8 Townsville Beaches & Rockpools To Explore

Cool off in the North Queensland heat by taking a dip at these Townsville beaches, rockpools and swimming holes.

Fringed by the Coral Sea, the Great Barrier Reef and tropical islands just a short boat ride away, and boasting 300 days of sunshine each year, the coastal city of Townsville is a destination where sun, sand and sea are part of the daily holiday routine. From golden beaches to calm rockpools to refreshing wild waterholes, here are the best places to go swimming in Townsville.

1. The Strand

Named Queensland’s Best Beach by Surf Life Saving Queensland in 2021, The Strand is a 2.2-kilometre stretch of beach that offers safe swimming spots for cooling off in the North Queensland heat.

The Strand Beachfront Townsville — Head to The Strand North and South for a safe dip in the ocean. (Image: Townsville Enterprise)

Protected by the breakwater and offshore islands – including Magnetic Island – the waves along The Strand are either gentle or non-existent, which spells perfect conditions for families with young kids. There are two safe swimming spots – The Strand North and South – which are patrolled by lifeguards over summer and installed with stinger nets during ‘stinger season’ from November to May.

Tracing The Strand is a palm tree-lined beachfront promenade, comprising a walking and cycling path, playgrounds, picnic spots, and dotted with cafes, bars and ice-cream stalls. You can also try stand-up paddle boarding or go jet skiing from The Strand.

Townsville Stand-up Paddle boarding — Try your hand at stand-up paddle boarding. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

2. The Strand Rockpool

At the northern end of the promenade, The Strand Rockpool is another safe place to go swimming in Townsville.

Rockpool The Strand Townsville — Take a dip in the waterfront rockpool at The Strand. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

This seawater pool is stinger-resistant and is patrolled by lifeguards in summer and has a gentle slope with wheelchair access. Kids can splash about in the shallows, while older kids and adults can swim deeper.

There are toilets, barbecue facilities, a playground and kiosk open daily for lunch and dinner, and plenty of grassy areas for relaxing with views out to the ocean.

3. Rowes Bay

Rowes Bay is a quiet beach just north of the city of Townsville and can be accessed via a walkway from The Strand Rockpool.

The beach doesn’t have any stinger nets and isn’t patrolled, so swimming is at your own risk here. However, the 4.2-kilometre-long beach is great for long walks, sand-playing and fishing at the mouth of Three Mile Creek, which is found at its northern end. Rowes Bay is fringed by a grassy foreshore and has an excellent family-friendly caravan park nearby.

sightseeing at Rowes Bay, Townsville — Capture relaxing nature views at Rowes Bay. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

4. Pallarenda Beach

Located north of Rowes Bay, separated by Three Mile Creek, Pallarenda Beach is a popular beach for swimming. It is patrolled by lifeguards during summer and stinger nets are also installed from November to May during stinger season.

The northern section of the beach forms part of Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park , which features a historic quarantine station and a WWII battery, as well as many walking and cycling trails.

Pallarenda Beach is a dog-friendly beach; your four-legged friend is allowed to exercise off-leash – but be aware of crocs if your dog likes to swim.

5. Bushland Beach

Part of the northern beaches of Townsville, about a 25-minute drive from the city centre, Bushland Beach is a great spot for walking and fishing. It’s also excellent for young children to wade about in the shallows at low tide, searching for shells and marine animals.

There are no stinger nets here, so swimming is at your own risk, however, it’s a picturesque beach and a great place to relax. There are picnic areas, barbecues, and a beachside tavern and kiosk.

6. Magnetic Island

Magnetic Island, or Maggie as the locals fondly call it, boasts 23 bays and beaches so is a hotspot for swimming, snorkelling and other aquatic adventures. Accessed via a ferry or car barge, the island makes for an idyllic day trip and has five main beaches.

Radical Bay Magnetic Island — Explore the secluded Radical Bay on Magnetic Island. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Home to the island’s surf lifesaving club, Alma Bay has rock pools, a kid’s playground, barbecues and a grassy area. Horseshoe Bay is another patrolled beach and is an excellent place to spot turtles, rays, dugongs and dolphins.

Magnetic Island Stand-Up Paddle Boarding — Play in the emerald green waters off the coast of Magnetic Island. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Picnic Bay has a jetty and two wrecks of a paddle steamer and a wooden steamship. Nelly Bay – which has a long stretch of sand and a grassed area shaded by palm trees – and Geoffrey Bay – home to a popular wreck dive site and giant clams – aren’t patrolled.

Picnic Bay Magnetic Island — Stroll along the jetty at picturesque Picnic Bay. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

7. Little Crystal Creek

Around an hour’s drive from Townsville, Paluma Range National Park is a wonderland of waterholes. If you don’t mind cold water, pack your towel and explore the many wild swimming spots found here.

Little Crystal Creek in Queensland — Little Crystal Creek is about an hour out of Townsville. (Image: Townsville Enterprise)

Little Crystal Creek is famous for its heritage-listed 1930s stone arch bridge that crosses over a cascading waterfall. You can swim on both sides of the bridge and take shade under it between dips. Be cautious of slippery rocks, and never jump or dive into the swimming holes as rocks and other hazards can be submerged.

A couple swim at Little Crystal Creek — Cool off on a hot day at Little Crystal Creek. (Image: Townsville Enterprise)

8. Big Crystal Creek

Located right near Big Crystal Creek campground in Paluma Range National Park, Paradise Waterhole is another popular spot for cooling off.

This pristine deep-swimming pool is surrounded by lush foliage and rocky outcrops. Two kilometres further along Big Crystal Creek, Rockslides is a picturesque series of cascades and waterholes, also suitable for swimming. Be cautious of slippery rocks, and never jump or dive into the swimming holes as rocks and other hazards can be submerged.

Safety Tip: Safe swimming in Croc Country

Townsville is part of ‘Croc Country’ and no waterway can ever be considered free of crocodiles. Crocodiles can stay submerged in shallow waters and may not be easy to spot, so it’s important to be vigilant.

To reduce your risk, swim between the flags at patrolled beaches, don’t swim at dawn or dusk, avoid swimming in murky water, read and obey all crocodile warning signs.

Dreaming of a tropical getaway? Escape to the city’s best beaches and know where to stay in and around Townsville.

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island — Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort — Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa — Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.

8 tropical Townsville beaches and rockpools to discover