Miles to Rockhampton road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The Miles to Rockhampton drive covers a distance of 430km in a driving time of around 4h43m. Top road trip stops to add to the itinerary include Wandoan, Isla Gorge National Park and Mount Morgan.
A road trip from Miles to Rockhampton takes you through some lesser explored areas of country Australia. You’ll pass through this way on the drive from Melbourne to Rockhampton or Sydney to Airlie Beach.
For accommodation in Miles, select the best deals here.
Rockhampton offers fascinating history walks and cave tours. To source the best Rockhampton accommodation deals, go here.
This guide should help you plan your perfect Miles to Rockhampton road trip itinerary.
Click through on the individual places and attractions for more detailed, specific information.
If you need to hire a car, find the best rental deals. And don’t forget to do all your pre-road trip shopping.
Miles to Rockhampton distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Miles to Rockhampton is 430km. This makes for a driving time of around four hours and 43 minutes. Obviously, you may want to make a few road trip stops along the way.
There are several good Miles accommodation options, which makes it a good spot for an overnight stay on a road trip. Highly-rated Miles motels include the Western Downs Motor Inn and the Starlight Motor Inn.
Miles, QLD, is one of those small towns that’s surprisingly appealing. Here, the Miles Historical Village and Museum recreates a turn-of-the-century town’s main street.
Miles is also home to Chinamans Lagoon by the side of the Leichhardt Highway. Ordinarily, this would just be a pleasant place for a picnic or barbecue. But visit in summer or early autumn, and the lake is covered with extraordinarily rare pink water lilies.
Miles to Rockhampton drive: Miles to Wandoan
Stay with the Leichhardt Highway after Miles and you’ll pass the Gurulmundi State Forest and Binkey State Forest.
Wandoan is the first town of any significance. It has several parks, a petrol station and a golf course. There’s also the Juandah Heritage Site, which is the remnants of the Juandah Station. Several buildings, some from the 1850s, are still intact, and the Juandah Heritage site acts as the obligatory local history museum.
If you want to stay overnight, Wandoan accommodation options include the Juandah Hotel Motel and the Wandoan Accommodation Park.
Road trip essentials that many travellers forget
Search on the web, and you’ll find ludicrously long lists of equipment to take on a road trip. Australia Travel Questions isn’t going to do that to you. But it is worth buying the following road trip items before setting off. Click through for a good range of options.
- Charging cables – yes, you’ll probably need a spare at some point.
- Car charger adaptor – in case your rental car has the old-fashioned cigarette lighter rather than a USB.
- Multi USB charger – for those hotel rooms that don’t have enough power sockets.
- Fold-up chairs – to make anywhere a picnic spot.
- A really good water bottle – go for a bigger one than usual to last the longer drives.
- Packing cubes – save space but, more importantly, avoid unpacking everything every night.
Miles to Rockhampton road trip: Taroom to Theodore
The next sizable town, Taroom, offers a racecourse, golf course and decent views from Gilberts Lookout. There’s also the Leichhardt Memorial, which offers a succinct explanation of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt’s adventures and much-fabled disappearance.
Taroom accommodation comes courtesy of the Taroom Caravan and Tourist Park.
A few kilometres to the north, there’s a campground at the Chain Lagoons. This oasis plays host to rare cycad palms.
But for exploring, you’re better off exploring Isla Gorge National Park. Follow a dirt road through the park for excellent views of the sandstone gorges and cliffs. The Grade 4, 800 metre Isla Gorge Track leads to the top lookout.
Afterwards, you’ll come to Theodore, where the Dawson River Weir makes for a pretty picnic spot.
Click through to the next section: Banana and Mount Morgan.