Brisbane to Port Douglas
 

How long would it take to drive from Brisbane up to Port Douglas? Is it a scenic drive or would our time be better spent flying? We will need a vehicle once up there. Recommendations for a rental car company?

Personally I would fly as it would I think take about 24 hours of non-stop driving. It has been years since I've been down that route and from memory we're not talking about a spectacular drive. Rental companies here are like everywhere else, Avis, Hertz, Budget ....

Depends if you have a couple of weeks to spare, which is what you'd need to justify it. Points of interest, both on coast and hinterland, are mostly well off highway which for major part is only two lanes with intermittent overtaking lanes.

If you fly into Cairns there's all the major rental companies with cars available at airport or a good local company is Sugarland - www.sugarland.com.au who will pick you up at airport.

I would recommend a driving tour around FNQ. You will see a greater diversity doing a loop driving tour rather than a long hike up the highway. The best value in doing the long haul drive along the highway is for stops along the way as Pats suggests. They would include Noosa Heads, Fraser Island, Bundaberg/Bargara/Childers, Cania Gorge, Eungella National Park, Airlie Beach and a cruise in the Whitsundays, Townsville, Wallaman Falls, Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook, Townsville and Magnetic Island, Mission Beach, Atherton Tableland. Maybe inland to Undara Tubes and Cobbold Gorge. So much and yet so little right on the highway. So would need time otherwise just stick to an area.

As Tassietwister says, and as you'll be in Port Douglas, a driving tour around FNQ would be far easier and with more diverse scenery than the long haul from Brisbane - have a look at www.greattropicaldrive.com.au