Brisbane to Gladstone road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
The best stops on a Brisbane to Gladstone road trip include the Eumundi Markets, Maryborough and the Bundaberg Rum Distillery. The Brisbane to Gladstone drive takes about 6h32m to cover a 531km distance.
A Brisbane to Gladstone road trip passes several Queensland favourites, including the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Island. But the highlights are almost entirely off the Bruce Highway, which forms the bulk of the route between the two cities.
Fix up your hotel in advance for the best Gladstone accommodation deals.
Brisbane to Gladstone distance and driving time
The distance from Brisbane to Gladstone by car is 531km. This makes for a driving time of around six hours and 32 minutes.
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.
Heading north out of the Queensland capital, the Brisbane to Gladstone drive passes Burpengary and Caboolture. There are nice views from the Wild Horse Mountain scenic lookout, but you’re better off with a slight detour towards Mount Tibrogargan or Mount Ngungun in the Glasshouse Mountains and Australia Zoo.
Brisbane to Gladstone road trip: Sunshine Coast attractions
The Brisbane to Gladstone road trip then passes through the Sunshine Coast region. If you’ve got time and sense, you’ll divert to the beach towns, such as Caloundra, Mooloolaba and Noosa.
If you stick close to the highway, there’s still plenty to see. Attractions worth a look include the Aussie World theme park near Caloundra and Buderim Falls in Buderim.
A little further north, Yandina offers up Asian cooking classes at Spirit House, walks on Mount Ninderry, a foodie experience at the Ginger Factory and an Instagrammable swim at Wappa Falls. The Yandina Markets are also here, but the Eumundi Markets to the north are more of a spectacle.
12 fantastic Sunshine Coast experiences to book now
- Taste coffee and ginger, do rainforest walks, and visit the best lookouts on a highlight-packed hinterland tour.
- Take a serene Noosa Everglades cruise along the mirror-like waterways – or canoe through the Everglades.
- Learn to surf at a Sunshine Coast surf school – or try paddleboarding instead.
- Combine sight-seeing and thrills on a fast boat tour.
- Go e-mountain biking on the downhill trails of Tewantin National Park.
- Kayak with dolphins as part of a beach 4WD tour.
- Explore the Sunshine Coast from above on a seaplane flight.
- Take an indigenous cultural tour – with bush tucker tasting.
- Visit the region’s best craft breweries and distilleries on a drinks tasting tour.
- Go jetskiing through the gorgeous Pumicestone Passage.
- Taste wines, cheeses and chocolates on a hinterland food tour.
- Watch migrating humpbacks on a whale-watching cruise.
Brisbane to Gladstone drive: Gympie and Maryborough
Continuing north, Brisbane to Gladstone road trip stops worth a look include the Noosa Botanic Gardens in Cooroy and the Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum in Gympie.
You might prefer to keep going to one of Queensland’s most charmingly handsome towns, Maryborough.
Things to do in Maryborough include the Bond Store Museum, which delves into the town’s river port heritage. There’s also the Story Bank, which celebrates all things Mary Poppins. The fictional nanny creator PL Travers was from Maryborough.
Brisbane to Gladstone road trip: Fraser Island and Bundaberg
Realistically, most travellers are going to branch off here for Hervey Bay and the River Heads ferry to Fraser Island. And rightly so – Fraser Island is one of Australia’s perennial highlights.
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.
The next likely branch-off is Bundaberg, where you can go rum-tasting on the Bundaberg Rum distillery tours. There’s also strawberry-picking at Tinaberries, turtle-watching at Mon Repos and a fabulous beach at Bargara.
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.
Stick to the Bruce Highway, however, and there’s historic town Childers, home to the Snakes Downunder reptile park. You can also visit the Good Night Scrub National Park from Gin Gin, go fishing at Lake Monduran and have a beer or two in Miriam Vale.
Miriam Vale to Gladstone
Miriam Vale is where you branch off the highway towards the delightful beach towns of Agnes Water and 1770, plus the Eurimbula National Park. To be perfectly honest, these are much more attractive places to stay than Gladstone.
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.
The turn-off for Gladstone, however, is at Benaraby. Beach suburb Tannum Sands is more appealing than the city itself. However, you can choose to take the ferry to Curtis Island. Or, if you’re truly splashing out the cash, take the Heron Island ferry for reef islands Heron Island and Wilson Island.
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.
More Gladstone road trips
Biloela to Gladstone: Distance 121km, driving time 1h24m.
Bundaberg to Gladstone: Distance 186km, driving time 2h10m.
Gladstone to Mackay: Distance 443km, driving time 4h53m.
Gladstone to Rockhampton: Distance 132km, driving time 1h28m.
Hervey Bay to Gladstone: Distance 281km, driving time 3h18m.