Townsville to Port Douglas road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
The best stops on a Townsville to Port Douglas road trip itinerary include Mission Beach, Cairns and Palm Cove. The distance from Townsville to Port Douglas is 412km, with a driving time of around 5h9m.
Planning a Townsville to Port Douglas road trip itinerary
A Townsville to Port Douglas road trip takes you from Queensland’s capital to far north Queensland’s top resort town.
Townsville is where you can take the ferry to gorgeous Magnetic Island, enjoy sunset cruises and visit the Museum of Underwater Art. For more Townsville experiences, explore here. To ferret out the best Townsville accommodation deals, look here.
Port Douglas, meanwhile, brings Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours, sailing at sunset and half day tours into the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest. Check out the best Port Douglas accommodation options here.
However, 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 Townsville to Port Douglas drive.
Townsville to Port Douglas distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Townsville to Port Douglas is 412km. This makes for an approximate Townsville to Port Douglas driving time of five hours and 9 minutes.
The best stops to add to a Townsville to Port Douglas road trip itinerary include Mission Beach, Cairns and Palm Cove.
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.
Things to do in Townsville include going on a cruise to the Museum of Underwater Art, kicking back on a small group sunset cruise and catching the ferry to Magnetic Island. There are great snorkelling spots here, at Arthur Bay and Florence Bay.
Townsville to Port Douglas road trip: Townsville to Cardwell
Beyond Townsville, the Townsville to Port Douglas road trip runs parallel to Paluma Range National Park. There are several waterfalls here, but the rock pools of Crystal Creek are most people’s favourite.
Keep going along the highway, and you’ll reach Ingham. This is where you branch off for Girringun National Park and Wallaman Falls, the highest waterfall in Australia.
For accommodation in Ingham, try the Ingham Tourist Park and the Tropixx Motel, which has its own restaurant.
Cardwell comes after Ingham. This is where you can get a boat transfer to wild, natural and resort-free Hinchinbrook Island. Australia’s largest island national park is a big hiking destination, and the four day, 32km Thornsborne Trail, is one of Australia’s top walks.
Otherwise, the top attraction is the Cardwell Spa Pools, an eerily blue rainforest swimming hole.
Best Cardwell accommodation choices
The best places to stay in Cardwell are:
- For a holiday park with an outdoor pool and children’s playground: Cardwell Beachcomber Motel and Tourist Park.
- For prime location: Cardwell Beachfront Motel.
- If those two are fully booked: Kookaburra Holiday Park.
Townsville to Port Douglas road trip: Cardwell to Mission Beach
Further along, there’s the turn off for Murray Falls. But most will keep going towards Tully. This town is home of the Golden Gumboot – one of Australia’s notorious Big Things – and Tully Gorge rafting tours.
But it’s also where you branch off for Mission Beach. The drive goes past the Mount Mackay National Park.
5 great Mission Beach experiences to book in advance
- Small group Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with pristine snorkelling on the Outer Reef, barbecue lunch and snorkelling equipment provided.
- Hull River National Park eco cruise – spotting wildlife in the mangroves.
- Full day sports rafting on the Tully River – tackle the rapids while rafting through the rainforest.
- Skydive from 15,000ft – and land on the beach.
- Dunk Island day trip – with plenty of time for rainforest hikes.
Top things to do in Mission Beach include mountain bike rides through the Djiru National Park, skydiving onto the beach and getting a boat transfer to Dunk Island. There’s also the chance to do smaller group Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours.
Accommodation options in Mission Beach include the gardens-surrounded Mission Beach Resort, the seafront Castaways Resort and Spa and the pool-focused Mission Reef Resort.
To the north of Mission Beach, Maria Creek National Park and Kurrimine National Park offer a lot of what you’ve already seen in Mission Beach.
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