Explore Townsville's history with Townsville Tours and Trails, a free, self-guided tour app.
Hear the city's past come to life with guided audio (with transcripts), images, and an immersive journey with the option of using GPS to sync the tour to your live location.
Each tour will require a further multimedia download, so you may wish to download the app and all tours that you wish to explore while you are on a Wi-Fi network.
Download Townsville Tours and Trails:
Flinders Street & Surrounds
Civic Pride
The Civic Pride trail will reveal how Townsville came of age and moved into the 20th century around the east of Flinders Street. Learn about how timber buildings were supplanted by sturdy masonry, and how increasing prosperity assured longevity and cemented Townsville as the capital of north Queensland.
Destination Townsville
Destination Townsville will let you hear about what it was like to travel by train to and from the old Railway Station, learn of Townsville's pivotal role as a railway hub at the North Yards workshops, find out about what Townsville was like as a place to live and work from a former Townsville Bulletin journalist, re-live the thriving live music and nightclub scene at two of the city's most iconic pubs and come to understand the struggles and eventual great success of two migrant families who made Townsville their 'destination'. Learn about how Townsville became a place to call home as you explore the west of Flinders Street.
Early Townsville
Early Townsville will shed light on the history of Flinders Street East, Townsville’s earliest commercial activity, the importance of Ross Creek, the recreational reserve that is now Anzac Park, some of the grandest buildings in the city. Townsville's potential revealed along Flinders Street East.
Lost Townsville
Follow the Lost Townsville trail through the heart of Flinders Street to discover notable buildings of physical and cultural heritage, stories about the people who built and worked in the buildings, the architectural character of Townsville’s early streetscapes, the changing landscape of Flinders Street through the years and the huge impact of fires to the shaping of the street.
Merchants of Townsville
Take a trip down historic Flinders Street East with the Merchants of Townsville trail to discover notable buildings of physical and cultural heritage, stories of the endeavours of Flinders Street's merchants, how Flinders Street's merchants made Townsville a thriving port and trade hub.
Jezzine Barracks & The Strand
A Stroll Along The Strand
With the Stroll Along The Strand trail you will enjoy an iconic beachfront history and self-guided audio tour exploring the history of Townsville’s premier promenade. Discover the places where residents first came to play, Townsville’s brush will the golden age of swimming, secret war tunnels under the city’s streets, the lost treasure of Hambeluna and the deadly history lying in wait beneath the waves.
Jezzine Barracks
Explore the history of Jezzine Barracks, learn about the Aboriginal past of the land known as Garabarra, discover the military history of Kissing Point and see historical images of buildings from the past.
Palmer Street & South Townsville
Pubs on Palmer
Visit Palmer Street and take the Pubs on Palmer trail to uncover what patrons were drinking and where alcohol came from, who was enjoying a drink in Townsville, the more provocative side of drinking in Townsville, the 6 o'clock swill and the changing nature of hotels and a local Elder's story of indigenous people's experiences. A historical pub crawl.
South Townsville and the Port
The South Townsville and the Port trail will take you into the young town's engine toom as it tells of Ross Island from earliest post-European settlement, the working, domestic and social life of residents, how residential and commercial activity took place side-by-side and a microcosm of the larger city Townsville would become.
West End Cemetery
Publican's Trail
The Publicans trail will take you on a pub crawl through the cemetery and allow you to realise how important pubs were to early Townsville, get acquainted with some well-known early settlers and see how many hotels have survived to the present day.
Secrets of the Cemetery
Secrets of the Cemetery will allow you to stand on giant's shoulders to discuss what life was like for early Townsville residents, some pioneering identities, and their families and what gravestone symbolism means.
Townsville Women
The Townsville Women trail celebrates our pioneer women as it focuses on their contributions to Townsville, their ordinary and extraordinary stories and shows a behind the scenes look at domestic life and how times have changed.
