Townsville is the main town in North Queensland, located approximately 5 hours south of Cairns. With a population of about 180,000 inhabitants, it is an important economic hub for the export of agricultural and mineral resources from the cities that are located in the Outback as, for example, Mount Isa and Cloncurry. For cons, the Great Barrier Reef is located more than 50 km from the coast, it does not know the same excitement that Cairns. This city is also located near an island, Magnetic Island, which is dubbed "capital of Australia Koala".
On my first trip to Australia, 2008, I met Sarah in Sydney, an Australian born in Townsville. Having kept in touch with her in recent years, a stop in the Townsville region was therefore needed as part of my journey. So I arrived in Townsville late in the night of October 7 to 8. Friday, October 8
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After spending the night in a hostel very hardy (luckily I did spent only one night), I started my day with a visit to Reef HQ is an aquarium with the life of the Great Barrier Reef. A system of artificial oil mimics the conditions natural life on the Great Barrier. This visit allowed me to observe various species of which I had not had the chance to see during my few dives since the beginning of my stay.
Around noon, I joined Sarah in downtown for dinner at a restaurant fish and chips (very common dish in Australia) before going to walk The Strand, which is a long walk by the sea giving stunning views over Magnetic Island. Thereafter, we went to Castle Hill, a hill 286 m above the city of Townsville and is the ultimate vantage point over the entire urban area. By mid afternoon we also had the opportunity to visit the naval museum of the city that had the history of the city and, especially, the period of the 2nd World War (Townsville was used as basis to combat Japanese troops in the Pacific) and the sinking of the famous boat Yongala (it seems that the dives on the wreck are among the best in the world).
Having said goodbye to Sarah, I took a ferry to get to the famous Magnetic Island. Random things, once arrived on the island, I saw three Germans who were with me during my Cruising the Whitsundays in a few days ago. Arrived on the island, I went to my hostel, located in Arcadia Bay. I was very impressed by the Home staff. In fact, I was told I was the first customer who reserved a room at the inn through Hostels.com site (previously booked only by phone)! The hostel is very well fitted and new and it is possible to borrow a free bike to move around the island. An employee (of New Zealand origin) gave me some tips to observe wallabies near the beach in Arcadia Bay at sunset. At nightfall, I took a bike to try to observe ... the employee was not wrong! Failing to observe koalas released, I had the chance to approach from a "herd" of wallabies released.
Magnetic Island is a wildlife reserve. Indeed, the many cries of birds (especially those Thick-knees clamped ) at night allowed me to confirm. Saturday, October 9
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So I decided to start the morning with a hike in the circuit "The Forts walk" (there are several hiking trails on the island where, in theory, it is possible to see koalas). It is a few miles of trail located on the ruins of a former military complex that was used during the 2nd World War to prevent a possible Japanese attack in the region. You can access some good vantage points at the vertices of ancient forts. By late morning, I went to the side of Horseshoe Bay to take another path lined with eucalyptus trees which led me to Balding Bay, Radical Bay. As during my trip when I was in Noosa, I saw some Koalas although Magnetic Island is known as the Australian Capital these marsupials! Maybe it was bad luck because a few hikers along the road reported alleged to have seen 1 or 2 in the morning.
Around noon, my 24-hour stay on the island comes to a close, I returned to Picnic Bay to take the ferry to Townsville. The next step of my journey was Cairns, which was probably was the highlight of my stay in Australia. So I left Townsville earlier this afternoon by bus (along with a driver who was rather unpleasant). Random things during the trip, I met a Dutchman I met in my hostel Youth in Airlie Beach a few days ago. So I arrived in Cairns early evening and I headed to my hostel, Gilligan's Backpackers, large inn with over 700 beds and includes a restaurant serving pub disco night. So I was ready to finally see the Great Barrier Reef!
On my first trip to Australia, 2008, I met Sarah in Sydney, an Australian born in Townsville. Having kept in touch with her in recent years, a stop in the Townsville region was therefore needed as part of my journey. So I arrived in Townsville late in the night of October 7 to 8. Friday, October 8
------------------------
After spending the night in a hostel very hardy (luckily I did spent only one night), I started my day with a visit to Reef HQ is an aquarium with the life of the Great Barrier Reef. A system of artificial oil mimics the conditions natural life on the Great Barrier. This visit allowed me to observe various species of which I had not had the chance to see during my few dives since the beginning of my stay.
Around noon, I joined Sarah in downtown for dinner at a restaurant fish and chips (very common dish in Australia) before going to walk The Strand, which is a long walk by the sea giving stunning views over Magnetic Island. Thereafter, we went to Castle Hill, a hill 286 m above the city of Townsville and is the ultimate vantage point over the entire urban area. By mid afternoon we also had the opportunity to visit the naval museum of the city that had the history of the city and, especially, the period of the 2nd World War (Townsville was used as basis to combat Japanese troops in the Pacific) and the sinking of the famous boat Yongala (it seems that the dives on the wreck are among the best in the world).
Having said goodbye to Sarah, I took a ferry to get to the famous Magnetic Island. Random things, once arrived on the island, I saw three Germans who were with me during my Cruising the Whitsundays in a few days ago. Arrived on the island, I went to my hostel, located in Arcadia Bay. I was very impressed by the Home staff. In fact, I was told I was the first customer who reserved a room at the inn through Hostels.com site (previously booked only by phone)! The hostel is very well fitted and new and it is possible to borrow a free bike to move around the island. An employee (of New Zealand origin) gave me some tips to observe wallabies near the beach in Arcadia Bay at sunset. At nightfall, I took a bike to try to observe ... the employee was not wrong! Failing to observe koalas released, I had the chance to approach from a "herd" of wallabies released.
Magnetic Island is a wildlife reserve. Indeed, the many cries of birds (especially those Thick-knees clamped ) at night allowed me to confirm. Saturday, October 9
------------------------
When I planned my trip to Australia, I thought about the possibility of make a dive during my visit to Magnetic Island. However, after taking some information in a dive shop (located near my hotel), I abandoned that idea
because diving spots offered did not seem worth the cost (less than 10 m depth for a dive costing nearly $ 100). Magnetic Island appears to be a more suitable place to conduct snorkeling (mask and snorkel) as scuba diving.
because diving spots offered did not seem worth the cost (less than 10 m depth for a dive costing nearly $ 100). Magnetic Island appears to be a more suitable place to conduct snorkeling (mask and snorkel) as scuba diving.
So I decided to start the morning with a hike in the circuit "The Forts walk" (there are several hiking trails on the island where, in theory, it is possible to see koalas). It is a few miles of trail located on the ruins of a former military complex that was used during the 2nd World War to prevent a possible Japanese attack in the region. You can access some good vantage points at the vertices of ancient forts. By late morning, I went to the side of Horseshoe Bay to take another path lined with eucalyptus trees which led me to Balding Bay, Radical Bay. As during my trip when I was in Noosa, I saw some Koalas although Magnetic Island is known as the Australian Capital these marsupials! Maybe it was bad luck because a few hikers along the road reported alleged to have seen 1 or 2 in the morning.
Around noon, my 24-hour stay on the island comes to a close, I returned to Picnic Bay to take the ferry to Townsville. The next step of my journey was Cairns, which was probably was the highlight of my stay in Australia. So I left Townsville earlier this afternoon by bus (along with a driver who was rather unpleasant). Random things during the trip, I met a Dutchman I met in my hostel Youth in Airlie Beach a few days ago. So I arrived in Cairns early evening and I headed to my hostel, Gilligan's Backpackers, large inn with over 700 beds and includes a restaurant serving pub disco night. So I was ready to finally see the Great Barrier Reef!
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