Yeppoon to Bowen road trip: Distance, time & best stops

The distance from Yeppoon to Bowen by car is 543km, with a driving time of 6h. The best stops to add to a Yeppoon to Bowen road trip itinerary are the Capricorn Caves, Mackay and Airlie Beach.

Sorting a Yeppoon to Bowen road trip

The Yeppoon to Bowen drive takes you between two of the most underrated spots on the Queensland coast. But there’s plenty to see along the way.

Yeppoon is the home of Great Keppel Island day tours. To pick out your ideal Yeppoon accommodation, head here.

To get the best deals on Bowen accommodation, look here.

Yeppoon to Bowen distance and driving time

The full Yeppoon to Bowen distance is 543km. This makes for a Yeppoon to Mackay driving time of about six hours.

Where to stay in Yeppoon

The top Yeppoon accommodation options are:

For a dependable motel with a pool: Coast Motel.
For high quality apartments near Yeppoon Lagoon: Salt Yeppoon.
For Mediterranean-style villas: Villa Mar Colina.
For a centrally-located boutique resort: Coral Inn Boutique Resort.

The Yeppoon to Rockhampton leg of the Yeppoon to Mackay drive is short. It’ll take you about half an hour. The most worthwhile attraction along the way is Baga National Park. The obvious highlight here is the 221-high volcanic plug known as Baga and formerly called Mount Jim Crow. The waterlily-filled lagoons around Hedlow Creek will be of more interest to birdwatchers, however.

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.

Yeppoon to Bowen drive: Rockhampton attractions

The Yeppoon to Bowen drive doesn’t actually stop in Rockhampton. Yeppoon Road meets the Bruce Highway north of the city. But two of Rockhampton’s best attractions are north of the city, too.

The Dreamtime Cultural Centre explores the culture of Central Queensland’s Indigenous people. The Capricorn Caves, meanwhile, are open for tours and have hugely impressive cave decorations.

Yeppoon to Bowen road trip: Clairview and Sarina

The Rockhampton to Mackay leg of the drive is not the most exciting. It rejoins the coast at Clairview, but cuts across Cape Palmerston on the way to Sarina. Fishing and bush camping are available at Cape Palmerston, but you’ll need a 4WD to get there.

Sarina is the biggest town on the Yeppoon to Mackay drive. The Sarina Sugar Shed runs tours exploring the sugar industry, although you might prefer to enjoy the sun on Sarina Beach or Grasstree Beach. Mackay is about half an hour north of Sarina.

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.

The art deco architecture and Bluewater Lagoon water park are the top attractions in the Whitsundays region’s biggest city.

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.

Other options are the Wildcat snorkelling cruise around the South Cumberland Islands and the marvellous 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.

Yeppoon to Bowen road trip: North to Proserpine

The Mackay to Proserpine leg of the Yeppoon to Bowen road trip covers a distance of 126km.

But you may wish to detour east to Cape Hillsborough where kangaroos hang out on the beach. Stay at the Cape Hillsborough caravan park if so.

Go inland instead, and you’ve got the Eungella National Park. Here, you’ll find fabulous swimming holes at Finch Hatton Gorge and a platypus viewing platform over the Broken River.

In Proserpine, you can do a crocodile-spotting cruise on the Proserpine River. But for most people, this is where you branch off for Cannonvale and Whitsundays tourism hub Airlie Beach. It’s about 23 minutes from Proserpine to Airlie Beach.

Which Whitsundays cruise should I choose?

For those with limited time: Whitehaven Beach half day tour.
For the highlights reel: Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island day trip.
To see the reef two ways: High speed Whitsundays cruise plus scenic reef flight combo.
For romance, sparkling wine and sunset under sail: Multi-beach and reef Lady Enid cruise.
To see several islands: Sailing and snorkelling adventure.
For an overnight sailing adventure: Matador two day yacht cruise.

Yeppoon to Bowen drive: Airlie Beach and Bowen

Top things to do in Airlie Beach include swimming in the Airlie Beach Lagoon, glass bottom boat cruises, half day Whitehaven Beach tours and kayaking adventures. You can also walk the Airlie Creek Track and enjoy several day trips.

9 memory-making Airlie Beach experiences to add to your visit

Whitehaven Beach day cruise – with plenty of snorkelling thrown in.
Glass bottom boat tour – see coral and marine life without getting wet.
Heart Reef flight – see the islands and Great Barrier Reef from above before flying over Australia’s famous heart-shaped island.
Proserpine River crocodile safari – see the big crocs from a boat.
Whitsundays sunset cruise – with free snacks and sparkling wine.
Sailing on the Camira – glide around the Whitsunday Islands under sail.
Whizz around the islands on a guided jetski tour.
Waterfall explorer day tour – with swimming in Hinterland rock pools.
Enjoy high speed thrills on a jet boat ride.

Airlie Beach accommodation picks

Specialist Australian booking site Wotif offers Airlie Beach accommodation for from $114 a night. You can look through the best deals here.

However, some Airlie Beach accommodation options are worth highlighting:

On a budget: Tasman Holiday Parks Airlie Beach.
For families: Big4 Adventure Whitsundays Resort.
For waterfront apartments: At Marina Shores.
For pampering: Coral Sea Marina Resort.
For great value: Colonial Palms Motor Inn.

Otherwise, it’s 68km from Proserpine to Bowen.

The main turn-off worth considering is just north of Myrtlevale. The Dingo Beach Road heads towards Dingo Beach and Hideaway Bay on Cape Gloucester.

These chilled out, old-school holiday escapes are all about relaxation and getting away from it all. Luxury is in short supply, but natural beauty is not. Holiday homes are the best bet for accommodation in Dingo Beach and Hideaway Bay.

Further north, Heronvale next to Poole Reef is another option with a similar if slightly less detached vibe.

On the way into Bowen, you’ll pass the Big Mango – one of Australia’s notoriously tacky roadside Big Things.

Things to do in Bowen include taking in the views from the Flagstaff Hill Lookout, snorkelling at Horseshoe Bay and exploring the memorial to the WWII Catalina Flying Boats.

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.