A limited number of campervan hire companies offer vehicles in Townsville. Consider picking up a motorhome rental in Cairns or Brisbane for a wider choice.
Not all vehicles may be available. Use the search tool to check availability for your travel dates.
Yes, it’s standard for most RV rental companies to allow an additional driver. This driver and any others must be named on the rental agreement and there may be a nominal fee.
Additional drivers must also hold an appropriate driver’s license and must meet driver age requirements.
Not many RV rental companies in Australia allow customers to pick up and/or drop off a rental after hours.
Spaceships have an easy after-hours pickup and dropoff service.
The following companies also allow after-hours pickup or dropoff, but fees and additional terms may apply: Camperman, Mighty Campers, Awesome, Driveabout, and Bargain Campers.
Note that this service may not be available in all cities.
Most rental companies offer roadside assistance that is available 24/7 by ringing a local or free number. Mechanical breakdowns are covered by the rental company (for example, engine and electrical faults).
With some suppliers repairs under $100 (Australian dollars) do not require authorization and will be reimbursed upon return of the rental (with a GST receipt), however, it’s still recommended to ring roadside assistance for any troubles.
No, most companies will only allow their vehicles to be driven on sealed bitumen roads.
An Exception is Bargain Campers, who allow their vehicles to be driven on unsealed (gravel) roads in Tasmania, as long as these roads are properly formed.
Rental companies may make an exception for well maintained access roads to a recognized campsite, however, the distance allowed on these roads may vary (between 500m to 12km). Check the rental agreement for details regarding the exact allowed distance.
Different rules may apply to 4WD vehicles.
Note: policies vary from supplier to supplier. Always check the T&Cs for your rental.
An Australian campervan rental company specializing in budget vehicles, all of its vehicles are 2-berths and are generally older. Awesome Campers is popular with the backpacker community and those looking for a low-cost getaway.
Camperman is a motorhome rental company with multiple locations in Queensland as well as rental centers in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. It offers a range of fairly priced vehicles and allows drivers under 21 to rent.
17 miles south of town, Billabong Sanctuary is billed as Australia’s Best Interactive Wildlife Experience. In natural habitats of eucalypt forest, rainforest, and wetlands, Billabong offers unique hands-on experiences – here you can cuddle a koala, pat a wombat, free-ranging kangaroo, or dingo, and hold a baby saltwater crocodile.
Over 100 Australian mammals and reptiles are found at Billabong including, additionally, wallabies, parrots, and cassowaries. Croc feeding shows happen twice daily and there are tours – guided and self-guided – through the natural tropical bush.
Townsville’s 1.3-mile-long beachfront promenade has won awards as the cleanest beach in Australia, most recently in 2008. Dating to the city’s founding in the mid-1800s, the Strand’s current incarnation is from 1999, following the damage from Tropical Cyclone Sid.
Officially situated in the suburb of North Ward, views are available back to Townsville and to Cape Cleveland and Magnetic Island.
Dominating Townsville’s skyline, heritage-listed Castle Hill rises 938 feet above the sea level and is considered one of the most distinctive natural features of the Queensland coast. 360-degree views are possible over the city and across Cleveland Bay to Magnetic Island.
This pink granite monolith is popular for its walking tracks and was used as a vantage point by American soldiers during WWII; an observation bunker remains today on one corner.
The adjacent Museum of Tropical North Queensland and Reef HQ Aquarium provide insight into local history and marine biology.
Formed in 1987, the museum focuses on natural history, history, and archaeology; a featured exhibit includes artifacts from the HMS Pandora, a ship sent to capture those involved in the ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ that then wrecked on the reef in 1791.
Build as a Bicentennial Commemorative project, Reef HQ is the educational center for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and houses the world’s largest coral reef aquarium, with 130 species of corals. A walk through a 65-foot-long transparent acrylic tunnel brings you inside a large predator tank, with resident blacktip, whitetip, nurse, and leopard sharks.
