Mount Isa to Normanton road trip: Best stops & drive distance

The best stops on a Mount Isa to Normanton road trip are Cloncurry and the Burke and Wills Roadhouse. By car, the distance from Mount Isa to Normanton is 498km, with a driving time of approximately 5h11m.

The drive from Mount Isa to Normanton crosses a significant section of the Queensland outback. For many travellers, this will be a leg on the Darwin to Cairns drive, or an Uluru to Cairns road trip.

Mount Isa is the largest city in north-western Queensland. There’s a surprising amount to do here, including underground mine tours, scenic flights and laboratory tours at the Riversleigh Fossil Centre.

Normanton, meanwhile, is the end point for the bizarre Gulflander train.

Mount Isa to Normanton distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Mount Isa to Normanton is 498km. That makes for a driving time of around five hours and 11 minutes.

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.

The first stretch is from Mount Isa to Cloncurry along the Barkly Highway. Attractions along the way include the abandoned ghost town of Mary Kathleen, swimming-friendly Corella Dam and the historic Burke and Wills Memorial.

Things to do in Cloncurry include John Flynn Place – which tells you all about the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service – and Cloncurry Unearthed.

The latter covers the tragic Burke and Wills expedition, as well as less gripping local mining and mineral finds.

Cloncurry accommodation options include the charming Gidgee Inn and the functional Leichhardt Hotel Motel.

Mount Isa to Normanton road trip: Cloncurry to Burke and Wills Roadhouse

The distance from Cloncurry to Normanton is 382km, with the section from Cloncurry to Four Ways covering 183km.

The drive is along the Burke Developmental Road, which is sometimes mentioned as a tourist route. Alas, it’s the bit north of Normanton that holds interest for visitors. The Cloncurry to Normanton stretch of the drive is pretty darned tedious.

There’s a bar and a caravan park at the Burke and Wills Roadhouse, and you can refill the car with fuel. But this is not going to be the highlight of your Australian holiday by any stretch of the imagination.

The Burke Developmental Road then largely follows the Flinders River north, although it branches away towards the Norman River before crossing it.

Mount Isa to Normanton drive: Normanton attractions

The Burke Developmental Road joins National Highway 1 just outside Normanton. Once in Normanton, the star attractions are the model of Krys the Crocodile – supposedly the largest crocodile ever caught in Australia – and Burke and Wills Camp 119.

Just south-west of the town, this was as far north as explorers Burke and Wills made it on their legendarily ill-fated expedition.

Normanton accommodation options include the Normanton Tourist Park and Gulfland Hotel.