Rockhampton to Cairns road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
The best stops on a Rockhampton to Cairns road trip itinerary include Mackay, Airlie Beach and Townsville. The distance from Rockhampton to Cairns is 1,064km, with a driving time of around 12h10m.
Planning a Rockhampton to Cairns road trip itinerary
A Rockhampton to Cairns road trip takes you from Queensland’s famed cattle city to the main hub town for Great Barrier Reef tours.
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.
Rockhampton offers fascinating history walks and cave tours. To source the best Rockhampton accommodation deals, go here.
If you put together the right road trip itinerary, there are plenty of great stops along the way. Use this guide to help you plan the perfect Rockhampton to Cairns drive.
Rockhampton to Cairns distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Rockhampton to Cairns is 1,064km. This makes for an approximate Rockhampton to Cairns driving time of 12h10m.
Things to do in Rockhampton once there include getting culture and heritage doses at the Dreamtime Cultural Centre and the Rockhampton Heritage Village.
Top experiences to book in and around Rockhampton
- (Highly recommended ✅) Great Keppel Island day trip – with lunch.
- Cathedral Cave tour at Capricorn Caves. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 90 minute Deep Vault Cave and Flower Pot tour at Capricorn Caves.
- Time Safaris walking tour.
The best places to stay in Rockhampton, Queensland
The best Rockhampton accommodation choices are:
- For character and charm: Denison Boutique Hotel.
- For heritage: Quality Hotel Regent.
- For well-equipped apartments: Quest Rockhampton.
- For really good value: Rockhampton Serviced Apartments.
- For a great pool: Korte’s Resort.
From Rockhampton, head up the Bruce Highway, stopping for the impressive cave tours at the Capricorn Caves.
The highway hits the coast at Clairview, then cuts across Cape Palmerston. You require a 4WD to go camping and fishing here.
Rockhampton to Cairns road trip: Sarina to Proserpine
Sarina, where the Sarina Sugar Shed tells the tale of the local sugar industry, is the next town along. Sarina Beach or Grasstree Beach are pretty options if you’d prefer some sunbathing time.
Top Sarina experiences worth booking in advance
- 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.
Best Sarina accommodation options.
The best places to stay in Sarina, Queensland, are:
- For beachside location with an outdoor pool: Sandpiper Motel.
- For air-conditioned caravans and cabins: Sarina Palms Cabins & Caravans.
- For palm trees and beach holiday vibe: Sarina Beach Motel.
From Sarina, it’s about half an hour’s drive to Mackay, the biggest city between Rockhampton and Townsville.
Three great Mackay experiences to book in advance
- (Highly recommended ✅) Whitsunday Islands boat cruise – with snorkelling and paddleboarding.
- Cape Hillsborough sunrise tour – meet wallabies on the beach.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Finch Hatton Gorge waterfalls tour.
Things to do in Mackay include the Wildcat snorkelling cruise to the South Cumberland Islands, crocodile-free swimming at Bluewater Lagoon and playing in the sand on Blacks Beach.
Best Mackay accommodation options
The top places to stay in Mackay are:
- 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.
It’s another 151km from Mackay to Airlie Beach, one of the best stops on the Rockhampton to Cairns journey. But you may wish to consider a couple of side trips.
Eungella National Park offers platypus-spotting at Broken River, plus waterfall hikes and swimming holes in Finch Hatton Gorge.
You can also see kangaroos on the beach in Cape Hillsborough National Park .
The turn-off for Airlie Beach is just after Proserpine, where you can do a crocodile-spotting cruise on the Proserpine River.
Click through to the next section: Airlie Beach to Bowen.