It was very sad leaving our farm stay this morning. The family was so great to us. We drove a couple hours to Townsville. There we visited the Billabong Animal Sanctuary. Right when we walked in there was a huge kangaroo with a joey in her pouch just hopping around the place. She wasn’t even in a cage. We saw a crocodile feeding and got our picture taken with a wombat, koala, crocodile and snake. The koala was so soft and squishy. She was so cute. We had a few minutes to walk around and see the other animals. Jill and I got to feed a wallaby before we ran out of time. We had a very long bus ride to Cairns (pronounced Cans). Dinner was at the Hog Fat Café. I found out there are some Parrot Heads all the way in Australia.

Did a nice trip to Magnetic Is. Again water conditions not clear enough for snorkleing but the boys had fund having a splash aobut.

Saturday was a bit bleak weatherwise so we headed for the museum which was great. The boys loved the kids room - it was difficult to leave.

I had travelled to Townsville twice before once when I was 8 for a swimming carnival (which I can’t remember) and the last time was in the early 90’s with some friends for a long weekend (which consisted mostly of driving at night – over 800 kilometres from Rockhampton to Townsville). The drive from about Bowen seemed to get a little boring and as it was in Mackay everything was very dry, until we got closer to Townsville that is.

Although this trip was only for 2 nights we got a chance to see a bit of the town and we decided we quite liked it. It seems like a very tidy town with more shops and facilities than Rockhampton and more things to see.

We stayed just north of the town and although we were out of the hustle and bustle of the city, the park was right on the highway and just across the road from the railway line, so it was a little noisy, but bearable. We went into the city and were very impressed by the Strand, which is a series of 4 beaches along the main coastal strip of the town. The strand consisted of walking paths, playgrounds and shops all very well maintained and fresh. One of the big attractions we had hoped to see was the Rock pool, a man made fresh water swimming pool right on the beach, but due to an algae outbreak is had been drained and was empty. The beaches too were closed due to this outbreak, so we had to rely on the pool at the park to keep us refreshed.

We also visited the Reef HQ the largest living coral ecosystem in the world (apparently), it was very impressive with a huge main tank full of coral and reef fish and a second tank filled with dangerous creatures such as sharks. The most impressive part of this was the glassed walk through tunnel which separated the two which had curved glass viewing for 180 degrees. A hit with kids and adults alike.

What I also liked about Townsville was how they have kept and maintained their heritage by restoring and using old buildings, an example of this is the old Post office located in the Mall, which is now utilised as a café and pub. The Mall is very nice to visit with plenty of shops to keep Trish busy whilst Reagan and I enjoyed a train ride through the Mall.

I would say we will travel back to Townsville at some stage in the future as we really enjoyed what we saw and thought it would make a great place to live. One thing that would take some getting g used to is the heat and humidity, which I suppose is similar to Rocky which I like and at least the winters would be warmer also.

This is my first.....journal, and I have no idea what I'm doing. I guess this is the way I upload photos?

Anyway, I've been to Townsville several times, a number of times when I was a little younger for athletics. The last few times have been for strictly holiday purposes, as well as my best mate going to university there.
Considering it's a university with a LARGE amount of exchange students mainly from the US, who do NOT want to study, it's basically a party every night.....kinda.
I have lots of drunken photos I won't be uploading for obvious reasons, but here's a few of the 'sights' of Townsville, as well as a couple from the drive up to Cairns and Port Douglas. I'm kicking myself now for not taking photos at Mossman Gorge, which is gorgeous, if anyone ever goes to Cairns, definitely head there!      

I have to say, I really liked Townsville. There's not a great deal here, but it feels a bit like I've stepped back into civilisation after loads of small crappy coastal towns. There is a beautiful marina here and a lot of lush expensive hotels. I stayed in Globetrotters Backpackers Hostel which is on Flinders Street, Townsville's main road and very close to the coach and ferry terminal. The hostel is pretty cheap and has really nice 4 share rooms with en suite and TV. Awesome! The price includes a voucher for an evening meal at Molly Malone's Irish pub, which for just 6 bucks you can upgrade to a full size portion. I only do the upgrade as the portions are just right so god knows how small the unupgraded one is. The first night Molly Malone's is playing back to back rock and metal music videos, has a live band playing covers of songs by bands like Pearl Jam and also has a big screen showing the Chelsea vs. Man United game. I like this place! :oD
The next day I wander up the road to Flinders Mall market and buy a salami and salad sandwich and a "fruit freeze" which is basically sorbet with real fruit made to order. Upon walking back who should I bump into but Fred, Robbie, Adam and Scott, my Oxfordshire friends from Fraser Island and South Molle. They have just got back from Magnetic Island and are now getting the Greyhound up to Mission Beach. They warn be against staying on the island and say there isn't really much there. That's fine as I had already decided to just do a day trip. We say our goodbyes and then I head back into Globetrotters to extend my stay by one night and also to buy a return ferry ticket to Magnetic.
Townsville has a few cultural attractions within easy walking distance of each other. I start with Reef HQ, billed as the world's only reef aquarium. The price is a bit expensive for what it is and I've seen most of this already in Sydney aquarium, but it is worth it for two reasons. The first is the feeding time in the big viewing tunnel; I recorded a video of fish, turtles and shark in an absolute frenzy over shrimp. The second is a bit more special; there is a creature called a Nautilus that was found in 1990 and is believe to be pretty much the same for the last 5oo million years. This creature is mad; it is almost completely encased in a shell but has tentacles and one very freakish staring eye. It is probably the most alien-looking thing I have ever come across. I take a few photos and one of them starts swimming towards me and knocks against the glass. Very strange.
The second place is even more interesting; it is the Museum of Subtropical Queensland and it houses relics from the HMS Pandora, the ship sent out to bring back the mutineers of The Bounty. The Pandora never found Pitcairn Island as it was either undiscovered or charted wrongly. However it did get to Tahiti and so collected a number of mutineers. They were kept shackled in leg irons and rammed into a small prison on the boat which was named "Pandora's Box". I forget the route they were on, I believe they were trying to get to Timor, but basically they were looking for ages for a way through the Great Barrier Reef. They found one and started through it, but a freak wave pushed against them and they collided with the reef, which ripped a hole in the ship. Water flooded in and the mechanical pumps they were using were faulty, so the ship didn't take long to fill up. Many crew and prisoners died, some were saved but the spent ages in the baking hot sun in the small yawl boats and on tiny little sand islands before they decided to try and get to Timor.
In the Seventies the wreck was found and the museum houses lots of relics since recovered, from cannonballs to grog bottles and surgical equipment. I find the whole Bounty story fascinating and I watch every in-house documentary, interactive movie, read every note and photograph everything. It's doesn't take long for the time to get to 4.30pm; the museum is closing in half an hour and I still have the rest of the exhibits to do! I rush upstairs and snap a few photos of dinosaur bones.

This trip was quite nice, as there was a lot to see along the way. The scenery was breath taking in places. We also saw our first “big” thing of the trip: The Big Mango at Bowen! (Australia has a lot of big things, and I will tell you more about them as we see them.) On one of our stops at a petrol station in the middle of nowhere, I got talking to the guy running it, and it turned out he actually used to work with Merv! It’s a small world… (More examples later!)

When we got to Townsville it was peak hour, so it took a while to get to the Big 4 Park we were staying at on the other side of town. When we got there we were relieved to find that the accommodation was a lot better than the previous night’s! After we unpacked I took Jordan shopping while Merv went swimming with Reagan. Then we had some dinner, and did a few loads of washing. Not very exciting stuff!

The next day we went for a drive into town, to The Strand. We had been told there was a really nice lagoon just beside the beach to swim in, and we thought that might be a good idea as there are poisonous stingers (jellyfish) around this time of year. Unfortunately they had had some problems with algae they’d had to drain it. Luckily we had passed a playground along the way, so we went back there for the kids to have a play. After that we went to Reef HQ Aquarium, which was quite good. They had lots of different fish, a coral display, etc. Reagan loved it and was running around madly, which got a bit much eventually. After that we went to have a look at the Mall, where Reagan and Merv went on a train ride, while Jordan and I did some shopping.

Townsville looks like a really nice town, and we would love to go back one day and stay a bit longer to have more of a look around. There are so many things we didn’t get to see! On the way back to the cabin both kids fell asleep in the car… For dinner we had decided to have a barbeque, which Merv started to cook while I put Jordan to bed. Then I took Reagan for a swim, but Jordan woke up crying so we had to get out of the pool which of course upset Reagan. All this did not make for a very pleasant night! Both Jordan and Reagan slept very badly, and I ended up in Reagan’s bed while she slept in the double bed with Merv…

We got up early and packed the rest of our things (we had packed as much as possible the previous night), had some breakfast, and were on the road again around 8.15 am.

We drove back to Townsville, passing the same scenery again. But for some reason I took more photos of it going back. Maybe because I knew I'd never see it again. Banana crops, random trees, the empty road, farm animals...But we did remember to stop at the same petrol station. We bought more packets of the dried fruits (SO nice! we couldn't find any in Cairns, or we didn't search hard enough...)

Back in Townsville, we checked into a hotel. I booked us the family room, so we were all together. It was ok, with a view of the Townsville city. Except for some reason, the city is really, really empty. Not that many people about. We walked along the main part of the city and it was deserted except for a few random people. The shops only had their owners and a few tourists. It was quite daunting. Some shops had closed down too. My parents asked around and were told to go to a mall in another suburb. Similar to Westfields, and this was a lot more busier! Finally, there were other people around!!! We shopped around for abit, til we got tired and hungry.

We had dinner in the local RSL, where I had their Thai salad. I realised that I don't really like Thai salad, (I think it's the sauce...) and I knew that I should've got the Caesar instead. But for food it was good and I was hungry...

Did some packing for the trip back home.

The first thing I noticed when walking out of the plane, was how small Townsville airport was. It was the only airport in Townsville, so the sign of it being the international airport for Townsville shocked me for some reason. I was kind of expecting it to be bigger I guess. The second thing I noticed was the heat. This was because I had to walk out on the tarmac. I remember wearing jeans and my jumper, which I immediately took off. It was so humid. It reminded me of Singapore's weather (and Singapore's humidity is something that I will never forget).

We collected our luggage and our car (booked online with Avis). I remember that I was fascinated by the number plate...numbers before letters! And it was in red. Different to NSW. I really liked the van. (We need a van cos there's 6 of us...) All throughout the trip us kids were asking if we could buy one to replace our van at home!

We drove to our motel that I booked online. We were only staying one night, so we were ok with what we got. The airconditioning was already on, and we just basked in the cool air for a while.

In the afternoon we drove to the top of the mountain in Townsville where there was a really great view of the whole area. It was windy and alot cooler up there. Took some pretty pics and hung around for abit.

Drove down to the beach side area, where we walked along the esplanade and the pier where people were fishing. Had ice cream at Cold Rock and took in the scenery and salty breeze.

Had an early night to wake up early to drive up to Cairns.

While travelling to Townsville, Australia on military business, I organized a morning run for 6 people to the top of Castle Hill (a.k.a. Castle Rock) which can be seen from the airport. The 2.8 KM road is a steady, rolling incline to almost 1,000 feet in elevation and not that difficult, even for beginners. The other alternate paths along the way and be very dusty or slick depending on the mostly desert scrub conditions. The view from the top is tremendous, with views of the harbor and downtown Townsville. The view of Magnetic Island is also spectacular from the WWII era lookout/observation concrete bunkers at the top. We took an alternate path along the steep cliffside "goat track" (with stairs in some places due to erosion) which cut down the return time but was a bit more difficult. Castle Hill is a huge pink granite monolith standing in the middle of Townsville. It rises to a height of 286 meters (938 feet) above sea level and dominates the skyline of this relatively low level city. Many people walk up Castle Hill for regular exercise using one of the many routes to the top, by road or by goat track. A large white stick figure with a halo nicknamed "The Saint" by locals as a Townsville icon can be seen painted on the east side of the hill. A bit of trivia: Townsville, Australia was actually scheduled to be invaded by the Japanese during World War II and some recon forces had actually landed near Townsville until the Aussies were reinforced by the Americans. The bunkers at the top of Castle Hill were built to watch for a Japanese invasion force.

My mission was to get a picture holding a koala bear while in Australia. Billabong Sanctuary Wildlife Park was able to make that dream and many others come true! Crocodiles, koalas, kangaroos, snakes, wombats and all types of birds from Australia in a natural setting on 11 hectares (25 acres) of natural tropical North Queensland bush. All the naitive birds, reptiles and mammals were amazing! The entrance fee was reasonable: Adults=$27 with seniors, students and backpackers=$24. Koala or wombat handling is only $12 with a percentage of the proceeds going towards conserving Australia's wildlife. The staff was helpful in taking your picture holding the animals or you could get a professional photo for an extra fee. I also got to hold the rare but docile Australian wombat. This is not a "zoo" but rather a large open park with animals and birds of all types roaming around (except the dangerous reptiles). I had fun feeding the kangaroos but feeding the crocs was a bit intimidating. Billabong is kid friendly with picnic areas, but don't let them wander too close to the water or reptile pens. Easy to find off the main highway south of Townsville. Definitely recommend to get up close and personal with Australia's outback and interact with the wildlife!

Sunsea Cruises does a great job getting you out and back to experience some of the most beautiful marine life in the world on John Brewer Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef northest of Townsville, Australia. The huge powered catamaran "reef cat" type boats are very steady and well equipped for 130 people to all have fun in the water at the same time. The snorkelling, scuba diving (including an intro to SCUBA for beginners without requiring a diving certification), smaller glass bottom boats, and surface floatations make the experience of interacting with the natural reef life a truly memorable experience. The price of $145 per adult may seem expensive but it is well worth it. There is also a family discount of $381 including 2 Adults and 2 Children (5 - 15 years). Diving cost $70-$90 extra but Sunsea Cruises supplies the equipment and you do not have to be certified to dive. We got a group discount and it does take a couple hours to sail out to the reef and back which consumes quite a bit of fuel. Sunsea Cruises is very Eco-friendly and has been awarded "best practices" by Advanced EcoTourism Accreditation. You get to spend about 4 hours on the reef and a light tropical buffet meal is included with your fare. The staff is very friendly and helpful--they always try to make you feel comforatble and the marine biologist on each voyage is very knowledgeable if you have any questions about the marine life. The marine biologist also does a fantastic presentation on the way out to the reef. Nobody got seasick on our trip due to the large size and catamaran style of the Sunsea Cruise "reef cat" ships which also have easy access to the water from the fantail. Besides the beautiful colors of the tropical fish, we also were treated to a giant sea clam estimated to be over 100 years old due to the pointiness of the shell worn away by the ocean over the years. The live reef is absolutely amazing! Highly recommend if you travel to Australia to visit the Great Barrier Reef! Don't miss this opportunity!

Went to Zolli's Trattoria Cafe in downtown Townsville, Australia more than 8 times during 6-27 June 2005. The food was excellent (I think the cook/owner was from Italy and his wife was from Mexico) and I was able to try all the beer and wine on the menu. Very close to all the great places to go dancing at night along the water on Flinders Street. Very authentic Italian meals and a great selection of Australian beer/wine. The baby octopi was very good--so good I remembered having it there 3 years later. The staff is friendly and it has both indoor and outdoor seating. Definitely a "white tablecloth" but casual atmosphere--Not a loud music or overly crowded place. No kangaroo on the menu at Zolli's!

This trip was punctuated by Waiting for the right dive weather conditions, Holding animals, and Hurling (from aforementioned dodgy weather conditions).

I went to Townsville in search of the mighty Yongala wreck dive.  Unfortunately, the rough wind conditions canceled the dive from Townsville and I had to extend my trip by a day to bus it south an hour to a tiny town called Ayr and then catch a 16 km ride to Alva Beach, an even more remote area...all to do what is considered one of the best dives in the world. 

Before heading down to Ayr, I spent a day and a half in nearby Magnetic Island, which is green, sparsely populated, and very refreshing.  I stayed at Bungalow Bay Hostel in Horsehoe Bay, which also had its own Koala Park, where amongst koalas, also let you hold a python, a salt-water crocodile, and a cockatoo.  There is also a daily feeding of pretty ravenous rainbow lorikeets at 4:30, which despite the rainstorms, came out in full force to eat a mushy bread mixture and sometimes sample a bit of your hand.  Good times!  I did a couple beautiful hikes between pristine bays and got stuck in a healthy-sized downpour.

The Yongala Wreck dive, rated the top dive in the world by some random UK scuba site (it's good enough for me!), was the main reason for the trip up north so I was pumped to drive 10 minutes in a 4x4 jeep to the beach where we boarded a zodiac on steroids to the dive site 40 minutes away.  The winds were very high and waters quite choppy, which created low visibility in the water (~5-7m only) and even worse conditions during the surface interval, when I very quickly lost my energy-filled breakfast off the side of the boat.  I've never gotten seasick like that before.  An interesting and cathartic experience I hope to very seldomly repeat except after nights with too much alcohol and if an enemy terrorist organization makes me swallow a poisonous pill (I've been watching too much Chuck).  Still, I managed to collect myself from the side of the boat, gear up, and jump right back in.  You're supposed to be able to barf into your regulator...they're that reliable!

Nachdem ich in der Früh alle meine Sachen gepackt habe, hatte ich noch ein wenig Zeit, bis mich der Bus von Horseshoe Bay nach Nelly Bay abgeholt hat, also bin ich zum Strand spaziert und habe mir Frühstück besorgt - dort ist es weit billiger als im Hostel. Zurück im Hostel habe ich noch eine Tour durch den Kakadu National Park gebucht - die wird wahrscheinlich etwas feucht, aber Tropen ohne Regen ist ja auch nicht wirklich echt. Um halb elf ist schließlich der Bus gekommen und in Nelly Bay hat schon die Fähre gewartet.

20 Minuten später war ich im Hafen von Townsville. Ich mußte von hier zum Bahnhof, der allerdings ziemlich am Ende des Ortes war und aus einem einzigen Bahnsteig und einem Fahrkartenschalter bestand - besonders viel los war auch nicht, was deutlich zeigt, wie beliebt Zugfahren in Australien ist. Ich war gut eineinhalb Stunden zu früh dran und habe gedacht, ich könne vielleicht noch ein wenig Proviant einkaufen, aber rund um den Bahnhof gibt es keinen Supermarkt, der nächste ist 3km entfernt. (Vielleicht sollte ich erwähnen, daß Townsville im Grunde nicht gerade klein ist, es ist die zweitgrößte Stadt in Queensland - trotzdem hat der Bahnhof die Dimensionen eines winzigen Dorfs.)

Zuerst ist noch der "Tilt Train" Richtung Brisbane abgefahren, bevor schließlich der "Inlander" nach Mt. Isa zum Einsteigen bereit war. Ich habe das billigste Ticket gekauft, was immer noch teuer war (wenn ich da an Asien denke, wo das teuerste Ticket immer noch billig war...), wenigstens hatte ich einen Fensterplatz und zwei Sitze für mich. Die mehrheit der Reisenden bestand aus Müttern oder Familien mit Kindern. Die Fahrt war dann sehr schön, das Grün der Küste ist immer mehr in ein braun und rot übergegangen und die Vegatation wurde weniger.

Nachdem der Zug ein Buschfeuer passiert hat und die Sonne untergegangen ist, hat es zu regnen begonnen. Nach kurzer Zeit allerdings hat der Regen wieder aufgehört, dafür hat es ringsum geblitzt - in so kurzen Intervallen, wie ich es noch nie erlebt habe. Die Landschaft war beinahe ständig von Blitzen erleuchtet. Ob der vielen schreienden Kinder im Waggon war ich froh, meine Ohrstoppel mitzuhaben. Ich versucht, mich auf den beiden Sitzen in eine schlaffreundliche Position zu bringen, irgendwann ist mir das wohl gelungen.