Mackay to Darwin road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The distance from Mackay to Darwin is 2,830km, and the driving time 30 hours. The best stops to add to a Mackay to Darwin road trip itinerary include Airlie Beach, Mount Isa and Katherine Gorge.
A Mackay to Darwin road trip is an adventurous trip across the north of Australia. It takes in gorgeous islands at first, but very quickly moves on to epic outback scenery.
Mackay offers snorkelling cruises to the likes of Brampton Island. To choose from the best Mackay tours and experiences, head this way. To select the right Mackay accommodation for you, book here.
Darwin, meanwhile, brings schooner cruises, airboat tours and cage-swimming with massive crocodiles. To search for the best Darwin accommodation deals, head here. To check out the full range of tours and experiences available, go here.
However, a fair amount of planning is required. You’ll need to make at least two overnight stops on the Mackay to Darwin road trip. This guide should help you work out the best places to stay.
Mackay to Darwin distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Mackay to Darwin is 2,830km. This makes for a nominal driving time of around 30 hours, but you’re better off spreading the adventure out over the course of a couple of weeks. There are some national parks, idiosyncratic towns and natural wonders that you’ll probably want to explore along the way.
Three great Mackay experiences to book in advance
- (Highly recommended ✅) Whitsunday Islands boat cruise – with snorkelling and paddleboarding.
- Cape Hillsborough sunrise tour – meet wallabies on the beach.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Finch Hatton Gorge waterfalls tour.
Things to do in Mackay include the Wildcat snorkelling cruise to the South Cumberland Islands and playing in the sand on Blacks Beach.
Best Mackay accommodation options
The top places to stay in Mackay are:
- For attractive apartments by Blacks Beach: The Shores Holiday Apartments.
- For a cheap, but surprisingly good, motel: Cool Palms Motel.
- For apartments with kitchenettes by the marina: Mantra Mackay.
- For a holiday park with lot of family-friendly facilities: Big4 Mackay Blacks Beach Holiday Park.
- For fully furnished apartments in prime position next to Bluewater Lagoon: Riviera Mackay.
Mackay to Darwin road trip: Cape Hillsborough and Airlie Beach
It’s another 151km from Mackay to Airlie Beach, one of the best stops on the Mackay to Darwin journey. But you may wish to consider a couple of side trips.
Eungella National Park offers platypus-spotting at Broken River, plus waterfall hikes and swimming holes in Finch Hatton Gorge.
You can also see kangaroos on the beach in Cape Hillsborough National Park.
The turn-off for Airlie Beach is just after Proserpine, where you can do a crocodile-spotting cruise on the Proserpine River. The road to Airlie runs through quieter Cannonvale on the way in.
9 memory-making Airlie Beach experiences to add to your visit
- Whitehaven Beach day cruise – with plenty of snorkelling thrown in.
- Glass bottom boat tour – see coral and marine life without getting wet.
- Heart Reef flight – see the islands and Great Barrier Reef from above before flying over Australia’s famous heart-shaped island.
- Proserpine River crocodile safari – see the big crocs from a boat.
- Whitsundays sunset cruise – with free snacks and sparkling wine.
- Sailing on the Camira – glide around the Whitsunday Islands under sail.
- Whizz around the islands on a guided jetski tour.
- Waterfall explorer day tour – with swimming in Hinterland rock pools.
- Enjoy high speed thrills on a jet boat ride.
Things to do in Airlie Beach include hiking the Airlie Creek Track, swimming in the Airlie Beach Lagoon and Whitsundays kayaking tours, plus helicopter flights and day trips to Hamilton Island. There are also multiple day trips from Airlie Beach to the other Whitsunday Islands, include Daydream Island, Whitsunday Island and South Molle Island.
Which Whitsundays cruise should I choose?
- For those with limited time: Whitehaven Beach half day tour.
- For the highlights reel: Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island day trip.
- To see the reef two ways: High speed Whitsundays cruise plus scenic reef flight combo.
- For romance, sparkling wine and sunset under sail: Multi-beach and reef Lady Enid cruise.
- To see several islands: Sailing and snorkelling adventure.
- For an overnight sailing adventure: Matador two day yacht cruise.
Airlie Beach accommodation picks
Specialist Australian booking site Wotif offers Airlie Beach accommodation for from $114 a night. You can look through the best deals here.
However, some Airlie Beach accommodation options are worth highlighting:
- On a budget: Tasman Holiday Parks Airlie Beach.
- For families: Big4 Adventure Whitsundays Resort.
- For waterfront apartments: At Marina Shores.
- For pampering: Coral Sea Marina Resort.
- For great value: Colonial Palms Motor Inn.
Click through to the next section: Dingo Beach and Bowen.