Brisbane to Miles road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops

The best stops on a Brisbane to Miles road trip are Toowoomba, Dalby and Chinchilla. By car, the distance from Brisbane to Miles is 337km, with a 3h50m driving time.

A Brisbane to Miles road trip takes you from Queensland’s capital to an inland junction town that makes for a decent overnight stay. For many, this will be a leg on a longer road trip – say, from Brisbane to Longreach or Brisbane to Alice Springs.

In Brisbane, top options include a Moreton Island day trip, climbing the Story Bridge and visiting native wildlife at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. To browse the collection of Brisbane tours and experiences, step this way. For the best value Brisbane hotels, pick here.

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.

For accommodation in Miles, select the best deals here.

Brisbane to Miles distance and driving time

The full Brisbane to Miles distance is 337km, making for a Brisbane to Miles driving time of around three hours and 50 minutes.

On the way out of Brisbane, on the Brisbane to Toowoomba leg of the journey, you’ll pass near the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha and the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Fig Tree Pocket.

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 Miles road trip: Brisbane to Toowoomba

The route joins the Warrego Highway north of Ipswich. But you can take short-ish detours to the Kholo Botanic Gardens, Lake Wivenhoe, the Lockyer State Forest or historic town Laidley.

The most likely journey break, however, is Toowoomba – one of Australia’s largest inland cities. Top attractions in Toowoomba include the Botanic Gardens in Queens Park. You can also try steam train tours at the DownsSteam railway museum and the National Carriage Collection at the Cobb & Co Museum.

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.

Brisbane to Miles drive: Toowoomba to Dalby

The next leg of the Brisbane to Miles drive – from Toowoomba to Dalby – is pretty dull. The Australian Army Flying Museum in Kelvinhaugh provides a fairly mediocre reason to get off the Warrego Highway.

The best things to do in Dalby include visiting Jimbour House and Pioneer Park Museum.

Options for an overnight stay in Dalby include the pool-equipped Dalby Manor Motor Inn and the budget-friendly Dalby Tourist Park.

Attractions between Brisbane and Miles: Chinchilla

The next appealing town on the Brisbane to Miles drive is Chinchilla. Visit the Chinchilla Historical Museum covers local history, and the Chinchilla Weir is a pretty spot for a picnic.

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.

Miles, QLD, is one of those small towns that’s surprisingly appealing. Here, the Miles Historical Village and Museum recreates a turn-of-the-century town’s main street.

Miles is also home to Chinamans Lagoon by the side of the Leichhardt Highway. Ordinarily, this would just be a pleasant place for a picnic or barbecue. But visit in summer or early autumn, and the lake is covered with extraordinarily rare pink water lilies.

There are several good Miles accommodation options, which makes it a good spot for an overnight stay on a road trip. Highly-rated Miles motels include the Western Downs Motor Inn and the Starlight Motor Inn.