Rainforest and reef drive

Today you'll drive further north along Bruce Highway to Hervey Bay, a 3.5 hour drive. Want to experience Aussie beach life along the way? Take the Sunshine Highway to Noosa, where surfing is a part of everyday Aussie-life. Have a go at surfing or simply lay back and enjoy the beach.... when in Australia do as the Aussies do. We also recommend a visit to an even smaller town with a long stretch of beach and a laid-back atmosphere: Rainbow Beach. This charming town can be reached via Gympie and Brisbane Road. Once you finally reach Hervey Bay, you'll spend the night in a comfortable resort hotel near the beach with a swimming pool and tidy rooms. If you would like to go to Fraser Island or spend a half-day spotting whales by boat (whale season is from June through November) be sure to make reservations before heading off to sleep tonight.

Hervey Bay is known by most as a gateway to Fraser Island. Fraser Island is only 30-minutes by boat from Hervey Bay and is the largest sand island in the world; it stretches over 123km in length and is 22km at its widest point. This island is a combination of ancient rainforests and crystal-clear creeks, long uninterrupted white beaches flanked by coloured sand cliffs and unusual animal species such as wild dingos. While you're here, have a swim in one of freshwater lakes or relax and unwind on the broad, immaculate white beaches. Except for a few small rock patches, the island is almost completely made of sand. If you have a little more time to spend here, book our 3 day guided Fraser Island tour for an idyllic Fraser Island experience. 

Today you have a long drive ahead of you, so you may like to start off early. You'll drive through an agricultural area to Yepoon (approximately 430km, including several short stops it should take you about 7 - 8 hours). When you leave Hervey Bay you'll drive along the highway passing Bundaberg and Gladstone until you reach Rockhampton. The scenery on this route along the Capricorn Coast is breathtaking. Once you reach Rockhampton you'll drive along Yeppoon Road for the last 40km until you reach your destination. Tonight you'll stay at a bungalow park with a large swimming pool about 9km south of the city of Yeppoon. You'll sleep in one of the colourfully painted cabins within walking distance from Mulambin Beach. If you have a little more time to spend here, extend your stay and go on a day trip to tropical Great Keppel Island.

Next up on your itinerary is Mackay; it should take about 5 hours to drive the 450km to get there. Sometime in the afternoon you'll reach the Australian Outback farm where we've arranged for you to stay in a modest, yet tidy room. Leave your bags in your rustic room filled with lots of wood elements and put on your cowboy hat. The owner of the farm will take those who are interested on a horseback ride through dense forests to a waterfall. You'll spend the night in a primitive cabin with an outdoors shower. The farm owner will take you to your cabin with his 4x4 if it cannot be reached by compact car. The owner's hospitality will more than make up for the modest accommodation. In the evening you can choose to either prepare your own dinner on the campfire or have a bite to eat with the owner and his wife. 

Today you'll get back on Bruce Highway and this time you'll stay on it all the way to Airlie Beach. You'll drive approximately 150km in about 2 hours. Along the way you can stop off at Eungella National Park. Keep on the look-out for the park's interesting plant life and unique wildlife. Brushtail Possums, Gliders and Platypus can all be found near the Broken River. Visit the Illawong Sanctuary to see koala bears, wombats and crocodiles. There are also quite a few hiking trails that will give you a good impression of this large natural reserve. During your hike you'll be able to see the sugar cane fields in Pioneer Valley and the rainforest covered Clarke Mountain Range. As you get back on the road you'll pass Proserpine and eventually you'll reach Airlie. Tonight you'll spend the night in a comfortable chalet. Your cabin will have every necessary amenity such as a kitchen, tv, shower, toilet and air-conditioning.

Airlie Beach is a colourful, inviting, mellow holiday town lying on the shores of a palm fringed beach. There are plenty of dining and entertainment options in Airlie Beach. Choose from more posh restaurants to al fresco cafes and cheap eats. In the evening Airlie's clubs and bars provide plenty of entertainment and are the perfect place to sample tropical cocktails. Airlie is mostly known as the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. The majority of the 74 Whitsunday islands are uninhabited. These islands have been preserved in their purest natural state, overgrown with dense rainforest and surrounded by sparkling azure blue seas. Today you'll get to see it all during an adventurous sailing trip across the world famous Great Barrier Reef.

You'll visit the most beautiful spots such as the famous Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, Naturally you'll have plenty of time to go snorkelling while at Great Barrier Reef. If you have enough time, you may want pass on the daytrip and instead go on a Whitsundays sailing trip on an actual yacht. Spend your days indulging in national park islands, coral cays, fringing coral reefs and stunning beaches... and spend tropical nights beneath a fabulously clear starry sky.

Another early morning today as you head out to tropical Mission Beach. You'll have quite a long road ahead of you, approximately 500km or 7 hours actually. Your driving route runs parallel to the sea today. Halfway through the drive you'll pass Townsville. This pleasant beachfront town looks out upon easy-going Magnetic Island. You may want to spend an extra day here so that you can explore this island. It will only take you 20 minutes to reach the island from Townsville. Take the 'sun bus' and you can explore the island at your own pace and get on and off the bus as you please. There are plenty of idyllic bays for swimming and snorkelling. While on the island you can also go horseback riding, sailing or kayaking. It will take you another 3.5 hours to reach Mission Beach from Townsville. Your accommodation in Mission Beach is a resort located on 50 acres of rainforest covered hills. The owner of the resort will come to get you at the parking lot with a 4x4, since your own compact car won't be able to drive the last 600m to the resort. Mission Beach is where the rainforest meets the sea and where nature is rugged and pure. Spend the day in tranquillity surrounded by nature and spend the night at a comfortable hotel near palm tree beaches.

Today you won't have to drive much, so you can spend a long, lazy morning on the beach. Early in the afternoon you can start off on the last leg of this trip, to Cairns (140km or 2.5 hours). As soon as you arrive in the city, you'll drop off your hire car. Cairns is the heart of the tropical north; it has an ideal tropical climate, the sea is nearby and there is always plenty to see and do. If you need some cooling off, go for a swim in Cairn's large, free public swimming pool 'The Lagoon'. Have dinner at one of the many restaurants, bistros, cafes, coffee shops and food halls on the Esplanade or visit the night market.   

If you plan on travelling on after Cairns, you could add our Cape Tribulation tour to your itinerary for a trip to the Cape and the Great Barrier Reef. If you would like to end your trip with a few relaxing days on the beach, we recommend heading to Palm Cove Australia.