Lismore to Brisbane road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

Road trip attractions between Lismore and Brisbane: Brunswick Heads to Tweed Heads

Other options for a stop include Mooball National Park to the west of the highway, or Pottsville, Hastings Point and Cabarita Beach along the coast.

Alternatively, try the farm tour at Tropical Fruit World in Duranbah and rum-tasting at the Husk Distillery in Tumbulgum. You can also hire out kayaks from Watersports Guru in Kingscliff.

Top Kingscliff accommodation options

The best places to stay in Kingscliff are:

For a Balinese-style resort: Oaks Santai Casuarina Resort.
For a kid-friendly holiday park: Ingenia Holidays Kingscliff.
For suites with a lagoon pool: Mantra on Salt Beach.
For good value by the beach: The Blue Water.

Five fabulous Tweed Coast experiences to at least consider booking

Tweed River lunch cruise – with wildlife viewing in the rainforest.
Crab-catching tour in Tweed Heads.
Farm tour at Tropical Fruit World – with wildlife spotting cruise.
Progressive four course meal across four top Kingscliff restaurants.
Husk Distillers distillery tour – with tastings.

Things to do in Tweed Heads when you get there include crab-catching experiences and Tweed River cruises.

Tweed Heads accommodation choices include the highly-rated Tweed Heads Vegas Motel and Arabella Motor Inn.

Tweed Heads to Coomera

The Pacific Motorway crosses the Queensland border then runs west of Coolangatta, Currumbin and Palm Beach.

You can divert for surf lessons and the walk from Point Danger to Snapper Rocks in Coolangatta, or for a wildlife fix at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.

7 Gold Coast experiences worth booking in advance

See waterfalls and natural wonders – on a full day Springbrook National Park tour.
Be awed by massive migrating humpbacks – on a great value whale-watching cruise.
Feast as you explore the Gold Coast waterways – on a dinner cruise.
Kayak with dolphins and snorkel with hundred of sub-tropical fish – on the same tour.
Enjoy high speed thrills along the waterways – on a jet boat adventure.
Glide above the beautiful hinterland – on a serene hot air balloon flight.
Taste the best Scenic Rim wines – on an indulgent Tamborine Mountain wine tour, with lunch.

Things to do on the Gold Coast include parasailing, sunset cruises, jet boat rides, and amphibious vehicle tours.

Gold Coast accommodation is largely apartment-style, although excellent Surfers Paradise hotels include the lavish Q1 Resort and Spa and the better value Vibe Hotel.

Staying near the motorway and you can enjoy the David Fleay Wildlife Park on Tallebudgera Creek or Nerang National Park.

But most travellers will probably be more interested in the Gold Coast theme parks.

Warner Brothers Movie World, Paradise Country, Australian Outback Spectacular and Wet N Wild Gold Coast are around Oxenford. Dreamworld and Whitewater World are further north in Coomera.

Lismore to Brisbane road trip: Southern suburbs of Brisbane

The Gold Coast and Brisbane merge into each other somewhat. But on the way into the Queensland capital, attractions worth considering include the Beenleigh Historical Village and Museum, plus the Logan River Parklands, Springwood Conservation Park and Mt Gravatt Lookout.

For things to do in Brisbane itself, try the Streets Beach, the Museum of Brisbane, the public art trails and City Botanic Gardens.

Great Brisbane accommodation choices include the swaggering W Brisbane, the heritage-lavished Treasury and the buzzy, photogenic Ovolo.

6 supreme Brisbane day trips that will improve your holiday

Moreton Island day trip – with kayaking, sandboarding and snorkelling or with dolphin-feeding and desert dunes adventure.
Springbrook National Park glowworms and rainforest tour – including Tamborine Skywalk.
Eumundi Markets day trip – Australia’s best markets, plus the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Noosa.
North Stradbroke Island day tour – with cruise, wildlife spotting and guided walk.
Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
Maialia rainforest walking and wildlife tour – visit lesser-known D’Aguilar National Park.