Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park is located about 10 kilometers north of Townsville, a small city about 1400 kilometers north of Brisbane that is the largest urban center in the sparsely populated north of Queensland. The stretch of coastline that is just beyond the northern border of the conservation park is known as Shelly Beach, and the only convenient way to get there is by passing through the park.

As you walk north along the coastline through the park, shortly after you pass the pinpointed gun emplacement you will be at the start of Shelly Beach, just beyond the park boundary. The first part of the beach is textile by default. It will most likely be deserted other than walkers going to and from the nude beach. Go around the next bend and continue beyond the rocks, then you'll reach another stretch of Shelly Beach, which is an unofficial nude beach. This part of the beach extends about 500 meters until it is broken by the mouth of a creek. (If you are inclined to cross the creek and keep going, the next stretch of coastline—extending several kilometers toward the town of Bushland Beach—is a veritable no man's land because it is very difficult to access from the opposite direction.) Shelly Beach is visited predominantly by gay men, and the beach affords great views of Magnetic Island in the distance.

more info from Free Beaches Australia (scroll down to Shelly Beach)

GPS: -19.1848, 146.7623

suburb, city, state, country
  Pallarenda, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

There are 8 placemarks related to this site.