Beginning on ocean shores and ending in the outback, the Overlander’s Way presents some of Queensland’s many different faces in a matter of days. With fully sealed roads throughout the entire route, you’ll be skipping from beachfront Townsville to outback Queensland in a flash.

The Overlander’s Way journey is broken up into seven sections, and each leg is relatively small, giving you plenty of opportunity to explore. Here is what you can expect along just the first leg of the journey.

Townsville to Charters Towers

Start your journey in sunny Townsville, a place that boasts more than 300 days of sunshine each year. It’s a great spot to explore the Great Barrier Reef and the other tropical wonderlands of the region – islands, wetlands, beaches and rainforests – but it also has an urban edge, with excellent eating and drinking to be had in its laneways and along its beachfront.

Townsville is a walker’s paradise, with a lovely central esplanade that offers views out to Magnetic Island and a city centre that features fine Federation architecture. Castle Hill is a popular attraction that’s hard to miss – its giant pink granite form sits in the centre of the city and is a helpful point of reference for visitors. More than 2500 people visit Castle Hill each day, but the 360-degree views of Townsville at the top make battling the crowds worthwhile.

For those who love spotting furry friends in the wild, Magnetic Island is the place to be. It’s home to Northern Australia’s largest colony of koalas living in the wild, along with 166 other species of Australian animals.

Shopaholics will find a range of boutique stores along Gregory Street and Flinders Street, and visitors can also pick up some local arts and crafts at Cotters Markets – a good place to stock up on fresh fruit and veggies for your journey.

Once you’ve soaked up all you can in Townsville, take the short drive to Charters Towers, stopping at Ravenswood along the way to take in the remnants of its mining past, alongside some beautifully restored buildings.

Subscribe for more Australian travel stories and destinations.