Mount Isa to Darwin road trip: Stops, distance & drive time
The Mount Isa to Darwin drive covers a 1,600km distance in around 16h31m. Top road trip stops for your itinerary include the Daly Waters Pub, Mataranka Thermal Pool and Edith Falls.
The drive from Mount Isa to Darwin takes you from the largest town in north-west Queensland to the Northern Territory capital. It’s an epic drive through the Australian outback that’s likely to be tackled as part of a longer road trip. If you’re going from Brisbane to Darwin or Townsville to Darwin, consider this your second leg.
Mount Isa has a surprising amount to offer visitors, including an eerie uranium mine and ghost town tour, outback scenic flights and sunset drinks overlooking Lake Moondarra.
Darwin, meanwhile, brings schooner cruises, airboat tours and cage-swimming with massive crocodiles. To search for the best Darwin accommodation deals, head here. To check out the full range of tours and experiences available, go here.
Mount Isa to Darwin road trip distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Mount Isa to Darwin is 1,600km. This makes for a driving time of around 16 hours and 31 minutes, so you’re very obviously going to need to stay a night or two along the way. The key question is where to book in for those overnight stops. And, even though you’re ploughing through the desert, there are a fair few attractions worth seeing along the way.
This guide should help you put your Mount Isa to Darwin road trip itinerary together.
7 great Darwin experiences to book before arriving
- Swim face to face with an enormous crocodile in the Cage of Death.
- Enjoy the romance of Darwin Harbour on a sunset dinner cruise aboard a traditional fishing ketch.
- Explore Darwin’s food and art scenes on a 3.5 hour walking tour – with lunch or dinner included.
- Flit between Darwin’s top attractions with a hop-on, hop-off bus tour.
- Combine a wildlife tour with the famous jumping crocodiles cruise.
- Get a history fix on a Bombing of Darwin WWII tour and harbour cruise.
- Get the adrenalin pumping on a high speed airboat or jetski tour.
Mount Isa to Darwin road trip: Camooweal and the Barkly Highway
The only town between Mount Isa and the Northern Territory border is quirky Camooweal.
7 great Mount Isa experiences you really ought to know about
- Hard Times underground mine tour – led by a miner.
- Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre tickets – with optional laboratory tour.
- Combo ticket for Isa Experience Heritage Display, Outback Park and Rodeo Hall of Fame.
- Small group scenic flight – flying over the vast mines.
- Lake Moondarra sunset tour – with drinks and food platter.
- Pay a visit to the bizarre World War II era Underground Hospital.
- Mary Kathleen abandoned mine and ghost town tour.
Things to do in Camooweal include learning about Australia’s cattle droving tradition at the Drovers Camp and seeing the giant cave mouths in Wiliyan-ngurru National Park. If you want to visit Lawn Hill Gorge in Boodjamulla National Park, then Camooweal is the gateway.
What you really, really need to do in Camooweal, however, is stock up on fuel. The next opportunity comes 260km down the Barkly Highway at Barkly Homestead.
Next section: Barkly Highway and Tennant Creek.