Fly to Townsville

The Strand is your scenic shortcut to all things Townsville. It's a 2.5km palm-lined, coast-hugging walkway where locals flock to cycle, stroll and hang out. There are playgrounds along the way, including the Strand Water Park, as well as cafés and waterfront bars. Pack a beach picnic and soak up the sensational views over to Magnetic Island, or cast a line off the jetty. The beach is perfect for swimming, surfing and stand-up paddleboarding too. For a dose of local history, the nearby Jezzine Barracks are fascinating.

Magnetic Island is a slice of tropical paradise – and it's just a 20-minute ferry ride from Townsville. This one island has 23 beautiful beaches to explore, so hire a topless car and go beach hopping. There are heaps of hiking trails to conquer, a famous shipwreck to scuba dive around and incredible granite boulders to climb. For sheer cuteness, visit the rock wallaby colony in Geoffey Bay or hang with the northern Australia's largest colony of wild koalas!

Take a daytrip to the incredible Wallaman Falls in Girringun National Park. At 268m, it's the highest, permanent, single-drop waterfall in Australia. Access the base of the falls via Djyinda Walk and walk to the main lookout for the knock-your-socks-off scenery. Hit the walking trails and soak up the ancient rainforest landscape. If you're lucky, you might see a musky-rat kangaroo, a platypus or an endangered southern cassowary.