Brisbane to Airlie Beach road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
Brisbane to Airlie Beach drive itinerary: Rockhampton and Yeppoon
The drive from Gladstone to Rockhampton is dull, with the best stop being the Calliope Conservation Park in Calliope.
Things to do in Rockhampton, however, include the Dreamtime Cultural Centre and the Rockhampton Heritage Village.
Rockhampton accommodation highlights include the grey nomad-friendly Discovery Parks Rockhampton, the budget-conserving Rockhampton Court Motor Inn and the Quest Rockhampton apartments.
Top experiences to book in and around Rockhampton
- (Highly recommended ✅) Great Keppel Island day trip – with lunch.
- Cathedral Cave tour at Capricorn Caves. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 90 minute Deep Vault Cave and Flower Pot tour at Capricorn Caves.
- Time Safaris walking tour.
Rockhampton is the biggest city in Central Queensland, but coastal Yeppoon is a more enjoyable place to stay. Getting there requires a 35 minute detour from Rockhampton to Yeppoon. You can visit the walking trails and birdwatcher hangouts of Baga National Park en route.
Things to do in Yeppoon include going for a swim in the Yeppoon Lagoon and taking the Great Keppel Island ferry for a Great Keppel Island day trip. You can also try Lammermoor Beach, Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary and spearfishing charters.
Where to stay in Yeppoon
The top Yeppoon accommodation options are:
- For a dependable motel with a pool: Coast Motel.
- For high quality apartments near Yeppoon Lagoon: Salt Yeppoon.
- For Mediterranean-style villas: Villa Mar Colina.
- For a centrally-located boutique resort: Coral Inn Boutique Resort.
Click through for the next section: Sarina and Mackay.