Brisbane to Airlie Beach road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
Sarina and Mackay
Otherwise carry on up the Bruce Highway, and go on one of the impressive cave tours at the Capricorn Caves.
The highway joins the coast at Clairview. It then cuts across Cape Palmerston – you’ll need a 4WD to go fishing and camping here.
The next town of any real size is Sarina. Here, tours of the Sarina Sugar Shed tell the tale of the local sugar industry. Alternatively, enjoy some seaside time at Sarina Beach or Grasstree Beach.
Top Sarina experiences worth booking in advance
- Learn how sugar is grown and processed on a sugar mill tour – with sweet treat tastings.
- Find out how rum is made on a rum distillery tour – with rum sampling.
Best Sarina accommodation options.
The best places to stay in Sarina, Queensland, are:
- For beachside location with an outdoor pool: Sandpiper Motel.
- For air-conditioned caravans and cabins: Sarina Palms Cabins & Caravans.
- For palm trees and beach holiday vibe: Sarina Beach Motel.
Mackay is roughly half an hour to the north of Sarina, and is the main city of the Whitsundays region.
Three great Mackay experiences to book in advance
- (Highly recommended ✅) Whitsunday Islands boat cruise – with snorkelling and paddleboarding.
- Cape Hillsborough sunrise tour – meet wallabies on the beach.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Finch Hatton Gorge waterfalls tour.
Things to do in Mackay include the Wildcat snorkelling cruise to the South Cumberland Islands, swimming at Bluewater Lagoon and sunning yourself on Blacks Beach.
Best Mackay accommodation options
The top places to stay in Mackay are:
- For attractive apartments by Blacks Beach: The Shores Holiday Apartments.
- For a cheap, but surprisingly good, motel: Cool Palms Motel.
- For apartments with kitchenettes by the marina: Mantra Mackay.
- For a holiday park with lot of family-friendly facilities: Big4 Mackay Blacks Beach Holiday Park.
- For fully furnished apartments in prime position next to Bluewater Lagoon: Riviera Mackay.
Click through for the next section: Mackay to Airlie Beach.