Gatton to Brisbane: Distance, drive time & road trip stops

The Gatton to Brisbane drive covers a 91km distance in a driving time of around 1h11m. Road trip stops along the route include Plainland and Ipswich.

The Gatton to Brisbane drive connects an overlooked town in South East Queensland to the state capital. Unless you’re a local, most people driving this route will be doing so as part of a longer road trip – probably from Tamworth to Brisbane or Armidale to Brisbane.

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Brisbane, meanwhile, is the gateway for Moreton Island tours and offers attractions such as the Story Bridge Adventure Climb, river kayaking tours and the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.

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.

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Click through on the links for more detailed links about individual towns and attractions – and remember to stock up on your road trip essentials before setting off.

Gatton to Brisbane distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Gatton to Brisbane is 91km. This makes for a driving time of around one hour and 11 minutes.

Gatton is where you’ll find the Queensland Transport Museum. The Lockyer National Park and Lockyer State Forest are to the north.

Gatton to Brisbane drive: Plainland and Laidley

The quickest route to Brisbane starts out along the Warrego Highway. This goes through Plainland, which has a decent pub. It’s also home to the Big Red Elephant, should collectors of Australian roadside kitsch be interested.

Laidley, a little to the south, offers 1930s-style Das Neumann House and watersports on Lake Dyer.

Gatton to Brisbane road trip: Ipswich to Brisbane

The biggest city on the route from Gatton to Brisbane, however, is Ipswich. Around Ipswich, the main attractions are the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre and the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway.

The way into Brisbane is along the Ipswich Motorway, which skims a bend in the Brisbane River near the Moggill Ferry, then passes several golf courses as it grinds towards suburban Brisbane.

The Rocklea Markets and Queensland Tennis Centre come a little later on, before the route into central Brisbane passes the Gabba Stadium and finally crosses the Brisbane River.

What to do in Brisbane

Things to do in Brisbane include exploring the City Botanic Gardens, visiting the Museum of Brisbane and rock-climbing on the Kangaroo Point Cliffs.

You can also use Brisbane as a base for trips to North Stradbroke Island, hops around the islands of Moreton Bay and true crime walking tours.

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.