Townsville is great!! As an ex Victorian, I love it up here, with no plans of heading back.
Marty has given a good rap, and all pretty true.
Weather is beautiful, Summer is a bit yuk for a few months, bit the rest of the year is absolute magic!! I repeat, absolute magic!! Average winter day is sunny blue skies and temps of 24, with nights cooling down to 16 ish.
I love the beauty up here, the sea, and great beaches and Islands, and gardens. Lifestyle is very laid back, tho busier than it used to be, as the population grows. A bit of peak hour traffic at times now.
Havnet been to Nome, or heard much about it, so no comment there.
We have a small but great little Astronomy Group up here, and though we stop for 4 months or so over the Summer, Winter is usally great.
www.astronomy.abigbluesky.com
Come and join us up here!!!
