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Situated on the north side of the mighty Burdekin River, 85 kilometres south of Townsville, the prosperous rural community of Ayr is the main town in the Burdekin Shire.

This is prime sugar country, with about 80,000 hectares of land under sugar cane, and an annual production of about 1.25 million tonnes of raw sugar. The district also contributes one-third of the nation’s mango harvest and is a major producer of melons and a host of other fruit and vegetables.

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Attractions

• Dining and Eating Out (4)
  1. Billabong Sanctuary Billabong Sanctuary is a wildlife park featuring over 100 species of Australian animals, specialising in the fauna of North Queensland such as the saltwater crocodile and the endangered cassowary.
  2. Mystic Sands Golf Resort Tranquil surroundings are a highlight of your visit to mystic sands golf resort. Enjoy lunch or dinner on the verandah overlooking the lake and watch the wildlife. Restaurant and bar are open daily. Restaurant open for lunch daily and dinner Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. Breakfast by the lake is available on Sunday.
  3. Newmarket Steakhouse Townsville The Newmarket Hotel is Townsville’s Ultimate Place for Steak!
  4. Reef HQ Aquarium Reef HQ Aquarium invites guests to visit all the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef at the “worlds largest living Coral Reef Aquarium”
• Entertainment (1)
  1. The Cultural Centre, Townsville The Cultural Centre, Townsville showcases the culture and history of the local Wulgurukaba and Bindal people and the diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities to the world. Located in Townsville’s tourist attraction precinct, the Cultural Centre operates a fine arts gallery and gift store with a wide selection of paintings, prints, artefacts and souvenirs. The Centre also hosts regular art exhibitions and seasonal cultural markets to visitors and locals of the region.
• Farming, Food and Produce (1)
  1. The Stack Art Gallery The Stack Art Gallery is truly a little treasure. Nestled in the suburb of Idalia in Townsville, the gallery features a large hand made gift line by local artists, and original paintings by Karen Foley. The quality art is a 'Must See' for both locals and tourists.
• Galleries, Museums and Collections (6)
  1. Maritime Museum of Townsville The Maritime Museum of Townsville is best known for its display about the doomed ship SS Yongala, sunk south of Townsville in 1911 with the loss of all 122 on board. The display includes a video recording showing the discovery and archaeology of the wreck, one of the world’s premier wreck dive sites. Other fascinating exhibits include The Women’s War Two display, which provides an insight into the lives of women living and working in Townsville during the Second World War; information about the Royal Australian Navy, the history of Townsville and its port, and the hard hat diving industry of Townsville. A model boat building room, boat shed, small research library and barbecue area can also be found here.
  2. Museum Of Tropical Queensland The Museum of Tropical Queensland (MTQ) is a world-class museum, bursting with fun, fascinating and interactive displays. With a primary focus on North Queensland, it reveals the secrets of life in the tropics, the region’s unique fauna and flora, and weird and wonderful creatures from the deep sea and Australia's past.
  3. National Trust Heritage Centre The National Trust Heritage Centre in Townsville is a collection of three heritage houses furnished and restored to their original period glory. These include a Worker's Dwelling (1878), The Currajong (1889) - a grand villa residence, and The Farmhouse (1921) - an example of an early house occupied by North Queensland farmers. Guided tours are available.
  4. Perc Tucker Regional Gallery Housed in one of Townsville’s finest heritage buildings, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery is a dynamic visual arts centre and has a significant collection of North Queensland art.
  5. Sylvia Ditchburn Fine Art Gallery Must see Sylvia Ditchburn Fine Art Gallery is a free, delightful Boutique Art Gallery just five minutes from Flinders Street Central Business District. It caters for local and visiting art lovers with original paintings by Sylvia and local artists, and prints and postcards of north Queensland environs. The gallery features Sylvia's art and all works are for sale. Easy freight options are available for the travelling artlover.
  6. Townsville Museum and Historical Society The Townsville Museum and Historical Society has two large exhibition halls displaying artefacts relating to Townsville's medical, artistic, technological and social history. It is located in the suburb of Currajong, in the former Traffic Training Centre building. As well as its extensive artefact collections, the Museum also owns a large number of photographs and plans of Townsville and a more limited collection of documents and books relating to North Queensland.
• Historical Sites and Heritage Locations (2)
  1. Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park A scenic coastal park close to Townsville, Cape Pallarenda is the site of a former quarantine station dating from 1915. The buildings are typical Queenslander style; with high ceilings and wide verandahs. The park features ruins and relics from World War II, when the cape was part of Australia's east coast defences. Stroll through the old quarantine station and imagine life in a bygone era. Visit the small historical display and gain an insight into the history of the area. Walk along the beaches and over the rugged headland to take in sweeping views of Townsville and Magnetic Island. Inspect the World War II gun emplacements and searchlight positions. Enjoy a picnic or barbecue on the foreshore.
  2. Castle Hill Castle Hill is a red rock monolith in the heart of Townsville offering panoramic views, and a slice of military history. There is a popular walking track for fitness focused locals, with a rocky “goat track” a favourite for shedding those unwanted kilos. A road offers access for vehicles and pedestrians. The hill is just metres short of being classified as a mountain.
• Landmarks and Buildings (2)
  1. Australian Institute of Marine Science The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is a leader in tropical marine science.
  2. James Cook University of North Queensland James Cook University offers study and research opportunities in a broad range of disciplines, whilst enjoying world leadership in subjects of special importance to the region. James Cook University increasingly focuses on a range of commercial links to allow industry to further benefit from expertise within the University. Disciplines include: Medicine; Occupational Therapy; Surgery; Nursing; Science; Biomedical Sciences; Animal Science; Applied Science; Pharmacy; Engineering; Law; Public Policy; Economics; Commerce; Business; Arts; Administration (Tourism); Hospitality Management; Indigenous Health and Studies; Computing; Information Technology; Communication Design; Visual Arts; Theatre; Music; Education; Journalism; Psychology; Social Work; Community Welfare; Languages; Environmental Studies; Photography. For a full list of faculties, bachelor, post graduate degrees and masters programs refer to the web site.
• National Parks and Reserves (2)
  1. Goold Island National Park Goold Island National Park's forests spill onto the sandy beaches of this untouched tropical island in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Dugong and turtles feed on seagrass beds in shallow waters surrounding the island. The park is significant to Aboriginal people. In the past they built extensive fish traps here. Relax, bush camp and picnic on the western beach and enjoy superb views of nearby Hinchinbrook Island. Walk through eucalypt woodland and return along the beach. Explore patches of rainforest flourishing in rocky gullies, and mangroves next to the shore. Look for colourful fish and starfish. In summer, listen for pied imperial-pigeons that feed here and nest on nearby Brook Island.
  2. Townsville Town Common Conservation Park Townsville Town Common Conservation Park is a birdwatcher's paradise! Only minutes from the centre of Townsville - open woodland, grassland, swamps and vine thickets provide a habitat and refuge for as many as 280 bird species. Summer rains transform the area into an immense wetland, attracting large flocks of waterbirds. The park offers excellent birdwatching opportunities at each of six observation points. From bird hides, view flocks of magpie geese, brolgas, finches, wrens and cisticolas. Take the Many Peaks Range walking track to see sweeping views over the park and along the coastline, from Palm Island in the north to Cape Cleveland in the south.
• Natural Attractions (7)
  1. Alligator Creek Falls Track Alligator Creek flows through Bowling Green Bay National Park in a series of cascades, deep pools and waterfalls.
  2. Davies Reef Dive Site Davies Reef, off Townsville on the Great Barrier Reef, is home to a number of dive sites from large pinnacles with small caves to prolific coral gardens and drop-offs. Deep gutters cut through the reef where the walls are decorated with soft corals and gorgonians. Small tropicals and large numbers of pelagics congregate in the area. Dive sites include the Sisters, Coral Gardens and Atlantis.
  3. Paluma and Crystal Creek Rainforest Paluma Range is a rainforest haven located approximately 60 minutes drive north of the city of Townsville. Paluma village is located on the mountain-top - a quaint rainforest township offering tea and craft rooms. Along the Paluma Range highway is Little Crystal Creek and Big Crystal Creek, both of which are ideal for swimming, camping (permit required), bushwalking, picnicking or barbecue. Magnificent panoramic views from various lookouts along the Paluma range. Paluma and Crystal Creek is an eco-tourism paradise with a wide array of wildlife and birdlife in this rainforest habitat.
  4. SS "Yongala" Dive Site The SS "Yongala" off Cape Bowling Green near Townsville, is one of the best wreck dives in the world. At 110 metres long she is one of the largest, most intact historic shipwrecks and intriguing maritime mysteries.
  5. The Forts Walk From the turn-off to Radical Bay on Magnetic Island National Park, this track ascends, sometimes steeply, to follow a ridge behind the bays before arriving at the ruins of the Forts complex operated during World War II. Magnetic Island's WWII forts are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register and are among the best examples of such forts on Queensland's east coast.
  6. Townsville Palmetum The Palmetum is a unique tropical experience covering over 17 hectares. It is a botanical garden featuring one family of plants - the palms. Approximately 60 species of palms are native to Australia and most are represented in the Palmetum. The collection contains around 300 species, many rare and threatened in their natural habitat. The Palmetum has been designed to display plants in environmental context to habitat type from the dry tropics to the wet tropical lowlands. In addition to these recreated habitats there are expansive lawns and water features frequented by numerous bird species. The Palmetum also features the magnificent 'Tumbetin Lodge'- a heritage building with a long history. Facilities include art exhibitions, public amenities, meeting rooms and restaurant and tea room. The Palmetum also features a Memorial to the Black Hawk Disaster.
  7. Wheeler Reef Dive Site At Wheeler Reef, On the Great Barrier Reef off Townsville, you can enjoy diving or snorkelling on some of the most pristine reefs. Wheeler Reef is an ideal location for certified divers, the novice diver or snorkellers. The maximum depth is 18m and the lagoon is abundant with an exciting array of marine life. Explore the myriad of gullies, canyons, caves and swim-throughs that this reef is famous for.
• Parks and Gardens (4)
  1. Anderson Park Botanic Gardens Anderson Park Botanic Gardens Townsville is one of the three separate gardens which together form the Townsville Botanic Gardens being developed by the Metropolitan Council. Being a garden of international repute, Anderson Park is often crowded by plant enthusiasts and unfussy visitors.
  2. Dan Gleeson Memorial Gardens The Dan Gleeson Memorial Gardens are located along Thuringowa Drive, Kirwan in the city of Thuringowa (twin city of Townsville). The gardens feature a wide range of native flora situated amongst large lawn parks and paved pathways. The gardens also feature an artificial lake which attracts significant birdlife and a soundshell which is a venue for many community events and celebrations. The gardens are in close proximity to restaurants and visitor services. Entry to the gardens is free.
  3. Queens Gardens Queens Gardens are one of three botanical gardens of Townsville, Queensland. Queens Gardens are located in the suburb of North Ward, at the base of Castle Hill, near to both the city centre and The Strand beachside park. They have been called Townsville's finest park.
  4. The Strand The Strand is a seaside foreshore located in Townsville, Australia. It is located in the suburb of North Ward. The Strand has a magnificent view of the Port of Townsville and Magnetic Island, as well as views stretching all the way out to Cape Cleveland.
• Shopping (1)
  1. Cotters Markets Cotters Market is North Queensland's award winning arts and crafts market held in Flinders Mall Townsville. Cotters Market is a great place to shop. They have ultra-fresh fruit and vegetables, stunning jewellery, original art works, massages, woodwork, stuffed toads, home-baked cakes, gifts for all occasions and entertainment. Come along and check it out!

Events

• Festivals and Celebrations (1)
  1. Burdekin Water Festival The Burdekin Water Festival is one of the longest running festivals in Queensland. It was the dream of William Morley (Bob) Saxby Senior who had been to Toowoomba and had experienced the Carnival of Flowers in 1957. Upon his return to Ayr, he approached the Shire Chairman at the time to discuss what the Burdekin could do to promote its underground water supply. A public meeting was called in late 1957, and from that meeting the Burdekin Water Festival was formed, with the first festival being held on 6th September 1958.
• Sporting Events (2)
  1. Burdekin Sugar Bowl Tennis Tournament The Sugar Bowl Tennis Tournament is held over the Queens Birthday long weekend. This annual tennis competition is well supported with teams travelling from throughout North Queensland. The competition takes place at both the Home Hill and Ayr tennis courts. It is hosted by the Home Hill Tennis Association. Food and drinks are available throughout the weekend.
  2. Burdekin Sugar Rush The Burdekin Road Runners and Walkers Club signature running event is the Burdekin Sugar Rush, held on the third Sunday in May each year. The event not only showcases the spectacular features of the Burdekin Shire, but also celebrates the role that fun and fitness has in the community. The event attracts running enthusiasts from around the region (including Townsville, Cairns, Whitsundays and Mackay) and also has a key focus of attracting first time competitors through the provision of a half marathon (21 kilometres), five and ten kilometre fun run and team challenge. Most participants take part for the personal challenge, the experience of a vibrant community event and embracing an active and healthy lifestyle.

Visitor Information

• Visitor Information Centres (1)
  1. Burdekin Visitor Information Centre The Burdekin Visitor Information Centre is located in Plantation Park on the Bruce Highway in Ayr.