It’s time to experience the outback. The red dust, the emus, the road trains, all of it! That’s exactly what this road trip guide from Cairns, Queensland to Darwin, Northern Territory is going to introduce. Everything Australia is best known for—which isn’t found on the busy coastal routes.
This is a DIY road trip guide for 2WD vehicles through Queensland’s outback to the Northern Territory. There’s vast landscape, insane storms and cattle stations for days. It’s a true Australian road trip and experience to see this part of the country. Check out this road trip guide for everything 2WD, what roads to take, what the different times of year brings (wet season and dry season) and how to stay safe!
Australia’s top end has two distinct seasons. The dry season which is cooler and relatively dry, or the wet season, which brings monsoon rains and hot and humid temperatures.
I did this Cairns, QLD to Darwin, NT road trip during the wet season, so what’s on this guide will be mostly applicable for the wet season, but there’s not too many differences from the dry season. So either season, read on, I’ll explain differences of places during the seasons, if applicable.
Before getting started on the list, a few notes about my road trip guides. These aren’t meant to speed through the entire trip, it’s more about enjoying the journey. I give honest opinions about what there is to see and do along the way. And add free or low-budget campsites for each day.
This route goes over a dirt road section, which isn’t recommended during the wet season. To avoid this, head first to Townsville then inland towards Mount Isa.
Table of Contents
Road Trip: Cairns, Queensland to Darwin, Northern Territory
Total drive time: 28 and a half hours
Recommended minimum days: Nine
Day 1: Cairns to Mount Garnet, Queensland
Drive time: Two and a half hours
Start out this road trip from Cairns, QLD to Darwin, NT easy and cool by heading inland past the Atherton Tablelands to Mount Garnet.
If you haven’t explored the area yet, you may want to take at least one full day to do so. I have helpful tips on what to do around there, such as the waterfalls to see in my road trip guide from Brisbane to Cairns, QLD.
It’s also a good time to stop at a grocery store before continuing on in Atherton. There will only be small grocery stores in servos until Hughenden, where there’s a few grocery stores. There aren’t any big-name grocery stores until Mount Isa, so stock up on essentials before the drive.
Campgrounds
Mount Garnet is a tiny town with character, and characters. It’s a nice and quiet place to stop for the night with a few free campground. Highly recommend the Pluto Pup at the servo!
- Mount Garnet BP Station (purchasing something at the servo is appreciated, but not mandatory to stay)
- Rest area on Kennedy Highway (just south of Mount Garnet)
Day 2: Mount Garnet to Hughenden, QLD
Drive Time: Four and a half hours
It’s a long drive through the outback from Mount Garnet to Hughenden, but there aren’t a lot of stops in the middle. Okay, let me rephrase that. There are stops, but not enough to garner staying another night along the road throughout this drive.
A popular outback natural wonder to stop at would be to do a tour at Undara Volcanic National Park. There’s paid tours, but that’s an all day adventure, as the road out there is a rough, corrugated and long. Otherwise, take the shorter drive to go high atop an old volcano at the Bluff Walk Lookout.
The drive continuing to Hughenden turns to a dirt road on and off. If you want to avoid dirt roads, head first to Charters Towers City.
The corrugation on the dirt road means I was often going only 35 km in my 2WD, but it was okay, I survived. It’s a beautiful deep-red dirt road which goes through Blackbraes National Park and many, many cattle station properties.
Don’t miss stopping at the Porcupine Gorge Lookout. It’s only five kilometres off the highway and has phenomenal views into the gorge, which feels like it comes from nowhere. There’s even a campground in Porcupine Gorge National Park called Pyramid camping area.
Campgrounds
As the drive continues through the outback, there’s surprisingly less free campgrounds available. Doing this drive in the summer I didn’t mind paying for campgrounds so I could shower at the end of the day. Don’t attempt to free camp somewhere in town, as police are ready to give people ‘move on’ notices.
- Rest East Motel and Caravan Park
- Hughenden Allen Terry Caravan Park
Day 3: Hughenden to Julia Creek, QLD
Drive Time: Two hours and 50 minutes
After Hughenden is when I felt it was really the outback. Less trees, more dry landscape, massive road trains and yes, more cattle stations. The drive is flat and can get boring, which is why it’s important to take breaks.
Hughenden has a man-made lake in town, which is good for swimming and water sports. Locals spend their time on boats there over the weekends.
The man-made lake in Richmond is no different. Except Richmond has a slightly humorous and dark story, you’ll notice while driving into town. A billboard with a family picnic, complete with an Esky full of ice saying, “the only ice welcome in Richmond.”
Aside from the lake, Richmond doesn’t have a lot going on, but the barbecues and picnic tables near the lake make for a great lunch spot. Take a stroll through town and enjoy the large roads of outback Queensland.
Next up on the drive is Julia Creek. This small outback town is concentrated along the main drag. Find a memorable piece of barbed wire strung into a ball while entering town. This was made from collected fence wire which was destroyed in the 2019 flooding, which the surrounding area endured. At the time supplies, including food for cattle had to be air lifted by helicopters to those in need.
What Julia Creek has going on, or rather the tourist information centre is dunnart feedings. They’re essentially native marsupial mice, local to the area. They’re found all throughout Australia, even on Kangaroo Island.
Campgrounds
Campground options are limited in Julia Creek, but I can say the local Julia Creek Caravan Park is worth the stay. They have multiple bore baths, which are outdoor baths filled with the bore water (which comes from underground).
Otherwise for something different, check out Corella Creek Country Farmstay, in Nelia, just off the highway a bit before Julia Creek.
Day 4: Julia Creek to Mount Isa, QLD
Drive time: Two hours and 50 minutes
From the previous day of driving, both Richmond and Julia Creek are surrounded by cattle stations and don’t have much tourism coming in. Cloncurry and Mount Isa are big mining towns, and the size of the towns show how much more business is around.
Cloncurry is the first stop, or drive through, on this route. The IGA in town has a good selection of food, and the connecting cafe has affordable and quality prepared foods.
Naturally, Cloncurry is much more hilly than the rest of this drive so far. It has a rocky landscape which moves with the drive, and that only gets better while heading more west. Just to clarify mountains and hills come and go throughout the entire drive, it’s not like your driving into the Grampians.
Then over to Mount Isa, which is known as Australia’s rodeo capital as it hosts the largest rodeo in the southern hemisphere every year. The town is also a booming mining centre, which is visible from the CBD. Mount Isa is the best location to stock up on affordable groceries as it’s one of few stops on this Cairns, QLD to Darwin, NT road trip that have the big named grocery stores.
For coffee, Bambino Espresso is a friendly a tasty stop, highly recommend the iced coffee on a hot day.
If you have any mechanical issues with you vehicle or need a service, stop in at Miners Mate Mechanical, which is a Repco Authorized Car Service. This isn’t sponsored, but my partner and I were blown away how efficient the mechanic was there to help get our vehicle up on the road as soon as possible, even during the holidays.
There’s a lot of mining tourism in and around Mount Isa, if that’s what you’re interested in, inquire with the tourist information centre.
Campgrounds
There are a few free campgrounds around Mount Isa, but not in the city itself. A bit before there’s two rest areas, Fountain Springs and Clem Walton Park.
And after Mount Isa, heading north, there’s WW2 Memorial rest area. Keep in mind the rest areas have limited facilities, so you’ll need enough drinking water for the duration of your stay and then afterwards. If you need a shower here’s some paid options:
- Discovery Parks – Argylla
- Mount Isa Caravan Park
- Discover Parks – Mount Isa
- Sunset Top Tourist Park
- AAOK Moondarra Caravan Park
Day 5: Mount Isa, QLD to Tablelands, Northern Territory
Drive Time: Four hours and 40 minutes
Okay, I know what you may be thinking, almost five hours drive? You’ll thank me later. Getting past this hump in the Cairns, QLD to Darwin, NT road trip is worth it to drive extra in one day. But if you really need an extra night somewhere to break up the drive, Camooweal, just before the Northern Territory border is a good spot.
In the dry season, a must-visit national park in the area is Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park. This natural oasis in the north west highlands of Queensland is filled with gorge country.
The park is mostly still open during the wet season, but access for 2WD is by a long, rough corrugated road. Meaning, it’s not the safest place to go off-grid unless you’re prepared to stay more than a few days if a rainstorm ruins the access road.
Aside from this park, there’s not many stops during this drive which is the challenging part. It’s beautiful to admire the red dirt creeks, the changing landscape and of course the termite hills.
There’s also mega parts (as in hundreds of kilometres straight) when there’s no cellphone service, even through Telstra. Download all the playlists before heading into the outback. And, for wet season-specific concerns check out my Guide: Travelling to Northern Australia during the Wet Season.
Stop at rest areas to move your body or switch drivers in-between this long drive.
Campgrounds
There are free campgrounds and paid campgrounds along this route, but on a hot day it’s nice to relax somewhere you can take a shower. Which is why I’m listing both free and paid campgrounds here.
I stayed at the Barkly Homestead Roadhouse, and although it’s A$15 per person, per night (for unpowered) it’s worth it, as they have a kitchen area, a pool, and a restaurant out front.
- Puma Camooweal Roadhouse (Paid)
- Avon Downs Rest Area (Free)
- Barkly Homestead Roadhouse (Paid)
Day 6: Tablelands to Newcastle Waters, NT
Drive Time: Four and a half hours
Day six of the road trip from Cairns, QLD to Darwin, NT and you’re fully in the outback. That’s right, there’s no going back from here.
Depending on the time of year, there may be green grass, or none at all—along the sides of the road. As it’s inland, it’s not yet as humid as it will be close to the coast, enjoy that while it lasts.
Optional detour: instead of heading straight up north, I decided to head to the Devil’s Marbles a bit south. From Tablelands this is a three hour drive, which adds another day to the road trip. The next day I drove all the way to Katherine, which is a bit of a leap, but there wasn’t much to do in between.
I can’t recommend this detour enough because the route otherwise doesn’t have a lot of stops.
After heading back north from the Devil’s Marbles, stop in at The Pebbles. These are a smaller version of the marbles and another good place to go for a walk. Especially so for breaking up the drive.
Aside from that, there’s some good shopping spots in Tennants Creek, and cheap fuel. Keep heading north, most of the small ‘towns’ on the map are just a few houses and a caravan park—or less. Not to discredit their size, regional Australia serves up just as much importance as big cities.
Try to stop in at Aboriginal cultural centres whenever possible. It’s always a good time to learn more about the local people and country.
For this part of the trip, it’s good to take a break from the drive and stop somewhere, such as at New Castle Waters.
Campgrounds
Depending on how much you’d like to drive there’s several campground options.
- Devils Marbles Campground (low cost)
- Outback Caravan Park (paid)
- Tennant Creek Caravan Park (paid)
- Threeways Roadhouse & Tours Park (paid)
- Attack Creek Camping Area (free)
- Banka Banka West Station & Tourist Park (paid)
- Renner Springs Desert Inn (paid)
- Newcastle Waters Rest Area (free)
Day 7: Newcastle Waters to Katherine, NT
Drive time: Four hours
Heading through this part of the outback is when I noticed the humidity of Australia’s top end. My windows were open and I was gradually feeling sticky, everywhere. By the time I was in Katherine, my partner and I jumped right in the caravan park’s pool.
I have never appreciated caravan parks with pools so much, than on this road trip.
For this lag of the journey, stop over at the Mataranka Thermal Pool. There’s multiple campgrounds in the area if you choose to stay here as well. The pool is only open seasonally. It must close during the wet season as saltwater crocodile come into the area as it floods. Check online or call ahead to enquire.
Other than the thermal pool, near Katherine, visit Nitmiluk National Park. It’s hot and sweaty during the wet season, but there’s still gorge tours going on in the area. Or start a hike early in the morning to get some (free) views through the gorges at lookouts.
Campgrounds
There’s loads of different campgrounds around Katherine, especially caravan parks within town. I’ll just name two, a quick google search will show the rest of the caravan parks in town.
- King River South Rest Area (free)
- Riverview Tourist Village
Day 8: Katherine to Litchfield National Park, NT
Drive Time: Two and a half hours
Just a short drive, and the perfect amount of daylight to start exploring Litchfield National Park. Spend at least three days exploring the park, or a tad less during the wet season! It’s almost the end of the road trip from Cairns, QLD to Darwin, NT, so enjoy every minute.
Thankfully this park has swimming holes open in both the wet season and dry season. So no matter what the temperature is, there’s always a place to go for a dip!
A popular and personal favourite is Florence Falls, it’s big enough that (depending on the size of the crowds) people can enjoy different parts of the pool without it feeling crowded.
Otherwise, Buley Rock Hole is a great space for cooling off, but not the best for swimming as the pools are relatively small. Although, Buley does have pretty magical surroundings.
Litchfield is well-known for its 4WD vehicle tracks, which lead to the amazing Lost City. These tracks are not open during the wet season, so it’s important so plan accordingly. Or, if you’re feeling bougie, check out the scenic flights to see the 4WD areas all-year-round.
Campgrounds
Theres many good reasons to stay in Litchfield National Park, such as their local low-budget campgrounds. Florence Falls 2WD, 4WD and the Wangi Falls Campground even have showers! Cold, albeit incredibly refreshing during the humid wet season. There’s also Walker Creek which offers walk-in campsites only.
National Park fees at all sites are just A$6.60 per adult. Campsites are first-come, first-serve basis so get in there quick! Especially on weekends and during the busier dry season.
Day 9: Litchfield National Park to Darwin, NT
Drive Time: One hour and 20 minutes
The scenery along the drive from Katherine to Darwin doesn’t change much. I did this drive during the wet season and it was lush green all the way. There’s numerous WWII airstrips along the side of the highway for photo opportunities, or well-deserved breaks.
I purposely didn’t include Kakadu National Park in this guide. This is because the route to both there and Litchfield National Park are better broken up into two trips.
It also makes it easier to stock up on groceries between visiting the two, as it’s good to take at least two days to stay in each park. And, there’s loads of driving to get in and around Kakadu.
For accommodation in Darwin, there’s campgrounds around, but I chose to stay in a hotel to escape van life for a few days. Also I was in desperate need of air conditioning, as Darwin during the wet season is like a steam room 24/7.
If you’re looking for a good accommodation option while staying on a budget, I enjoyed staying at Argus Hotel Darwin, they have comfortable rooms and A/C, making a little break much more enjoyable.
Interested in Northern Australia? Check out my guide on visiting Northern Australia during the wet season, and visiting Kakadu National Park during the wet season.
