Cobar to Cunnamulla road trip: Distance, time & best stops

The distance from Cobar to Cunnamulla is 417km, with a driving time of 4h24m. The best road trip stop along the quickest Cobar to Cunnamulla driving route is Bourke.

Planning a Cobar to Cunnamulla road trip

The Cobar to Cunnamulla drive connects two of the more interesting towns in the Australian outback. For most travellers passing along the route, this will be a leg on a much longer journey. The routes from Adelaide to Townsville and Perth to Cairns pass through this way.

To secure the best Cobar accommodation deals, head here.

For Cunnamulla accommodation, hunt here.

This guide should help you plan your perfect Cobar to Cunnamulla road trip itinerary.

If you need to hire a car, find the best rental deals. And don’t forget to do all your pre-road trip shopping.

Cobar to Cunnamulla distance and driving time

By car along sealed roads, the distance from Cobar to Cunnamulla is 417km. Without stopping, that makes for a Cobar to Cunnamulla driving time of around four hours and 24 minutes.

Things to do in Cobar include the Great Cobar Museum, which is mainly about copper mining heritage.

You can see the current mining operations from the Fort Bourke Hill Lookout. But Cobar also has an eccentric side, as typified by the Cobar Sound Chapel art installation/ This weird public space plays decidedly odd music inside an old water tank.

Cobar accommodation recommendations

The best places to stay in Cobar are:

For a decent-sized pool and kitchenettes: Crossroads Motel.
For – usually – the cheapest prices: Copper City Motel.
For family rooms and a restaurant: Cobar Town and Country Motor Inn.

Cobar to Cunnamulla road trip: Bourke

From Cobar, head up the Kidman Way towards Bourke, another classic outback town. On the way, Gundabooka National Park offers several walks and is known for its Aboriginal rock art.

If just passing by, the key site – Yapa (Mulgowan) – is accessed via a pretty steep 1.4km walk. But you can also pitch a tent at the Dry Tank Campground and then take on the 4.8km Little Mountain walking track. Expect wildflowers, emus and kangaroos.

In Bourke, the star attraction is the Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre. This uses interactive technology to tell tales of outback life and the bushrangers. You can also get tickets for Darling River cruises here. The hour-long cruises are aboard the PV Jandra.

Top Bourke accommodation options

There’s not a great array of accommodation in Bourke, but these are the best bets in order of preference:

For great riverside location, gardens and a pool: Bourke Riverside Motel.
For central location: Darling River Motel.
As a last resort: Sunshine Gardens.

Cobar to Cunnamulla drive: Bourke to Cunnamulla section

The next leg is from Bourke to Cunnamulla, which covers a 257km distance along the Mitchell Highway.

There’s not much to keep you interested here. That said, at Barringun just south of the Queensland border, there’s basic accommodation and food at the Bush Tucker Inn and Caravan Park.

Cunnamulla offers sandboarding down the big dunes at the edge of town, a giant water tower mural and lots of kangaroos.

Best Cunnamulla accommodation choices

The best places to stay in Cunnamulla, Queensland, are:

For cheap rooms at the local pub: Cunnamulla Hotel.
For overall quality and – if you want – glamping tents: Club Boutique Cunnamulla.
For family cabins: Cunnamulla Tourist Park.
For a solid hotel with restaurant, bar & free parking: Warrego Hotel Motel.