Melbourne to Port Douglas road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The Melbourne to Port Douglas inland drive covers a distance of 2,843km in around 31 hours. Top road trip stops to add to the itinerary include the wineries of Shepparton and Griffith, the outback towns of Cobar and Charleville, and the national parks of northern Queensland.
The inland road trip from Melbourne to Port Douglas is an epic undertaking that, with the right itinerary, can be turned into a tremendously enjoyable adventure.
Most travellers going from Melbourne to Port Douglas will choose to fly, or take the longer route along the coast. But the inland Melbourne to Port Douglas driving route shows off sections of country and outback Australia most people don’t get to see.
Before leaving, you may want to tick Melbourne Cricket Ground tours, Yarra River dinner cruises and cross-city hot air balloon flights off your Melbourne wish list.
Port Douglas, meanwhile, brings Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours, sailing at sunset and half day tours into the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest. Check out the best Port Douglas accommodation options here.
This guide should help you plan your perfect Melbourne to Port Douglas road trip itinerary.
Find your ideal Great Barrier Reef tours by location
Great Barrier Reef tours run from numerous destinations along the Queensland coast. Different tours cater to different tastes – some make sure they go to the best snorkelling spots, others build in beach time and some throw in extra such as underwater observatories and glass bottom boat tours.
Use the following links to start picking the best Great Barrier Reef tour options where you’re going on holiday.
- The best Great Barrier Reef tours in… 1770 | Airlie Beach | Bundaberg | Cairns | Cape Tribulation | Mackay | Magnetic Island | Mission Beach | Palm Cove | Port Douglas | Townsville.
Melbourne to Port Douglas distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Melbourne to Port Douglas is 2,843km. This makes for a driving time of around 31 hours. Obviously, you’re going to need to make a few road trip stops along the way. This guide should help you plan your itinerary.
The first leg of the journey, from Melbourne to Shepparton, is 190km long, and passes through Victoria’s Goulburn Valley.
14 fantastic experiences that make the most of your free time in Melbourne
- Get the very best views – on a hot air balloon flight over the city.
- See the changing colours of the river – on a sunset kayaking tour – with dinner. (Highly recommended ✅)
- Feast and see the sights at the same time – on a four course dinner cruise along the Yarra River.
- A genuinely excellent street art tour, led by prominent street artists. (Highly recommended ✅)
- The also superb Aboriginal heritage, plants and bush food tour in the Botanic Gardens. (💲 Great value 💲)
- Best of Melbourne bike tour – you can see more on two wheels than walking.
- Hidden laneways bar crawl OR foodie discovery tour OR chocolate and dessert tour.
- Combo ticket for Australian Sports Museum and MCG tour.
- Hassle-dodging advance tickets for the Melbourne Skydeck, Melbourne Zoo, the Ice Bar (with cocktails) and Sea Life Aquarium.
Melbourne to Port Douglas road trip: The Victorian leg
Decent stops along the way which require little to no detour include the Mount Ridley Lookout in Craigieburn at the edge of the city sprawl, and the walking trails of Mount Disappointment.
There are also wineries such as the Trawool Estate around Tallarook, plus the Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk and Seymour Railway Heritage Centre in Seymour.
It’s another 81km from Seymour to Shepparton, with Nagambie the best journey-breaker along the way. Take your pick from craft beers at the Nagambie Brewery or wine-tasting and Aboriginal art at the Mitchelton Winery.
Top Nagambie accommodation options
The best places to stay in Nagambie are:
- For a luxurious winery hotel: Mitchelton Hotel Nagambie.
- For a good quality lakeside motel: Nagambie Waterfront Motel.
- For a budget stay: Nagambie Caravan Park and Motel.
The best things to do in Shepparton include Aquamoves near Victoria Park Lake, the Shepparton Art Museum and the Lower Goulburn National Park.
Shepparton accommodation recommendations
These are the best places to stay in Shepparton.
- For grandeur and lake view rooms: Carrington Hotel.
- For a holiday park with lots of kid-friendly facilities: Big4 Shepparton Park Lane Holiday Park.
- For high quality apartments: Quest Shepparton.
- For a good value motel with a pool: Peppermill Inn Motel.
Click through to the next section: Shepparton to Griffith.