Cairns and Port Douglas

Chasing the very best road trip from Brisbane? This might just be it. The Bruce Highway from Brisbane to Cairns is considered one of Australia’s greatest drives – not so much for the highway itself, but the places you’ll encounter along the way. Now known as the Pacific Coast Way, the 1,764km trip takes in beautiful beach locales such as Noosa, Yeppoon, Airlie Beach and Palm Cove; buzzy northern cities like Townsville and Rockhampton; and stunning landmarks such as the Great Barrier Reef and Paronella Park.

Pacific Coast Way ends in Cairns, but it’s worth adding on the extra 65km to reach beautiful Port Douglas. And if you have a four-wheel drive, consider making time for the Great Beach Drive, which connects the Sunshine Coast with K’gari (Fraser Island), the largest sand island in the world.

Drive time: between five to eight days

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