Brisbane to Cairns road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
Brisbane to Cairns road trip stops: Hervey Bay to Rockhampton
Hervey Bay is more than just a jumping off point for Fraser Island. There are some great whale-watching tours departing from Urangan harbour, too.
Book these 8 Hervey Bay experiences now
- 1. Great Sandy Strait wildlife cruise – with a great chance of spotting dingos or dugongs.
- 2. All-inclusive Fraser Island day tour – with pick-up at your accommodation.
- 3. Fraser Island two day tour – see much more.
- 4. Fun cruise – get close to dolphins and turtles while lounging in the boom netting.
- 5. Sunset cruise.
- 6. Dolphin sailing adventure.
- 7. Whale-watching – this is arguably the best place in Australia to spot humpback whales.
- 8. Fraser Island west coast cruise – with lunch & kayaking.
If it’s beach time you’re after, Woodgate Beach and Burrum Heads on the Fraser Coast are hugely underrated. You can detour to them on the way from Brisbane to Bundaberg. Sunbathing at Bargara Beach and turtle-watching at Mon Repos might end up being more appealing than going on a tour of the Bundaberg Distillery in Bundaberg, however.
6 Bundaberg experiences to make the most of your free time
- (Highly recommended ✅) Tour – with tastings – at the Bundaberg rum distillery.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Day trip to Lady Musgrave Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
- Fly out to Lady Elliot Island for a day on the reef.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a four hour whale watching cruise with lunch.
- Brewery tasting tour – including the famous Bundaberg ginger beer.
- Farm life experience at Splitters Farm.
A similar principle applies to industrial Gladstone. The coastal option at Tannum Sands is probably more appealing than the city, although you’re better off still diverting towards the gloriously underrated Agnes Water and Town of 1770.
What to book in 1770/ Agnes Water before you arrive
- See the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef – on a Lady Musgrave Island day tour.
- Hire a scooter – and pootle around the back lanes looking for kangaroos.
- Kick back with sparkling wine on a sunset cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Travel on land and water, and try sandboarding – on a quirky full day amphibious vehicle tour.
- Or take a shorter wildlife-spotting coastline tour, with lunch.
- Get the best deals on your accommodation.
There’s a similar city vs beach town dilemma on the Tropic of Capricorn. Swimming in the Yeppoon Lagoon and taking a ferry or day trip to Great Keppel Island is likely to win out over cattle city Rockhampton. The drives from Bundaberg to Gladstone and Gladstone to Rockhampton are not going to get too many people giddy with excitement, by the way.
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.
The best places to stay in Rockhampton, Queensland
The best Rockhampton accommodation choices are:
- For character and charm: Denison Boutique Hotel.
- For heritage: Quality Hotel Regent.
- For well-equipped apartments: Quest Rockhampton.
- For really good value: Rockhampton Serviced Apartments.
- For a great pool: Korte’s Resort.
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: Rockhampton to Airlie Beach.