Townsville

We arrived in Townsville on Wednesday after a 3 1/2-hour drive from Airlie Beach.  After checking into our Airbnb, we walked to The Strand, a popular walkway which follows along the beach and passes by lots of shops and restaurants.  We were pretty hungry after our long drive from Airlie Beach and decided to eat along the waterfront at Longboard Bar & Grill. 

Thursday, we boarded the ferry from Townsville and took a boat to Magnetic Island (known as "Maggie Island" by locals).  Magnetic Island National Park is known for its boulder-strewn headlands, sandy beaches, fringing reefs, and a large population of koalas.  Once on the island, there is a bus which stops at several locations around the park to make getting around a bit easier.  We hopped on the bus and got dropped off at the Forts Walk.  One of the most popular hikes on the island, the Forts Walk leads to several historic WWII fortifications.  It is also one of the best places in Northern Australia to spot kolas sleeping in the eucalyptus trees lining the path.  We had great weather, sunny and low 70's, and the walk provided some really beautiful views.  And, much to my delight, we spotted one koala!  We haven't seen a koala since we first arrived in Australia and traveled along the Great Ocean Road.  He was adorable and just napped away while we snapped our photos!

Once we finished the Forts Walk, we spent our time hiking to several of the bays (Florence Bay, Radical Bay, Balding Bay, and ending at Horseshoe Bay).  We walked a total of 7.5-miles and were pretty worn out once we finished!  It was a fantastic day and we had so much fun exploring Magnetic Island.  

Florence Bay

Huge potholes on the road to Radical Bay!

Radical Bay

Balding Bay

We spent our final day in Townsville around the town where we grabbed breakfast at JAM, explored the shops and walked along the oceanfront.  It was a very relaxing day and we were also able to get some other tasks done like laundry and grocery shopping! 

We are currently in Cairns, our second to last stop in Australia.  We have exactly SEVEN days left here in Aussieland and it is crazy to think how quickly our time here is coming to an end.  Just trying to soak up every last moment.