Townsville, with a population of over 180,000 is the largest city and considered the capital of tropical Queensland. It is ideally placed as a base for exploring the Great Barrier Reef, visiting the idyllic Mission Beach (several hours north), the nearby Magnetic Island, Hinchinbrook Island National Park and the North East of Australia.
The Ross river flows through Townsville and the city is a popular stop for cruise ships as well as Australian and overseas naval vessels.
Townsville is also a great place for a stop over if you are driving to Cairns – the scenic stretch of road from Townsville to Cairns, known as the Great Green Way, passes beaches, waterfalls and rainforests.
Townsville is also the location for one of the campuses of the James Cook University which is considered one of the leaders in the field of tropical research.
Thanks so much for the info.