5 EPIC North Queensland drives
1. Cairns to Cape York (1000km one way)
If you’ve been hankering for a 4WD trip that’ll test your mettle and your off-roader’s fit-out, this one’s for you! The 1000km (approx.) stretch of ‘road’ between Cairns and the tip of Cape York Peninsula is littered with creeks and corrugations to tackle along the way.
We suggest you break it down into digestible chunks, starting with a 330km trip to Cooktown via the Mulligan Highway. Stop and cool off at Emerald Creek Falls, and if you’ve got time, spend a few days on the Atherton Tablelands. Here, you can check out the Kuranda markets, sample the excellent birdwatching at Hasties Swamp National Park or explore the trails at Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park.
From Cooktown point your charger north towards Hopevale and Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park. The largest in Cape York, it’s home to a range of ecosystems and wildlife, including barramundi, the big boy of the north. You can set up camp at Hann and Kalpowar crossings, but be sure to reserve your spot. If you’re after a side trip, the Coloured Sands of Elim Beach is a must – arrive at low tide and you can motor along the beach to get up close to the bold ochre- and gold-coloured sand cliffs.
Around 150km north of Rinyirru along the red dirt road – fringed by hulking big termite mounds – is the village of Coen. You might want to wash off the dust in the shallows of the Coen River before pushing on to Moreton Telegraph Station – 734 species of critters call this place home, including palm cockatoos and the elusive Antilopine wallaby – and Bramwell Station, the most northerly cattle station in the country.
From here it’s on to Eliot Falls via the legendary Gunshot Creek Crossing (watch out for that near-vertical drop!). Wash off your labours with a dip in Fruit Bat Falls or Jardine River National Park’s Twin or Eliot falls. You can set up camp at the latter for the night.
Cross the Jardine River on the car ferry and head to Seisia.
The final push to Punsand Bay, just 5km west of The Tip and Australia’s most northerly address, rewards you with a sunrise over the Coral Sea and a sunset over the Arafura Sea. It’s a 20-minute walk from the carpark here to the legendary sign “You are standing at the most northern point of the Australian Continent sign”. Be sure to get a photo.
2. Overlanders Way – Townsville to Camooweal (1097km one way)
While this drive is all done on the blacktop, it’s still a wild ride. Stretching from Townsville on the coast to Camooweal, in Queensland’s sandy, red north-west, Overlanders Way is a rich mix of pastoralist and mining history, fascinating fossil finds and some of the country’s quirkiest events.
Named as a nod to drovers of the 1800s, who moved cattle from the Northern Territory to the Queensland coast, the Overlanders’ jumping off point is Townsville. Before you head west, spend a day on the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef then make a 130km bee-line for Charters Towers, birthplace of the state’s gold rush (1880).
From here it’s on to Hughenden, dinosaur capital extraordinaire. Nearly 3000 fossils have been discovered here, including the muttaburrasaurus and the Queensland pterosaur. But perhaps the most famous of them all is Hughie, all 7-skeletal-metres of him – you can visit him at Flinders Discovery Centre. Once you’re finished, head to Porcupine Gorge, Australia’s ‘little Grand Canyon’.
Just over an hour away is Richmond – home to Kronosaurus Korner. Visit the museum and fossick for marine fossils. Kids will love Lake Fred Tritton and the waterpark.
Continue west to Julia Creek, pop. 400, and pop by the ‘At the Creek’ to see a live dunnart – an especially cute little marsupial. If you’re there in April, get amongst the annual Dirt ’n’ Dust Festival.
Cloncurry, 120km east of Mt Isa, is the birthplace of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the destination of the first Qantas flight and home to the iridescent-blue waters of the abandoned (and Australia’s first rehabilitated) uranium mine – Mary Kathleen. And stop by to cool off at Chinaman Creek Dam.
From here, wind your way through the Selwyn Ranges to Mount Isa – Outback Queensland’s only city – and nearby Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park and World Heritage-listed Riversleigh Fossil Fields. At Outback at Isa join a tour of the Hard Times Mine and descend 22m to experience life as a miner. Around 17kms from town lies Lake Moondarra – where you can swim, fish, picnic and barbecue.
Your final stop on the Overlanders Way is the historic droving town of Camooweal. And don’t miss Wiliyan-ngurru (Camooweal Caves) National Park, a honeycomb of sinkholes dating back 500 million years. It is incredible.
3. North Queensland Highlights – Ayr to Ingham (650km one way)
From wreck diving to island exploration and outback adventure, this road trip is made for curious explorers seeking new experiences. Begin your journey in the lush Burdekin region, home to the twin towns of Ayr and Home Hill, which are separated by the expansive Burdekin River – a favourite local angling spot – and connected by the 1km long Silver Link bridge. Throw a line in here, dive deeper with one of the country’s premier shipwreck scuba sites, the SS Yongala, or head to Townsville for a day out on the Great Barrier Reef. Swarming with fish and turtles, it’s the spot to swim with local marine life, or if you’re after land-based animal encounters, visit Billabong Sanctuary, where you’ll meet koalas, wombats, dingoes, snakes and saltwater crocs!
Offshore, and just a 40-minute car ferry ride from Townsville, spectacular Magnetic Island, or Maggie as she’s known to the locals, beckons. Her aquamarine bays and beaches (23 in total) are ripe for exploration, along with the historic 4km Forts Walk – keep your eyes peeled for wild koalas as you take in the island’s stunning views and World War II relics.
Once back on the mainland turn your wheels inland towards Charters Towers. Dubbed the gateway to the Outback, the former gold-mining town is replete with remnants of its rich past, including magnificent heritage buildings dating back to the late 1800s. It’s also home to Australia’s largest herd of Texas longhorn cattle – book a day on the 1100-hectare Leahton Park property and channel your inner cowboy.
The last leg of your trip takes you to Ingham, 110km north of Townsville. Travel towards the hills and pull-up for smoko at beautiful Wallaman Falls, Australia’s highest sheer-drop waterfall (268m). Time your arrival in town for mid-afternoon and head to TYTO Wetlands, where, along with the 230 different species of bird, you’ll see hundreds of agile wallabies grazing around dusk.
Park up and finish your journey on Hinchinbrook Island, which is renowned for its aquamarine waters, arcing beaches and, for the very keen walkers, the 32km, multi-day Thorsborne Trail. If the multi-day hike is beyond your itinerary limits, then day trips are just as spectacular, taking in waterfalls and rainforest trails.
4. The best of the Whitsundays (415km)
Whether it’s mainland action and adventure you’re after, or island hopping, beach bathing or sailing, The Whitsundays in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, and this sweet road trip, has it all.
Flanked by eight breathtaking beaches, Bowen (est. 1861) is the ideal way to begin your Whitsundays adventure. Spend your first day here snorkelling over fringing reefs just metres from the shore and marvel at the resident marine life. Be sure to head up Flagstaff Hill for superb views of the surrounding Whitsunday Islands and indulge in some of the freshest and tastiest seafood around at the Bowen Marina.
For a slice of local history, head to Collinsville. Less than an hour’s drive from Bowen, this town has a raft of attractions and rich history to explore, from the Pit Pony Experience to the Collinsville Coalface Museum, which tells the story of how life was lived above and below ground in the town in the early to mid 1900s. Stay overnight here before following the Bruce Highway past Bowen’s Big Mango (photo anyone?) and onto Proserpine, best-known for its sugarcane and cattle farming. Push your paddleboard or kayak into the waters of nearby Lake Proserpine, try your luck catching barramundi, or set up camp for the night.
Next on the agenda are the waterfalls and secret beaches of the Whitsundays hinterland. Stop at Cedar Creek Falls for a dip in the natural rockpool at the base of the falls or take the walking track to the top for speccy views of surrounding Conway National Park. Hydeaway Bay, around 45 minutes north of Airlie Beach, is a 2km stretch of sand and rocky outcrops that’s ripe for private beachcombing and bathing. Finish your day at Airlie Beach Lagoon – flanked by sandy beaches and grassy stretches it’s the perfect place to while away an afternoon.
Airlie’s also the ideal base for island hopping and there’s no shortage of options available, from family friendly to boutique and private. Tick off your bucket list while you’re here and visit famous Whitehaven Beach and iconic Heart Reef nestled in the Great Barrier Reef – join an organised tour, skipper your own boat or stay overnight on a crewed sailing boat. Total bliss.
5. Rainforest to Reef – Mackay to Airlie Beach (250km)
Want to have it all – rainforest, beach, wildlife and island paradise? Then this road trip has your name all over it. From your base in Mackay head to Eungella National Park. Perched high above the surrounding plains and oft draped in mist, this mountain refuge is one of Queensland’s most ecologically diverse parks. There’s a range of walking tracks to follow, from 30 minutes to full day, and a bounty of wildlife to seek out, including species such as the Eungella dayfrog, Mackay tulip oak, Eungella spiny cray and Eungella honeyeater. And don’t miss Finch Hatton Gorge, where you can swim beneath waterfalls (a must is Wheel of Fire Cascades) surrounded by volcanic boulders. Afterwards, head back down the mountain and stay overnight at Cape Hillsborough National Park – the special sunrise guests (aka wallabies and kangaroos) on the beach make for an iconic Aussie experience (and photo). A rich mix of eucalypt and rainforest, craggy headlands, volcanic rock formations and inviting beaches, the park is scribbled with bushwalks and lookouts, so be sure to factor in a day (or more) of exploration.
For the anglers, don’t miss this opportunity to toss a line into one of Queensland’s only net-free zones in the waters off Seaforth – you might even snag a barra.
Your final stop is Airlie Beach, but that’s not necessarily the end of your journey. Jump aboard a boat and explore the Whitsunday Islands – charter a sailboat, overnight on your own private island or treat the entire family to fun in the sun and the sea. Escape the crowds and find your slice of paradise here – the options truly are endless.
Find out more and choose your own adventure here: drivenorthqueensland.com.au
