Cairns Campervan & Motorhome Hire

Day 1: Collect your van from a depot near Cairns Airport, allowing about an hour for paperwork and a walkthrough, then stock up at a big supermarket before you leave the city. Check in to a Cairns holiday park for two nights. In the late afternoon, swim in the free Esplanade Lagoon, walk the waterfront boardwalk and finish with dinner at the Night Markets.

Day 2: Leave the van at camp and join a Great Barrier Reef day trip from the Reef Fleet Terminal, choosing an outer reef pontoon, a sailing trip or the shorter run to Green Island. Many operators supply stinger suits from November to May. Back in Cairns, restock for tomorrow's drive south and get an early night.

Day 3: Drive about an hour south on the Bruce Highway to Babinda Boulders, where a creek tumbles over granite in the rainforest; swim only in the marked swimming hole and stay well back from the restricted area. Walk to Josephine Falls at the foot of Bartle Frere, then continue to Paronella Park at Mena Creek for its lit-up evening tour, staying at the park's own campground.

Day 4: Drive about 45 minutes to Mission Beach, slowing down wherever signs warn of southern cassowaries crossing the road. Walk a stretch of the long, palm-lined beach facing Dunk Island, or take a water taxi across to the island for the day. Stay at a holiday park close to the sand and listen for the rainforest birds at dusk.

Day 5: Allow about 3.5 hours south via Cardwell and Ingham, stopping at the Hinchinbrook lookout above the channel for views over the island's mountains. Stretch your legs at the Tyto Wetlands in Ingham, then continue to Townsville and book two nights at a holiday park near the city or The Strand, the palm-lined foreshore.

Day 6: Leave the van at camp and take the passenger ferry from the Breakwater terminal to Magnetic Island, a crossing of about 20 minutes. Walk the Forts Walk to spot koalas in the gums, then swim at Alma Bay or Horseshoe Bay. Back on the mainland, swim only in the Strand rock pool or a stinger enclosure from November to May.

Day 7: Drive about 2.75 hours south through cane and mango country to Bowen. Snorkel at Horseshoe Bay, where coral sits close to the shore, take a photo at the Big Mango and watch the sunset from Flagstaff Hill. Fill the tank and stay at a holiday park in town, as Bowen is a short hop from the Whitsundays.

Day 8: Allow just over an hour to Airlie Beach and check in for two nights. Swim in the free Airlie Beach Lagoon, a safe alternative to the sea in stinger season, then walk a short trail in Conway National Park. If you would rather finish here, only a few brands have an Airlie Beach depot, so check one-way availability before you book.

Day 9: Join a day cruise or sailing trip to Whitehaven Beach and the Hill Inlet lookout, where the tide swirls white silica sand through turquoise water. Tours generally supply stinger suits from November to May. Back in town, eat out along the main street and refill water and empty the tanks before tomorrow's drive.

Day 10: Drive about two hours south to Cape Hillsborough National Park, where rainforest-covered headlands meet the sea. Walk the mangrove boardwalk and the short headland trails, then stay at the beachfront holiday park or the national park campground at Smalleys Beach, which suits campervans and needs a permit booked ahead.

Day 11: Be on the beach at sunrise, when wallabies and kangaroos often forage along the sand, and give them plenty of space. Then set off on the longest day of the trip, about 400 km and five and a half hours to Yeppoon, with rest breaks every two hours at roadside stops such as Sarina or Marlborough. Book two nights near the foreshore.

Day 12: Leave the van and take a ferry from Rosslyn Bay Harbour, about 10 minutes south of Yeppoon, to Great Keppel Island for white-sand beaches, snorkelling and bushwalks. Back on the mainland, drive the coast road to the lookouts at Emu Park, then do a big grocery shop and fill the tank for tomorrow.

Day 13: Drive inland to Rockhampton and stop at the Tropic of Capricorn marker, then continue south to Agnes Water, about 3.75 hours in total, with long stretches between fuel stops. Walk the Paperbark Forest boardwalk, swim between the flags at the main beach and book two nights at a holiday park in Agnes Water or the Town of 1770.

Day 14: Join a day cruise from the 1770 marina to Lady Musgrave Island to snorkel over coral in the lagoon, or ride an amphibious LARC tour to Bustard Head Lighthouse. Agnes Water marks roughly the southern edge of box jellyfish waters, so from here south the stinger risk drops. Watch the sun set over the water from the 1770 headland.

Day 15: Drive about two hours south through sugar cane country to Bundaberg and tour the Bundaberg Rum distillery or taste ginger beer at the Bundaberg Barrel. Continue about 15 minutes to the beachside town of Bargara and book two nights at a holiday park. Cool off in the Basin, a sheltered rock pool on the foreshore.

Day 16: From November to late March, book a ranger-guided Mon Repos turtle encounter, a few minutes from Bargara, to watch loggerhead turtles nest or hatchlings head for the sea; tickets sell out, so book well ahead. Outside turtle season, snorkel at Barolin Rocks or walk and cycle the coastal path between Bargara and Burnett Heads.

Day 17: Drive about two hours via Childers to Hervey Bay, a calm stretch of coast on the Great Sandy Strait. Walk the long Urangan Pier at sunset and follow the Esplanade path between the beachfront suburbs. Book two nights at a holiday park and confirm tomorrow's K'gari tour or, from about July to October, a whale watching cruise.

Day 18: Leave the van at camp and join a guided 4WD day tour of K'gari, as the island's sand tracks need a high-clearance 4WD and hire campervans are not allowed there. Tours usually take in Lake McKenzie, the rainforest at Central Station and the Maheno shipwreck. In whale season, you could spend the day on the water instead.

Day 19: Drive about two hours to Rainbow Beach, staying on sealed roads. Walk out to the Carlo Sandblow for views over the coloured sand cliffs and Tin Can Bay, then swim at the patrolled main beach. Stay at a holiday park in town and enjoy a quieter evening before the busier Sunshine Coast.

Day 20: Allow about two hours via Gympie to Noosa and book a holiday park in Noosaville or Tewantin. Catch a local bus to Noosa Heads, as parking near Hastings Street is tight for a campervan, and walk the coastal track in Noosa National Park to Dolphin Point, watching for koalas in the trees and dolphins in the surf.

Day 21: Spend the morning at Australia Zoo near Beerwah, about an hour south, then drive about an hour to your brand's Brisbane depot. Refuel, empty the tanks and return the van before closing. Brands such as Britz charge a one-way fee between Cairns and Brisbane, $200 for pick-ups to 31 March 2027, so check one-way availability and the total in your quote.

Day 1: Collect your van near Cairns Airport, allowing about an hour for the handover, and stock up before leaving the city. Climb the steep, winding Kuranda Range Road, about 30 km, taking the bends slowly in a low gear. Walk the boardwalk to the Barron Falls lookout, at its most powerful after the wet season, and stay at a holiday park in Kuranda.

Day 2: Browse the Kuranda markets in the morning, then drive about 40 minutes to Mareeba, the centre of Australia's main coffee-growing district, for a tasting at a local roastery. Continue about 15 minutes to Granite Gorge Nature Park, where you can feed the resident Mareeba rock wallabies among the boulders, and camp at the park's campground.

Day 3: Head north on the fully sealed Mulligan Highway through Mount Molloy and Lakeland to Cooktown, about 275 km or four hours with stops, filling up wherever you can. Near Cooktown, pull over at the Black Mountain lookout to see the dark granite boulders of Kalkajaka National Park. Book two nights at a holiday park in town.

Day 4: Drive up to the Grassy Hill lookout at sunrise for 360-degree views over the Endeavour River, the town and the reef-fringed coast where James Cook searched for a passage in 1770. Visit the James Cook Museum, housed in a 19th-century convent, then walk the Botanic Gardens. Crocodiles live in the river and nearby beaches, so don't swim.

Day 5: Leave Cooktown after breakfast and retrace the Mulligan Highway south, about four hours to Atherton, as the coastal Bloomfield Track is 4WD only and off limits to hire campervans. Stop at the Palmer River Roadhouse for a break, then climb onto the cooler Tablelands and book two nights at a holiday park in Yungaburra or by Lake Tinaroo.

Day 6: Swim in the clear water of Lake Eacham, a crater lake ringed by rainforest, then walk among the hanging roots of the Curtain Fig Tree. Browse the cafes and galleries in Yungaburra, and at dusk wait quietly at the Peterson Creek viewing platforms, one of the better places on the Tablelands to spot a platypus in the wild.

Day 7: Drive south through dairy country to Malanda Falls, then follow the Waterfalls Circuit near Millaa Millaa, stopping at Millaa Millaa, Zillie and Ellinjaa Falls, each a short walk from the car park. Check the signs before any swim, as some pools are closed after heavy rain. Stay at a holiday park in Millaa Millaa or Malanda, where nights are cooler than the coast.

Day 8: Descend the Palmerston Highway through Wooroonooran National Park, a winding road with gentler grades than the Kuranda Range, to Innisfail and inland to Paronella Park at Mena Creek, about an hour. Explore the 1930s Spanish-style castle and gardens beside the falls, stay for the evening tour and camp at the park's own campground.

Day 9: Drive about 45 minutes to Mission Beach, slowing down wherever signs warn of southern cassowaries on the road. Walk a stretch of the long beach facing Dunk Island and book two nights at a holiday park close to the sand. From November to May, swim only at patrolled beaches inside the stinger net, or wear a stinger suit.

Day 10: Leave the van at camp and take a water taxi across to Dunk Island for rainforest walks, quiet beaches and views back to the mainland, packing water and lunch. If you would rather stay ashore, walk the rainforest tracks around Mission Beach, keeping your distance from any cassowary you meet, and watch the sun set over the coast.

Day 11: Drive about an hour north to Josephine Falls at the foot of Bartle Frere, Queensland's highest mountain, for a short rainforest walk. Continue to Babinda Boulders, where you can swim in the marked swimming hole and stay at Cairns Regional Council's free short-stay campground, with a 72-hour limit, or a holiday park nearby.

Day 12: Drive about an hour north to Cairns and check in to a holiday park for two nights. Explore the Cairns Botanic Gardens at Edge Hill, then swim in the free Esplanade Lagoon, as the city's muddy shoreline is not for swimming. Walk the waterfront boardwalk at sunset and finish at the Night Markets.

Day 13: Leave the van at camp and join a Great Barrier Reef day trip from the Reef Fleet Terminal, snorkelling or diving at an outer reef mooring or spending the day on Green Island or Fitzroy Island. Many operators supply stinger suits from November to May. Book ahead in the dry season and school holidays.

Day 14: Refuel, empty the toilet cassette and grey water at your holiday park or a council dump point, and tidy up before returning the van. Some depots close at 3:30pm and ask you to arrive at least an hour before closing, so check your return time. Cairns Airport is only a few kilometres from most depots for a flight home.

Day 1: Collect your van near Cairns Airport and stock up, then follow the Captain Cook Highway north to Palm Cove for a swim inside the stinger net and lunch under the paperbarks. Continue along the coast past Rex Lookout to Port Douglas, about 65 km from the depots, and book two nights. Walk Four Mile Beach and climb to Flagstaff Hill at sunset.

Day 2: Leave the van at camp and join a reef trip from the Port Douglas marina, to an outer reef mooring for snorkelling and diving or to the coral cay at Low Isles for a gentler day. Many operators supply stinger suits from November to May. In the evening, browse the shops and restaurants along Macrossan Street.

Day 3: Drive about 20 minutes to the Mossman Gorge Centre, park the van and take the shuttle bus to the gorge for the rainforest circuit. Continue to the Daintree River for a crocodile spotting cruise, then cross on the cable ferry, which runs 5am to midnight. Stop at the Mount Alexandra lookout and book two nights near Cape Tribulation.

Day 4: Spend the day where the rainforest meets the reef. Walk the Jindalba and Dubuji boardwalks, visit the Daintree Discovery Centre and its canopy tower, and stand on Cape Tribulation beach as the mountains drop to the sea. Swimming is not safe, with crocodiles in the creeks and stingers in season, so stick to the walks.

Day 5: Take a slow morning, perhaps with a guided rainforest walk or a stop for ice cream made from local fruit, then drive back over the ferry. The road north of Cape Tribulation is the 4WD-only Bloomfield Track, so turn around here. Allow about two hours to Palm Cove and stay at a beachfront holiday park for the last two nights.

Day 6: Drive up the steep, winding Kuranda Range Road to the rainforest village of Kuranda, about 40 minutes from Palm Cove, taking the bends slowly. Browse the markets, walk the boardwalk to the Barron Falls lookout and visit a wildlife park. Head back down to the coast in daylight for a final evening on the beach.

Day 7: Drive about 30 minutes to Cairns and spend the morning on the Esplanade with a swim in the free lagoon. Refuel, empty the tanks and return the van, arriving at least an hour before your depot closes, as some shut at 3:30pm. Cairns Airport is a short drive from most depots.