There is so much to do in Townsville, and better still there is a lot to do for free, yep that’s what I said FREE! Beautiful areas to explore just for fun, or if you are keen, you can learn all about this exciting town. There is military history to explore, as well as, indigenous, civic and the history of Townsville women, to name but a small piece of Townsville history. The Strand has a water playground and a free swimming pool. Art galleries, street art, a free movie night and plenty of walking trails. Here are our top 17 FREE things to do in Townsville.

1. The Strand

The Strand is a beautiful area along Townsville’s seaside foreshore. It is a perfect place for a walk, and you can fill your day with FREE activities! Furthermore, it also features a Surf Lifesaving Club, a jetty, playgrounds, restaurants, cafes, pools, barbecue and picnic areas, and a water park.

2. The Water Park

Located on The Strand is a fabulous fun FREE water playground for the kids to enjoy playing and cooling down as they get soaked with water. It includes a huge water bucket that dumps a 1000 litres of water on the playground every 5 minutes! Nearby facilities include BBQs and toilets.

3. The Rock Pool

This is a FREE saltwater public pool on The Strand. The lagoon-style pool is a great place to spend the day. There are grassy areas to sunbath on, as well as a playground with flying fox, BBQs and seating areas, and toilets.

4. Barbecue Lunch

There are barbecues scattered all along The Strand that are FREE to use. So cook a BBQ while the kids play at the water park, the rock pool, or at any number of great places along The Strand.

5. The Beach

Don’t forget the beach… it’s FREE! There’s a beautiful beach that stretches 2.7km along The Strand. There are two areas of the beach that have lifeguards on duty. The best swimming is south of the Rock Pool. Be aware there are stingers (dangerous jellyfish) at particular times of the year, and stinger nets are used during those months. Don’t hesitate to approach the lifeguard on duty for more information about this and any other concerns.

6. The War Remembrance Garden

At the southern end of The Strand, there stands the North Queensland Garden of Remembrance. It is located within Anzac Park and has a central path that curves around large trees and leads to a visitors’ shelter with a water feature and small pool of reflection. With a plaque capacity of 5,000, this garden has a plaque location register, it is open 24/7, has wheelchair access and is, of course, FREE.

7. Jezzine Barracks

If you continue north after The Strand Rock Pool, you will come to the Jezzine Barracks. The Jezzine Barracks has been home to Australian military units for over 120 years. It’s FREE, and you will find beautiful coastal walks, playground, art gallery, interesting military and indigenous history to explore, as well as an ethnobotanical walk. The trails within the barracks are dotted with art, sculptures and interpretive signs depicting the indigenous and military histories, as well as the local flora.

8. Kissing Point Fort

Any visit to Jezzine Barracks is not complete without a visit to the two gun emplacements, underground magazine and casemate store that remains of Kissing Point Fort. There are cannons and a detailed map of the WWII ‘Battle of the Coral Sea’ which is set in the path. The area is packed with interesting interpretive signs answering all your questions about Queensland’s involvement in local and global warfare. The walks meander through beautiful native gardens and, best of all, they’re FREE.

9. P1 Huts

The P1 Huts are part of the old barracks. Five of these huts still stand in their original positions. They are now used by three different entities – The North Queensland Historical Reenactment Society, The Townsville Art Society, and Townsville Performing Arts Museum. There is a FREE art gallery to browse through. The gallery is open daily, from 10:00 – 16:00, and has a large variety of art you can purchase if you are so inclined. The Performing Arts Museum is FREE and open Wednesdays and Sundays from 10:00 – 13:00. At the Huts, you will also find interpretive signs about some of the soldiers who served at the barracks.

10. The Jezzine Playground

A fenced playground with swings, slides, sandpit, flying fox, as well as a climbing fort, nets and ropes. This is a shady play area, has seating, BBQ’s, picnic tables, shade, and toilets… and best of all it’s FREE.

11. Army Museum North Queensland

This is a fabulous FREE museum! The museum has assembled items and stories relating to the history of the Australian Army in North Queensland. These items and historical stories are displayed in three galleries. Each gallery focuses on different eras of Australia’s military history from the establishment of the first defences at Townsville until the present day. The museum is open Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 09:00 – 13:00. Click here for more information.

12. The Street Art

Townsville has embraced the street art mania that is spreading through cities worldwide! It has a vibrant street art atmosphere with stunning art and huge wall murals.  Follow the FREE street art trail, not only to discover the art, but you will also get a good look at Townsville’s CBD. Click on the link for a street art trail map – Street Art City Walking Trail: 2018 edition.

13. The Riverway Lagoon

Riverway Lagoons consist of two FREE lagoons that cover an area the size of more than three Olympic swimming pools. The lagoons cater for people wanting to swim laps, the disabled and elderly, as well as families wanting to have fun. There are timber decks to relax on and sand for the kids to build sandcastles. Set amongst shady trees with the Ross River running alongside, Riverway Lagoons provide more than just swimming.  There are boardwalks and pathways along the river, the Pinnacles Gallery, public art trails, restaurant, and FREE barbecues, the Riverway Arts Centre and a monthly FREE movie night. Pools are open when the lifeguard is on duty click here for times.

14. The Pinnacles Gallery

The Pinnacles Gallery is a small gallery at Riverway Lagoon. It is owned and operated by Townsville City Council. The gallery is a lively art space devoted to community engagement and artistic development which regularly has exciting exhibitions. Click here to see what’s on.

15. Castle Hill

16. The Heritage and Cemetery Walks

Townsville has many walkways (and cycleways) throughout the city. There are also many heritage and cemetery walks around Townsville, and it is easy to download a FREE self-guiding map. Click on the following links for the maps.

Trail 1 – Civic Pride
Trail 2 – Early Townsville
Trail 3 – South Townsville & Port
West End Cemetery Trails No 1 – Life, death and memorialisation in early Townsville
West End Cemetery Trails No 2 – Townsville Women
West End Cemetery Trails No 3 – Publican’s Trail A pub-crawl through the cemetery

17. Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park

This FREE conservation park has walking trails, picnic facilities & WWII military structures. Cape Pallarenda was a quarantine station in the early 1900s and a strategic defence location in World War II. There is a small quarantine museum within the park which is FREE and interesting. Click here for a park map or here for a map of walking trails.

But that is not all… there are so many FREE events on in Townsville. Click here for “What’s on in Townsville” for FREE!

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Don’t forget to check out Townsville’s Vibrant Street Art!