Townsville travel guide: Queensland’s underrated tropical city
The Ville itself has been around since the ’80s but manages to still feel modern, with its spacious, airy lobby delivering relaxed, beachy vibes, thanks to a $43 million refurb in 2018. At the rear is a gorgeous (and deep) pool, complete with bar – a perfect spot to chill out in the tropical heat, which plenty of locals do, taking advantage of the option to purchase day passes.
The Ville’s gorgeous pool.Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland
And while it’s also a casino, it’s also family friendly. We find it hard to resist eating at the hotel’s buffet restaurant, The Palm House, every night after we discover kids eat free. Our fussy toddlers are able to pick and choose as much (or, more commonly, as little) as they want, and we’re not faced with the frustration of ordering full meals that they barely touch.
Despite its tropical setting, resort options have historically been limited in Townsville compared to other Queensland cities.
That’s now starting to change. Next door to The Ville is the five-star Ardo, opened last year and built at a cost of $88 million; the city’s first true luxury resort with 132 rooms, three restaurants, a spa and a rooftop bar and infinity pool.
Both Ardo and The Ville are owned by The Morris Group, which has also launched Pelorus Private Island – an ultra-high-end escape just north of Orpheus Island, reached from Townsville by helicopter.
But my family is here for simpler pleasures. We visit the Queensland Museum Tropics, a short walk from The Ville, where the key collection is items from the HMS Pandora, the ship sent to bring the infamous Bounty mutineers to justice. It managed to capture 14 of them, only to be wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef. As fascinating as I find this historical tale, my kids are far more interested in the life-sized dinosaur replicas.
The imposing HMAS Adelaide docked in Townsville.Credit: iStock
And while infinity pools and swim-up bars might be fine for adults, the highlight for kids is the free public water park on the city’s long waterfront, The Strand, where we visit to kill some time before heading to the airport to return to Melbourne. It’s mid-winter, but hot enough for the youngsters to spend hours splashing around and riding the waterslides and still be bone-dry before we have to catch our flight.
Townsville might sit in the shadow of some of Queensland’s other tourist meccas like Cairns and the Gold Coast, but with its tropical weather, resort-style accommodation options and family-friendly atmosphere, it’s time for this town – excuse me – this city, to get the limelight.
THE DETAILS
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Fly
Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia fly from Brisbane to Townsville, while Qantas and Jetstar offer direct flights to the city from Melbourne and Sydney.
Stay
Rooms at The Ville start from about $240 per night. See the-ville.com.au
More
See townsvillenorthqueensland.com.au
The writer travelled with assistance from Townsville Enterprise.
