Perth to Townsville road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

Perth to Townsville drive: Barcaldine to Townsville

The next leg of the journey, from Barcaldine to Townsville, is a 631km brute of a drive.

Go north towards Aramac, which has a campground, hotel, racecourse and Aquatic Centre.

Crucially, the Whitebull Roadhouse is the only fuel stop for a couple of hundred kilometres. You can fuel up again when you reach Torrens Creek on the Flinders Highway, but 4WDers may first wish to watch birds around the waterholes of Forest Den National Park or explore sheep station heritage in Moorrinya National Park. You’ll likely see kangaroos and wedge-tailed eagles here.

Turn east on the Flinders Highway towards White Mountains National Park. The Burra Range lookout is accessible to those in a conventional vehicle.

The three star Pentland Hotel Motel in Pentland is a possible overnight stop, but most will prefer to plough on towards gold mining heritage town Charters Towers.

Top Charters Towers experiences

Delve in to the gold-mining past – on a tour of the Venus Gold Battery. You’ll be wowed by the sheer size of it.
Hear entertaining stories from the golden era – on a Charters Towers walking tour.
Listen to spooky stories – on a Charters Towers ghost tour.

Things to do in Charters Towers include guided tours of the Venus gold battery and taking in the views from the Towers Hill Lookout. The neighbouring amphitheatre hosts movies about the region every evening.

Best Charters Towers accommodation

The best accommodation options in Charters Towers are:

For families: Big4 Outback Aussie Oasis Holiday Park.
For high quality adults-only apartments: Kernow Charters Towers.
For a good value motel with a pool: Charters Towers Motel.

It’s 136km from Charters Towers to Townsville. The most appealing journey-breakers along the way are the Burdekin Duck Roadhouse, Macrossan Park camping area on the Burdekin River and Majors Creek swimming hole in Woodstock.

Things to do in Townsville include taking a cruise to the Museum of Underwater Art, relaxing on a small group sunset cruise and catching the ferry to Magnetic Island.

6 Townsville experiences to book in advance

Magnetic Island ferry tickets – head over to one of the most beautiful islands in Australia.
SS Yongala wreck dive – sea how coral and marine life have made the shipwreck home.
Great Barrier Reef and Museum of Underwater Art cruise – witness the extraordinary underwater art project up close.
Helicopter ride along the coast – get amazing views from above.
Sunset sailing cruise – watch the colours over the water, with alcoholic drinks included.
Jetski tour to Cape Pallarenda – whizz past beaches and giant boulders.

Townsville accommodation recommendations

The best bets for Townsville accommodation are…

For beachside location: Water’s Edge The Strand.
For a good value, well located motel: Yongala Lodge By The Strand.
For a sassy, chic resort: Rambutan Resort.
For families: Discovery Parks Townsville.
For business-friendly apartments: Quest Townsville on Eyre.

7 Magnetic Island experiences to book in advance

Sort out your return ferry ticket from Townsville.
Get the best of the coastline on a five hour boat tour with snorkelling and stand-up paddleboarding.
See the sky change – on a sunset and shipwrecks cruise.
See all the island highlights – on an afternoon island tour combining heritage, culture and nature.
Cram it all in on a five hour comprehensive island tour.
Take to the water on a lunchtime sailing cruise.
See subaquatic creativity – on a Museum of Underwater Art and Great Barrier Reef day trip.