5 best QLD road trips for ultimate van life adventure

Welcome to the home of sunshine, golden beaches, ancient rainforest and sweeping stretches of crystal clear waters. It doesn’t matter which direction you head, one thing is for sure: you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to QLD road trips. All you need is a campervan and a sense of adventure to be on your way (plus our must-do recommendations below!).

From the Outback to the ultimate coastal route, we round up the five best QLD road trips for you to explore. Discover the distance, recommended duration, best time to travel, map route and highlights for each adventure!

The 5 best QLD road trips

1. The best route through Outback Queensland

Total distance: 2,486km | Recommended days: 10 to 12 days | Best time to do the route: between April and September | Route Map

With so many natural wonders to feast your eyes on, there’s nothing better than setting aside a couple of weeks to explore Outback Queensland. Start in Cunnamulla and make your way to Karumba, passing through Charleville, Blackall, Longreach, Winton and Cloncurry along the way.

Currawinya National Park is the perfect stop to pull out your hiking boots to explore Lake Wyara and Lake Numalla, while spotting more than 60 species of birds along the way. You can keep the learning going with a visit to the Cosmos Centre, where you can even take a peek through some incredible telescopes.

Blackall is great for diving into local life and discovering everything you ever wanted to know about wool. Of course, you don’t want to miss the Black Stump, a historic site waiting to be discovered.

Don’t miss the QANTAS Founders Museum or The Age of Dinosaurs Museum at the next two stops, and end off the trip with a spot of fishing while enjoying the perfect Gulf sunset at Sunset Tavern in Karumba.

Want to learn more about this route? Check out our guide to the ultimate Outback Queensland road trip.

2. The best route through North Queensland

Total distance: 1004km | Recommended days: 10 to 12 days | Best time to do the route: between April and October | Route Map

If you’re on the hunt for sun and sand then this is one of the best QLD road trips for you. Start off in Cairns and make your way through Palm Cove, Port Douglas, Daintree, Cape Tribulation, Cooktown and Undara Volcanic National Park along the way.

This is one trip that will have you making a huge splash along the way. You start off at the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, with snorkelling and plenty of outdoor exploring on your doorstep. Feast your taste buds on the delicious food at Reef Feast in Palm Cove, where all the top chefs come together in one place to delight.

Get up close to some amazing animals at the Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas, or take a stroll along one of their many beaches, including Four Mile Beach.

The Daintree Rainforest is not to be missed, with so many uninterrupted views for you to enjoy and soak up. Head into the Mossman Gorge, a boulder-strewn valley where you can view crystal clear water that bubbles over the ancient rocks there.

Don’t miss a Cape Trib horse ride, before losing the tourists and immersing yourself in history and culture in Cooktown. End off the trip by visiting one of the Earth’s longest flows of lava from a single volcano at Undara Volcanic National Park.

Want to learn more about this route? Check out our guide to the ultimate north Queensland road trip.

3. The best route through Queensland Coast

Total distance: 1,800km | Recommended days: 7 to 14 days | Best time to do the route: between September and February | Route Map

It’s time to hit the tropics and head through some of Queensland’s amazing sites starting in Brisbane and making your way to Noosa Shire, Hervey Bay, Rockhampton, Mackay, Airlie Beach, Townsville, Ingham and then ending in Cairns. Once you sort out your campervan hire in Brisbane, you’re ready to hit the open road!

Take a scenic drive through the National Heritage Glass House Mountains and try one of their family-friendly walking trails before you hit the whale-watching capital of Hervey Bay.

Venture onto Rockhampton where you can cool off at Kershaw Gardens and enjoy the amazing waterfall. Don’t miss the Bluewater Lagoon in Mackay, before heading to Airlie Beach where you can take a tropical tour through some breathtaking islands.

Make sure the Great Barrier Reef is on your to-do list, and experience it up close at Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville. Finally, end up in Cairns where you can spend plenty of time exploring the Daintree Rainforest and much more.

Want to learn more about this route? Check out our guide to the ultimate Queensland Coast road trip.

4. The best route through The Overlander’s Way

Total distance: 341 km | Recommended days: 5 to 7 days | Best time to do the route: Summer | Route Map

The Overlander’s Way takes you on the ultimate driving adventure following in the footsteps of the droving pioneers from the past. You start off in Townsville, before heading on through Hughenden, Richmond, Mount Isa and finish in Camooweal.

Follow the Ghosts of Gold Heritage Trail through Townsville, before venturing on and making a detour through the grand sandstone canyon at Porcupine Gorge to discover some prehistoric finds.

Mount Isa is the perfect stop to discover a little more about the Royal Flying Doctor Service and its amazing work. Get your rodeo on at the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo before heading on to the Camooweal Caves National Park.

5. The best route around Queensland

Total distance: 4,541km | Recommended days: t3 weeks | Best time to do the route: Autumn or Winter | Route Map

You’ll want to set aside a good three weeks to tackle this last amazing road trip. It’s the perfect way to experience as much of Queensland as possible! If you want to see a little bit of everything, sort out your campervan hire in Brisbane and get travelling.

Start off with a stop at Sunshine Coast, heading on to Gympie, Fraser Island, Townsville, Hughenden, Mount Isa, Cunnamulla, Saint George, then end the trip in Dalby. There are so many highlights to tick off along the way.

Set aside some time for the Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum, where you can discover a very interesting history. Take off on a coastal walk through Noosa National Park and enjoy their sub-tropical gardens.

Step back in time and uncover the dinosaur fossils at Hughenden and even see a lifesize replica at Flinders Discovery Centre. Don’t miss the sand dunes at Cunnamulla, where you can make a day of it with some outdoor activities.

Finally finish off at Dalby, where you can pay a trip to Bunya Mountains National Park and hit the local heritage trail.

Want to learn more about this route? Check out our guide to the ultimate Queensland__road trip.

Organise your QLD road trip with Camplify

With five amazing QLD road trips to explore, you’ll need a reliable home away from home to take you on your chosen Sunshine State adventure. Head to Camplify to discover the many unique rentals available to suit your needs at pick up locations across Queensland.

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