Airlie Beach to Cairns road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
Airlie Beach to Cairns road trip: North of Mission Beach
From Mission Beach to Cairns it’s only 139km. But there are a few stops worth considering. Paronella Park is a strange Spanish mansion being consumed by the rainforest and the Australian Sugar Heritage Centre in Mourilyan explores the region’s sugar industry.
Innisfail, meanwhile, offers Johnston River crocodile cruises and turtle-spotting on the Warrina Lakes. It’s also where the Palmerston Highway heads off into the Atherton Tableland, passing attractions such as the Mamu Tropical Skywalk and Nandroya Falls.
Top experiences near Innisfail to book in advance
- Get superlative rainforest views – on the Mamu Tropical Skywalk.
- Enjoy the strange Spanish castle surrounded by jungle – at Paronella Park.
- Save money with a Mamu Tropical Skywalk and Paronella Park combo ticket.
Keep going on up the Bruce Highway and the star attractions before Cairns are Josephine Falls, the hiking trail to Mt Bartle Frere, the Babinda Boulders swimming hole and the Behana Gorge walking track towards Clamshell Falls.
Next up: Things to do in Cairns.