Introduction to Townsville and Magnetic Island

346km (215 miles) S of Cairns; 1,371km (850 miles) N of Brisbane

With a population of 140,000, Townsville claims to be Australia's largest tropical city. Because of its size, and an economy based on mining, manufacturing, education, and tourism, it is sometimes overlooked as a holiday destination. Unjustly so. The people are friendly, the city is pleasant, and there's plenty to do. The town nestles by the sea below the pink face of Castle Rock, which looms 300m (about 1,000 ft.) directly above. The focus is the Strand park, which had a A$29-million (US$26-million/£13-million) revamp a couple of years ago.

Cruises depart from the harbor for the Great Barrier Reef, about 2 1/2 hours away. Just 8km (5 miles) offshore is Magnetic Island -- "Maggie" to the locals -- a popular place for watersports, hiking, and spotting koalas in the wild.

Although Townsville can be hot and humid in the summer -- and sometimes in the path of cyclones -- it is generally spared the worst of the Wet-season rains and boasts 300 days of sunshine a year.