Hervey Bay to Cairns road trip: Distance & best stops

Hervey Bay to Cairns drive: Mission Beach to Innisfail

From Mission Beach to Cairns it’s only 139km. But there are a few stops worth considering. Paronella Park is a strange Spanish mansion being consumed by the rainforest and the Australian Sugar Heritage Centre in Mourilyan explores the region’s sugar industry.

Innisfail, meanwhile, offers Johnston River crocodile cruises and turtle-spotting on the Warrina Lakes. It’s also where the Palmerston Highway heads off into the Atherton Tableland, passing attractions such as the Mamu Tropical Skywalk and Nandroya Falls.

Top experiences near Innisfail to book in advance

Get superlative rainforest views – on the Mamu Tropical Skywalk.
Enjoy the strange Spanish castle surrounded by jungle – at Paronella Park.
Save money with a Mamu Tropical Skywalk and Paronella Park combo ticket.

The last leg: Innisfail to Cairns

Keep going on up the Bruce Highway and the star attractions before Cairns are Josephine Falls, the hiking trail to Mt Bartle Frere, the Babinda Boulders swimming hole and the Behana Gorge walking track towards Clamshell Falls.

There’s also the neighbouring 6km summit walk to the top of Walshs Pyramid.

Walshs Pyramid near Cairns, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland/ Tourism Tropical North Queensland.

Save time queuing – Book these Cairns attractions in advance

From the air: Outer Reef helicopter flight | Sunrise hot air balloon ride | Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
At night: Sunset dinner cruise | Pub and club tour | Aquarium by Twilight experience.
For wildlife: Birdworld Kuranda | Kuranda Koala Gardens | Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome | Cairns Aquarium | Rainforestation Nature Park
For culture: Cairns Museum tickets | Street art walking tour | City and surrounds highlights bus tour.
For thrills: AJ Hackett giant jungle swing | High speed jet boat tour | Barron Gorge white water rafting | Mulgrave River tubing.

Before entering central Cairns, you can visit the dainty, somewhat hidden suburban waterfall Isabella Falls.

Things to do in Cairns include hopping aboard the Green Island ferry or Fitzroy Island ferry to one of the city’s nearby islands, or the Evolution cruise to Hastings Reef.

For other attractions, try the Cairns Aquarium, hair-raising bungy jumping at Skypark Cairns, splashing in the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon and discovering tropical ecosystems at the Cairns Botanic Gardens.

Top level Cairns accommodation options include the Pacific Hotel, the Hilton Cairns and the Sebel Cairns Harbour Lights.

Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday

Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.