On the road to adventure: 7 of the best Queensland road trips

Retrace the tracks of the intrepid Cobb & Co stagecoaches which once linked the east coast of Queensland with the outback along the Adventure Way. Leave Brisbane behind and head way out west, through the Bunya Mountains and into big sky country and sweeping desert plains.

Best experiences along Adventure Way:

• Reconnect with nature in Bunya Mountains National Park. Expect to encounter red-necked wallabies and crimson rosellas as you hike through the largest stand of bunya pines on the planet.
• Drive through quaint country villages and rural hamlets on your way to St George, Australia’s inland fishing capital. Drop a line in the famous Balonne River, land a cod for your supper, then set up camp on the riverbank.
• Swap stories with the friendly locals in Cunnamulla on the Warrego River. Plan your visit to coincide with the Outback River Lights Festival (April 2024) to see this country town at its colourful best.
• Relive the tale of famed explorers Burke and Wills at the Dig Tree site on the banks of Cooper Creek, where their fateful attempt to cross Australia ended in tragedy. Follow Cooper Creek across the border to Cullyamurra Waterhole – Australia’s largest billabong – to marvel at the ancient Aboriginal rock art that surround its tranquil waters.

Check out the full itinerary and maps here.

2. Journey from rainforest to the Reef on the Great Tropical Drive: up to 12 days / 500km

Choose your own tropical adventure on this web of 26 interconnected drives. The Great Tropical Drive stretches north from Townsville, past the palm-tree beaches of Cairns and the Daintree Rainforest all the way up to Cooktown, taking in the lush greens of the Atherton Tablelands and golden outback of Savannah country to the west.

Cover as little or as much ground as you wish as you follow your choice of Queensland road trips around this diverse region of natural wonders.

Best experiences along the Great Tropical Drive:

• See the land through the eyes of an Indigenous guide. Learn about the Aboriginal people’s connection to nature on a cultural tour of the Daintree Rainforest, or get schooled in traditional spear-fishing techniques on the beaches of Port Douglas.
• Take a dip in a freshwater swimming hole or bathe under a waterfall. South of Cairns you’ll find Barron Falls, Millaa Millaa Falls and Malanda Falls (if you’re lucky, you might even spot the elusive Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo). Head further south to Girringun National Park to reach Wallaman Falls, Australia’s longest permanent single-drop waterfall. For the full list of waterfalls around Cairns and Townsville, head here.
• Further up into Cape York, explore ancient Quinkan Rock art sites with a local guide - this is some of Australia's best rock art. 
• Hop aboard a day trip to the outer reef from Port Douglas and snorkel or dive your way around the Great Barrier Reef. See how many of Australia’s ‘great eight’ you can spot on your underwater adventure (the list includes clownfish, sea turtles and manta rays).
• Learn about the legendary love story that built Paronella Park, near Mena Creek. Built in 1929, the ruins of a Spanish castle are framed by magnificent gardens, lakeside tunnels and bridges, all built by a Spanish settler in honour of his wife.

Check out the full itinerary and maps here.

3. Take a bite of outback life on the Central Queensland Outback Drive: 9 days / 2000 kms

Experience old-fashioned country hospitality and enjoy an Australian history lesson or two on one of the most epic Queensland road trips from the Capricorn Coast to the Outback Queensland – and back again.

Road trip must-dos:

• Fossick for gems in the largest sapphire fields in the Southern Hemisphere. Take time out to visit the towns of Sapphire and Anakie where you can tour an underground mine, buy a bucket of sapphire “wash” and learn how to recognise sapphires in the rough.
• Head west to Longreach to find out what outback life is really like, from stockman experiences to an authentic Cobb & Co Stagecoach Experience.
• Discover the outback oasis of Carnarvon National Park, home to ancient rock art galleries and hanging gardens of ferns and moss. Follow the tracks along Carnarvon Creek to uncover Aboriginal art sites, hidden caves and freshwater swimming holes.
• Take a detour south of Biloela to hike the trails around Mount Scoria, a 25 million-year-old basalt formation formed from a volcano. Its symmetrically-shaped rocks resemble a giant staircase but don’t be tempted to climb – the mountain is sacred to the local Gangulu people.

Check out the full itinerary and map – or get more Queensland outback road trip inspiration here.

4. Go wild along Australia’s Nature Coast Drive: 12 days / 500 km 

Seeking a brush with nature in its purest form? Let us introduce you to Australia’s Nature Coast Drive: an epic twelve day road trip that’ll take you to the world’s largest sand island, pristine national parks and the Great Barrier Reef. Stretching from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Coast, the bitumen highway turns to sand on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) – but all the while, you’ll be greeted by awe-inspiring views and unforgettable wildlife encounters.

Best experiences along Australia’s Nature Coast Drive:

• Catch sunset from the peak of Mt Ngungun in Glass House Mountains
• Meet our iconic native animals at Australia Zoo
• Paddle out into the river of mirrors in Noosa Everglades, one of only two everglades biospheres on earth
• Come eye-to-eye with majestic humpback whales on a whale watching tour in Hervey Bay, the world’s first Whale Heritage Site
• Explore K’gari, the world’s largest sand island and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travel along 75 Mile Beach’s iconic sand highway to marvel at the Maheno shipwreck and coloured sands of The Pinnacles, cool off with a swim in Lake McKenzie, journey through Pile Valley, and float down the fresh waters of Eli Creek.
• Hop over to Lady Elliot Island, a pristine coral cay nestled into the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Make your base at the eco-resort then get ready to explore the fringing reef teeming with marine life, including turtles, manta rays, reef sharks and more.

5. Journey through the heart of the outback along Matilda Way: 8 days / 1800 km

As far as Queensland road trips go, there’s perhaps none more iconic than Matilda Way – named after the iconic Aussie ballad, Waltzing Matilda. This is Australia’s heartland – where you’ll find the true spirit of the outback via wide open roads, sprawling red dirt landscapes, and a piece of history you can only truly understand once you stand here yourself.

Over eight days (or longer, if you prefer an easy pace), trace a line through Queensland’s centre and get to know our biggest little towns: Charleville, Winton, Longreach and Cloncurry, before hitting the sea at Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Grab your mates, a vehicle up for outback conditions, your trusty Akubra, and get out there. 

Best experiences along Matilda Way:

• Camp at Charlotte Plains, where you can take in outback views while soaking in artesian baths.
• Stargaze into the Milky Way with the help of powerful Meade telescopes at Charleville Cosmos Centre.
• Dive into Australian history in Longreach, where you can visit the Stockman’s Hall of Fame and walk the wing of a 747 at Qantas Founders Museum.
  
• Discover the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils in Winton.
• Go barramundi fishing at Karumba – or jump on a croc tour.
• Pull up a chair at Sunset Tavern – the outback’s northernmost pub – and watch the sun sink down over the water.

Check out the full itinerary. 

6. Drive from Brisbane to Cairns along Pacific Coast Way: 10+ days / 1800 km

Running some 1800-km alongside our golden coastline and tracing the lengths of our natural world wonder, the Great Barrier Reef., this Queensland road trip is a well-travelled path for all kinds of adventurers. Backpackers, families, grey-nomads and even those tackling the mighty ‘Big Lap’ of Australia will find themselves finding serenity along the Pacific Coast Way - despite its popularity, there’s hidden treasures to seek out and enjoy at every turn. 

Best experiences along Pacific Coast Way:

• Discover hidden coves and secret beaches while wandering through Noosa National Park – and end the day dining by the water.
• Learn to surf at Agnes Water, home to Queensland’s northernmost surf breaks.
• Scuba dive with platypus in the wild at Eungella National Park’s rainforest-clad waterholes.
• Wake up with the wallabies at Cape Hillsborough, near Mackay.
• Soak up life in vibrant Airlie Beach – and sail out into the magical Whitsunday Islands to sink your toes into the sand of Whitehaven Beach.
• Hike to the base of Wallaman Falls, Australia’s highest permanent single drop waterfall.
• Snorkel or scuba the Great Barrier Reef.
• Step into the ancient Daintree rainforest and learn its fascinating Indigenous history.

Check out the full itinerary, do it in reverse and start in Cairns, or use this guide to find cheap campsites along the way.

7. Explore the remote north-west on Savannah Way: 7 – 14 days / 1700 km

Want to be among the few intrepid travellers to explore Queensland’s remote north-west corner? Plan an adventure along Savannah Way, where you’ll come face to face with our wildest outback landscapes and quiet red dirt highways that lead to hot springs, ancient gorges, and more than a few natural wonders.

Savannah Way technically runs a massive 3700km from Cairns to Broome, but the Queensland section can be tackled in 1 – 2 weeks, depending on how many miles you like to put on your tyres each day. 

Best experiences along Savannah Way:

• Soak up views of Atherton Tableland’s rolling hills as you head west, pit-stopping at one of the widest single-drop waterfalls in Australia: Millstream Falls.
• Follow the path of a 190,000 year old volcano at the Undara Volcanic National Park. Explore the longest lava tubes in the world while keeping a lookout for the rock wallabies, bats, and owls that have made them their home.
• Relax in the 65-million year old Talaroo Hot Springs, Australia’s only known tiered thermal hot spring, and learn local history under the guide of Ewamian Traditional Owners. 
  
• Explore the winding waterways of Cobbold Gorge by stand-up paddleboard or electric boat cruise.
• Ride the historic Gulflander, a Heritage-listed rail journey that famously goes ‘from nowhere to nowhere’.
• Cast a line at Australia’s barramundi fishing capital, Karumba.
• Make your way into remote Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park (currently closed), an outback oasis full of outdoor adventures and one of the world’s most significant fossil sites, Riversleigh Fossil Fields, which date back 15-25 million years.

Check out this seven-day itinerary, this guide to a 14 day trip, and advice if you’re bringing the kids, too. 

Looking for more unforgettable Queensland road trips? You'll find them here.