Melbourne to Townsville road trip: Distance, time & best stops
Melbourne to Townsville road trip: Cobar and Bourke
The 391km drive from Griffith to Cobar brings big changes in the landscape, with a notably shift from country to outback.
The main noteworthy attractions near the route are Lake Cargelligo, where you can go swimming and kayaking, and the Round Hill Nature Reserve. Here, you can go for a walk along the fire trails.
On the way into mining town Cobar, you’ll pass the Fort Bourke Hill mine lookout on the way into town.
The best things to do in Cobar include the Great Cobar Museum, the Cobar Sound Chapel art installation and admiring the Aboriginal rock art in Mount Grenfell National Park.
Cobar accommodation recommendations
The best places to stay in Cobar are:
- For a decent-sized pool and kitchenettes: Crossroads Motel.
- For – usually – the cheapest prices: Copper City Motel.
- For family rooms and a restaurant: Cobar Town and Country Motor Inn.
Bourke on a Melbourne to Townsville road trip
From Cobar, plough on north another 160km to Bourke, perhaps via Gundabooka National Park, which offers camping, wildlife, walks and more Aboriginal rock art. The steep 1.4km to major rock art site Yapa (Mulgowan) is the top option for those with limited time.
In Bourke, the top attraction is the Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre, which uses interactive tech to tell tales of outback life and bushrangers. This is also where you buy tickets for hour-long Darling River cruises aboard the PV Jandra.
Top Bourke accommodation options
There’s not a great array of accommodation in Bourke, but these are the best bets in order of preference:
- For great riverside location, gardens and a pool: Bourke Riverside Motel.
- For central location: Darling River Motel.
- As a last resort: Sunshine Gardens.
Click through to the next section: Cunnamulla and Charleville.