My Aussie GuideMy Aussie Guide

    Brisbane → Sunshine Coast → Bundaberg → Rockhampton → Mackay → Airlie Beach → Townsville → Mission Beach → Cairns

    Pacific Coast Way: the full drive guide

    Officially branded the Pacific Coast Way by Queensland tourism — a State Strategic Touring Route — this guide covers the Queensland leg of that route: Brisbane to Cairns via the Bruce Highway, picking up where our Legendary Pacific Coast guide (Sydney to Brisbane) leaves off.

    Distance
    ~1,930 km as driven via the Sunshine Coast, Whitsundays and Mission Beach — the direct Bruce Highway run, skipping those detours, is closer to 1,700 km
    Time needed
    5 days minimum end-to-end at highway pace; 10–14 days lets you actually stop
    Vehicle
    2WD suitable
    Surface
    Fully sealed the entire way — the Bruce Highway is a national highway (the A1) — though much of it remains single carriageway outside the major towns.
    Best months
    May–October. The wet season and cyclone season, roughly November–April, bring the highway's highest flood risk and have closed sections after major rain events in past years, particularly around the flood-prone river systems at Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville.
    EV suitability
    EV: plan your charging
    Route style
    Point-to-point
    Pacific Coast Way — Queensland

    Route map

    Stops shown in driving order with a straight line between them, for planning only — this is not a turn-by-turn route. Always check current road conditions before you travel.

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    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

    Route stops in order: 1. Brisbane, 2. Sunshine Coast, 3. Bundaberg, 4. Rockhampton, 5. Mackay, 6. Airlie Beach, 7. Townsville, 8. Mission Beach, 9. Cairns.

    Seasonal gate & outback safety

    Check before you commit to dates
    1. JJanuary — Caution
    2. FFebruary — Caution
    3. MMarch — Caution
    4. AApril — Open — go
    5. MMay — Open — go
    6. JJune — Open — go
    7. JJuly — Open — go
    8. AAugust — Open — go
    9. SSeptember — Open — go
    10. OOctober — Open — go
    11. NNovember — Caution
    12. DDecember — Caution
    • Open — go
    • Caution
    • High risk / cut

    Open year-round with no seasonal closure of its own, but the wet season and cyclone season, roughly November to April, bring real flood risk at the river crossings around Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville — sections of the Bruce Highway have closed for days at a time after major rain events in past years. April to October is the comfortable, lower-risk window.

    Wildlife warning: do not drive at night

    Kangaroos and wallabies are active at dawn and dusk on the bushland sections, and southern cassowaries cross roads around Mission Beach and Cardwell — slow down through signed cassowary zones. Fatigue from the sheer length of the drive is as real a risk as wildlife on the long single-carriageway stretches.

    Live road conditions

    QLDTrafficBureau of Meteorology — Queensland

    This is a route guide, not a holiday plan — for day-by-day pacing with specific overnight stops, see our 3 Weeks East Coast: Sydney to Cairns itinerary, which covers the same corridor and treats the Sunshine Coast-to-Whitsundays stretch as flyable. Use this guide for the road logistics of driving the whole thing instead.

    The Bruce Highway carries a reputation, deserved in places, as one of Australia's more demanding major highways — long single-carriageway stretches, heavy freight and grey-nomad caravan traffic, and a flood risk that has closed sections for days at a time in past wet seasons. None of that makes it hard to drive well; it does make fatigue management and realistic daily distances more important than on a quieter route.

    The stops, in driving order

    1. 01

      Brisbane

      0 km in · Start

      The start, with full capital-city services before the coast road north begins.

      Tip: Leave early if you can — the northern approaches out of Brisbane clog on weekday mornings.

    2. 02

      Sunshine Coast

      120 km in · 1h 30m

      The first genuine coastal stop off the highway proper, and the last significant population centre before a long run north.

      Tip: Fill up here — fuel and services thin out noticeably once you're past Gympie.

    3. 03

      Bundaberg

      500 km in · 4h 15m

      Critical supply point — Fuel and full services before the run to Rockhampton — a genuine regional city, not just a fuel stop.

      A regional city and the turnoff point for Agnes Water and Town of 1770, a worthwhile detour off the highway proper if you have the extra time.

      Tip: The Agnes Water/1770 detour adds real distance both ways — decide before you leave Bundaberg, not partway there.

    4. 04

      Rockhampton

      790 km in · 3h 30m

      The self-styled 'beef capital' of Australia, sitting on the Tropic of Capricorn, and the turnoff for Yeppoon and the Great Keppel Island ferry.

      Tip: The Fitzroy River here has flooded and cut the highway during major wet-season events — check QLDTraffic if you're travelling in the wet season.

    5. 05

      Mackay

      1125 km in · 3h 45m

      Critical supply point — Full services and a sensible overnight before continuing to the Whitsundays or Townsville.

      A regional sugar and coal-export city, and the turnoff inland to Eungella National Park's rainforest and platypus-viewing platforms.

      Tip: Full services and a sensible overnight if you're not pushing straight through to Airlie Beach.

    6. 06

      Airlie Beach

      1276 km in · 2h

      The Whitsundays gateway. Our 10 Days in the Whitsundays & Airlie Beach itinerary covers the islands and sailing side of this stop in depth — this guide only covers getting here by road.

      Tip: Whitsunday Coast Airport at Proserpine, a short drive back off the highway, is the fly-in alternative to driving this whole route.

    7. 07

      Townsville

      1554 km in · 3h 15m

      Critical supply point — The last full-size city before Cairns — restock and check the vehicle over here.

      A full-service regional city, with a short ferry crossing to Magnetic Island for its koala colony and beaches if you have a spare day.

      Tip: Worth a proper overnight rather than a fuel stop — it's the last full-size city before Cairns.

    8. 08

      Mission Beach

      1789 km in · 2h 45m

      A quieter coastal stop, and one of the more reliable places in Australia to see a southern cassowary, an endangered flightless bird found only in this pocket of rainforest.

      Tip: Cassowary vehicle strikes are a genuine local conservation issue — slow down through signed cassowary zones, especially around dawn and dusk.

    9. 09

      Cairns

      1929 km in · 1h 45m

      The end of the route, and the base for the Great Barrier Reef and tropical North Queensland — see our 5 Days in Cairns & Tropical North Queensland itinerary for what to do once you're here.

      Tip: Full services and an international airport if you're not continuing further north.

    Drive planning: legs, fuel and conditions

    Three paces, same road: highway pace, a towing or 4WD rig, and what the day actually takes once fatigue and photo stops are in it.

    Pacific Coast Way — honest timings by leg
    LegDistanceStandard vehicleHighway pace, no stopsTowing / 4WD rig90–100 km/h cruiseRealistic paceFatigue + photo stopsFuel
    Brisbane → Sunshine Coast~120 km1h 30m1h 50m1h 45mPlentiful
    Sunshine Coast → Bundaberg~380 km4h 15m5h 5m5h 30mGympie, Maryborough
    Bundaberg → Rockhampton~290 km3h 30m4h 10m4h 20mMiriam Vale, Gladstone
    Rockhampton → Mackay~335 km3h 45m4h 30m4h 40mMarlborough, St Lawrence
    Mackay → Airlie Beach~151 km2h2h 25m2h 35mProserpine
    Airlie Beach → Townsville~278 km3h 15m3h 55m4h 5mBowen, Ayr
    Townsville → Mission Beach~235 km2h 45m3h 20m3h 30mIngham, Cardwell
    Mission Beach → Cairns~140 km1h 45m2h 5m2h 5mInnisfail
    Whole route22h 45m27h 20m28h 20m

    How we get these: standard is moving time at signposted highway pace. Rig time assumes a 90–100 km/h cruise and slower acceleration — roughly 20% longer. Realistic pace adds a 15-minute fatigue stop every two hours (the national driver-fatigue guidance) plus about ten minutes an hour for photos, fuel and legs. Plan daylight around the realistic column, not the standard one.

    Pacific Coast Way — leg conditions
    LegDistanceFuelNotes
    Brisbane → Sunshine Coast~120 kmPlentifulSealed motorway, then coastal roads
    Sunshine Coast → Bundaberg~380 kmGympie, MaryboroughSealed; one of the longer legs on the route
    Bundaberg → Rockhampton~290 kmMiriam Vale, GladstoneSealed; Gladstone is the main service town midway
    Rockhampton → Mackay~335 kmMarlborough, St LawrenceSealed; long stretch, breaks up at a couple of small roadhouses
    Mackay → Airlie Beach~151 kmProserpineSealed; short detour off the Bruce Highway proper at Proserpine
    Airlie Beach → Townsville~278 kmBowen, AyrSealed; Bowen is the main town midway
    Townsville → Mission Beach~235 kmIngham, CardwellSealed; enters cassowary country near Cardwell — slow down through signed zones
    Mission Beach → Cairns~140 kmInnisfailSealed; the shortest leg on the route

    What can go wrong

    • Fatigue is the biggest single risk on this route — long single-carriageway stretches, heavy freight and caravan traffic, and a straight, monotonous road surface all combine. Take a proper break every two hours, not just when you feel tired.
    • The wet season and cyclone season, roughly November to April, bring real flood risk to the river systems around Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville, and sections of the Bruce Highway have closed for days at a time after major rain events in past years. Check QLDTraffic before departing, not just before you book, if travelling in that window.
    • Southern cassowaries cross roads in the Mission Beach and Cardwell area, and vehicle strikes are a genuine threat to this endangered species — slow down through signed cassowary zones, particularly around dawn and dusk.
    • Kangaroos and wallabies are active at dawn and dusk on the sections that run through bushland, particularly the longer rural stretches between Bundaberg and Mackay.
    • Fuel gaps between the larger towns run up to around 380 km on this route — fill up in the regional cities (Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville) rather than assuming the next roadhouse will have what you need.

    Conditions change seasonally and after storms. Check current conditions with the road authority before relying on any of this.

    Common questions

    That itinerary is a day-by-day holiday plan with specific overnight stops, and it explicitly treats the Sunshine Coast-to-Whitsundays stretch as a flying option rather than a drive. This is a route guide covering the full Brisbane-to-Cairns drive by road, with fuel, fatigue and flood-risk detail that itinerary doesn't go into.

    Yes, with the same care any long highway needs — it's fully sealed, but long single-carriageway stretches, heavy freight traffic and fatigue are the real risks, not road quality. Take regular breaks and avoid driving at dawn or dusk through the bushland sections where wildlife strikes are common.

    No — it's an optional detour off the highway near Bundaberg, not part of the core route. It's worthwhile if you have the extra time, but skip it without regret if you're pushed for days.

    With planning, yes — every major town en route is a genuine regional city, unlike the remote outback routes elsewhere on this site. But the gaps between them run up to 380 km, further than a comfortable single charge in tropical heat with air-conditioning running, so confirm charging options for your specific stops before you leave rather than assuming you'll find something at each town.

    Where this is researched from

    • QLDTraffic — Live road conditions, flood and cyclone-season closures
    • Queensland.com — Pacific Coast Way — Official touring-route framing
    • Department of Transport and Main Roads (Queensland) — Bruce Highway upgrade program and route information
    • Bureau of Meteorology — Cyclone and wet-season forecasts for the Queensland coast

    This is a researched guide, not a firsthand trip report. How we research.

    Spotted something we should update? Let us know.