This section could be endless, so rather than trying to I'd say by stopping in Townsville, you'd be missing one of the most beautiful areas in Australia, beginning around Ingham and extending north to Cairns and beyond . Here's the top 10 things to do. The area is named after the endangered Eastern Grass Owl (TYTO Capensis) and is one of the few places in the world where you may be fortunate enough to spot one. Before you take to the wheel, head down to the Strand for a bit of brekkie. Make a few hours of it and tuck into takeaway from Etty Bay Kitchen or save your appetite and head to the famous Oliveris Deli in Innisfail for European-inspired lunches and gourmet products. If you wish to, you can just head up the Bruce Highway as quickly as possible. Photo:overlandersway via Instagram. There are even daily transfers available from Mission Beach so that you can take a break from driving for the day. Townsville->Airlie Beach is 280km or 3 hours. Pick up some takeaway lunch then explore lesser-known parts of Babinda Creek on a self-guided kayak or SUP with Babinda Kayaking. If your road trips are best served chock-a-block with waterfalls, head to Murray Falls, in the Kirrama Range. CAIRNS TO CAPE TRIB. It's often overlooked by international visitors, in favour of its northern counterpart, Cairns. We love this section of Australia for its diversity, culture, hinterlands and . Hotjar sets this cookie to know whether a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's pageview limit. You can also sign up for SMS traffic alerts for selected far north or south coast regions. Discover more things to do on and around Tropical North Queensland. Does anyone have any suggestions? Day 13: Drive from Mission Beach to Cairns, stopping at a few places along the way. This is where you branch off if you want to see Australias highest waterfall Wallaman Falls in the Girringun National Park. Underneath the waters surface though, is a kaleidoscope of coral and other aquatic life including tropical fish, dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles and giant clams, which you can swim with. Cream Magazine by Themebeez, Townsville to Cairns road trip: Distance, drive time and best stops, Cape Patton Lookout, Victoria: Great Ocean Road photo stop, Birdie Beach, NSW: The Central Coasts nudist beach, Maroochydore to Gympie road trip: Distance, drive time & stops. Walk one kilometre (0.6 miles) return toAlligator Creek lookoutfor a photogenic canopy-level view of the creek, before a quick dip in the nearby swimming area. Save. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. TTNQ acknowledges the custodianship of the Great Barrier Reef & Wet Tropics by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners whose rich cultures, heritage values, enduring connections and shared efforts protect our natural assets for future generations. Although a difficult hike, the 360 degree Instagrammable views at the top are worth every sweaty second. Set on five hectares (12.4 acres) of tropical gardens beside Mena Creek, you can peruse the castles architecture and ingenious hydroelectric system, as well as a waterfall, gardens, museum and caf. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The Townsville to Cairns drive is 347km in distance, with a driving time of 4h4m. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it. Drive the Great Green Way Tropical Drive between Cairns and Townsville, see high country and amazing waterfalls, spectacular rainforests, quaint towns, picture perfect beaches and expect the unexpected en-route, where nature displays its frivolity with massive vibrant butterflies and huge, colourful, flightless cassowary birds. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. "startScreen": "aus-link-account" Hop off Skyrail at the Kuranda terminal, stretch your legs with a . Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the A vivid turquoise colour, the spa itself is a natural depression in the creek bed that causes the water to bubble and swirl like a Jacuzzi. Josephine Falls, Wooroonooran National Park, Queensland Colyn Huber, Tourism and Events Queensland. According to a Queensland Police Service spokeswoman, Night Owl in Fairfield Waters was the target of a ram-raid and burglary at 2am this morning, when a stolen Toyota Hilux was used to drive into . In addition to the highlights listed on road trips #4 and #5, the Sydney to Cairns drive includes Babinda Boulders, Josephine falls, The Pyramid summit climb, Paronella Park, Mission Beach, Hinchinbrook Island, and empty palm-fringed beaches and national parks in which to camp. Alternatively, Greyhound Australia operates a bus from Townsville to Cairns twice daily. "custEvent": "FYASignUp", Last name. 2.1 Day 1: Arrive in Cairns. is not on the beach but it is only a 10 minute walk away. The small commissions received cost you nothing extra and help fund more content for the site. An island day tour takes you down the picturesque Hinchinbrook Channel before arriving at Zoe Bay on the islands southeastern side. "taIdRetryLimit": 3 Its a perfect spot to park the campervan and cool off in crystal clear water amid granite boulders. Cooktown-Cape York Peninsula (4WD only) 815km. Whichever you choose, you can expect a memorable introduction to the worlds largest coral reef, home to more than 3,000 individual reef systems and coral cays, plus hundreds of stunning islands with sun-soaked beaches. Flights from CNS to TSV are operated 33 times a week, with an average of 5 flights per day. The direct drive from Cairns to Mackay is 457 mi (735 km), and should have a drive time of 9 hrs 25 mins in normal traffic. Typically 21 buses run weekly, although weekend and holiday schedules can vary so check in advance. script.async = true; Richmond to Julia Creek. All content copyright David Whitley. Your experience begins with a traditional smoking welcome ceremony before you stroll along private paths with your Kuku Yalanji guide, who will share their traditions and culture passed down over thousands of years. The Whitsunday Islands are around a three and a half hour drive from Townsville. Katherine to Judbarra/Gregory National Park. Charter Towers to Hughenden. Craft brewery adventure. "validationUrl": "/bin/ta/postauth", This cookie, set by Tribal Fusion, collects data on user visits to the website, such as what pages have been accessed . Take a step back in time as you stretch your legs to marvel the colourful architectural beauty of the town. This will take you to a small parking area and the path begins here. Photo: Elsa's Wholesome Life of Instagram. 532 helpful votes. What may come as a surprise is that the spectacular waterfalls and crystal-clear pools tucked away in this lush green paradise are so easily accessible, despite feeling worlds away from the hustle and bustle of nearby city life. Pub and club tour. Make way to Tully, 30 minutes north and go grab a photo with a classic Aussie big thing. Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas, Queensland Tourism Australia. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. driving 4.5 hours. Airlie Beach-Townsville 280km. If youve built up a sweat en-route, theres plenty of places to cool off: Paradise Waterhole at Big Crystal Creek offers sparkling green waters and natural waterslides; Little Crystal Creek has a series of cascading pools centred around a 1930s concrete arch bridge; while jaw-dropping Jourama Falls features swimming holes and lookout points to the 180m multi-tiered waterfall. First name. Tide Caf delivers dishes with locally-sourced ingredients and has vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. "FYASignUpDtmConfig": { Although they're both tropical cities, Cairns and Townsville are as different as chalk and cheese in many ways. Mission Beach offers a range of dining options, cafes, art galleries, supermarkets, some good fishing, sky diving, white-water rafting and reef and mangrove tours. Cairns->Townsville is 350km or 4 hours. Pass through sugarcane fields and forests full of history and charm before stopping at the magical ruins of a former grandiose Spanish Castle at Paronella Park. For a sassy, chic resort: Rambutan Resort. 231km. Other less-frequented highlights of the park include: Free Camping at Japoonvale Rest Area - is on the banks of Liverpool Creek. Instead of retracing your steps down the coast, this drive will take you inland, passing . 0. Footpath Closure for works. If you have found this site helpful, please book TOURS and ACCOMMODATION through our booking partners. Sunset cruise. Mission Beach, Queensland Chris McLennan, Tourism and Events Queensland. Turn the drive into a Townsville to Cairns road trip, instead, and you can enjoy the Paluma Range National Park, Mission Beach and Behana Gorge. Departure times vary between 06:00 - 18:50. Your email has been successfully verified, please click the button below to continue to log in. DAY 1: CAIRNS - ATHERTON TABLELANDS - RAVENSHOE . Your journey may draw to an end in Townsville, but there are plenty of things to do in this historic town before continuing your East Coast adventure. driving 4 hours. This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. document.body.appendChild(script); Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. The sites, though small, are separated by walls of tropical foliage for privacy. Photo: ecologist.sHayes via Instagram. The best time to visit Townsville is in the . Townsville. Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. 11/11/2021. The drive from Cairns to Darwin is a long one. }, {"PageInfo":{"template":"","component":"PageInfo","jcrCreated":"Fri Oct 28 10:45:04 AEDT 2022","jcrCreatedBy":"","lastModifiedBy":"","lastModified":"Fri Oct 28 10:44:06 AEDT 2022","contentType":""},"Hero":{"component":"Hero","subTitle":"","title":"14-day Tropical North Queensland drive","playerId":"default"}}, 16-day family road trip: Gold Coast to Cairns, Flames of the Forest Aboriginal Cultural Experience, Plan your trip to the Daintree Rainforest, Snorkel around the world-renowned Great Barrier Reef, Walk through the ancient Daintree Rainforest to Mossman Gorge, See the worlds largest collection of prehistoric rock art in Laura. If youve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, well be happy to hear from you. Zoe Falls, Hinchinbrook Island, QueenslandTourism Australia. This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily. Museum of Underwater Art, Townsville, Queensland Tourism and Events Queensland. Car or Camper. Additional adults $15. Email. Townsville-Cairns 350km. Dr Helena Rosengren says she sees a large number of people along The Strand who are not heeding the sun safety message Walk to McClellands lookout for spectacular views over the islands and coastline. Reduced speed limit (60km/h). It stores a true/false value, indicating whether it was the first time Hotjar saw this user. Check out Ponytail Falls along the Tully River, which can be reached via the Cardstone Weir Lookout. suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it This cookie is set by the provider Fullstory. Some websites which are linked to the Tourism Australia website are independent from Tourism Australia and are not under the control of Tourism Australia. var script = document.createElement('script'); Mackay-Airlie Beach 150km. Hit the wheel and head 25mins down the road, keeping your eyes peeled for these big birds as you go. Hotjar sets this cookie to identify a new users first session. The giant golden gumboot is 7.9 metres tall, homage to the highest annual rainfall this town has received. There is creekside camping at Jourama Falls suitable for campervans. Buckle up for aTexas Longhorn Wagon Tourthen explore the custom saddlery shop. and leave at 3:46 pm. Peruse the chic boutiques along Macrossan Street before a sunset stroll along the white sands of Four Mile Beach up to Flagstaff Hill Lookout. you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, "validationFavouritesUrl": "/bin/australia/favourites/sanitycheck", RATES: $7 per person. It's okay, you can start planning your 252km. Rockhampton marks, roughly, the halfway point between Townsville and Brisbane along the Bruce Highway. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it. Photo: Caravaningqueensland, Spa Pool near Cardwell. Continue to Townsville in time for lunch atThe Beet Barfor superfood bowls, salads and juices that celebrate local produce. It's a drive that can easily be done in half a day, but there is so much interesting stuff between the two that you could spend a full day, or two, completing the trip. Once youve had your tucker, take a cheeky 10min detour inland on the Cardwell Forest drive. Learn the Aboriginal legend of the Babinda lovers. If you havent seen a Cassowary during your travels, a trip to Etty Bay should be at the top of your to-do list. Spend a few days exploring the Whitsunday Islands and Whitehaven Beach before embarking on this 6 day Airlie Beach to Cairns drive. Known as the greatest detour in the North, opt for the scenic route by deviating onto the Canecutter Way. To determine the most generic cookie path that has to be used instead of the page hostname, Hotjar sets the _hjTLDTest cookie to store different URL substring alternatives until it fails. Ingham is the second major township along Bruce Highway between Cairns and Townsville. The half way point is Townsville which might be worth a stop. 3,050 km | 21 - 26 days. Want to plan the trip back? This road trip from Townsville to Cairns may only be four and a half hours, but it is packed with heaps of sights and attractions. Julia Creek to Mount Isa. Cairns to Cooktown Road Trip: Bloomfield Track or Inland Road? Paronella Park. Don't miss a truly enchanting meal with theFlames of the Forest Aboriginal Cultural Experience, where you'll venture into the rainforest near Port Douglas to indulge in a seven-dish banquet as your Kuku Yalanji hosts share music, ceremony and storytelling. Judbarra/Gregory National Park to Timber Creek. Alternatively, drive 62km up the road and chow down on a crab sanger in Cardwell. At over 1,853 million km Queensland is Australia's second-largest state. a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Day 7-8. Itinerary Airlie Beach to Cairns Drive. You can reach out to the websites operators by using the following email. Facilities are basic - compost toilets and BBQs, but no showers. Does Townsville warrant a couple. "screenSet": "Aus-ProfileUpdate", Take the long track back to the campground and enjoy a rainforest dip at Douglas Creek. Cairns is located in Australia with (-16.923,145.7663) coordinates and Townsville is located in Australia with (-19.2664,146.8057) coordinates. Make sure you check road conditions This cookie helps to categorise the users interest and to create profiles in terms of resales of targeted marketing. by calculating the distance from Cairns to Townsville. script.src = With activities to suit everyone's holiday agenda, Townsville North Queensland will create memories to last a lifetime. AppNexus sets the anj cookie that contains data stating whether a cookie ID is synced with partners. stay for about 1 hour. Every site has a view of the water. The calculated flying distance from Cairns to Townsville is equal to 176 miles which is equal to 283 km.. is 50 metres from a white sandy beach with views to Dunk Island. The uuid2 cookie is set by AppNexus and records information that helps in differentiating between devices and browsers. . We've listed some beautiful places to camp along the way, some of them free, so this is a great journey to do in a campervan. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 1:44 pmdrive for about 1 hour, 2:46 pm Lucinda The mammoth jetty here stretches almost 6km into the sea. Your return journey to Cairns will end with a dash of luxury if you take the time to spend the night at Mount Mulligan Lodge. Facilities include showers, laundry, camp kitchen, pool. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. COACH FEATURES. Day 12-13. Drive half an hour west again intoWooroonooran National Park, home to fascinating native critters such as double-eyed fig parrots and musky rat-kangaroos, as well as Mt Bartle Frere, Queenslands highest mountain. Heres how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, Check intoCape Trib Beach Housefor the night which is set on seven acres (2.8 hectares). Edmund Kennedy National Park makes a rewarding detour to mangrove forest boardwalks, empty beaches, and enormous lace monitor lizards. What day of the week has more flights from Cairns to Townsville? Jet boat rides. > 5. Mission Beach would be better referred to as Mission Beaches with its 14km stretch of sand interlinking three beaches and four villages. Dr Wawn is speaking out against the dangers of skin cancer ahead of Melanoma March Townsville at the Strand Rockpool on Sunday, March 12. Texas longhorn cattle, Charters Towers, Queensland Melissa Findley, Tourism and Events Queensland. Journeying through over 12 national parks, its easy to see how the Great Green Way got its name. Little Crystal Creek, Paluma Range National Park, Queensland Tourism and Events Queensland. This is a True/False flag set by the cookie. Edmund Kennedy National Park. road conditions from Cairns to Townsville, Enter a city to drive through, or find all. Australia Travel Questions is an independent travel advice site full of expert knowledge about Australia. In the centre of Mossman turn left into . Mission Beach, situated midway between Townsville and Cairns is made up of four beach villages linked by 14 kilometres of wide golden sands. Why stop at the Mount Alexandra Lookout near Cape Tribulation? Date. After 19 years as a teacher, David Titherley says students learn . }, { The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". drive for about 1.5 hours. Day 12-14 - Noosa Heads to Fraser Island (180km/2hrs) Day 14-17 - Fraser Island to Airlie Beach (800km/9hr) Day 17-18 - Airlie Beach to Townsville (250km/3hr) Day 18-19 - Townsville to Mission Beach (230km/2hr) Day 19-21 - Mission Beach to Cairns (130km/1.5hr) Sydney to Cairns Flights. Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, Mossman Gorge Centre, Queensland Tourism Australia. Here you can swim in the resort pool, get a massage on the private beach, feast at the on-site restaurant and bar and attend nightly bonfires on the beach. Townsville is a big place, about the same as Cairns but without so much of that "tourist centric feeling". Timber Creek to Keep River National Park. It's not only conveniently close to the world's largest reef system but the once-sleepy town promises to show a new side to the natural wonder, which stretches 2,300 kilometres from the tip of Cape York to Bundaberg further south. How long do I need for my trip to Australia? "startScreen": "aus-link-account" Wake up with a 45-minute walk to Cape Tribulation lookout on Cape Tribulation Beach, right next to the resort. Bring your camera! Photo: MyDetoxTravel of Instagram, Discover the unspoilt beauty and wilderness of Hinchinbrook Island. Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Cairns to Townsville. However, as I found out recently there are lots of reasons to take a few days on this road trip and to make it more about the journey than the destination. Beyond Mount Garnet: National Parks Camping: Drive North Queensland: Cairns to Airlie Beach Road Trip. Afterwards, spend the evening at the historic Civic Club, play billiards on one of two 100-year-old tables and don't forget to make a booking for their famous Friday night barbecue. ); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), This beautiful beachside area blends vibrant art and culture with unique tourism attractions, inviting you to relax and unwind. Drive from Cairns to Townsville via Cooktown, through World Heritage-listed reef and rainforests to golden outback savannah, taking in tropical Queensland at its finest. Flying Fish Point Tourist Park - is right on the beach in Cassowary habitat so you are likely to see one of these enormous flightless birds.RATES: $36 powered for two people, $28 unpowered. Were here to reveal all. Information on listed products and services, including Covid-safe accreditations, are provided by the third-party operator on their website or as published on Australian Tourism Data Warehouse where applicable. 35 kms south of Port Hinchinbrook on the Bruce Highway, the Hinchinbrook Lookout gives you unforgettable views of the Hinchinbrook Channel. If youre visiting between June and November, go behind the scenes at the Tully Sugar Mill on a guided tour. What is the biggest national park in Australia? Follow the signs to Henrietta Creek Campground where you'll find the beginning of theNandroya Falls circuit. '//pixel.roymorgan.com/stats_v2/Tress.php?u=5tqi9smhs3&ca=20004853&a=daw1nwh3&cb=' + cachebuster; Phone: 1800 216 223, 440 Sheridan Street, Cairns, A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Cairns to Townsville Distance: 347 Kilometers | 4 hours and 30 minutes. Password (8+ characters) . Try searching for places within 4 hours of Cairns. }, You won't be sitting in the car for long when you have some of Mother Nature's best water parks along the way. Project management and a drive for high quality service; High level of attention to detail with a creative approach to problem-solving; *Conditio. . Good stops on a Townsville to Cairns road trip include Ingham, Cardwell, Mission Beach and Innisfail. 56km. Spanning 457km down Australia's East Coast, the drive from Cairns to Townsville takes you on a journey infused with exhilarating natural experiences and breath-taking beauty, with highlights from two world heritage listed areas, the Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. Hop aboard Mission Beach Dive to explore the coral gardens of the outer reef, or snorkel the fringing reefs of Dunk Island. Day 3. How to get to Australia's most iconic cities. and leave at 5:47 pm. Start your final leg of the drive with another scenic detour on the Cardwell State Forest Drive. This picturesque island boasts tropical rainforest, secluded beaches and spectacular walking trails. Book ahead. Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. exclusive access for offers and promotions, Nandroya Falls, Wallicher Falls and Tchupala Falls, Atherton Tablelands | Wooroonooran National Park. Cairns to Townsville Drive 348 km | 4.5 hours over 2 or 3 days. It covers a variety of scenery from city to country to coast to mountain to rainforest. Children $10. Spend the afternoon just outside of town atLeahton Park, home to the largest herd of pure bred Texas Longhorn cattle in Australia. Hotjar sets this cookie to detect the first pageview session of a user. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. For what you want (to stop half way), Mission Beach or Tully would suit. Bamboo grove at Paronella Park. One way from Cairns to Townsville Available from 5th June2019 30th June 2019: 1 day $199*, with 400 kms or 2 days $329* with 400 kms included - nil relocation fee! 2023 Tourism Tropical North Queensland - Is a not for profit organisation and the official Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) of Cairns and Great Barrier Reef, extending from Cardwell to the tip of the Torres Strait Islands and out to the Northern Territory border. And if you know Cairns well, please help your fellow There's no denying that fact, but it's still easy to underestimate the kilometers involved. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The best bets for Townsville accommodation are For beachside location: Water's Edge The Strand. Grassy Hill Lookout, Cooktown, Queensland Tourism and Events Queensland.