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Road tripping from Brisbane to Cairns means you'll pass by some of the country's most beautiful forest-to-sea landscapes.
We've designed both short and long road trip itineraries that include all the most important stops. They come complete with all the must-see spots and must-do activities and how to get to them. All you have to do is get in your car and go.
Brisbane to Cairns roadtrip overview
What is the distance from Brisbane to Cairns? By road, the driving distance is 1,681km
How long does it take to drive from Brisbane to Cairns? 19.5 hours non-stop. This is along the Bruce Highway and uses toll roads. We recommend spending at least 3 days on this drive to have time to explore and take breaks.
Where should I stop on a Brisbane to Cairns road trip? Sunshine Coast, Fraser Island, Rockhampton, Airlie Beach/the Whitsundays, Townsville and Magnetic Island.
When's the best time to do the drive? This drive is good year-round. However, unless you have good air con, we recommend avoiding summer, as the hot and humid weather can be unpleasant to drive in.
Is the drive safe? Yes, this is a highly popular route featuring well-maintained main roads. In national parks and rural areas you may encouter wildlife. If you're hiring a car, make sure you're covered just in case.
Point to point, the journey from Brisbane up to Cairns is around 19.5 hours long. This makes a two-day drive possible, as long as you have a few breaks or multiple drivers, but it does mean you won't be able to really get into any activities along the way.
To break the trip up fairly evenly, we recommend spending the night at either Rockhampton or Mackay.
The good news is that the quickest way up is also a scenic one along the coastal Bruce Highway.
2-day Brisbane to Cairns itinerary
Distance: 1,685km
Route: Brisbane-Mackay-Cairns
Highlights: The Sunshine Coast, Airlie Beach, Mackay and Townsville
Head north, stopping at Airlie Beach for brekky, with a view of the Whitsundays.
Continue along the A1 to Townsville, where you can drive up Castle Hill to lookout points over the city and Magnetic Island.
Stay in Townsville for lunch, or drop in at any number of the small towns along the way, such as Ingham or Mission Beach, for a feed.
Complete your drive to Cairns.
3-day Brisbane to Cairns drive
With a total of 19.5 hours to drive, you'll be spending at least 6 hours on the road per day. Start each day off early and you'll have plenty of opportunities to check out the state's beautiful beaches, islands and forest trails.
3-day Brisbane to Cairns itinerary
Distance: 1,718km
Route: Brisbane-Agnes Water-Airlie Beach-Cairns
Highlights: The Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay, Airlie Beach and Townsville
Drive along the Bruce Highway A1, taking a break at the Sunshine Coast for breakfast or lunch on the beach. Or, if you're more active, drive to Noosa Springs National Park for a short hike or to check out its viewpoints.
Continue driving north to Agnes Water and the Town of 1770. If the sun is still high, tour the water by kayak or boat.
Continue driving along the Bruce Highway and stop in Yeppoon for a feast of fresh seafood. Get in early enough and you can also add a quick snorkel, hike or surf to your day.
Continue along the A1 to Airlie Beach, with a rest in Serina or Mackay when you need to.
Finish the day at Airlie Beach and check out its buzzing promenade.
Hoping to pop by the Whitsundays? From Airlie Beach, you catch an early ferry to Daydream Island or Hamilton Island to explore. The earliest ferry is at 7:55am and takes around 1 hour to Daydream Island and 1.5 hours to Hamilton Island.
When back in Airlie Beach, drive up to Cairns. Good stopping points include Ayr, Townsville and Tully.
7-day Brisbane to Cairns drive
For a much more relaxed road trip, take a week off to see the best that this part of Queensland's coast has to offer. You'll get to enjoy beach after beach and island after island with only a couple of hour's driving time per day.
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Stephanie Yip is the travel editor at Finder and has been writing about travel and lifestyle for over a decade. She has written for Travel Weekly, Escape, Showpo, The Nibbler and Hostelworld. She was also the editor of kids magazine DMAG. Stephanie has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Technology Sydney and has visited 55 countries (and counting).
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