Brisbane to Townsville Road Trip: 5 Days, $1 a Day Car
When the opportunity was available to drive a car one way from Brisbane to Townsville over 5 days with a $1 a day car rental, we were all in. We got there on a 6am flight using points and the same ibis Budget hack that started this arc, and flew home from Townsville the same way. The mystery car turned out to be an MG SUV with unlimited kilometres — a bit of a clunker on the road, if we’re being honest, but you simply cannot beat free.
The trick with a trip like this is what to keep and what to leave out. It is that tension that allows you to make sure you do the road trip that you really want to do. No fluff, no timewasting.
Would we do it again? Yes. Would we do it differently? Only on the edges.
In this post:
The 5-day driving itinerary
With 1,500km to cover in five days we decided to front-load the trip — this would give us a more relaxed finish. Also, as we were dependent on getting off the plane and enjoying the trip, we needed a balanced approach. We shared the driving throughout, and kept things flexible by booking accommodation only a day or two in advance.
The real route, Brisbane to Townsville — drag to explore or open in Google Maps.
- Day 1 — Brisbane to Bargara
~450 km~6h driving30% of tripHeaded north with a daytime stop at Hervey Bay, where a walk along the pier rewarded us with sightings of turtles, sea eagles, and boobies.
One of a few turtles spotted from the Hervey Bay pier on the day-stop.
Grabbed fish and chips (flake and shark) for dinner in Bargara.
Dinner with a view — flake and shark, Bargara beach.
🏨 Don Pancho by the BeachBargara, QLD$214.19 - Day 2 — Bargara to Yeppoon
~375 km~5h driving55% of tripStopped in Bundaberg for a classic ginger beer tasting on the way out.
The full flavour lineup at the Bundaberg tasting bar.
Outside the Bundaberg visitor centre — “Naturally Brewed to be Better.”
Then kept the coastal vibes going and rolled into Yeppoon, where we spent the evening catching live music at the local RSL sub-branch.🏨 Yeppoon Surfside MotelYeppoon, QLD$260.54 - Day 3 — Yeppoon to Cape Hillsborough
~200 km~2h40m driving68% of tripDriving through Mackay during the sugarcane harvest was incredible — the town tour itself was a bit underwhelming, but the sheer activity of the harvest made the approach spectacular. Bought food en route — sausages, onions and tomatoes for the barbecue — and picked up milk at the caravan park on arrival. Did the hike up to the lookout as soon as we got in.
Our cabin for the night at Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park, with the MG parked out front.
🏨 Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist ParkCape Hillsborough, QLD$150.00 - Day 4 — Cape Hillsborough to Airlie Beach
~170 km~2h15m driving80% of tripA 6am start to catch the local kangaroos feeding on the beach at sunrise — worth the early alarm.
Cape Hillsborough beach, 6am — the reason for the early alarm.
From there, breaking up the middle stretch by staying at Cape Hillsborough left us with an easy, short hop into Airlie Beach.🏨 Whitehaven Beachfront Holiday UnitsAirlie Beach, QLD$200.00 - Day 5 — Airlie Beach to Townsville
~305 km~4h driving100% of tripBowen is an absolute must-stop. We walked the wharf hoping to spot dugongs (no luck this time), but made up for it with amazing Spanish mackerel and chips. Checked out the local lookout and visited the Big Mango, where a $6 mango sorbet came with a complimentary cup of tea and a biscuit.
The MG next to Bowen’s Big Mango — worth the photo stop.
🏨 Aquarius on the BeachTownsville, QLD — Executive Beach View room$270.00We stayed three nights in Townsville total, switching rooms on the last night via a phone booking — $270.00 covers the one night we’ve got a firm rate for.
Once you’re this far north, the beach signage changes. The Strand in Townsville warns of marine stingers, crocodiles, submerged objects and stonefish — standard for tropical Queensland, but worth reading properly rather than skimming past.
What the trip actually cost
| Item | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Don Pancho by the Beach | Bargara, QLD | $214.19 |
| Yeppoon Surfside Motel | Yeppoon, QLD | $260.54 |
| Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park | Cape Hillsborough, QLD | $150.00 |
| Whitehaven Beachfront Holiday Units | Airlie Beach, QLD | $200.00 |
| Aquarius on the Beach (1 night, firm rate) | Townsville, QLD | $270.00 |
| Relocation car rental (5 days @ $1/day) | Brisbane to Townsville | $5.00 |
| Petrol | Whole trip | $220.00 |
| Total (known costs) | $1,319.73 |
This total covers everything we’ve got a firm figure for. It doesn’t include the two extra nights in Townsville beyond the $270 first night, or the flights themselves, which we booked on points rather than cash.
Bonus: island hopping on Magnetic Island
To guarantee an early start for Magnetic Island, we dropped the MG off a night early in Townsville. We explored the island using the local bus system, which is an incredible deal at just $1 per person for the entire day.
We used the bus to beach-hop for swims at Horseshoe Bay and Arcadia. A word of warning: the buses can be unreliable. Ours completely skipped our stop, saving us a 90-minute wait but forcing a spontaneous 3-kilometre hike — the detour paid off with a fantastic echidna sighting. We capped off the island visit with the Forts Walk, spectacular views, and two healthy koalas.
One of two koalas spotted on the Forts Walk, Magnetic Island.
Road trip realities and tips
Map times are a myth: the mapping apps consistently underestimated our daily driving times. Between the extensive roadworks along the Queensland coast and our relaxed driving pace, expect the legs to take longer than advertised.
Fuel is easy: finding petrol was never an issue — we just topped up before starting the day or upon arrival.
Pacing is everything: the coastal scenery shifts dramatically between breathtaking and boring. Space out your driving days to keep the trip enjoyable.
This route runs through a fair bit of regional Queensland — coverage between towns isn’t guaranteed, and roaming charges add up fast over five days of driving. Sort an Australian eSIM before you land rather than trying to buy a local SIM at Brisbane Airport on the way to pick up the car. Our code DREWDEALNEW gets new users 15% off, or DREWDEAL gets existing users 10% off, both auto-applied at this link.
(Small referral our way if you use our link — doesn’t change your price.)
Now that we have the relocation car strategy dialled in, we’re already keeping an eye out for the next $1-a-day offer. Maybe somewhere further north next time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to drive from Brisbane to Townsville?
We covered it in five days across roughly 1,500 kilometres, sharing the driving and pacing it deliberately rather than rushing. It’s doable faster, but five days let us actually enjoy the stops.
What’s a good route from Brisbane to Townsville?
Our route ran Brisbane to Bargara (via a day-stop at Hervey Bay), then Yeppoon, Cape Hillsborough, Airlie Beach, and into Townsville via Bowen — a coastal run rather than the inland highway.
How much does accommodation cost on a Brisbane to Townsville road trip?
Our overnight stays ranged from $150 for the Cape Hillsborough campground up to around $270 a night for two elsewhere. Booking only a day or two ahead kept us flexible without leaving us short of options.
Is Magnetic Island worth visiting from Townsville?
Yes — it works well as a single day trip. The island’s local bus is $1 per person for the whole day, and it’s an easy way to beach-hop between Horseshoe Bay and Arcadia, with a good chance of spotting koalas on the Forts Walk.
Do Google Maps driving times hold up on the Queensland coast?
Not really — ours consistently ran longer than the app estimated, mostly down to roadworks along the coastal route and a deliberately relaxed pace. Build in buffer rather than trusting the quoted time.
Do I need an eSIM for a Queensland road trip?
If you’re visiting from overseas, yes — coverage between towns on this route isn’t guaranteed, and buying a physical SIM at the airport eats into the time you’ve got for the drive. Sorting an Australian eSIM before you land is the simpler option.
What’s the catch with a $1-a-day relocation car for a road trip like this?
You don’t find out what car you’re getting until pickup — ours was an MG SUV with unlimited kilometres, which did the job but wasn’t a highlight of the trip. See our full breakdown of how the relocation deal itself worked for the excess and insurance details.
