Hervey Bay to Cairns road trip: Distance & best stops
Hervey Bay to Cairns road trip stops: Ayr to Ingham
Townsville is the biggest city in North Queensland. Good Townsville attractions include the Museum of Tropical Queensland, the Maritime Museum of Townsville and Townsville History Walking Tours. However, most visitors will choose to hop on a ferry to Magnetic Island. Once there, things to do on Magnetic Island include watersports and koala-spotting on the Forts Walk.
6 Townsville experiences to book in advance
- Magnetic Island ferry tickets – head over to one of the most beautiful islands in Australia.
- SS Yongala wreck dive – sea how coral and marine life have made the shipwreck home.
- Great Barrier Reef and Museum of Underwater Art cruise – witness the extraordinary underwater art project up close.
- Helicopter ride along the coast – get amazing views from above.
- Sunset sailing cruise – watch the colours over the water, with alcoholic drinks included.
- Jetski tour to Cape Pallarenda – whizz past beaches and giant boulders.
Townsville accommodation recommendations
The best bets for Townsville accommodation are…
- For beachside location: Water’s Edge The Strand.
- For a good value, well located motel: Yongala Lodge By The Strand.
- For a sassy, chic resort: Rambutan Resort.
- For families: Discovery Parks Townsville.
- For business-friendly apartments: Quest Townsville on Eyre.
From Townsville to Mission Beach, it’s 235km. The highlights on the first chunk of that drive, from Townsville to Ingham, are the waterfalls of Paluma Range National Park. The rock pools of Crystal Creek are a magnificent place for a swim.
At Ingham, you can branch off into Girringun National Park for Australia’s highest waterfall, Wallaman Falls.
Ingham accommodation options include the Motel Ingham and the budget-friendly Ingham Tourist Park.
Ingham to Mission Beach
Otherwise, continue to Cardwell – gateway to Hinchinbrook Island, home of top rainforest swimming hole Cardwell Spa Pools and gateway to Murray Falls.
Best Cardwell accommodation choices
The best places to stay in Cardwell are:
- For a holiday park with an outdoor pool and children’s playground: Cardwell Beachcomber Motel and Tourist Park.
- For prime location: Cardwell Beachfront Motel.
- If those two are fully booked: Kookaburra Holiday Park.
Once you reach Tully, home of the Golden Gumboot, you’ll find the turn off for Mission Beach. Keep going past Mount Mackay National Park and you’ll arrive in an underrated holiday town made up of four villages and a 14km beach.
Once you reach Tully, home of the Golden Gumboot and Tully River rafting tours, you’ll find the turn off for Mission Beach. Keep going past Mount Mackay National Park and you’ll arrive in an underrated holiday town made up of four villages and a 14km beach.
Things to do in Mission Beach include making a boat trip to Dunk Island, skydiving onto the beach and snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef.
5 great Mission Beach experiences to book in advance
- Small group Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with pristine snorkelling on the Outer Reef, barbecue lunch and snorkelling equipment provided.
- Hull River National Park eco cruise – spotting wildlife in the mangroves.
- Full day sports rafting on the Tully River – tackle the rapids while rafting through the rainforest.
- Skydive from 15,000ft – and land on the beach.
- Dunk Island day trip – with plenty of time for rainforest hikes.
Mission Beach accommodation picks include the gardens-set Mission Beach Resort, the beachfront Castaways Resort and Spa and the pool-centred Mission Reef Resort.
Click through for the next section: Mission Beach to Innisfail.