Homestay Townsville

Welcome to Australian Homestay Network Townsville!

Boasting more than 300 days of sunshine each year and surrounded by stunning natural landscapes, Townsville North Queensland is just the place to ignite your sense of wonder. From the underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef to the vast landscapes of the outback and stunning Heritage-listed rainforest, Townsville North Queensland has something for everyone.

Townsville is a thriving precinct with access to a variety of world-class education facilities, leading-edge health care, affordable housing, unique retailing, spectacular events and entertainment, dining precincts and a wide range of outdoor recreation options. As Australia’s largest tropical city, Townsville’s lifestyle is second to none.

Education

International students have access to a wide range of education offerings in Townsville including:

– Universities

Townsville is home to over 13,000 James Cook University students as well as Central Queensland University, so you’ll never run out of things to do or people to meet. James Cook University is ranked No. 1 in the world for marine biology and No. 2 in the world for biodiversity conservation research, re-affirming their standing as a world leader in environmental sciences.

– Occupational Training

Discover the large range of occupational training courses offered to international students in Townsville at TAFE Queensland.

– Secondary Schools

Townsville has a range of quality CRICOS registered high school providers who offer world-class high school education in a safe and beautiful location including Townsville Grammar School.

– English language schools

Whether you’re looking to come and study English as a second language or as a pathway to further studies, Townsville is a perfect location to improve your English skills. The Townsville International English School (TIES) offers a range of English language courses to international students in an engaging, dynamic and professional environment.

Weather

Queensland is known as Australia’s “Sunshine State” and you’ll experience warm to hot weather year-round in Townsville. Summer (December to February) is hot and humid with average daily temperatures between 25 and 31 degrees Celsius. In winter (June to August) you can expect mild, sunny days with average temperatures between 14 and 24 degrees Celsius.

Attractions

• Immerse yourself in a Great Barrier Reef island community on Magnetic Island, featuring 23 bays and beaches and activities to excite everyone including sailing, bush walking, snorkelling, dining, water sports, wildlife encounters and so much more.
• Discover Paluma, the romantic village nestled in Townsville’s Heritage-listed rainforest.
• Feel alive amongst the Jurassic beauty of Hinchinbrook Island! Ditch your phone, dust off the hiking boots and start your own hiking exploration on the Thorsborne Trail.
• Visit the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium at Reef HQ Great Barrier Reef Aquarium and meet the rescued turtles at the turtle hospital.
• Discover mega marine life at one of the world’s top 10 wreck dives, the historic SS Yongala wreck with Yongala Dive.

Annual Events

The Townsville Running Festival is the second oldest marathon in Australia.  In 2017, more than 200,000 Chinese ‘virtually’ ran in the Townsville Running Festival.

• The Australian Festival of Chamber Music brings together the world’s finest chamber musicians from across the globe to perform in our most stunning locations.
• Townsville is currently undergoing a new $250 million Townsville CBD stadium, which will have capacity to host up to 25,000 patrons for sporting and other leisure activities.
• The Townsville Cultural Festival showcases the diversity of Australian music, food, arts and culture bringing thousands of people together each year in a celebration of life.
• Townsville held the preliminary basketball rounds of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
• The annual Townsville Triathlon Festival hosts the Triathlon Queensland Club Championships and is a World Championships qualifying event.

Cost of Living

Being a regional city, the cost of living in Townville is much lower compared to Australia’s larger cities.

Rent per month – city centre
(1 bedroom apartment)
$1064.84

Rent per month – outside city centre
(1 bedroom apartment)
$ 1,235.00

One-way ticket on public transport
$3.50

McMeal/combo meal at McDonald’s
$11.00

330ml bottle of Coca-Cola
$3.21

Movie ticket
$15.00

Regular cup of coffee
$4.71

*Cost of Living figures came from Numbeo.com

Image courtesy of Megan MacKinnon. Location: Castle Hill, Townsville North Queensland.