Hervey Bay to Mackay road trip: Distance & best stops

Hervey Bay to Mackay road trip: Sarina and Mackay

Otherwise carry on up the Bruce Highway, and go on one of the impressive cave tours at the Capricorn Caves.

The highway meets the coast at Clairview. It then slices across Cape Palmerston – you’ll need a 4WD to get there, but there’s good fishing and camping.

Sarina is the next town of any real size. You can learn about the local sugar industry on tours of the Sarina Sugar Shed, while Sarina Beach or Grasstree Beach meet fun in the sun needs.

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 is the biggest city of the Whitsundays region.

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.

Things to do in Mackay include the Wildcat snorkelling cruise to the South Cumberland Islands, swimming at Bluewater Lagoon and catching some rays on Blacks Beach.

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.