The 10 Best QLD Road Trips

Queensland is brimming with beauty in every direction. Why not jump in the car and start exploring it all? Here are the best QLD road trips for you to see this big, breathtaking Sunshine State.

The Sunshine State makes up a mighty large portion of Aus. Many of us stick to the sun and sand tucked into that south-east corner, but there are adventures in every direction across Queensland. Especially if you have the right kind of vehicle to get you around.

Here are our favourite QLD road trips, with plenty of them launching straight out of Brisbane.

QLD Road Trips from Brisbane

1. Pacific Coast Way

Distance: 1,771km
Start point: Brisbane
End point: Cairns
Highlights: Whale watching at Harvey Bay, Capricorn Caves, Great Barrier Reef and islands

Photo thanks to Tourism and Events Queensland

Possibly the most iconic drive in Queensland, the Pacific Coast Way starts down in South East Queensland (Gold Coast, Brissie – start wherever you like!) and follows the sun-soaked coastline all the way up to Cairns. 

Meander up to the stunning Sunshine Coast, take a mandatory stop at Harvey Bay to spot the migrating whales, and stop in at Bundaberg, the home of Australia’s favourite rum (and ginger beer). Around Rockhampton you’ll find the spectacular Capricorn Caves and Yeppoon will welcome you to the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, with Airlie Beach, Townsville, and Cairns helping to get you out to the reef and islands. 

Don’t forget to explore a little inland on your Brisbane to Cairns drive. Canefields, canyons, and country Queensland await. 

Read more: Discover the 10 Best Swimming Holes in Cairns: Hidden Gems & Secret Spots Revealed

How To Get There

2. Sunshine Coast Hinterland

Distance: 140km
Start point: Brisbane
End point: Montville
Highlights: Sister towns of Maleny and Montville, views of Glass House Mountains

@hereisnowherenear

Driving from Brisbane to Noosa has always been a popular route, so why not mix it up and head for the hills instead? This Queensland road trip is perfect for a weekend escape.

Forget the highway, take the inland road to Mount Mee and enjoy the peace and quiet of the backroads. From Dahmongah Lookout you can see across to the Glass House Mountains. Check out the village of Woodford for a peek at the area’s history (and the site of the famous Woodford Folk Festival). 

A little further up the forested road, you’ll find Maleny, full of all things dairy and wine, with its sister town, Montville, being the perfect place to purchase yourself a special treat. Baroon Pocket Dam is found between the two towns and is perfect for a kayak or a picnic with all those goodies you just bought.

Read more: 11 Scenic Waterfalls On The Sunshine Coast (Including Hidden Gems)

How To Get There

3. Adventure Way

Distance: 1,475km
Start point: Brisbane
End point: Innamincka
Highlights: Country pubs, outback history, Bunya Mountains, dirt roads!

Photo thanks to Tourism and Events Queensland

Get ready for this outback QLD road trip, it follows the route of Cobb and Co. coaches which used to carry people and mail to the Aussie goldfields and outback during the 19th century. In fact, the last 150km of this trip is still along an unsealed road! 

Kicking off in Brissie and heading due west, you’ll pass through Ipswich and Toowoomba, before veering north and landing by the beauty of the Bunya Mountains.

From here on out, it’s all country baby. Take a stroll along the banks of the Balonne River in St George and watch the dirt turn red as you head to the townships of Bollon and Cunnamulla.

Treat yourself to a mud bath in Eulo and detour to Yowah for all things opal. Make sure to share a schooey at Noccundra Hotel before making the final push over the SA border to Innamincka.

Read more: All the Adventures We Unearthed on a Trip to Queensland Country

How To Get There

4. Warrego Way

Distance: 1,606km
Start point: Brisbane
End point: Birdsville
Highlights: Old country pubs, red sand dunes, cattle country

Photo thanks to Tourism and Events Queensland

For another outback QLD road trip, this heads off in the same direction as the Adventure Way. It’s at Dalby that these two roadies part ways, with Warrego Way heading north-west and hitting a bunch of new territory on the way. 

Once you’ve passed Dalby, head towards Chinchilla and onto Miles, which bursts with wildflowers. All roads (well this one at least) leads to Roma, the gateway to Queensland’s cattle country. Relax in the Great Artesian Spa at Mitchell and visit the character-filled Morven. 

Hit the ghost towns of Cooladdi and Betoota (yes the very same) before kicking along to your final destination. Birdsville is the hub for travellers about to cross the Simpson Desert. Be sure to pay your respects to ‘Big Red’ – the 40 metre high sand dune the town is famous for.

How To Get There

5. 75 Mile Beach

Distance: 291km (plus ferry)
Start point: Maroochydore
End point: K’gari
Highlights: 75 Mile Beach, Lake McKenzie, Maheno Shipwreck, rainforest

scottypass.com

This QLD road trip takes you from the suburbs to the largest sand island in the world, K’gari (formally known as Fraser Island). Beginning in Maroochydore (or Brissie if that’s easier for you) drive along the coast, passing gorgeous tropical beaches on your way to Noosa.

Keep on up the coast until you reach Rainbow Beach, gateway to K’gari. Make sure to prepare your car (and yourself) here before driving onto the ferry to cross the channel. 

Once you’re on K’gari, depending on the tide, you can head straight up the sand or take the inland road. Either way, inland lakes, sand dunes, and luscious rainforest await you. You’ve truly reached paradise.

Read more: 3 Days on The Great Southern Lakes Hike of K’gari

How To Get There

More Queensland Road Trips

6. Savannah Way

Distance: 1,284km
Start point: Cairns
End point: Adels Grove
Highlights: The tropics of Cairns, Gulf of Carpentaria, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park

@wild.explorer

The Savannah Way spans across the top of Aus from west coast to east. For the Queensland portion of the drive, start in Cairns and wind your way up and over the Kuranda Range and onto the Atherton Tablelands. Queensland gold comes in cane, mango, and macadamias here. 

Take a tour of Undara National Park’s lava tube system (the longest in the world) and witness the 30m high undulating walls of Cobbold Gorge. Hit the historic gold rush town of Croydon and don’t miss the sunset at Karumba, over the Gulf of Carpentaria. Wetlands, wildlife, and saltwater crocs abound. 

This trip saves the best till last, with the glorious swimming holes, waterfalls, and red cliffs of Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park and Adels Grove awaiting you at the end.

Read more: Waterfall & Swimming Hole Safety

How To Get There

7. Great Barrier Reef Drive

Distance: 152km
Start point: Cairns
End point: Cape Tribulation
Highlights: Daintree Rainforest, Great Barrier Reef – do you need more?

Photo thanks to Tourism and Events Queensland

The short but oh so impressive Great Barrier Reef Drive winds you along the tropical north Queensland coast with ancient reefs and rainforests by your side. 

Departing from Cairns and jetting north, you’ll pass by stunning beach after stunning beach, with rainforest-trimmed mountains on one side and world-famous reef on the other. Reaching Port Douglas, the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, you’d be silly not to take an oceanic detour. 

Just a touch further north, Mossman Gorge is the gateway to the Daintree Rainforest and its endearing Indigenous culture. Cape Tribulation, your final destination, is the point where the reef literally meets the sea and two World Heritage areas collide. You’ve got to see it for yourself. 

Read more: Discover the 10 Best Swimming Holes in Cairns: Hidden Gems & Secret Spots Revealed

How To Get There

8. Matilda Way

Distance: 1,700km
Start point: Cunnamulla
End point: Karumba
Highlights: Historic outback towns, home of Waltzing Matilda, outback pubs, Gulf of Carpentaria

Photo thanks to Tourism and Events Queensland

This outback QLD road trip rips straight up the guts of the Sunshine State, stretching from near the NSW border to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Beginning in Cunnamulla, look out for red dunes and wildflowers before heading onto Charleville, a historic hub and home of the bilby. If you don’t want to head south at the start, create your own Brisbane to Charleville road trip and then head north from there. 

Then Augathella, Tambo, and Ilfracombe will pass by on your way to Longreach, a modern outback centre on the Thomson River.

See dinosaur bones at Winton and visit the home of Waltzing Matilda at Combo Waterhole. The last leg follows the trail of Burke and Wills as they make their way to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Stop in at Normanton for a feed at the Purple Pub before cruising onto the barramundi capital of Aus, Karumba sitting pretty on the edge of the Gulf.

How To Get There

9. Overlander’s Way

Distance: 1,183km
Start point: Townsville
End point: Camooweal
Highlights: Great Barrier Reef, Dinosaur Country, Mount Isa

Photo thanks to Tourism and Events Queensland

This Queensland road trip highlights the diverse beauty of the state, from the Great Barrier Reef to the dusty, red outback. Kick-off in tropical Townsville with a mandatory visit to the reef before wandering west past heritage and gold mining towns. 

Next, you’ll find yourself in dinosaur country where thousands of fossils have been found, and Hughenden at the beating centre of the beast.  

Catch a sunset at Julia Creek and explore museums in Cloncurry, before arriving at Mount Isa, the ‘oasis of the outback’ with its mix of history, nature, culture, and industry. Your final stop is Camooweal, right by the NT border where you can explore the local caves and Drovers Camp Museum.

Read more: After 5 Days in Townsville, I’ve Found Your Must-Visit Spots

How To Get There

10. Cairns to Cape York

Distance: 1,381km
Start point: Cairns
End point: Cape York
Highlights: Reef and rainforest, Old Telegraph Track, standing at the northernmost point of Aus

@wild.explorer

This almighty mission takes you from the reef up the coastline to the tippity top of Australia. You’ll need a 4WD for this one (and a 4WD repair kit). 

Starting in Cairns where a visit to the reef is a must, meander up the coastline through the Daintree Rainforest to Port Douglas and onto Cooktown for a lesson in colonial history. Over creeks and across sandy beaches to reach Cape Melville before reaching the Peninsula Development Road, which is being sealed in stages. 

Stay a night in Coen before ambling over rivers to reach Bramwell Station, (make sure to fill up here!). If you’re daring enough, tackle the infamously difficult Old Telegraph Track, the final frontier before The Tip. Don’t forget to take your pic with that iconic sign once you reach Cape York!

Read more: 5 Ways We Made Our Cape York Road Trip Even More Epic!

How To Get There

QLD Road Trip FAQs

How do I prepare for a QLD road trip?

Before leaving on a road trip, make sure you have regular access to food, fuel, and water. If you’re going to be remote, take more than enough supplies, just in case you’re out for longer than expected. Before leaving, get your car checked by a mechanic and ensure all your essential appliances (solar panels, car fridges, etc.) are working properly.

What should I avoid on a QLD road trip?

Don’t take preventable risks, especially in remote areas (like saying ‘she’ll be right’ when the fuel light is on and not having full jerry cans). Plan out your Queensland road trip as best as you can, and make sure your vehicle is equipped for the roads – you can’t be taking the i30 on a 4WDing route.

How far per day should I travel on a QLD road trip?

How far you travel each day is really up to you. Generally, a multi-day road trip can see kilometres of 50-300 per day. Factor in rest stops and time to check out local attractions.

Feature photo thanks to @ryanbaldwinnn