Gladstone to Mackay road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
Gladstone to Mackay drive: Clairview and Sarina
This is mostly along the Bruce Highway, which stays inland for the bulk of the journey, but does go past the Capricorn Caves, which are open for cave tours. The highway rejoins the coast at Clairview, then cuts across Cape Palmerston. You can go fishing and bush camping at Cape Palmerston, but it is deliberately undeveloped and you’ll need a 4WD to get there.
The biggest town on this section of the Gladstone to Mackay road trip is Sarina. Here, the Sarina Sugar Shed runs tours explaining the local sugar industry. But you might prefer time in the sun on Sarina Beach or Grasstree Beach.
Top Sarina experiences worth booking in advance
- Learn how sugar is grown and processed on a sugar mill tour – with sweet treat tastings.
- Find out how rum is made on a rum distillery tour – with rum sampling.
Best Sarina accommodation options.
The best places to stay in Sarina, Queensland, are:
- For beachside location with an outdoor pool: Sandpiper Motel.
- For air-conditioned caravans and cabins: Sarina Palms Cabins & Caravans.
- For palm trees and beach holiday vibe: Sarina Beach Motel.
Mackay is about half an hour north of Sarina, and good places to hang out there include Blacks Beach and Bluewater Lagoon.
Best Mackay accommodation options
The top places to stay in Mackay are:
- For attractive apartments by Blacks Beach: The Shores Holiday Apartments.
- For a cheap, but surprisingly good, motel: Cool Palms Motel.
- For apartments with kitchenettes by the marina: Mantra Mackay.
- For a holiday park with lot of family-friendly facilities: Big4 Mackay Blacks Beach Holiday Park.
- For fully furnished apartments in prime position next to Bluewater Lagoon: Riviera Mackay.
Three great Mackay experiences to book in advance
- (Highly recommended ✅) Whitsunday Islands boat cruise – with snorkelling and paddleboarding.
- Cape Hillsborough sunrise tour – meet wallabies on the beach.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Finch Hatton Gorge waterfalls tour.
More Gladstone road trips
Biloela to Gladstone: Distance 121km, driving time 1h24m.
Brisbane to Gladstone: Distance 531km, driving time 6h32m.
Bundaberg to Gladstone: Distance 186km, driving time 2h10m.
Gladstone to Rockhampton: Distance 132km, driving time 1h28m.
Hervey Bay to Gladstone: Distance 281km, driving time 3h18m.