Townsville, Queensland, is a coastal city with a rich maritime history, making it an ideal destination for maritime museums. Two notable museums in the area are the Palm Island Maritime Museum and the Townsville Maritime Museum. The Palm Island Maritime Museum is located on Palm Island, which is part of the Palm Island Group in northern Queensland. The museum is estimated to have 2,755 annual visitors and is accessed by many people of the island community. This museum showcases the maritime history and culture of the Palm Island Group and its surroundings.
The Townsville Maritime Museum is situated in the Breakwater Marina precinct in South Townsville. The museum highlights the city and region's maritime and military history in a hands-on and interactive way, including shipwrecks, and features the H.M.A.S. Townsville, the ship's bell from the H.M.A.S. Townsville (I), and a World War II submarine propeller. The Townsville Maritime Museum, while limited by space, presents the exhibits in an interesting and engaging way. The museum is informative, with visitors spending around 90 minutes exploring the exhibits. Visitors have praised the museum for its great displays and friendly and helpful staff, making it an ideal place to visit for anyone interested in maritime and military history.