Sydney to Cairns inland road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The best stops on a Sydney to Cairns inland road trip, following the Carnarvon Highway route, include Moree, Roma, Emerald and Townsville. The distance from Sydney to Cairns is 2,415km, with a driving time of around 27 hours.
Planning a Sydney to Cairns inland road trip itinerary
Most travellers driving from Sydney to Cairns will do so along the well-trodden coastal route, stopping at several coastal towns and islands along the way. In all honesty, this is the most popular route for a reason. It is not quite the quickest route from Sydney to Cairns, but there’s only a couple of hours in it.
Sydney’s enormous collection of experiences includes all-inclusive sunset dinner cruises, behind-the-scenes tours of the Opera House, jet boat thrill rides and historic walking tours. To get the best deals on Sydney accommodation, book here. To find Sydney tours and experiences that suit your tastes, step this way.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skip the queues – and get the best prices – with mobile-friendly advance tickets for these top Sydney attractions.
- Taronga Zoo – the zoo with harbour views (and plenty of cute Aussie animals)
- Sydney Opera House – official walking tour. See behind the scenes!
- Wild Life Sydney – Aussie animal favourites in convenient Darling Harbour location. Perfect if on limited time.
- Sydney Cricket Ground – behind the scenes secrets tour.
- Sydney Tower Eye – 360 degree views from 250 metres above the city.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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.
If you’re in a hurry, however, or want to explore a different side to Australia, then the quickest route from Sydney to Cairns goes inland.
Use this guide to help you plan the perfect stops on a Sydney to Cairns inland road trip itinerary.
Sydney to Cairns road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
By car, the distance from Sydney to Cairns on the inland route is 2,415km. That makes for a driving time of around 27 hours.
The best road trip stops to add to a Sydney to Cairns road trip itinerary include Newcastle, the Hunter Valley wine region, Moree, Roma, Emerald and Townsville.
13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book
- (💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
- Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
- Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
- Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
- Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
- Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
- Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
- Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
- Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
- (🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.
Leaving Sydney through the northern suburbs, worthwhile stops include the Lane Cove National Park, Cumberland State Forest in West Pennant Hills and Rose Siedler House in Wahroonga.
It’s also not much of a detour to the gorgeous Bobbin Head picnic ground in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park or Galston Gorge in Berowra Waters National Park.
Just before crossing the Hawkesbury River Bridge at Brooklyn, you can hop aboard the Riverboat Postman cruise. This quirky take on a Hawkesbury River boat trip see visitors join the local post crew as they deliver mail to river communities such as Dangar Island.
Sydney to Newcastle road trip: Central Coast attractions
On the other side of the Hawkesbury at Mooney Mooney, the Broken Bay Pearl Farm runs a pearl farm tour which shows how pearls are cultivated.
The Pacific Motorway continues north from here, running considerably to the west of the Central Coast’s beach suburbs. The likes of Forresters Beach, Toowoon Bay and Wamberal require a significant detour.
However, there are some attractions nearer the route. These include the Walkabout Wildlife Park, Australian Reptile Park and Girrakool Loop walking track near Gosford.
3 experiences to book in Gosford
- Australian Reptile Park day pass – learn (safely) about Australia’s snakes and spiders.
- Try your hand at flying with a jetpack – or try flyboarding instead.
- Soap-making experience – make your own smellies.
For more action, try abseiling, horse-riding and quad biking at Glenworth Valley near Popran National Park.
Before reaching Newcastle, you can stop at Somersby Falls and Strickland Falls, and a few attractions near Alison. The Jilliby Lookout offers views, Treetops Adventure Central Coast is all-action and Amazement Farm and Fun Park has cute animals and mazes.
Click through for next section: Newcastle accommodation and tours.