Things to do between Brisbane and Cairns....?

Question

My friend and I are canadians renting a campervan and driving from Brisbane to Cairns and back in the last 2 weeks of October. What is there to do and see? We plan to stop off on Fraser Island and the Whitsundays and of course have a day or two on the great barrier reef. What else?

Answer 1

the gem fields are about two west of Rockhampton, (Sapphire and Rubyvale) well worth a trip out there , go fossicking and find gems, as you go past Blackwater and Emerald, some different country to see, mines and farming,  going north Clareview is worth a quick stop as you are all of a sudden at the beach, bypass Mackay its horrible, Airlie Beach and surrounds are spectacular, Tully, (with big gumboot) is really pretty, Tully Heads great fishing, Daintree Rainforset is worth a day tour through and Atherton Tablelands is great drive also , have fun!!!!!

Answer 2

Stop at Rockhampton and have a big ole prime Aussie steak!!

Answer 3

australia zoo

Answer 4

I did that!!! You HAVE TO go toe Airlie Beach and take a snorkel cruise of the Whitsundays. It is so much better than doing it in Cairns. Cairns is all swimming with other people.

Answer 5

theres a little town on the coast caled Tin Can Bay. I you stay over night there (or get there in the early morning) there's dolphins that come right up into the shallows and you are allowed to feed them.

Answer 6

When we drive to Brisbane we allow 4 days, do know mad keen drivers that do it in 3 but say 4 ok. Return that is 8 days driving not including the fact that many places are off the highway and add to driving time.

I seriously suggest you go back to the drawing board and consider one way rentals with drop off in Cairns/ Shortening your trip and accessing the great barrier reef from Town of 1770 (just north of Bundaberg) perhaps/ Driving from Brisbane to Fraser Island and return then flying to Hamilton Island then on to Cairns or consider a greyhound east Coast mini traveller pass from Brisbane to Cairns then hiring a car for the Cairns area.

Areas of interest along the way..

Sunshine Coast/Hinterland - Australia Zoo

Fraser Island

Hervey bay whale watching - Canadians may opt out of this

Perhaps a cattle station stay in central QLD

Eungella National park - platypus spotting, rainforest, flying fox.

Airlie Beach - sailing trip (GBR difficult to access, only liveaboard anyway. Some fringing coral but not anywhere near the reef quality). See whitehaven Beach.

Townsville/Magentic Island

Hinchinbrook Island

Mission Beach - Dunk Island

Atherton Tableland, waterfalls, rainforest treks, farmland

Undara or Chillagoe for outback geology features.

Cairns, Palm Cove, Port Douglas.

Cape Tribulation and the ancient Daintree.

Cape York and aboriginal rock art sites near Cooktown.

So as it is you will spend all your time driving to somewhere and then have little time to be able to actually see it. Shame to see someone waste there time on the boring Buce Highway when they could spend the time wisely and have a trip of a lifetime.