Melbourne to Cairns inland road trip: Distance, time & best stops
Townsville to Mission Beach leg of the Melbourne to Cairns road trip
From here on it, it’s north up the Bruce Highway.
It’s another 235km from Townsville to Mission Beach, skirting Paluma Range National Park on the way. There are several waterfalls in this national park, but the star attractions are the rock pools of Crystal Creek.
Carry on up the Bruce Highway, and you’ll hit Ingham. Detour here for Girringun National Park and Australia’s highest waterfall, Wallaman Falls.
Ingham accommodation picks include the Ingham Tourist Park and the Tropixx Motel.
After Ingham comes Cardwell, where you can take a boat transfer to Hinchinbrook Island, Australia’s largest island national park.
The 32km Thorsborne Trail is the highlight on Hinchinbrook Island, which is kept deliberately wild and resort-free.
Otherwise, go for a swim in the eerily 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.
Just to the north of Cardwell, you can also visit Murray Falls in Girrimay National Park.
Tully, Mission Beach and Innisfail
Turn off for Mission Beach at Tully, home of the Golden Gumboot, and you’ll pass Mount Mackay National Park.
Things to do in Mission Beach include mountain biking in Djiru National Park, skydiving onto the beach and getting the transfer boat to Dunk Island. You can also book Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours.
Mission Beach accommodation picks include the gardens-blessed Mission Beach Resort, the waterfront Castaways Resort and Spa and the pool-centric Mission Reef Resort.
The last leg of the journey is the 139km drive from Mission Beach to Cairns. On the way up to Innisfail, you can stop at the gloriously odd Paronella Park, a mansion in the rainforest, and the Australian Sugar Heritage Centre in Mourilyan.
Top things to do in Innisfail include a crocodile cruise on the Johnston River and turtle-spotting by the Warrina Lakes.
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.
Innisfail accommodation favourites include the affordable Flying Fish Tourist Park and the well-reviewed Barrier Reef Motel.
Click through to the next section: The final leg to Cairns.