Atherton to Cairns drive: Distance via Kennedy Highway & State Route 52

There are two routes for the Atherton to Cairns drive in far north Queensland. But the driving time via the Kennedy Highway and Gillies Range Road is the same – about 1h18m.

The Atherton to Cairns drive is one a visitor is most likely to take as the return leg of a day trip in the Atherton Tableland, Queensland. You’ll also pass through on the epic drive from Darwin to Cairns.

Cairns brings Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruises, World Heritage-listed rainforest adventures, glass bottom boat tours at Green Island and the Kuranda Scenic Railway into the mountains. To choose from a wide range of memorable Cairns tours and experiences, look here. To pick the Cairns accommodation best suited to you, book here.

There are two main routes from Atherton to Cairns, and the journey time is practically identical. The smart move is to go one way from Cairns to Atherton, then the other on the way back.

Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday

Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.

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Atherton to Cairns drive via the Kennedy Highway

The first option is via the Kennedy Highway – aka National Highway 1. This route goes through Tolga, then to the southern outskirts of Mareeba before heading towards Kuranda and the Barron River.

Kuranda is home to Barron Gorge National Park, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, the Kuranda Scenic Markets, Birdworld Kuranda and Kuranda Koala Gardens – where you can hold a koala.

Save time queuing – Book these Cairns attractions in advance

From the air: Outer Reef helicopter flight | Sunrise hot air balloon ride | Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
At night: Sunset dinner cruise | Pub and club tour | Aquarium by Twilight experience.
For wildlife: Birdworld Kuranda | Kuranda Koala Gardens | Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome | Cairns Aquarium | Rainforestation Nature Park
For culture: Cairns Museum tickets | Street art walking tour | City and surrounds highlights bus tour.
For thrills: AJ Hackett giant jungle swing | High speed jet boat tour | Barron Gorge white water rafting | Mulgrave River tubing.

The Kennedy Highway then takes a steep, winding descent through the MacAlister Range into Smithfield. This is where you’ll find the base station for the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and the Skypark Cairns bungy site.

Smithfield is effectively a northern suburb of Cairns. From there, you drive into the city past the Cairns Botanic Gardens.

Atherton to Cairns drive via State Route 52

Going along National Highway 1, the drive from Atherton to Cairns is 93.5km in distance, with a driving time of around one hour and 18 minutes.

It takes exactly the same amount of time via the other route from Atherton to Cairns – along the Gillies Range Road (aka State Route 52), then the Bruce Highway. This route is shorter, though – the Atherton to Cairns drive is 80km long.

This road trip goes through platypus hotspot Yungaburra, near Lake Eacham, then gets seriously windy on the way down to Gordonvale. You might want to stop at the Gillies Lookout and Little Mulgrave National Park along the way. From Gordonvale, it’s not far to the southern suburbs of Cairns.