The bucket-list things to do — and who runs each one.
Here’s the bucket list for your day ashore: the most extraordinary thing to do at each stop, who runs it, and how to book it direct — so you can weigh it against your ship’s excursion and pick what suits you.
In port at Townsville, the bucket-list move is Magnetic Island: Private Small-Group Wildlife & History Tour. Magnetic Island National Park runs it. Below: 3 bucket-list things to do on a Townsville port day — worth weighing against whatever your ship offers.
Explore the jewel of the Coral Sea on a passionate local expert-led small-group tour of Magnetic Island — spotting wild koalas, rock wallabies and sea eagles while uncovering WWII history. The ultimate bucket-list day from Townsville.
Book itMagnetic Island Round-Trip Ferry From TownsvilleAUD 49 per person (about $36)
Run by Magnetic Island National Park · 4.80 from 613 reviews
Descend on the SS Yongala — a 110-metre ocean liner lost in 1911 and now rated among the world's top ten wreck dives. Massive bull sharks, giant grouper, sea turtles and manta rays make this a once-in-a-lifetime underwater pilgrimage.
Book itScuba Dive the S.S. Yongala Wreck on the Great Barrier Reef.AUD 499 per person (about $362)
Run by Adrenalin Snorkel & Dive · 4.30 from 279 reviews
Australia's best interactive wildlife experience, just 20 minutes from the cruise terminal. Hand-feed kangaroos, hold a koala, and watch expert rangers handle massive saltwater crocodiles in a lush tropical sanctuary — deeply personal and expertly narrated.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Glide across the glittering Coral Sea aboard a private sailing charter as the sun melts behind Magnetic Island in a blaze of gold and crimson. Champagne, canapés, and an unobstructed Townsville skyline — this is the quintessential tropical luxury moment.
Book itTownsville Sunset Sail Cruise Boat Tour Charter Hire Sailing HireAUD 115 per person (about $84)
Run by Big Mama Sailing Townsville & Magnetic Island · 4.90 from 209 reviews
Ascend Townsville's iconic red granite monolith with a knowledgeable local guide and be rewarded with sweeping 360° views across the Coral Sea, Magnetic Island and the tropical coastline — a defining Townsville experience, entirely on foot.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Step inside Townsville's world-class Museum of Tropical Queensland to encounter the actual artefacts recovered from HMS Pandora — the ship sent to capture the Bounty mutineers — alongside breathtaking Great Barrier Reef natural history. Unmissable, and 5 minutes from the pier.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Your day in TownsvilleNothing picked yet — tick what you fancy
$0for two, booked direct
Now plan the rest of it
You know what to do on the day. Here is the trip it belongs to —
each one opens as a whole plan, not a list: where to fly in, every port, what it runs.
