It should not be a surprise to us, but we are visiting this part of Australia during the time they get 70% of their annual rainfall. Located in North Queensland, Townsville is a most popular tourist destination. Not just for visitors, but for Aussies as well. On average, they get as many as 320 days of sunshine, and most of them at dangerous UV levels. Tomorrow the index has been predicted at a “15”, so sunscreen will be a must. It’s no wonder that all of the local wear hats, including most all of the little kids.
There is a waterfront promenade called The Strand. It is ideal for walking as it runs for over a mile, maybe more, along the sandy beach. Today the red flag was flying to warn people to stay out of the water due to stinging marine jellies. It is even unsafe to stroll the beaches , since the dying jellies can also harm you if you happen to step on one.
There are many things to do and see here and out of town also. You can visit the museum, or the Reef HQ Great Barrier Reef Aquarium right in town. A visit to the Anzac Memorial Park and the Queen’s Gardens Botanical Park are pleasant spots to stroll. Castle Hill is a prominent red mountain with an elevation of 938 feet. You can get some pretty fantastic views up there.
Out of town activities include trips to the Billabong Sanctuary, 27 acres of natural tropical bush with local wild life. And The Wet Tropics Rainforest, with claims of being the oldest surviving rainforest in the world – it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then there is a 20 minute catamaran ferry ride to Magnetic Island, a resort island with native animals and a chance to swim in protected waters.
Shore excursions onboard offered three tours today which took in the city sights and out of town trips starting from $86 to $240.
The Amsterdam was docked by 8am, but it sure looked like the weather was going to be wet. Sure enough, it began to drizzle as we left the ship after 10am. With the temperature at 86 degrees, we figured the humidity equaled that number, making it feel like 120 degrees. No kidding. Today we had a long walk to reach the cruise terminal, full of nice souvenirs, then a short walk to the waiting shuttle bus. That took us to the city center, about a 15 minute ride. Compared to Sydney, there seemed to be plenty of buses, and a short time to wait.
Although it has been three years since we visited here, it all came back when we arrived to town. This part of the town has many colonial-style buildings that have converted to hotels and restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. We seemed to recall that most of these establishments did not open until evening. Riding with us in the bus was Barb and her friend Cecile. They mentioned that one of the volunteer information ladies had told them that the aquarium was free today. Well, we would have to check that out, because it sounded too good. Especially when many folks had paid for a tour that included this aquarium visit. There would be hell to pay if they found out it was free. And the adult fare was $28, by the way.
Well, we went inside the aquarium and asked. It was funny to see the look on their faces, because it was the first they heard about it. This was almost true, but the free entry today was for the adjacent Museum of Tropical Queensland. Now that would work, since it was still raining outside, and we would have time to explore this venue. And besides, the aquarium was so hot and crowded already, we were glad to leave it. The main subject of this museum was Exhibition 0f The HMS Pandora, the ship sent by the British Admiralty in 1790 to capture the Bounty’s mutinous crew in Tahiti. This was even more interesting since we recently came in contact with the descendants of the Bounty at Pitcairn Island. Anyway, the Pandora’s crew was unsuccessful in locating the mutineers, and tragically, the ship hit the Great Barrier Reef and sank in 1791. It laid on the bottom for 186 years, and today objects recovered from the wreck are part of this display.
Today happened to be the final day for the World Science Festival Brisbane comes to Townsville. This was a hands-on science activity for families, so therefore, the admission of $15 per person was waived. And because it was a Saturday, dozens of parents brought their kids, and the museum was crowded. Then you add the cruise passengers on tour, and the museum was busting at the seams. We breezed through the displays, then continued on our walk.
It was still raining, and heavy at times, but with umbrellas, we stayed mostly dry. With a dozen maps and brochures, we headed towards The Anzac Memorial Park, which is the beginning of The Strand. Besides monuments and dedications, this lovely park is full of old growth banyan trees. They added a stately ambience to this peaceful place.
Further up the waterfront street, we passed the Waterpark which included a public swimming pool, and a shallow set of pools for the kids. This water park was full of fountains and buckets that drop water unexpectedly on the little ones. Picnic benches and grassy areas were perfect for family parties, which were happening today.
Row after row of hotels, restaurants, and shops lined this street. One that looked like a possible lunch venue caught our eye. It was Longboard Bar and Grill, but it did not open until 11:30am. Checking out the menu, we decided to come back here after 1pm.
Turning left, we went two long blocks to the Queens Gardens, established in 1870. It was vitually empty of visitors, so we had the whole place to ourselves. Although the showers had let up by now, the trees and grass were really wet and drippy. It still was nice to stroll through the paths to see the many varieties of tropical flowering trees, heliconias, palms, and our favorite….frangipanis. The rose and herb gardens were being renewed, and the small aviary ws empty of birds, since it was being updated.
Besides the specimens of figs, almonds, Hoop pines, mangoes, and Moreton Bay Ash trees, there were birds. We spotted some ibis, magpie larks, a laughing kookaburra, and a pair of bush stone curlew. After leaving the gardens, we walked back towards The Strand and saw more birds. The street trees were blooming, and they were full of rainbow lorikeets, almost invisible to the naked eye. You could hear them chattering, but it took some time to spot them in the dense foliage of the trees. They are masters at blending. Further near the beach, we saw some of the large red-tailed black cockatoos. They seem to hang around the trees that were dropping the seeds they love to eat. We watched one brave magpie lark tormenting the parrot, trying to get at this source of food. But the cockatoo was much larger and fierce-looking as he fanned his head feathers as well as his brightly-colored tail.
It was time to head back to get seats in the Longboard, and hopefully order some ice cold beers. By now, the sun had come out, and it was unbelievably hot. The place was full of guests, some of which were from the ship. Sitting at a table with a beach view and a wonderful breeze, we had to buy the beers at the bar, then purchase the Margherita pizza at the restaurant side. A waitress brought the beers, and eventually a most delicious tomato-saucy, cheese topped crispy pizza crust. We added a most interesting dessert, the only one they served. It was a pineapple cut in half lengthwise, then scooped out and frozen. The pineapple was diced up into small bits, then frozen along with the shell. Then it was topped with coconut and strawberry ice cream, with a scoop of mango sorbet in the center. All of this was sprinkled with sliced strawberries and blueberries. On the very top, there were meringue sticks rolled in coconut flakes. We considered the treat mostly healthy, and enjoyed every bite, proving it is fun trying something new and different.
It was time to move on, since all aboard time was 4:30pm, and it was already close to 3pm. We back-tracked, but took a wrong turn and were heading towards the Casino and the Ferry Terminal to Magnetic Island. Since we will be here again next year, perhaps we will check out the island for a change. Just as long as we know the ride back will work with the ship’s leaving.
Back at Flinder Street the city center, we boarded the shuttle that went back to the terminal. And we discovered that there was a second coach that took folks to The Strand. On or last visit, we had taken a bus back from the end of the promenade where the Kissing Point Boardwalk, lookout, and Rockpool are located. If we had more time in port and if it wasn’t so hot, we could have walked to the end.
At the terminal, we checked out the souvenir tables. One vendor was pushing an oil that would help with the aches and pains of arthritis or muscle strain. There were forms of magnesium or potassium elixirs that attracted the attention of just about everyone on this ship. Wonder if these oils help? Something tells us these small bottles were pricey, since many were looking, but few were buying. Other souvenirs included tie-dyed silky tops and dresses, costume jewelry, locally-made clothing, and Aussie trinkets. We made it through the maze unscathed this time.
Sail away activities began at the Seaview Pool at 4:30pm, where trays of crocodile appetizers were passed around. Really? Those who tried the breaded and fried chunks said they sure tasted exactly like chicken. One of us was game, while the other more cautious one did not. Even the waiters admitted they had not tried one. As we exited the harbor, we sailed past what we believe to be Magnetic Island. There were several small islands, but this one seemed to have the ferries going there. Visiting with many of our buddies was nice, since every one of them had done something different. We stayed past sunset at 6:30pm, but it could not compare to the memorable one we had leaving Sydney.
Dinner was a mixed bag with choices. The fish appetizer was not so good, but the bowtie pasta was even better when Slam had the chefs add marinara sauce instead of the creamy one. We split that with our salad entrees. Although we never ordered it, there was a cold smoothie fruit soup offered tonight. It could be served for a dessert item as well. Since we had indulged with dessert at lunch today, we passed on ordering it tonight.
The entertainer was Michelle Montuori, with a vocal performance mixed with humor. We were so tired, we passed. Another port, Cairns, is coming up tomorrow, and we needed to get some quality rest to take it on.
Bill & Mary Ann
PS A note about the ferry ride in Sydney: go to - captaincook.com.au for info on White Bay availability
