Things to do in Townsville, Queensland: The Best Points of Interest & Landmarks

The inaugural sculpture in the Southern Hemisphere’s first Museum of Underwater Art, the 'Ocean Siren' is installed alongside North Queensland’s iconic Strand Jetty in Townsville. 'Ocean Siren' is modelled on local Wulgurukaba Traditional Owner, Takoda Johnson, with a vision to inspire reef and ocean conservation action and achieve positive environmental outcomes. The ‘Ocean Siren’ reacts to live water temperature data from the Davies Reef weather station on the Great Barrier Reef and changes colour in response to live variations in water temperature. It was installed in December 2019, made possible through a $2 million Queensland Government grant. The sculpture is free to view and open 24/7!

A significant site for both the Australian military and local Aboriginal People, the Jezzine Barracks are now open to the public and include coastal boardwalks, artwork, traditional plantings and parklands. The 15-hectare heritage precinct commemorates the military and Aboriginal heritage of the Kissing Point headland through 32 specially commissioned public artworks, extensive interpretive signage and the restoration of significant elements of the Kissing Point Fort complex. The space includes a coastal walkway connecting Rowes Bay and The Strand, observation decks up at Kissing Point Fort, traditional plantings along the ethno-botanical walk, the Crossed Boomerang Amphitheatre, Norman and Brigadier North parklands and the Kennedy Regiment Plaza. The Traditional Owners of Garabarra are the Wulgurukaba people and the Bindal people, who retain an enduring 'connection to country' despite the impact of non-Aboriginal settlement in the area. For thousands of years Garabarra was the centre of a common food foraging area for local Aboriginal people - an area with immeasurable cultural and spiritual values. The Fort was established in 1870 after the British withdrew from the colonies and it was in continuous military use from 1885 to 2006. In 2007 a community trust was established to keep this land in public

The Reef Art at Langford Reef, illustrates the contributions of marine themed public art to reef tourism, education and recovery for the Whitsunday Region. Four artworks titled Box Fish 2011, Alu the Box Fish 2012, Nudibranch 2007, and Soldier Crab 2005 by Whitsundays sculptor Adriaan Vanderlugt are located on the beach. They are interactive and visitors can sit on a nudibranch, fish or crab.