UV index in Townsville today
Townsville bills itself as Australia's sunniest city, around 320 days of sunshine a year, and pairs that with tropical UV that stays at protective levels every single month. The dry, clear winters that make it so liveable are exactly the days that catch visitors out.
Reading updates roughly every 30 minutes · data by Open-Meteo · reference monitoring by ARPANSA
When Townsville needs sun protection
Sun protection is needed year-round in Townsville: midwinter middays still sit in the high range, and the wet-season build-up brings months of extreme readings.
The threshold, per SunSmart and ARPANSA: whenever UV reaches 3 or above, Slip on covering clothing, Slop on SPF 50+ sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Seek shade and Slide on sunglasses. Read the full sun safety guide.
Where the UV adds up in Townsville
Long, happy hours outdoors are where exposure quietly accumulates. Local favourites where the five S’s earn their keep:
- The Strand and its rock pool
- Castle Hill's goat track at any hour
- Magnetic Island's bays and walking trails
- Riverway parklands along the Ross
The UV scale at a glance
- 0–2Low
- 3–5Moderate
- 6–7High
- 8–10Very high
- 11+Extreme
Local support in Queensland
Cancer Council Queensland: Prevention and support in the state with Australia's highest skin-cancer rates.