Alma Bay photo Debbie Denison
Magnetic Island's reputation as the premier tropical destination in Northern Australia has been further bolstered taking out the two top gongs in Surf Life Saving Queensland’s best beaches list for this summer.
The Strand and Alma Bay have taken out spot one and two respectively, with Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) weighing up the beaches’ low incident history, patrol times, coastal conditions, safety signage, cleanliness, access to amenities, parking and public transport.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said The Strand and Alma Bay were just two of Townsville’s great beaches.
“We’re very lucky here in Townsville to have warm weather all year round, and we are equally fortunate to have some fantastic local beaches,” Cr Hill said.
“The Strand and Alma Bay are two extremely popular tourist spots. It’s reassuring to know that visitors to these beaches are safe and comfortable while enjoying the natural beauty these spots have to
offer.
“One of the things that helped our two beaches stand out from the crowd was the amenities that Council provides in the area, including barbecues, accessible toilets, an accessibility ramp, playgrounds, and access to public transport. We’re proud to be able to provide these facilities to help locals and visitors enjoy their time in Townsville.”
Cr Hill said Townsville had some great company on the list.
“We’ve topped the list ahead of places like North Stradbroke Island, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, which just goes to show what a world-class destination Townsville is.
“Our local surf lifesavers do an incredible job at our patrolled beaches and it’s great to see their work highlighted.”
Cr Hill said The Strand was host to world-class events like the weekend’s Northern Australian Beach 5s Championships.
“From Friday to Sunday Townsville hosted the Beach 5s Championships which included the All Star Charity Game with sporting legends Johnathan Thurston and Lote Tuqiri,” she said.
“Thousands of people went down to The Strand to enjoy the games and made the most of the nearby restaurants and cafes. This just shows how well-loved The Strand is in Townsville and how willing locals are to throw their support behind events like the Beach 5s Championships.”
The Strand Net 1 - Townsville
Alma Bay - Magnetic Island
Cylinder Beach – North Stradbroke Island
Kings Beach – Sunshine Coast
Palm Cove – North Queensland
Torquay Beach – Hervey Bay
Mooloolaba Beach – Sunshine Coast
Coolangatta – Gold Coast
Burleigh Heads – Gold Coast
Kirra – Gold Coast
*SLSQ’s criteria for compiling the top ten beaches list includes a range of factors such as patrol times and service, incident history, coastal conditions, safety signage, cleanliness, access to amenities, parking and public transport.