Townsville is suddenly Australia's hottest city

Thanks to the five-star Ardo hotel, Northern Queensland's largest city is fast becoming one of its hottest destinations.

Northern Australia’s largest city offers the same tempting trifecta of outback, reef and rainforest that draws hordes of holidaymakers to Cairns, and yet I’ve always thought of Townsville as a mere transit stop on my winter escapes to Magnetic Island. Fondly so – it’s the gateway to one of my favourite places in Australia. But I’d never considered a stopover there until now.

Two weeks ago I flew to Townsville in the middle of summer’s wet season (madness, you might think) to find steamy, blue-sky days and a city transformed.

Key to the northern hub’s transformation is Ardo, the $110 million, 132-room hotel just opened beside The Ville Resort (and discreet casino) and the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre, all set in lush lawns and palm gardens beside the Coral Sea.

Ardo has singlehandedly switched up the entertainment options in this 200,000-strong city. At weekends local women don their prettiest frocks and men press their shirts for rooftop cocktails, preppy snacks and breezy sea views at the hotel’s sexy rooftop bar.

On the same level, just past the infinity pool, is Marmor, Ardo’s upscale steak and seafood restaurant. Its menu lists supplier biographies and indulgences such as Uruguayan caviar with biodynamic Champagne.

Over dinner at Marmor, Michael Jones, CEO of both Ardo and The Ville (home to a rockstar pool and 198-room hotel), tells me trade’s never been busier since Covid lockdowns. Mainly with Queenslanders but, increasingly, folks from Sydney and Melbourne lured north by boosted flight schedules. As well, he says, “Townsville’s getting better at telling its story.”

Key to the northern hub’s transformation is Ardo, the $110 million, 132-room hotel. Picture: Ardo.

Ardo is a big part of the new narrative. Every aspect of this five-star hotel, from the 270-degree panoramic suites to the smart waterfront Japanese Terasu – serving unique cocktails and an extensive menu of mod-Japanese treats from sushi and nigiri to wagyu beef tataki – exceeds my expectations.

As does the hotel spa, where Brazilian expat Bianca brings her physiotherapy training to bear in upper-body massages and tactile facials of mushroom lotions and rubbery masks. As paid pampering goes, it’s way better than my experiences at many big-city spas.

Post-treatment, Bianca shares a surprising fact. There are, she claims, more than 500 Brazilians living in Townsville. “We have lots of skilled Brazilians here,” she says. “We come for the economic opportunities, and here it is more stable and we have a little bit more quality of life.”

Which begs the question: is Townsville the Brazil of North Queensland? The Bra-ville, if you will?

Marmor is Ardo’s upscale steak and seafood restaurant. Picture: Simon Shiff (Ardo).

Elsewhere in the city there are new distilleries and breweries including Tan Lines on The Strand for award-winning gins and vodka, Burdekin rum and Townsville Brewing in the old post office.

The seafront Strand is lined with good restaurants. Ardo driver John Black likes Longboard for buffalo wings and waffle fries overlooking the ocean. There are currently three hatted restaurants in town, possibly more soon with the arrival of Marmor and Terasu.

Events-wise, Townsville has plenty going on, from the annual Australian Festival of Chamber Music to hosting two Pink concerts this year (March 22 and 23).

The biggest weekend in town – at least until now (see breakout) – is the Professional Bull Riders grand final held each November, when genuine cowboys in big hats and big buckles swamp the city and The Ville’s staff carpark turns into a bull-holding pen.

For me the great attraction of Townsville remains Magnetic Island, on this visit I get a new perspective on it with Pilgrim Sailing. Picture: Supplied.

Reef-wise there’s the SS Yongala, a world-renowned wreck dive, and the new-ish Museum of Underwater Art at John Brewer Reef combining art, science and nature in consciousness-raising submarine installations.

For me the great attraction of Townsville remains Magnetic Island – that magical place of chunky granite boulders and Gondwana-era hoop pines. This visit I get a new perspective on it with Pilgrim Sailing. On a private charter aboard its 17.4m yacht Pilgrim, we hoist sails in Nelly Bay and gallop across the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area to Radical Bay, where skipper Clayton Scott drops anchor and marine scientist Bridie Lewis fixes drinks and snacks. Zipped up in a stinger suit, I slip into waters so hot and salty I feel like a pasta noodle. But it’s weirdly fun.

I swim to shore, search for turtle nesting sites and arrive back on board to find Lewis has conjured platters of local produce including fat prawns fished just outside the bay. We feed their heads to a swooping Brahminy kite as turtles breach the sea surface around us.

Come winter, Radical Bay turns into a humpback nursery. “Sometimes we see seven pods in a day,” says Lewis. As if I needed another excuse to plan a trip north.

The writer visited Townsville as a guest of Tourism and Events Queensland and Morris Group.

Originally published as Townsville is suddenly Australia's hottest city