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Townsville’s Jezzine Barracks (also called the Kissing Point Fortification was in continuous use by the military from 1870, the year it was built, until 2006. Now, the former barracks area is administered by a community trust, and offers a range of outdoor, cultural, and historic attractions within landscaped park land.
Once an important military post in Townsville, the Jezzine Barracks are now a large heritage precinct at the northern end of The Strand, known as the Kissing Point Headland, that celebrate the military and Aboriginal heritage of the area. The precinct contains 32 specially commissioned public artworks, lookout points, playgrounds, a coastal boardwalk, and more. The area also has long-standing importance to the local Aboriginal people, and this is honored in some of the design and landscaping of the precinct. If you’re interested in the military history of the area, don’t miss the Army Museum of North Queensland, within the area. Most travelers visit the Jezzine Barracks independently while exploring Townsville.
The Jezzine Barracks sits at the northern end of Townsville’s popular Strand beach, promenade, and entertainment area. The area is easy to reach on foot from this part of Townsville, and there is car parking nearby.
Set in a former boathouse on the edge of Lost Lagoon, the Stanley Park Nature House hosts exhibits about local wildlife and conservation projects. The nature house is run by the Stanley Park Ecological Society, and staff are on hand to offer tips and advice on wildlife-viewing and other things to do around the park.
Townsville is located in tropical Northern Queensland, and after exploring the Jezzine Barracks area you’re likely to feel quite hot. Cool down with a swim in the nearby Strand Rockpool, a public saltwater open-air pool, also at the northern end of The Strand. This facility allows you to swim without the worry of deadly stinging jellyfish (which are sometimes present in the sea) year-round.