Newcastle to Mackay road trip: Distance, time & best stops

Newcastle to Mackay drive: Sarina and Mackay

Just north of Rockhampton on the Bruce Highway, you can stop for the fabulous cave tours at the Capricorn Caves.

The highway finally hits the coast at Clairview, then scythes across Cape Palmerston. You’ll need a 4WD if you wish to go camping and fishing here.

Sarina is the next town along, and it’s a major sugar industry hub. The Sarina Sugar Shed tells the tale, but you can plump for Sarina Beach or Grasstree Beach if you’d prefer some beach town.

Learn how sugar is grown and processed on a sugar mill tour – with sweet treat tastings.
Find out how rum is made on a rum distillery tour – with rum sampling.

The best places to stay in Sarina, Queensland, are:

From Sarina, it’s about half an hour’s drive north to Mackay, the largest city between Rockhampton and Townsville.

Top things to do in Mackay include the Wildcat snorkelling cruise to the South Cumberland Islands and sunbathing on Blacks Beach.

(Highly recommended ✅) Whitsunday Islands boat cruise – with snorkelling and paddleboarding.
Cape Hillsborough sunrise tour – meet wallabies on the beach.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Finch Hatton Gorge waterfalls tour.

For attractive apartments by Blacks Beach: The Shores Holiday Apartments.
For a cheap, but surprisingly good, motel: Cool Palms Motel.
For apartments with kitchenettes by the marina: Mantra Mackay.
For a holiday park with lot of family-friendly facilities: Big4 Mackay Blacks Beach Holiday Park.
For fully furnished apartments in prime position next to Bluewater Lagoon: Riviera Mackay.