Innisfail to Townsville road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops

The Innisfail to Townsville drive covers a 260km distance in 3h2m. The best road trip stops to add to an itinerary are Mission Beach, the Cardwell Spa Pools and Jourama Falls.

This independent, Australia travel expert-researched guide is aimed at travellers planning a road trip itinerary from Innisfail to Townsville in Queensland. To just book Townsville accommodation, go here, and to look for the best tours and activities, go here.

To learn more about the Innisfail to Townsville drive, including the distance, driving time and the best stops along the route, read on…

Planning a Innisfail to Townsville road trip itinerary

The drive from Innisfail to Townsville is a leg on the journey down the Queensland coast. Most travellers will tackle it as part of a longer road trip from Cairns to the Whitsundays.

Innisfail is the gateway to the Atherton Tableland.

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.

Townsville is where you can take the ferry to gorgeous Magnetic Island, enjoy sunset cruises and visit the Museum of Underwater Art. For more Townsville experiences, explore here. To ferret out the best Townsville accommodation deals, look here.

Innisfail to Townsville distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Innisfail to Townsville is 260km. That makes for a driving time of approximately three hours and two minutes.

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.

On the way south from Innisfail, the Australian Sugar Heritage Centre in Mourilyan is likely to be first stop of interest. You also only need to take a short detour off the Bruce Highway to reach the rainforest-shrouded mansion at Paronella Park.

Innisfail to Townsville road trip: Best overnight stop

The best overnight stop on the drive from Innisfail to Townsville, however, is Mission Beach. Turn off the highway at El Arish to get there.

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.

Things to do in Mission Beach include going for mountain bike rides in Djiru National Park, skydiving onto the beach and getting the boat to Dunk Island. Mission Beach also offers the chance to go on a small group Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour.

Mission Beach accommodation favourites include the gardens-smothered Mission Beach Resort, the waterfront Castaways Resort and Spa and the pool-focused Mission Reef Resort.

Innisfail to Townsville drive: Tully, Cardwell and Ingham

If skipping Mission Beach, the highway keeps going through Tully, home of the absurd Golden Gumboot. Murray Falls in Girrimay National Park is a short drive to the south.

The next logical stop is Cardwell. This is where you get the boat transfer to Australia’s largest island national park – Hinchinbrook Island. The island is a wild, resort-free place, but the 32km Thornsborne Trail along it is one of Australia’s great walks.

The other place to visit in Cardwell is the bizarrely blue Cardwell Spa Pools.

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.

Next comes Ingham, gateway to Girringun National Park and Australia’s highest waterfall, Wallaman Falls. Go in the other direction, and you can hang out at Forrest Beach.

Ingham accommodation choices include the budget-saving Ingham Tourist Park and barbecue-boasting Motel Ingham.

Attractions between Innisfail and Townsville: Paluma Range National Park

On the way from Ingham to Townsville, the Bruce Highway flanks the multi-section Paluma Range National Park.

If picking just two attractions in this large national park, go for the rock pools of Crystal Creek and the dainty Jourama Falls. Both offer rainforest-surrounded swims.

Swimming at Big Crystal Creek in the Paluma Range National Park near Townsville, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

The route then passes Halifax Bay Wetlands National Park and Balgal Beach on the way into Townsville.

Things to do in Townsville include going on a diving cruise to the Museum of Underwater Art, relaxing on a small group sunset cruise and taking the ferry to Magnetic Island.