View of Walshs Pyramid

Getting around by car

Tropical North Queensland is the perfect self-drive destination

Epic Road Trip

It’s easy to turn your holiday to Tropical North Queensland into an epic road trip. There are four main routes that lead into the region: the Great Inland Way, Pacific Coast Way, Matilda Way and Savannah Way.

The Great Inland Way starts in Sydney, New South Wales, and runs all the way to Cooktown, covering almost 2700km. It winds past rolling farmland, historic gold rush towns, dusty country pubs and lush rainforest before meeting the Coral Sea. Covering nearly the entire Queensland coast, the Pacific Coast Way links the Gold Coast and Cairns. It’s a 1870km journey past sparkling beaches, through multiple national parks and some of Australia’s most famous resorts.

The 1800km Matilda Way lets you discover the beauty of inland Queensland from the New South Wales border all the way to the Gulf of Carpentaria. It’s a little-visited region that will give you a taste of the real Outback.

For a true adventure, tackle the Savannah Way. Traversing the top of the country, the Savannah Way travels for 3700km between Broome in Western Australia and Cairns. It passes through 15 national parks and five World Heritage Sites, making for an unforgettable journey. It’s a mix of sealed and dirt roads, so make sure your vehicle is suitable before attempting it.

Where to hire a car

There are many places to hire a car across Tropical North Queensland including from these companies.

Explore more

There’s so much to do in Tropical North Queensland.

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