Brisbane to Uluru road trip: Northern route itinerary
The Brisbane to Uluru road trip via the northern route covers a 3,461km distance in a driving time of around 37 hours. Good overnight stops to add to a road trip itinerary include Roma, Longreach, Mount Isa and Alice Springs.
The Brisbane to Uluru road trip is a monster of a drive, and the sense of epic is a major part of the appeal. Most people will fly from Brisbane to Uluru, and that’s entirely logical. Going by road takes much, much longer and is much, much more expensive.
This once-in-a-lifetime dune-top dinner experience, with special stargazing session included, is our top Uluru recommendation.
Uluru experiences include a lavish dune-top desert dinner with stargazing, a guided walk around the perimeter full of Aboriginal cultural stories and a sunrise tour to the perfect photo stop. To browse a wide array of memorable Uluru experiences, head here. For the best Uluru accommodation deals, search here.
8 great Uluru experiences to book before you arrive
- 1. Understand Uluru’s caves, bulges, gullies and spiritual stories on a guided base walk.
- 2. Be awe-struck by the changing colours on a SUNRISE tour.
- 3. Eat great food on a dune top, and enjoy an expert-guided stargazing session during a once-in-a-lifetime desert dune-top dinner.
- 4. See an entirely different kind of dramatic outback scenery on Kings Canyon day trip.
- 5. Do a lap of Uluru by Segway.
- 6. See the big picture on an outback helicopter flight.
- 7. See Australia’s most spectacular light show – the Field of Light at sunrise.
- 8. Admire the colour-shifting giant rock domes on a Kata-tjuta sunset trip.
You do the road trip purely because you think it’ll be fun to do the road trip. Going via the northern route through western Queensland is an epic adventure that takes in a lot of wide open outback and a few quirky towns.
Brisbane to Uluru distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Brisbane to Uluru along the northern route is 3,461km. It’s much shorter as the crow flies, but there is only one sealed road from Queensland to the Northern Territory. That’s the one you’ll be travelling along. This means a Brisbane to Uluru driving time of around 37 hours – about three hours longer than going through New South Wales and South Australia.
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.
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 Uluru road trip itinerary
Australia Travel Questions has researched and written guides to the individual legs of a Brisbane to Uluru road trip via the northern route. Click through any of the following for more detail. However, a more succinct guide follows below.
Tennant Creek to Alice Springs.
Brisbane to Uluru drive: Toowoomba, Dalby and Chinchilla
From Brisbane to Roma, the largest city is Toowoomba. Expect plenty of gardens and gardens here, while the DownsSteam railway museum is arguably 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 doses at the Pioneer Park Museum in Dalby and the considerably more engaging Chinchilla Historical Museum in Chinchilla.
Chinchilla is a good choice 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.
Well-reviewed Miles motels include the Western Downs Motor Inn and the Starlight Motor Inn.
Click through to the next section: Roma and the Landsborough Highway.