Townsville
Cruising Guide for Yachts
The Townsville cruising guide for yachts begins in Cleveland Bay, where Breakwater Marina provides deep, sheltered berthing directly adjacent to the city centre. Townsville is one of North Queensland’s major maritime hubs, offering full marine services, haul‑out capability, reliable provisioning and immediate access to a large regional city. The marina sits behind engineered breakwaters and benefits from the protection of Magnetic Island, giving skippers calm conditions in most weather patterns.
From a skipper’s perspective, Townsville is a technical and logistical stop rather than a casual anchorage. The marina is the only practical overnight option near the city, and its value lies in its depth, protection, trades and provisioning access. Yachts use Townsville to refuel, repair, re‑provision and reset before continuing north toward Cairns and Lizard Island or south toward the Whitsundays and Mackay.
Townsville
Cruising Guide for Yachts - Approaches
The approach to Townsville is straightforward, with a long, well‑marked channel leading into Cleveland Bay. Depths in the outer approach range from 10–16 m, with the dredged channel maintaining 7–10 m due to commercial port requirements. Yachts follow the inbound channel toward the breakwater entrance, where depths remain consistent until the marina.
Breakwater Marina maintains 3.0–4.0 m at LAT at the entrance and 3.0–5.0 m throughout the basin. The breakwaters provide full protection from swell, and the marina remains calm even when strong south‑easterlies affect the bay. The approach is well lit and suitable for night entry, though skippers must remain aware of commercial vessel movements.
Townsville
Cruising Guide for Yachts - Anchorages
Townsville is not an anchorage harbour. Cleveland Bay is exposed, and anchoring near the marina entrance is not practical due to commercial shipping and dredged channels. Yachts requiring shelter must enter Breakwater Marina or continue to Magnetic Island, where multiple sheltered anchorages in 5–12 m are available depending on wind direction.
Townsville
Cruising Guide for Yachts - Operational
considerations
Townsville is a busy commercial port with constant vessel movements, including ferries, fishing vessels, reef tour boats and cargo ships. Skippers must remain aware of traffic when navigating the channel and manoeuvring near the marina entrance. Strong south‑easterlies can create chop across Cleveland Bay, though the marina remains calm once inside the breakwaters. Townsville is used primarily for maintenance, provisioning and staging for northern passages rather than recreational anchoring.
Townsville
Cruising Guide for Yachts - Weather
and Swell
Townsville is protected from ocean swell by Magnetic Island and the shape of Cleveland Bay. The marina remains calm in most weather patterns, with only strong south‑easterlies affecting the outer approach. Northerlies have limited effect inside the harbour. The marina provides reliable shelter throughout the cruising season.
Townsville
Cruising Guide for Yachts - Marina,
Fuel, Water
Breakwater Marina provides secure berthing in 3.0–5.0 m, with floating pontoons, wide fairways and full protection from swell due to its engineered breakwaters. The marina offers diesel and petrol at the fuel dock, potable water at all berths and pump‑out facilities within the precinct. Haul‑out and hardstand capability is available at nearby yards within the Townsville port area, giving skippers access to both routine maintenance and major repair work.
The marina’s sheltered position ensures calm conditions in almost all weather patterns, and the dredged access channel provides reliable depth. While not a cyclone‑engineered marina in the same sense as Mackay, Townsville benefits from the natural protection of Cleveland Bay and the breakwater system, making it a secure stop during the cruising season.
Townsville
Cruising Guide for Yachts - Provisioning
Supermarkets: Townsville provides full provisioning capability, with Woolworths Townsville City and Coles Castletown offering complete fresh produce, bakery, deli and dry‑goods suitable for extended coastal passages. Both stores are a short taxi ride from Breakwater Marina and are used by skippers for full provisioning before heading north or south.
Markets: Fresh produce is available at the Cotters Market and the Townsville Showgrounds Markets, which offer fruit, vegetables, herbs and locally grown items. Additional high‑quality produce is available from independent grocers in the city centre, which many skippers use for topping up perishables due to better consistency than the major supermarkets during busy periods.
Seafood: Fresh seafood is sourced from Ingham Road Seafood and other local suppliers, which provide locally caught prawns, reef fish and seasonal species suitable for onboard meals. Additional seafood options are available near the marina precinct, giving skippers reliable access to fresh product immediately before departure.
Mechanical and Electrical Repairs
Resource
If you are headed somewhere remote consider the need to expand your knowledge base or have an information resource on board. Why not get a copy of my book The Marine and Electrical and Electronics Bible 4th Edition. By and for yachties, with everything from batteries and charging, solar and wind, diesel engines and marine electronics and so much more. Your complete systems guide. 650 pages of practical advice. Go to Boat Books for a copy or order through Amazon. By an Australian yachtsman for Australian Yachtsmen and Yachtswomen. Marine systems are my profession so let me help you.
Townsville
Cruising Guide for Yachts - Marine
services
Townsville is a strong marine‑service centre with trades concentrated around Breakwater Marina and the nearby port precinct. The marina hosts a chandlery supplying hardware, electrical components, plumbing fittings, deck gear and consumables suitable for coastal passage making. Engine support includes authorised Yanmar and Volvo Penta technicians who operate from the marina and surrounding industrial areas, providing servicing, diagnostics, cooling‑system work and emergency repairs. Electronics support is available through Raymarine, Garmin, B&G and Simrad technicians who service both the marina and the wider Townsville region.
Sailmaking and rigging capability is available through local lofts and riggers who provide sail repairs, recuts, standing‑rigging inspections and wire replacement. Haul‑out facilities accommodate keel yachts and multihulls, supported by mechanical workshops, refrigeration technicians, electrical specialists and fibreglass and gelcoat repairers.
As it is challenging to obtain positive referrals about many independent marine electricians and marine mechanics, it is suggested that you enquire around other boats on any of the marinas and seek advice, recommendations or endorsements rather than risk engaging someone who overcharges or under‑delivers due to competency gaps or limited capability. If you come across anyone worthy of mention and recommendation let me know via my Contact Me Page
Townsville
Cruising Guide for Yachts - Summary
The Townsville cruising guide for yachts ends with a clear operational message: this is a deep, sheltered mainland marina offering full marine services, reliable provisioning and direct access to Magnetic Island, but no anchorage options outside the harbour. Yachts use Townsville to refuel, repair, re‑provision and prepare for passages north toward Cairns and Cape York or south toward the Whitsundays. With its depth, protection and technical capability, Townsville remains one of the most important service ports in North Queensland. Townsville Cruising Guide for Yachts has a lot of useful information.