Airlie Beach to Mission Beach road trip: Distance, time & stops

Airlie Beach to Mission Beach road trip: Townsville to Cardwell

Beyond Townsville, the Airlie Beach to Mission Beach road trip runs parallel to Paluma Range National Park. There are several waterfalls here, but the rock pools of Crystal Creek are most people’s favourite.

Keep going along the highway, and you’ll reach Ingham. This is where you branch off for Girringun National Park and Wallaman Falls, the highest waterfall in Australia.

For accommodation in Ingham, try the Ingham Tourist Park and the Tropixx Motel, which has its own restaurant.

Cardwell comes after Ingham. This is where you can get a boat transfer to wild, natural and resort-free Hinchinbrook Island. Australia’s largest island national park is a big hiking destination, and the four day, 32km Thornsborne Trail, is one of Australia’s top walks.

Otherwise, the top attraction is the Cardwell Spa Pools, an eerily blue rainforest swimming hole.

Best Cardwell accommodation choices

The best places to stay in Cardwell are:

For a holiday park with an outdoor pool and children’s playground: Cardwell Beachcomber Motel and Tourist Park.
For prime location: Cardwell Beachfront Motel.
If those two are fully booked: Kookaburra Holiday Park.

The Cardwell Spa Pools in Cardwell, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland

Airlie Beach to Mission Beach road trip: Cardwell to Mission Beach

Further along, there’s the turn off for Murray Falls. But most will keep going towards Tully. This town is home of the Golden Gumboot – one of Australia’s notorious Big Things – and Tully Gorge rafting tours.

But it’s also where you branch off for Mission Beach. The drive goes past the Mount Mackay National Park.

5 great Mission Beach experiences to book in advance

Small group Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with pristine snorkelling on the Outer Reef, barbecue lunch and snorkelling equipment provided.
Hull River National Park eco cruise – spotting wildlife in the mangroves.
Full day sports rafting on the Tully River – tackle the rapids while rafting through the rainforest.
Skydive from 15,000ft – and land on the beach.
Dunk Island day trip – with plenty of time for rainforest hikes.

Top things to do in Mission Beach include mountain bike rides through the Djiru National Park, skydiving onto the beach and getting a boat transfer to Dunk Island. There’s also the chance to do smaller group Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours.

Why Mission Beach is the best place to skydive in Australia

Mission Beach is the best place to skydive in Australia because:

You can jump from 15,000ft – which means extra freefall time.
On the way down, you see the rainforest on one side, and the Great Barrier Reef on the other.
The Mission Beach skydive lands on one of the most incredible beaches in the country.

Find out more (and book if you want to)

Accommodation options in Mission Beach include the gardens-surrounded Mission Beach Resort, the seafront Castaways Resort and Spa and the pool-focused Mission Reef Resort.