail travel is a great and sustainable way to travel. Enhance your Townsville holiday experience with a relaxing and picturesque journey aboard the Spirit of Queensland, with regular services from Cairns and Brisbane. Or travel west from Mount Isa on the Inlander. Visit Queensland Rail Travel to book your rail travel.
By Road
An ultimate drive destination, Townsville NorthQueensland is the gateway to diverse regional landscapes all within a 1.5-hour drive. Make the most of your visit by taking short road trips to explore wetlands, Great Barrier Reef islands, wet tropics rainforests and glorious beachfront. Travel south from Cairns, east from Mount Isa, or north from the Whitsundays to begin your adventure in the heart of regional Queensland.
Getting Around
Public bus transport services operate in Townsville, including Sunbus and TransLink–check online for timetables. Alternatively, 13cabs and Black & White Cabs, along with ride share services and rental cars are also a great option! Want to try something new? E-scooters are accessible throughout Townsville City, with flexible hire options available.
Islands Await
Only 8km from Townsville is Magnetic Island. Take a short 20-minute ferry ride with the passenger service-SeaLink Queensland. Or opt to take your vehicle on the only car ferry service to the island with Magnetic Island Ferries. Both services operate daily–check online for service timetables.Access to Orpheus Island is serviced exclusively by Nautilus Aviation for heli-transfers. Islands in the Palm Island (including Orpheus andPelorus) group can be accessed with Townsville Helicopters, or via Sealink Queensland(Palm Island service) seasonal tours.
Hinchinbrook Island, to the north, is accessible by booking a tour, or personal recreational vessel–permits apply.
Itineraries
Explore all that Townsville North Queensland has to offer - from the reef to the rainforest, Outback to the islands...let's hit the road!
We are here to help
Talk to a local to find out everything our region has to offer and receive further information to make planning your event as easy as possible.
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In the spirit of reconciliation, Townsville Enterprise and Townsville North Queensland acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout our region and Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
Townsville Enterprise a not-for-profit organisation and is the official Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) and economic development body of the Townsville North Queensland region, extending from the Burdekin to the Hinchinbrook, west to Charters Towers, and including the central section of the Great Barrier Reef and its island communities of Magnetic Island and the Palm Island group.
