DJE

Wondering which would be a more enjoyable route to drive between Cairns and Brisbane. Would there be more interesting spots to see on an inland route or would it be along the coast. Also are there good accommodations along both routes? We actually have 8 days to spend from our Cairns departure to a confirmed reservation in the Hunter Valley. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

pat_woolford

Slightly confused here - you say you have 8 days from Cairns to Hunter Valley which is near Sydney, about 900 kms south of Brisbane, but you're asking about Cairns-Brisbane, approx 1750kms

Also would be important to know what time of year you'll be travelling and give an idea of your interests.

chimani

Hi,

Which inland route did you have in mind?

It's not like NSW where there is a fairly obvious alternative to the Pacific Highway.

There are some wonderful places to see in inland QLD, but they take effort to get to, being miles and miles apart.

And there is not a great deal inbetween except space. Suspect your accommo options would be limited to local hotels (pubs), or camping. Does that appeal?

What are your interests? Would fossils or the early history of Australia fit the bill? Do you want to hike?

My best suggestion would be to get hold of a map. You'll see that the further south you go the more roads there are.

Funny that!

Google maps is a wonderful resource.

RalphR

I've always liked exploring inland routes along the East Coast of Australia - less commercialized, quieter roads, nice people, country towns and pubs, and some spectacular sights. Yes, it may make some difference whether or not you do intend on going via Brisbane en route to the Hunter. Either, way you could select a route that gives you a bit of each - inland and coast. I'd suggest sticking to the coast between Cairns and Mackay as there are many lovely spots not far off the main highway. (This assumes you've already been inland to the Atherton Tablelands during your stay in Cairns). I would not rush that section (3-4 days maybe) so you can spend time diverting to great places like Wallaman Falls, The Boulders, Mission Beach, the Tully River, maybe an island day trip (Dunk or Magnetic). South of Mackay, places of interest thin out for quite some kilometers. One option from Mackay would be to head inland to Carnarvon Gorge (CG) via Emerald and Springsure. CG would be a great place to spend a day or two hiking and seeing wildlife. Good accommodation at the Oasis Lodge just outside the park. I'd suggest a minimum 2 night stay allowng you a full day in the gorge. From CG, you could then head back towards the coast. From Toowoombah you could either head to Brisbane (if that's where you need to go) or go south along the New England Highway to the Hunter Valley. There are some very nice diversions along the NE Hwy, most prominantly Bald Rock and Girrraween Nat'l parks with their spectacular granite formations and great walks.

If you opt out of diverting inland to CG, there are other less "inland penetrating" routes to keep in mind. I've done Gladstone-Brisbane a couple of times via Biloela , Monto (stayed o'night at Cania Gorge- quite nice), Gayndah, Nanango and Esk. Pretty Australian countyside, low traffic, and quite relaxing compared to the coast (but slower). Still closer to the coast is the shorter but very lovely drive inland from the Sunshine Coast through Mapleton, Maleny and the Glasshouse Mts.

Finally, if you're heading south from Brisbane (and of course if you have any time left), don't miss an inland diversion to Lamington Nat'l park (especially O'Reilly's). This park can be visited en route between Brisbane and the New England Hwy. (Maybe stay a night at O'Reilly's and then head up to the New England Hwy from there.) I especially like the very scenic, somewhat rugged (unsealed in sections) Mt Lindsay "Highway" that joins Beaudesert and Tenterfield (on the NE Hwy near Bald Rock and Girraween).

With just 8 day's you'll have to plan carefully and obviously wont be able to see everything I've suggested above. But do explore inland to some extent and by all means do not stick to the main coast highway for the whole trip!

DJE

Thank you all for your responses and info.
We will be traveling this route in Oct. and were contemplating a number of options.

Originally we were going to be flying from Cairns to Brisbane after spending 7 days in the Cairns area doing rainforest and reef activities and then flying to Ayers Rock for an additional 4 nights. From Brisbane we were going to do the drive to the Hunter Valley.

We will not be going to A.R. now ( have been there previously ) so have additional time available and thought of possibly doing the drive right from Cairns all the way down to HV unless spending the additional time in the north would be more worthwhile in which case we stick to the original plan of the flight to Brisbane and then the drive down.

We do have a few options available.

AustraliaZooIsGreat

The fastest way is to stick to the Bruce Highway. Expect to see a LOT of sugar cane. I wouldn't recommend this drive as a sight seeing thing. It's just too long enough to send most people dimented.

I personally enjoy it but i'm someone who enjoys the wide open spaces and the drive itself.

DJE

Thank you but we have definitely decided to use the extra time visiting and staying in the Atherton Tablelands and just fly the portion between Cairns and Brisbane as originally planned. Now we have a total of 12 nights to spend in the northern queensland region.

Saltuarius

DJE,
I am sure that you will not regret your decision. There are many things to see between Cairns and brisbane and then on down to the Hunter but there is also a lot of space between. Best done once you have more time.

There is much to do on the Atherton Tablelands for people interested in natural history.