Best road trip Australia – Brisbane to Cairns

Australias best Road Trip

If you’ve ever considered traveling in Australia, this is probably the trip you’ve had in mind. It is Australia best road trip and the most well known tour/journey with many fantastic places along the way. A road trip from Brisbane to Cairns also means traveling Australia’s east coast.

Would you like to visit Sydney as well?

Many, of course, want to visit Sydney too when they are in Australia. However, the road between Sydney and Brisbane is quite long, and there isn’t anything particularly special along the way. Therefore, my suggestion is to fly to Sydney and spend a few days there, then fly to Brisbane and start your road trip. There are affordable flights within Australia, and you can avoid the long car journey.

All the must-sees and attractions in Sydney have their own post here on the website; read it to make sure you don’t miss anything worth seeing in Sydney.

Read about Sydney

Best Way to Travel Australia best road trip

Many dream of traveling in a campervan, and perhaps this is also the most common way. I traveled in a campervan with three other people, and honestly, I found it quite challenging. It’s not as cheap as you might think because the van itself is expensive to rent, and camping sites can also cost a bit if you don’t want to stay just outside each stop. It can be done, but then it takes quite a long time to find parking during the day and places where you can sleep. It also gets very hot, and sleeping is not very comfortable. If you have the budget to rent a larger vehicle, it would be a fantastic way to travel, or if you are only two people, so you have a bit more space and can make the most of the campervan life.

Another option is to take the bus, for example, Greyhound. Here, you don’t have to drive yourself, which can be very nice. However, it can be difficult to reach different attractions that are not in the cities, and in the long run, it can be quite costly as you constantly have to book different group tours or transport beyond the bus to see more of Australia. However, you are guaranteed to meet other travelers, so if you are traveling alone, it can be great!

Here’s my absolute best tip on how to have a fantastic trip between Brisbane and Cairns: rent a regular car and stay in hostels/hotels depending on your budget. This way, you can go where you want, sleep comfortably, and meet other travelers at hostels. Besides, it is cost-effective to rent a regular car, and petrol in Australia is relatively cheap. It’s easier to find parking for a regular car as well.

Summary of the best Road Trip in Australia between Brisbane and Cairns

• Brisbane – Glasshouse Mountains (approx. 1 hour)
• Glasshouse Mountains – Noosa (approx. 1 hour)
• Noosa – Rainbow Beach och Fraser Island (approx. 1,5 hours)
• Rainbow Beach – Agnes Water (approx. 3,5 hours)
• Agnes Water – Cape Hillsborough (approx. 6,5 hours, stay at Yeppoon or Rockhampton if you don´t want to drive so far)
• Cape Hillsborough – Airlie Beach (approx. 1,5 hours)
• Airlie Beach – Townsville och Magnetic Island (approx. 3 hours)
• Townsville – Mission Beach (approx. 3 hours)
• Mission Beach to Cairns (approx. 2 hours)

If you want to cover everything I recommend in this post, I would say you need about 35 days in total to get the most out of your road trip without rushing around.

Detailed tips and attractions at each place

Brisbane

Brisbane is my favorite of the larger cities in Australia. I found Brisbane to be just the right size, fresh with many opportunities, and very relaxed people. There is a lot to do both in Brisbane and around; the city’s location is perfect!

Recommended number of days in Brisbane: 4 days.

Things to do in Brisbane

• Visit Southbank Lagoon, the city’s landmark, so to speak.
• Shop on Queen Street.
• Visit West End, an area in Brisbane that is definitely my favorite. If I lived in Brisbane, that’s where I would want to live.
• Day trip/a few days in Byron Bay, which is 2 hours south of Brisbane. Probably one of Australia’s most well-known places. Cozy streets to stroll around and beautiful beaches. Many love this city! It’s very cozy and fun, though I don’t feel it’s the most beautiful place in Australia; a day there was enough for me.
• Spend a few days on the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast is south of Brisbane and is a city in Australia with different areas. My favorite areas there were Broadbeach or Burleigh Head. There are also different amusement parks to visit, and if you’re there at the right time of year, you can go Whale Watching. Also, a visit to the Gold Coast Hinterland is not wrong; super beautiful nature! One of the highlights along the best road trip in australia.

Glass House Mountains

Many who travel the east coast of Australia drive past this area when they drive from Brisbane to Noosa, but I highly recommend that you stop for a few days here too! Glasshouse Mountains are the southern part of the Sunshine Coast and are incredibly beautiful!

Recommended number of days: 4 days.

Things to do in Glasshouse Mountains

• Watch the sunset at Mount Ngungun.
• Have coffee at The Lookout Cafe.
• Take a full day on Bribie Island. It´s possible If you have a 4WD car to drive on the beach, which in itself is a delightful experience for many!
• Visit Gardener Falls to swing in the swings and jump into the water
• Go up to Maleny and Montville for a lovely day in the small villages in the mountains with fantastic viewpoints
• Kondalilla Falls is super beautiful!

Spend a day at Australia Zoo. Here, there are crocodile shows, and the zoo is so beautiful! It was started by Steve Irwin, who, in my opinion, is a bit of an icon for Australia. Read more about the zoo on their website Australia zoo

Noosa

I lived in Noosa for about 2 months. I fell in love with the place immediately; a real paradise!

Recommended number of days: 3 days.

Things to do in Noosa

• Hike Noosa National Park and keep an eye out for dolphins and koalas.
• Spend time on your favorite beach; there are many beaches in Noosa besides Main Beach, find your favorite!
• Walk on Hastings Street and check out shops or have a coffee.
• Visit Sunrise/Sunshine Beach.
• Go to the Farmers’ Market on Sundays.
• Experience Noosa Everglades.
• Visit Noosa Ville and walk along the water to see pelicans up close.
• Walk around Noosa Junction, which is the downtown area of Noosa.
• Don’t miss going to Fairy Pools, it’s on the way if you walk through the entire national park; if you don’t do the hole lop, I recommend that you at least go to Fairy Pools.

Rainbow Beach and Fraser Island

Rainbow Beach is a small town where you stopover to reach Fraser Island, which is one of the major highlights during the trip. To travel to Fraser Island, I recommend booking a group tour where everything is included; otherwise, it can be challenging.

Recommended number of days: 3-day tour on Fraser Island and one night in Rainbow Beach.

Things to do at Rainbow Beach

• Drive to Tin Can Bay either on your way to Rainbow Beach or on the way back to feed wild dolphins.
• Have a meal at Little Parliament Café, located at the bottom of the street closest to the beach. If you have the beach behind you, it’s to the right.
• Take beautiful photos at the Rainbow Stairs.
• Go on a group tour to Fraser Island.

Agnes Water

Agnes Water is, in all honesty, not the best stop on the entire journey, but it’s definitely worth staying there for a night to explore what it has to offer. A cozy and very beautiful little place!

Recommended number of days: 1 day.

Things to do in Agnes Water

• Check out Agnes Water Beach, an exceptionally beautiful beach!
• Visit the 1770 National Park.
• Hike the Paperbark Trail, this is a must!
• There are cheaper surf lessons to take in Agnes Water.
• If you have more time and don’t want to miss anything during your road trip, you can take a day trip to Lady Musgrave Island.

Cape Hillsborough

Now you’re arriving at one of the most magical places on the entire journey! The place that is probably one of two in the whole world where you can see kangaroos on an incredibly beautiful beach at sunrise.

Recommended number of days: 1 day.

Things to do at Cape Hillsborough

• Set your alarm so you’re up for the sunrise in the morning, then head down to the beach and see kangaroos hopping around at sunrise.
• Visit Eungella National Park and keep an eye out for the animal “platypus.”

Airlie Beach

Airlie Beach, a tiny village surrounded by fantastic nature, and some of the greatest experiences are just around the corner from Airlie Beach. Most famous is the Whitsundays—finally, you are here!

Recommended number of days: 4-5 days (depending on how long you want to spend on the islands).

Things to do at Airlie Beach

• Go to the Whitsundays! To reach the famous Whitehaven Beach and to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, you need to book a group tour. We first went on a 3-day tour where you stay on the boat and visit different places. This is for those who don’t get seasick and want to party for a few days. I couldn’t handle that type of trip as I got extremely seasick and had to interrupt the tour. You can also take a day trip to see the beach and snorkel a bit; this suited me better, but everyone has different circumstances and preferences, choose what you think suits you best!
• Swim in the Airlie Beach Lagoon.
• Visit Hydeaway Bay, an incredibly beautiful place! Find the palm tree on the beach to take nice photos.
• Skydive!! If there’s anywhere you should do it, it’s, of course, with a view of the Whitsundays!
• There are also other islands to visit from Airlie Beach depending on your budget. For example, you can book a hotel on Hamilton Island, truly luxurious!
• Eat an acai bowl at Bohemian Raw, one of the best acai places I’ve ever been to.

Townsville and Magnetic Island

To get to Magnetic Island, you need to drive to Townsville and then take the boat from there. It’s super easy to park your car/campervan at the ferry terminal, and it doesn’t cost much to leave it there. Many choose not to go to Magnetic Island, but in my opinion, it was such cozy days, and the island is absolutely stunning!

When it comes to getting around the island, there are different options. We bought a bus pass and took the bus to various places where we then walked. You can also rent a convertible, a so-called “barbie car,” and drive around the island. It’s a more expensive option but seems like a lot of fun! In other words, you can get by quite well with the bus and your legs, making the stay very affordable.

Recommended number of days: 3 days on Magnetic Island, 2 in Townsville.

Things to do at Magnetic Island

• Hike the Forts Walk.
• Keep your eyes open for koalas; there are many on the island!
• Before sunset, visit Geoffrey Bay to see all the wallabies come out from the rocks and “mountains.”
• Visit Alma Bay, the best beach on the island in my opinion!
• Horseshoe Bay is another wonderful beach with lots of shops around.
• Hike some of the many trails leading to fantastic bays.

Things to do around Townsville

• Go to Paluma Range National Park and experience all the fantastic viewpoints and waterfalls in the park.
• Visit Wallaman Falls, which is Australia’s highest waterfall, a truly powerful experience!
• If you’re traveling the East Coast between May and September, you must visit Cardwell Spa Pool. During these months, turquoise water forms in nature, extremely beautiful and rare.

Mission Beach

Mission Beach is another wonderful stop on your road trip, with the most gigantic beaches filled with palm trees and crystal-clear water. Around Mission Beach, there are also incredible waterfalls to visit; explore the waterfalls on the way from Mission Beach to Cairns.

Recommended number of days: 2 days.

Things to do at Mission Beach

Spend a few hours on the long, long beach! Below, I will list all the waterfalls worth a visit.

• Wooroonooran Falls
• Mungalli Falls
• Ellinjaa Falls
• Nandroya Falls
• Josephine Falls
• Milla Milla Falls (my favorite)
• Wallicher Falls

Cairns

Now we’ve arrived in Cairns, the last stop on the road trip… but the journey isn’t over as there are plenty of things to see and experience! Cairns as a city might not be my favorite, but around it, there are extremely incredible places to explore!

Recommended number of days: 4 days.

Things to do at Cairns

• Devils Pool, a giant infinity pool that turns into a waterfall, a really cool place!
• Go on a day trip to snorkel/dive in the Great Barrier Reef.
• Swim in Esplanade Lagoon in Cairns.
• Visit either Green Island or Fitzroy Island for a day or stay overnight depending on your time. I prefer Green Island over Fitzroy.
• Stroll around the night markets in Cairns, see if you find any bargains.
• Visit the charming Palm Cove for a cozy afternoon in a quaint village with a beautiful beach. Take the opportunity to take nice pictures among the palm trees!
• Go to Port Douglas, a smaller town outside Cairns.
• Visit 4 Mile Beach in Port Douglas.
• Stroll around the charming town in Port Douglas and browse the shops.
• Take the car/campervan and go to Daintree Rainforest for a day.
• Go on a crocodile safari, an incredible experience!
• Look out for the Cassowary bird in Daintree Rainforest, a super beautiful and large bird!
• Visit Cape Tribulation Beach, well worth a visit.

I wish you a fantastic journey along the best road trip in Australia!