Air Conditioning. And, if you didnt manage to spot a cassowary at Etty Bay good news, you may find that youre second time lucky; Mission Beach supports the highest density of the endangered birds. > 8. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more. var cachebuster = Date.now(); AppNexus sets the anj cookie that contains data stating whether a cookie ID is synced with partners. 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. On the way back to Lucinda, watch out for the six-kilometre (four-mile) sugar loading jetty, the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. 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. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 3:46 pmdrive for about 1.5 hours, The Boulders Feel inspired by the extraordinary story of Jos Paronellas ingenuity and determination as he turned his dreams into a reality. This magical moss covered pleasure garden has enough nooks, crannies and sources of fascination to keep you delighted for hours. The US$1.1m (A$1.63m) tour, which starts this month . Hop off Skyrail at the Kuranda terminal, stretch your legs with a . 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. Take the short ferry ride across to Magnetic Island, home to Northern Australias largest colony of koalas living in the wild. 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. The Great Tropical Drive is an amazing way to experience Tropical North Queensland. 0. Take a dip in the beautiful blue Cardwell Spa Pools and Attie Creek Falls, and enjoy scenic lookout points. Water taxis shuttle day-trippers toDunk Island. Spend a few days exploring the Whitsunday Islands and Whitehaven Beach before embarking on this 6 day Airlie Beach to Cairns drive. 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. Flames of the Forest, Port Douglas, Queensland Flames of the Forest. Cairns to Cooktown Road Trip: Bloomfield Track or Inland Road? If youve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, well be happy to hear from you. Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, Experiences that will make you feel like an Aussie. The Brisbane to Townsville distance is undeniably long. | website by. regardless of circumstance and ability. Craft brewery adventure. open-ended. 4:47 pm The Boulders. There are two free campervan-friendly campsites nearby, which are mapped at the end of the article. River Tubing. News; Australia's Best Teachers 2023: Digital technologies teacher David Titherley praised for his unique approach to teaching. driving 4.5 hours. 10:00 am start in Cairnsdrive for about 45 minutes, 10:45 am The Boulders Once youve had your tucker, take a cheeky 10min detour inland on the Cardwell Forest drive. Located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and a 20-minute ferry from Townsville, "Maggie," as the locals call it, tends to be off the typical traveller trail. Day 3. Take the long track back to the campground and enjoy a rainforest dip at Douglas Creek. "event": "taCustEvent", and leave at 5:47 pm. 6:32 pm arrive in Cairns. Practicalities. 56km. Again making it a good spot to stop for fuel and other supplies, particularly if you've not stocked up and are doing the trip in the other direction. drive for about 1.5 hours. Undara Experience, Undara, Queensland Rowan Bestmann, Tourism and Events Queensland. Appropriately named, you wont be surprised to discover a series of smooth granite boulders at this freshwater swimming hole. Forget what you've heard, Townsville is just as much a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef as any of its northern neighbours. Drive through the wetlands of Eubenangee Swamp National Park, a bird lovers paradise. Services are operated by Greyhound Australia and Premier Motor Service. Spend the night atPeppers Beach Club, nestled in a garden setting just steps from the beach. From the camping area, stroll along the Butterfly walk (its renowned for the Ulysses butterflies that flit along this passage between September and February)through World Heritage-listed rainforest to the gorge. Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. "campaignIntegrationUrl": "/bin/create/recipient", 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. But Townsville is worth a visit as well, thanks to its family-friendly attractions, excellent day trips, and close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef. Facilities are basic - compost toilets and BBQs, but no showers. From the beach landing, take a short walk through rainforest to the sparkling freshwater pool at the base of Zoe Falls, an idyllic swimming hole. disabilities to adjust the websites UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. For any assistance, please reach out to, We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience. Check-in: It stores a true/false value, indicating whether it was the first time Hotjar saw this user. Sydney, NSW 2229 Phone: 1800 216 223, 167 Mount Low Parkway, Townsville, The drive from Townsville to Cairns connects northern Queensland's two . When you're ready to depart Cooktown, you can choose between driving just over four hours to Ravenshoe, or taking a detour to Mount Mulligan Lodge. Or, gain a deeper connection to the rainforest with a guided Dreamtime walk. CNS-TSV is a really nice drive, and 4 hours is about right if your drive sensibly. 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. You can make a pit stop in Bowen along the way. Day 11: Drive from Townsville to Mission Beach, with a detour to Wallaman Falls. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Alternatively, drive 62km up the road and chow down on a crab sanger in Cardwell. It's often overlooked by international visitors, in favour of its northern counterpart, Cairns. Facilities include flush toilets, hot showers and undercover BBQs and eating areas. While they're both synonymous with warm climates, the Great Barrier Reef and rich in . Continue your waterhole hopping at the Cardwell Spa Pool. "validationFavouritesUrl": "/bin/australia/favourites/sanitycheck", The calculated flying distance from Cairns to Townsville is equal to 176 miles which is equal to 283 km.. Allow yourself 3 to 4 hours up and back. script.async = true; This cookie is placed by Pinterest Tag when the user cannot be matched. Cairns is located in Australia with (-16.923,145.7663) coordinates and Townsville is located in Australia with (-19.2664,146.8057) coordinates. Facilities include free WiFi, showers, camp kitchen, BBQs, laundry, pool. Cairns to Townsville Flights. Re: Cairns to Townsville. Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions Once back on land, drive 45 minutes north to Cardwell. Here's my 3-day itinerary exploring the natural playground of Magnetic Island and Townsville. First things first brekkie! As the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is teeming with an abundance of restaurants offering fresh, local catches and exceptional seafood. The drive from Cairns to Darwin is a long one. 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. 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. 138km. Want to plan the trip back? This oft-overlooked coastal town gives you a base to reach Magnetic Island. Follow the signs to Henrietta Creek Campground where you'll find the beginning of theNandroya Falls circuit. Password (8+ characters) . Take the ten-minute water taxi out to Dunk Island; situated only 4km off of the mainland. History walking tour. and answers related to Townsville. Day 5. Start your day with a spot of brekkie at the funky Bingil Bay Caf, then hit the road north to Paronella Park, one of the most unique places youll see along the Great Green Way. Weve all seen those gorgeous wisps of whiteness poking out from an azure sea on Great Barrier Reef. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Fifteen minutes out of Cairns, exit the Captain Cook Highway at Smithfield to take theSkyrail Rainforest Cablewayfor an incredible 90-minute ride over World Heritage-listed rainforest. Next, drive north for an hour to see the sacredBloomfield (Wujal Wujal) Fallswith a guide, and learn about the cultural significance of this area for Indigenous Australians. 3,050 km | 21 - 26 days. to each other and sharing tips and advice. Mineral rich waters of Cardwell Spa Pools. Additionally, the background process scans all of the websites images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag Facilities include flushing toilets and picnic tables. Quantserve sets the mc cookie to anonymously track user behaviour on the website. Dogs are welcome on this part and there are many great spots to pull up and enjoy your lunch along the way. > 5. Check road conditions from Townsville to Cairns, or you can get reverse directions from Cairns to Townsville. Etty Bay is known as one of the regions most scenic beaches, but what really makes this little cove so special is its inhabitants home to the magnificent Southern Cassowary, youre very likely to see these notoriously hard to spot birds roaming the beachfront in the late afternoon or early morning. }, }, When you hear of a beach situated between the Great Barrier Reef and a World . Stay: Castaways Resort has a poolside sun lounger with your name on it and the onsite restaurant Buko offers an awesome feed too. Mount Mulligan Lodge, Mount Mulligan, Queensland Mount Mulligan Lodge. Don't miss out on the headlines from Townsville. Overlanders Way drive takes you from the Great Barrier Reef to the Northern Territory outback, so be sure to pack your flippers and your hiking boots. We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Head southwest for 50 minutes toMillstream Falls, Australias widest single-drop waterfall, for a brief stop before spending the morning atInnot Hot Springs, relaxing in the therapeutic mineral waters that fill its six public pools. You can stop off at Lake Barrine for morning tea and scones, then onto the curtain fig tree, then onto the Hypipamee Crater . }, And how far/driving time is Cairns to Townsville. Welcome to Tourism Australia. This is where you branch off if you want to see Australias highest waterfall Wallaman Falls in the Girringun National Park. This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions. While youre there, take a wander round TYTO Regional Art Gallery and the Mini Military Museum at Hinchinbrook Shire library, too. As you pass through the lush pine forest plantations, watch out for the lookout point, which provides uninterrupted views out to Hinchinbrook Island, before continuing along the forest drive until you reach Attie Creek. Your trip begins in Cairns, Australia. There is a maximum stay of 2 nights.RATES: FREE. Hervey Bay-Rockhampton 470km. Cairns to Townsville. When to visit. Tweet. Trippy is where A variation of the _gat cookie set by Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to allow website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. Departure times vary between 06:00 - 18:50. With activities to suit everyone's holiday agenda, Townsville North Queensland will create memories to last a lifetime. Head back onto the main drag and continue into Cairns and rest up at one of the many resorts and caravan parks available. Sites are shady and separated from one another by foliage. Drove Mackay to Cairns in 2002. For what you want (to stop half way), Mission Beach or Tully would suit. *Conditio. Check - plan - go - with up-to-date traffic and travel information on road conditions, incidents, vehicle crashes, emergency roadworks, special events, road closures and congestion state-wide. 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. Etty Bay Caravan Park - gets well-reviewed for its location on peaceful Etty Bay. to Castle Hill Lookout for 360 degree vistas. You have dozens of rainforest and coastal walking trails, secluded inlets, and wide empty beaches to explore, and if youre lucky youll see an endangered Cassowary, but keep a safe distance. Continuing along the Cook Highway, stop halfway at Rex Lookout for magical views over the Coral Sea beaches, before reachingPort Douglas. But what makes Ingham particularly interesting is Lee's Hotel (formerly known as the Day Dawn hotel). This picturesque island boasts tropical rainforest, secluded beaches and spectacular walking trails. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. If the view from the top doesnt satisfy your waterfall hunger, head to the bottom on a 3.2km trek. Before you take to the wheel, head down to the Strand for a bit of brekkie. For a fittingly European-inspired stay,Villa Veronis a charming bed and breakfast which also hosts an Italian festival every year. Find out more. Hughenden to Richmond. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Good stops on a Townsville to Cairns road trip include Ingham, Cardwell, Mission Beach and Innisfail. YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. At over 1,853 million km Queensland is Australia's second-largest state. This cookie is used to collect user information such as what pages have been viewed on the website for creating profiles. 21 Weekly Buses. Swapping Cairns for the Cassowary Coast takes just shy of 90 minutes if you go direct, but this is a journey worth allocating a whole day to explore. > 4. Moderator of the Cairns and Townsville stolen cars and sightings Facebook group Sam Testa claimed one of the boys charged was alleged to have been behind the wheel of the stolen Toyota Yaris that . Babinda Boulders. 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. 3-day Brisbane to Cairns itinerary. most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. There are lots of campervan hire companies in Cairns we decided to go with Britz which was a great solution and gave us plenty of flexibility to change our itinerary if we needed. Day 11. A 20km detour off the Bruce Highway between Tully and Cardwell will take you to a lookout at at the base of the falls, with a swimming hole just downstream. If you're planning a road trip, you might be interested in seeing the total driving distance from Cairns, Australia to Townsville, Australia. Project management and a drive for high quality service; High level of attention to detail with a creative approach to problem-solving; Mission Beach, situated midway between Townsville and Cairns is made up of four beach villages linked by 14 kilometres of wide golden sands. This is a True/False flag set by the cookie. At Mamu Tropical Skywalk, meander through the rainforest canopy on a raised boardwalk, and climb to the top of the 37m observation tower delivering epic views of the North Johnston River Gorge. How to get to Australia's most iconic cities. Facilities include beachside BBQs, flush toilets, hot showers, free WiFi.RATES: $28 - $32 for two. Cairns-Cape Tribulation 150km. This cookie is set by Facebook to display advertisements when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising, after visiting the website. Then sleep under the stars atUndara Experience, with permanent and powered tents that house comfortable bedding. 5. Optional Detour Tully Gorge National Park. Attractions in Townsville include the eco-tourism Billabong Sanctuary, the Museum of Tropical Queensland, and the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery. Reduced speed limit (60km/h). The best bets for Townsville accommodation are For beachside location: Water's Edge The Strand. The sites, though small, are separated by walls of tropical foliage for privacy. Traffic reports and road conditions can be found on the QLDTraffic website qld.traffic.qld.gov.au, download the QLDTraffic app or call 13 19 40. RATES: $7 per person. A big part of travelling is finding the perfect spot to have a cold drink at the end of a day adventuring. Detour to Queensland's oldest hotel at the Nindigully Pub and try the 1.2 kilogram 'Road Train' hamburger - if you dare! Day 7-8. "startScreen": "gigya-update-profile-screen" 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. Borroloola to Limmen National Park. Meander through the ancient forest on your own along theRainforest Circuit Track, which begins at Rex Creek bridge and entails a 2.5-kilometre (1.5-mile) loop with incredible views. This cookie helps to categorise the users interest and to create profiles in terms of resales of targeted marketing. VisitJames Cook Museum, housed in a stunning 19th century former convent, for a look into Cooktowns remarkable history. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The entire route takes around 12 days and travels over 2079 kilometres from Cairns to Townsville. Day 14 "FYASignUpDtmConfig": { This self drive itinerary offers a handy guideline to base your day of exploring Cape Tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest. However, this depends on the date you are flying so please check with the full flight schedule above to see . is not on the beach but it is only a 10 minute walk away. From: 1 traveler 2 travelers 3 travelers 4 travelers 5 travelers 6 travelers. > 9. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. > 7. Day 4-6. stay for about 1 hour. Port Douglas, Queensland Tourism and Events Queensland. Say goodbye to Mount Mulligan before driving just over two hours to Malanda. CBD meaning: What does CBD stand for in Australia? Swap the rainforest for the seaside and veer towards the coast to Lucinda, which offers a bewdy of a view of Hinchinbrook Island. The bus journey time between Cairns and Townsville is around 5h 30m and covers a distance of around 376 km. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive { Jet boat rides. Nestled between World Heritage rainforest and palm-fringed beaches, Mission Beach is a beautiful half way point for campervan explorers to spend the night. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. Hop aboard Mission Beach Dive to explore the coral gardens of the outer reef, or snorkel the fringing reefs of Dunk Island. The accommodation options between Cairns and Townsville are mostly motel/holiday park affairs and theres not much above 3 stars. The first decent-sized town on the Bruce Highway going north is Ingham. Airlie Beach-Townsville 280km. The road to Undara is sealed the entire way from Cairns, Townsville and . 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. Take a stroll along the beachfront to the jetty as the sun sets and keep an eye out for turtles and dugongs, which are often seen from the jetty. Accessibility Statement. With more than 320 days of sunshine each year, Townsville is an ideal destination for a tropical holiday in North Queensland. Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Cairns to Townsville. There is creekside camping at Jourama Falls suitable for campervans. 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. Orange dots mark camping sites, red stars mark highlights. Take Moss Road (off the Bruce Highway) for about 100 metres until you see a narrow gravel track on the right marked with a red rectangle. You can also calculate the cost to drive from Cairns, Australia to Townsville . Journeying through over 12 national parks, its easy to see how the Great Green Way got its name. Victoria 3058 Phone: 1800 216 223, 23-25 Erskine Rd, Caringbah, Hop off Skyrail at the Kuranda terminal, stretch your legs with a stroll around the charming village of Kuranda and thenboard the historic Kuranda Scenic Railwayfor the 60-minute return trip to Smithfield. We love this section of Australia for its diversity, culture, hinterlands and . Another 30 minutes behind the wheel will bring you to Babinda. Find the stand-out seafood dishes in Cairns below. "taIdRetryLimit": 3 var script = document.createElement('script'); You can reach out to the websites operators by using the following email. "screenSet": "Aus-ProfileUpdate", It covers a variety of scenery from city to country to coast to mountain to rainforest. Mission Beach would be better referred to as Mission Beaches with its 14km stretch of sand interlinking three beaches and four villages. Continue to Townsville in time for lunch atThe Beet Barfor superfood bowls, salads and juices that celebrate local produce. for images that are not described. If you're trying to avoid mountains or steep grade roads, check the elevation profile from Townsville to Cairns. Panoramic Windows. Whether youre out to catch a barra, hike Australias largest island National Park or adventure your way through a scenic 4WD track, Cardwell is the perfect launch pad for an outdoorsy weekend with a friendly local twist. We acknowledge the Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Owners of the land, sea and waters of the Australian continent, and recognise their custodianship of culture and Country for over 60,000 years. After breakfast at Caffiend, one of many hip cafs along Grafton Street in Cairns, drive 68 kilometres (42 miles) north towards Port Douglas.Fifteen minutes out of Cairns, exit the Captain Cook Highway at Smithfield to take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway for an incredible 90-minute ride over World Heritage-listed rainforest. jQuery(document).ready(function() { 12 brilliant experiences in Cairns 1. Photo: Cardwell Tourism. road conditions from Cairns to Townsville, Enter a city to drive through, or find all. By limiting the number of hikers, you have a chance to connect with and appreciate the raw beauty of Hinchinbrook. Stay Updated: Dine alfresco by the ocean, uncover the stories of a military past, explore dramatic landscapes or immerse yourself in a remarkable diving experience on the Great Barrier Reef. Katherine to Judbarra/Gregory National Park. Stay: Eco-friendly Hidden Valley Cabinsare set in natureand have unique smoked wood-firecuisine, orfind camping grounds byJouramaFalls and Big Crystal Creek. Give yourself half a day to enjoy everything this scenic drive has to offer. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD). It took a while to plan . Facilities include showers, laundry, camp kitchen, pool. playground, games room with TV, free WiFi, BBQ area. The Atherton Tablelands are lovely, and in September the nights will still be cool. Back on the road, continue north along the Bruce Highway to return to Cairns, gateway to the islands, rainforest and reef of Tropical North Queensland. Turn it into a road trip instead, and the first stop should be the Paluma Range National Park. With the reef, Atherton Tablelands and the Daintree just a stones throw away from Cairns, youre gonna need that energy! Cooktown-Cape York Peninsula (4WD only) 815km. The drive is approx 630km from Cairns to Airlie Beach, which takes approx 7 hours. If you havent seen a Cassowary during your travels, a trip to Etty Bay should be at the top of your to-do list. Make sure you check road conditions 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. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it. Photo: Nodotel_ of Instagram. Pop into Babinda Bakery to stock up on some tasty treats, before heading to Babinda Boulders.