Pack your bags

Pitching a tent, checking into a room, parking a kombi – however you like to make a roost, sunny Townsville has accommodation to suit every style and budget.

Overlooking the coastal treasures of Queensland’s most famous World Heritage wonder, the Great Barrier Reef, Townsville is a rare find as a city built on the shore. Staying in the heart of the Townsville CBD puts you within just a few kilometres of pristine palm-fringed beaches, national park reserves and famous surf.

Got sea legs? Anchor yourself near The Strand — Townsville’s thriving seaside foreshore area — for heavenly breezes and sublime views, along with convenient access to fishing charters, luxury yachts, and private boat rentals.

From its position on the far northern Queensland coastline, Townsville offers opportunities for adventure in every direction. Head south for a taste of the real outback at Charters Towers, a town born of the pursuit of gold. Or explore the aquamarine waters of the Coral Sea, and find yourself waking up to the sundrenched bays, coral cays and koala-filled greenery of Magnetic Island. 

To get close to nature, head north to camp on the pristine paradise of uninhabited Hinchinbrook Island, Australia’s largest floating national park and the largest island on the Great Barrier Reef.

Townsville accommodation — Something for everyone 

With everything from luxury resorts on exquisite islands to serviced apartment-style hotels in the CBD, Townsville accommodation delivers a wealth of options for every traveller. Across this thriving tropical city, you’ll find 5-star hotels and self-contained luxury apartments side by side with leisure resorts and backpackers, and caravan parks and campsites providing further affordable accommodation options just down the road. Heading to Magnetic Island? Base yourself on the southern end of The Strand near the ferry terminals or across Ross Creek in South Townsville where you’ll find a range of hotels, backpackers and some of the best boutique shopping in the city. 

Travelling on a budget? Along with Townsville backpackers, which offer a wide selection of room and accommodation options, from dorm rooms to private rooms, you’ll also find an array of affordable hotels and holiday parks dotted across the city and right along the coastline facing Rowes Bay. Magnetic Island accommodation doesn’t disappoint when it comes to budget and affordable options either — there are several backpackers on Magnetic Island offering a variety of options, including A-frame bungalows, in addition to leisure resorts and private self-contained holiday units perfect for couples and families alike. 

Accommodation fit for a luxury escape 

When it comes to luxury escapes, Townsville has accommodation in abundance. Bedarra is a name that naturally springs to mind with its ten villas hidden amidst 45 hectares of tropical rainforest and guests limited to just 20 people, but there’s luxe options right across the city as well as the islands. You’ll find villas set amongst tropical gardens in the heart of the Townsville CBD to multi-award winning apartment hotels with sundeck swimming pools and spectacular views overlooking the city and Rowes Bay. 

Planning a luxury escape on Magnetic Island? You’re spoiled for choice, with everything from architecturally-designed private luxury homes with commanding views across the clear blue waters of the Coral Sea, to boutique villas with private courtyards and temperature-controlled plunge pools, and luxuriously appointed self-contained apartments nestled amid tropical gardens on Nelly Bay beach.