Proserpine to Cairns road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops
The Proserpine to Cairns driving time covers a 608km distance in a driving time of around 7h4m. The best road trip stops include Magnetic Island, the Cardwell Spa Pools and Josephine Falls.
A Proserpine to Cairns road trip connects the gateway to Queensland’s Whitsundays region to the main departure point for Great Barrier Reef tours.
Proserpine offers crocodile-watching safaris on the Proserpine River.
Cairns, meanwhile, brings holding koalas at the Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome, snorkelling tours to Green Island and rainforest bungy jumps.
If you have three days in Cairns, do a Great Barrier Reef trip, a Kuranda scenic train and cable car combo and a Mossman Gorge plus Cape Tribulation World Heritage rainforest day tour. With more time, consider mesmerising scenic flights over the Reef, dinner cruises and waterfall-packed Atherton Tableland tours.
To choose from a wide range of memorable Cairns tours and experiences, look here. To pick the Cairns accommodation best suited to you, book here.
However, if planning a road trip from Proserpine to Cairns, there are plenty of good stops and attractions along the way.
Proserpine to Cairns distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Proserpine to Cairns is 608km. That makes for a driving time of around seven hours and four minutes.
Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday
- Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
- Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
- Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
- Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
- Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
- Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
- Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.
The drive starts out with the first leg from Proserpine to Bowen along the Bruce Highway. The main turn-off to consider on this leg is just north of Myrtlevale, where the Dingo Beach Road runs towards chilled-out holiday villages Dingo Beach and Hideaway Bay on Cape Gloucester.
Accommodation here comes mostly in the form of holiday homes.
You’ll drive past the pleasingly daft Big Mango on the way into Bowen. Things to do here include snorkelling at Horseshoe Bay, taking in the views from the Flagstaff Hill Lookout, and visiting the WWII Catalina Flying Boats memorial.
Where to stay in Bowen
The best Bowen accommodation choices are:
- For families: Queens Beach Tourist Village.
- For great value apartments with kitchens: Palm View Holiday Apartments.
- For Horseshoe Bay beachside location: Horseshoe Bay Resort.
- For central location, free parking and kitchenettes: Port Denison Motor Inn.
Click through to the next section: Cape Upstart and Ayr.