10 days · 1,700 km · Self-drive
The 1,700 kilometre Queensland coast road from the Gold Coast to the Great Barrier Reef.
The Trip
The Pacific Coast drive between Brisbane and Cairns is the Australian coastal road trip the world has heard of. It covers 1,700 kilometres of the Queensland coast, linking a string of beach towns, island gateways, national parks and reef operators, and it takes in two UNESCO sites, three warm-water reefs and the longest stretch of tropical beach in the southern hemisphere.
The route is sealed the whole way on the Bruce Highway (Highway 1) and is well signposted. You can do it in a rental car, and the side trips are where most of the memorable experiences come from. 10 days is the minimum for a fair showing of the coast without rushing; 14 days is more comfortable and leaves room for a proper stop in the Whitsundays.
The drive works year-round but the best months are June to October when the humidity is low, the reef waters are clear, and stingers are absent from the beaches. November to April brings warmer water but also afternoon storms and stinger nets on the beaches.
Day by day
Day
01
Drive north from Brisbane to Noosa, the smart end of the Sunshine Coast. Walk the Noosa National Park coastal track in the afternoon for koalas and the Fairy Pools rock formations. Dinner on Hastings Street.
Day
02
Drive north via the Eumundi Markets (if it's a Wednesday or Saturday) to Hervey Bay, the main gateway to K'gari (Fraser Island). Book a day tour for the next day or plan for a two-night stay on the island.
Day
03
A full day on K'gari, the largest sand island in the world. See Lake McKenzie, the 75 Mile Beach, and the rusted wreck of the SS Maheno. Return by ferry in the evening.
Day
04
A long driving day up the coast, passing Rockhampton and Mackay. Arrive in Airlie Beach by early evening. Book your Whitsundays day tour or sailing cruise for the next two days.
Day
05
Full day on the Whitsundays on a sailing or high-speed boat cruise. Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet lookout, and a snorkel stop over the fringing reef.
Day
06
Drive north to Townsville. Walk The Strand in the afternoon and book a ferry to Magnetic Island for the next day, or visit the Museum of Tropical Queensland built around the wreck of HMS Pandora.
Day
07
Drive north to Mission Beach, the gateway to Dunk Island and one of the best cassowary-spotting areas on the coast. Walk the Licuala rainforest boardwalk to try to see the birds.
Day
08
Short drive north to Cairns. Book your outer reef day trip for the next day (Agincourt Reef or similar) and spend the afternoon at the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon.
Day
09
Full day on the outer reef. Most tours leave the Cairns marina at 8am and return by 5pm, with snorkelling, optional dives and pontoon time.
Day
10
Drive north to Port Douglas and across the Daintree River on the vehicle ferry into the Daintree Rainforest. Walk the Mossman Gorge cultural trail with an indigenous guide and finish the trip with a meal at Silky Oaks or a Port Douglas restaurant. Return the rental in Cairns.
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Four days from Melbourne to Adelaide along Australia's most photographed coast. Surf coast beaches, the Twelve Apostles at sunrise, the Otway rainforests and a long final stretch through the Coorong wetlands.
Five days based in Cairns covering the only place in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage areas meet: the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.
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