Brisbane's geography is a road-tripper's dream. The city sits at the meeting point of coastal, hinterland and inland Queensland — within a tank of fuel you can be in dense subtropical rainforest, open surf beach, wine country, island wilderness, volcanic hinterland or the ancient granite plateau of the Granite Belt. Drive a week north and you're in Cairns and the Daintree. Two days south and you're deep in NSW's Byron Bay hinterland.
These 8 routes are the best of them, written by locals who've actually driven them — not press-release itineraries. Each includes honest notes on what to skip, what to prioritise, and how to make the most of your time.
🏖️ The Pacific Coast Highway — Brisbane to Cairns
The Pacific Coast Highway from Brisbane to Cairns is one of Australia's iconic road trips — a 1,700km journey through eight dramatically different landscapes, from the Sunshine Coast's surf beaches to the ancient rainforest of the Daintree. Fly one-way to save the return drive, or turn it into a full loop with an inland route home.
Allow at least 10–14 days to do it properly; 7 days is the bare minimum if you push hard. The most common mistake is rushing the middle section — Rainbow Beach, Fraser Island and the 1770/Agnes Water area deserve more time than most itineraries allow.
Brisbane
Depart from Brisbane CBD via Pacific Motorway north.
Noosa Heads
First night stop. National Park walk in the morning, Hastings Street for dinner. Noosa is non-negotiable.
Rainbow Beach & Inskip Point
Coloured sand cliffs, a beautiful sheltered beach, and the barge departure point for Fraser Island. Stay overnight; Double Island Point surf break is exceptional.
Fraser Island (K'gari) — 1–2 nights
The world's largest sand island. Lake McKenzie, Eli Creek, 75-Mile Beach, Maheno Wreck. Do not rush this. Two nights minimum.
Agnes Water & Town of 1770
Queensland's most northerly surf beach, a tiny historic township and the launch point for Capricorn Coast adventures. Underrated stop — most people drive past too quickly.
Airlie Beach & the Whitsundays
The gateway to the Whitsundays — Whitehaven Beach, Heart Reef, island sailing. Budget two nights minimum; three is better. This is the high point of the entire drive for most travellers.
Townsville & Magnetic Island
Worth a day or two. Magnetic Island has the best koala spotting in Australia at the Forts Walk, plus spectacular bays. Townsville's Museum of Tropical Queensland is excellent.
Mission Beach & Dunk Island
Where the rainforest meets the reef — and where cassowaries cross the road. The most underrated stop on the whole highway. Absolute beach wilderness 20 minutes from Tully.
Cairns
The Esplanade, reef trips, Daintree Rainforest, Kuranda Scenic Railway. Allow 3–4 days to do Cairns and its surroundings justice before flying home.
⚡ Essential Tips for Brisbane to Cairns
- Stinger season (Oct–May): box jellyfish in Far North Queensland waters — swim in stinger suits north of Townsville
- Fuel: Don't pass a servo in the remote central Queensland stretches without topping up
- Best months: May–September (dry season, no stingers, comfortable temperatures)
- Fly back: One-way flight Cairns–Brisbane is often under $99. No need to retrace the route
- Fraser Island: Book Kingfisher Bay at least 6 weeks ahead in peak season
🌿 The Scenic Rim & Hinterland Loop
The Scenic Rim loop is Brisbane's great overlooked road trip — a 400km circuit through some of SE Queensland's most dramatic and diverse landscapes, all without leaving the greater Brisbane region. It's the perfect 3–4 day trip for first-time visitors who want to understand what Queensland is beyond the beach.
Brisbane
Head south-west via Ipswich and Boonah.
Scenic Rim Wine Country (Canungra)
Canungra Valley Vineyards and Heritage Wines — underrated, gorgeous. Stop for a cellar door tasting and continue into the Lamington plateau.
O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, Lamington NP
Stay overnight. Treetop Walk, crimson rosellas from your hand, night glowworm walk. One of Queensland's most magical places.
Springbrook National Park
Natural Bridge waterfall cave and glowworms, Purlingbrook Falls (109m), Best of All Lookout. A genuine wow moment in every season.
Tamborine Mountain
Gallery Walk, cellar doors, Skywalk, Curtis Falls. Stay overnight in a mountain cottage. One of the most enjoyable towns in SE Queensland.
Return to Brisbane via Pacific Motorway
Or extend via Gold Coast for a beach lunch before the drive home.
🌴 The Sunshine Coast & Hinterland Loop
This classic loop from Brisbane combines the volcanic drama of the Glass House Mountains, the artisan hinterland villages of Montville and Maleny, the stunning Noosa National Park, and the world-heritage-adjacent Noosa Everglades. It can be driven comfortably in 3 days but rewards 4.
Brisbane
Head north via Bruce Highway.
Glass House Mountains
Mt Ngungun hike (2 hrs, panoramic views) + Glass House Mountains lookout. Lunch in Beerwah or detour to Australia Zoo.
Montville & Maleny
Overnight on the Blackall Range. Chocolate, galleries, Mary Cairncross Reserve. Dinner at a hinterland restaurant with a Range view.
Eumundi Markets (Sat/Wed only)
Australia's best artisan market. Arrive early. Do not skip if your itinerary allows it.
Noosa Heads
National Park headland walk (koalas in the trees), Main Beach swim, overnight in Noosa or Noosaville. Farmers Market Sunday morning.
Return to Brisbane via Bruce Highway
Or extend north to Rainbow Beach and start the coast drive to Cairns.
🏄 The South Coast Run — Brisbane to Byron Bay
Brisbane to Byron Bay via the Gold Coast is one of Australia's most-driven roads — but most people rush through in a single day. Slow it down and you'll find the Gold Coast's underrated hinterland (Springbrook, Lamington, Tamborine), the surf villages of the Tweed Coast, Bangalow's restaurant scene, and the extraordinary Minyon Falls in the Nightcap National Park behind Byron.
Brisbane
South via Pacific Motorway. Allow 1 hour to the Gold Coast.
Gold Coast — Burleigh Heads
Skip Surfers Paradise. Burleigh Heads has the best surf, best food and best headland walk on the Gold Coast. James Street precinct for coffee and breakfast.
Currumbin & Coolangatta/Tweed Heads
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (excellent). The Tweed Coast's surf beaches (Cabarita, Hastings Point) are among the most beautiful on the east coast and almost empty.
Bangalow & Byron Hinterland
Bangalow is Byron Bay's better restaurant town — less crowded, more local. Harvest Restaurant is outstanding. Stay here if you want peace with easy beach access.
Byron Bay
Lighthouse walk, The Pass, Wategos Beach, Main Beach. Spend 2 nights. Then either drive further south into NSW or return north via a different inland route.
🌿 Extend: Byron Bay to Nimbin & Beyond
- Nimbin (35 min from Byron) — Australia's counterculture capital, Rainbow Power Company, Nimbin Museum. A genuine trip-within-a-trip.
- Minyon Falls (45 min from Byron) — One of NSW's most impressive waterfalls in Nightcap National Park. Easy walk to the lookout, harder descent to the plunge pool.
- Lismore — Surprising arts scene, Rainforest Discovery Centre. Underrated city stop on the return.
🍇 The Granite Belt Wine Route
The drive inland to the Granite Belt is one of Queensland's most rewarding and least-visited road trips. From Brisbane, head south-west through Ipswich and Warwick — a beautiful drive through the agricultural Darling Downs — and up onto the Southern Downs plateau where the altitude, the granite landscape and the wine scene create something unlike anywhere else in Queensland.
The Girraween National Park is the unexpected highlight — an extraordinary landscape of giant granite boulders and balancing rocks, with fantastic walking tracks and wildflower displays in spring (August–October).
Brisbane
South-west via Ipswich Motorway and Cunningham Highway.
Warwick
Queensland's rose capital — gorgeous heritage architecture, the local bakery is legendary. Good fuel stop before the winery country.
Ballandean & Surrounds
The heart of Granite Belt wine country. Ballandean Estate (Queensland's oldest), Golden Grove and Whisky Gully Estate. One cellar door for lunch; one for late afternoon tasting.
Stanthorpe
Base yourself here for 1–2 nights. The town has good accommodation, a farmers market and restaurants that take the local produce seriously. Symphony Hill Wines is the most awarded winery in the region.
Girraween National Park
Don't miss this. The Pyramid hike (2.5 hrs return) is one of Queensland's best walks — scramble up a granite monolith for extraordinary views. Spring wildflowers are spectacular.
More Road Trips from Brisbane
🌄 The Great Inland Way — Brisbane to Cairns via Outback
1,900km, 10–14 days: Instead of the coast, head west from Brisbane through Toowoomba and onto the Darling Downs, then north through the Outback Queensland towns of Roma, Longreach (Stockman's Hall of Fame), Cloncurry, and the Gulf of Carpentaria before reaching Cairns via the Gulf Developmental Road. This is for serious road-trippers — the landscapes are epic, the distances are huge, and the reward is seeing an Australia that most tourists never reach. Essential: a reliable 4WD or SUV, a satellite phone, and a meticulous fuel plan.
🌊 The New England Highlands — Brisbane to Sydney
1,000km, 5–7 days: South through Byron Bay, then inland via the New England Tablelands — Armidale, Tamworth, the Warrumbungle National Park and into the Hunter Valley wine region before Sydney. One of Australia's great drives that most people skip in favour of the coast. The New England Tableland's clear air, dramatic gorges (Oxley Wild Rivers) and traditional Australian country towns are a revelation.
🦘 Fraser Island & Sunshine Coast North Loop
800km, 5–6 days: Brisbane to Noosa (1.5 hrs), north to Rainbow Beach, barge to Fraser Island (2 nights), return via Hervey Bay for whale watching (seasonal), then Rainbow Beach to Mooloolaba on the coast road. A perfect balance of island wilderness, beach culture and wildlife — the ideal first Queensland road trip for visitors from overseas.
Road Trip Planning Guide
What to Drive
A standard 2WD sedan handles all the routes above except Fraser Island (which requires a registered 4WD and vehicle permit). For comfort on longer routes, a mid-size SUV is ideal. Rental cars are available at Brisbane Airport from around $50–80/day.
When to Go
May–September is universally the best time — dry, comfortable, low humidity and brilliant road-trip weather. October–November is excellent and adds whale watching and wildflower seasons. December–February brings wet season north of Townsville — the Pacific Coast drive becomes more difficult above Mackay. March–May (post-wet season) can mean extraordinary waterfall flows in the hinterland.
Fuel & Safety
Never pass a servo on the Great Inland Way or any remote Queensland route without topping up. Download the WikiCamps or Hema Explorer apps for fuel locations and free camp sites. The NRMA or RACQ roadside assistance membership is worth every cent for long Queensland drives. Always carry 10 litres of emergency fuel on remote routes.