West of Townsville and just off of Flinders Highway (Stuart Drive) lies Mount Stuart. The picturesque 9 kilometer winding drive up the rugged mountainside is a local favorite and you’ll find runners, bicyclists and hikers making their way to the summit year round.

At the Rotary Lookout, there’s a nice picnic area with bbq’s overlooking Townsville, Cleveland Bay and the Magnetic Islands.

A few peacocks will happily let you take pictures as they strut their stuff and you’re sure to run into some other wildlife while you’re up there.

If you’re feeling adventurous there’s a nice bush track that runs around the summit that will provide gorgeous views of the rest of Townsville including Ross Dam and Ross River. The circuit takes about 10 minutes however the track can be a little dangerous so it’s not advised for small children.

There are also numerous rocky downhill and enduro bike trails of varying difficulty for the mountain bike lovers.

This photo of Mount Stuart is courtesy of TripAdvisor