Brisbane to Alice Springs road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
The Brisbane to Alice Springs drive takes around 32 hours to cover the 2,994km distance. Good stops to add to a Brisbane to Alice Springs road trip itinerary include Roma, Longreach and Mount Isa.
A Brisbane to Alice Springs road trip is a truly epic affair, connecting the east coast of Australia to the heart of the outback. Most people will choose to fly from Brisbane to Alice Springs, as it is much quicker. But if you feel like an adventure, going the long way via some classic Queensland outback towns, there is a lot of fun to be had.
Alice Springs offers hot air ballooning over the rugged outback, spectacular adventures in the West MacDonnell Ranges and quirky camel rides. For a bigger range of Alice Springs activities, step this way, and for Alice Springs accommodation, book here.
Seven essential Alice Springs activities to add to your trip.
- See imposing red rock cliffs and stunning swimming holes – on a West MacDonnell Ranges day trip.
- Glide across the changing morning colours of the outback – on a hot air balloon ride.
- See how education works across the outback – at the School of the Air.
- Take in the epic outback scenery – on a scenic flight.
- See the outback wildlife come to life – on a Desert Park nocturnal tour.
- Try camel rides through the red dirt landscape – and learn the weird history of Aussie camels.
- See stunning, often unvisited outback sites – on a Palm Valley 4wd tour.
Brisbane to Alice Springs distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Brisbane to Alice Springs is 2,994km. It’s significantly shorter as the crow flies, but there is only one sealed road from Queensland to the Northern Territory, and that’s the one you’ll be travelling along.
This means that the Brisbane to Alice Springs driving time is around 32 hours. Obviously, this requires making a few overnight road trip stops along the way, and there are plenty of good options for this.
6 supreme Brisbane day trips that will improve your holiday
- Moreton Island day trip – with kayaking, sandboarding and snorkelling or with dolphin-feeding and desert dunes adventure.
- Springbrook National Park glowworms and rainforest tour – including Tamborine Skywalk.
- Eumundi Markets day trip – Australia’s best markets, plus the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Noosa.
- North Stradbroke Island day tour – with cruise, wildlife spotting and guided walk.
- Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
- Maialia rainforest walking and wildlife tour – visit lesser-known D’Aguilar National Park.
Brisbane to Alice Springs road trip segments
Australia Travel Questions has researched and written guides to the individual legs of a Brisbane to Alice Springs road trip. Click through any of the following for more detail. However, a more succinct guide follows below.
Tennant Creek to Alice Springs.
9 brilliant Brisbane experiences to book in advance
- Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary tickets (or entry plus river cruise combo) – hold a koala and see lots of adorable native wildlife.
- Brisbane River cruise – see the key sights and learn about the city on the way.
- Story Bridge Adventure Climb – walk along the top of Brisbane’s famous bridge, with 360 degree views.
- Combine the Southbank Parklands, City Botanic Gardens and Kangaroo Point Cliffs on a fun Segway tour.
- Helicopter flight – see the city from a bird’s eye view.
- Kayaking tour – choose the night tour to see the city light up, the day tour to enjoy the sunshine.
- XXXX brewery tour – see how Australia’s most famous beer is made.
- Guided wine flight tasting – get an Aussie wine introductory course.
- See Brisbane’s spooky side on a city centre ghost tour.
Brisbane to Alice Springs drive: Darling Downs
From Brisbane to Roma, the largest city is Toowoomba. Expect plenty of parks and gardens here, with the DownsSteam railway museum arguably being the top attraction.
Top Toowoomba accommodation recommendations
The best Toowoomba accommodation options are:
- For central location and undercover parking at a 4.5 star with a pool: Oaks Toowoomba.
- For well-equipped apartments: Athena Motel Apartments.
- For a holiday park with plenty for the kids: Big4 Toowoomba Garden City.
- For a surprisingly good motel at cheapish rates: Applegum Inn.
Soon afterwards along the Warrego Highway, you’ll get local history fixes at the Pioneer Park Museum in Dalby and the more interesting Chinchilla Historical Museum in Chinchilla.
Chinchilla is a decent place for an overnight stop.
Best places to stay in Chinchilla.
The top Chinchilla accommodation options are:
- First choice for overall quality: Chinchilla Downtown Motor Inn.
- For villas at bargain rates: Chinchilla Motor Inn.
- For a good outdoor pool and affordable prices: Palms Motor Inn.
Alternatively, press on towards Miles, where rare pink water lilies fill Chinamans Lagoon.
Next section: Roma and Charleville.