Adelaide to Brisbane road trip via Barrier Highway: Distance & drive stops
An Adelaide to Brisbane road trip via the Barrier Highway and Broken Hill covers a distance of 2,034km. Road trip stops to add to this 22h10m Adelaide to Brisbane drive itinerary include Goondiwindi, Moree, Nyngan and Cobar.
An Adelaide to Brisbane road trip is a serious undertaking that passes through three (or four) Australian states. Mercifully, there are plenty of attractions to see along the Adelaide to Brisbane drive. Plan your route carefully, and a long slog behind the wheel can become a holiday in its own right.
Adelaide brings food tours of the fabulous Central Market, Torrens River cruises, swimming with dolphins and the chance to walk across the roof of the Adelaide Oval. To book Adelaide accommodation, step this way. For a full range of Adelaide tours and experiences, explore here.
Adelaide to Brisbane distance and driving time
The first job is to pick an Adelaide to Brisbane road trip route, and there are several options, with relatively minimal differences in driving time. The shortest route zig-zags across country New South Wales via Hay, Goolgowi, Narromine and Condobolin before heading up to Queensland along the Newell Highway.
15 fabulous Adelaide experiences to supercharge your visit
- DOLPHINS 🐬: Swim with wild dolphins, kayak with the resident bottlenose pod or watch them on a dolphin cruise.
- FOOD AND WINE 🍷: Indulge on Adelaide food tour including Adelaide Central Market. Or try a wine discovery tour with tastings at the National Wine Centre. Or the ultimate Penfolds Magill Estate experience with full estate tour & Grange tasting.
- WILDLIFE 🐨: Spot koalas on a guided Morialta nature hike. Or walk from Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty with entrance to Cleland Wildlife Park.
- CRUISES ⛵: Watch the sun set on a twilight coastal cruise, get to know the city on a Torrens River cruise or take a high tea cruise aboard the Popeye.
- SPORT 🏏: Dare to take on the Adelaide Oval Roofclimb or enter the fabled scoreboard on the behind-the-scenes stadium tour.
- ACTION 🚵♂️: Descend Mount Lofty on a downhill mountain bike tour or kayak along the Torrens River.
However, there’s a more dramatic and arguably more romantic route that goes through some unadulterated outback. Travelling from Adelaide to Brisbane via the Barrier Highway is only 14km longer.
Via the Barrier Highway, the Adelaide to Brisbane driving time is around 22 hours and 10 minutes, covering a distance of 2,034km.
6 supreme Brisbane day trips that will improve your holiday
- Moreton Island day trip – with kayaking, sandboarding and snorkelling or with dolphin-feeding and desert dunes adventure.
- Springbrook National Park glowworms and rainforest tour – including Tamborine Skywalk.
- Eumundi Markets day trip – Australia’s best markets, plus the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Noosa.
- North Stradbroke Island day tour – with cruise, wildlife spotting and guided walk.
- Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
- Maialia rainforest walking and wildlife tour – visit lesser-known D’Aguilar National Park.
Adelaide to Brisbane road trip: Wine regions and Burra
The first leg of this Adelaide to Brisbane drive is the 517km leg from Adelaide to Broken Hill. The route chugs through suburban Adelaide then joins the Barrier Highway at Gawler.
The Barrier Highway skirts close to the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley wine regions should you fancy a sampling session.
8 unusual Barossa Valley experiences to book in advance
- Half day Mustang convertible tour.
- Two hour kayaking experience.
- Half day trike tour with commentary via headsets.
- Wine-tasting tour in a bright red London cab.
- Winery hopping by e-bike.
- Gin-making workshop with lunch.
- Behind the scenes VIP tour at Seppeltsfield.
- Learn about barrel-making at the Yalumba Cooperage.
Otherwise, the logical first stop is Burra. Here you can discover copper mining heritage at the Monster Mine or learn about ancient giant wombats at the Red Banks Conservation Park.
Burra accommodation picks
The best Burra accommodation options are:
- For plenty of space and homeliness: Paxton Square Cottages.
- For heritage and charm: Burra Railway Station Bed and Breakfast.
- For decent rooms and relatively cheap rates: Burra Motor Inn.
Click through for the next section: Burra to Broken Hill.