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Brisbane
8 Hours
Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir · CC BY-SA 4.0
Campervan road trip · 10–21 days
Brisbane → CairnsOne-way campervan hire
Sunshine Coast surf, K'gari, the Whitsundays and the Reef, heading north into the tropics.
Great Barrier ReefIsland sailingK'gariSurfWildlife
- Trip length
- 10–21 days
- Distance
- ≈ 2,000 km
- Pick up
- Brisbane
- Drop off
- Cairns
- Best time
- May–October: dry days, no stingers, and humpbacks in Hervey Bay from July
Live prices from the big campervan companies · book online in minutes · one-way fee included in the price.
Real prices
See today's live prices
What Brisbane to Cairns campervan hire costs
All-in totals for two (van, compulsory fees and basic cover) on the companies' own websites, checked 22 October 2026. Prices move with dates; see today's live price below.
| Dates | Nights | Cheapest campervan | Cheapest hi-top |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–17 Nov 2026 | 7 | $605 (Spaceships Alpha, $86/night) | $1,264 (MightyLITE HiLITE) |
| 10–24 Nov 2026 | 14 | $1,170 (Awesome Campers Compact, $84/night) | $2,186 (MightyLITE HiLITE) |
Prices by season and van type, with the reverse direction: Brisbane to Cairns campervan hire prices. For every route side by side, see today's campervan hire prices.
The route
14 days, 9 stops
Fly into Brisbane, collect a van and point it north. This is the tropical half of the East Coast without the long haul up from Sydney: Noosa's point breaks, K'gari from Hervey Bay, Queensland's last surf beach at Agnes Water, a night on a yacht in the Whitsundays, and the Reef and rainforest waiting in Cairns. The further you drive, the warmer the water gets.
Vans that suit this trip
Day by day
The plan, stop by stop
Paced for 14 days. Got less time? Merge two stops. Got more? Stay longer wherever you like it; it's your van. Drive times and distances are approximate, from road-routing data, without stops.
- 1
Day 1
Brisbane
Photo: David Edwards · CC BY 3.0 Collect the van and stock up. Land a day early and spend it on Moreton Island: shipwrecks to snorkel, sand dunes to toboggan down and a ferry ride across the bay. Hire vans stay on the mainland, so go with a day tour.
- 2
Day 2–3
Noosa
2 hrs · 140 km
Photo: Chris Olszewski · CC BY-SA 4.0 Detour through the Glass House Mountains on the way up. In Noosa, walk the national park headland to Hell's Gates looking for koalas, surf the gentle breaks around First Point, and spend a morning paddling the Everglades.
- 3
Day 4–5
Hervey Bay & K'gari
2.5 hrs · 180 km
Photo: Martin Kraft · CC BY-SA 3.0 Hervey Bay is the calm side of K'gari and the easiest base for getting onto it. Park the van and cross by 4WD tour to Lake McKenzie, Eli Creek and the Maheno wreck. From July to October, humpback whales rest in the bay on their way south.
- 4
Day 6
Agnes Water & 1770
3 hrs · 240 km
Photo: Николай Максимович · CC BY 3.0 Queensland's most northerly surf beach, with soft waves made for learning. Walk up the 1770 headland at dusk to watch the sun set over the water.
- 5
Day 7
Yeppoon
3.5 hrs · 270 km
Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir · CC BY-SA 4.0 Cross the Tropic of Capricorn at Rockhampton and roll down to the Capricorn Coast. Ferries run from Rosslyn Bay to Great Keppel Island if you want a beach day off the road.
- 6
Day 8–10
Airlie Beach & the Whitsundays
6.5 hrs · 500 km (the long one)
Photo: rheins · CC BY 3.0 Swap the van for a boat. Sail to Whitehaven Beach and the swirling sands of Hill Inlet, snorkel the fringing reefs, and stay out overnight if you can. Back on land, the Airlie lagoon is free to swim in.
- 7
Day 11
Townsville & Magnetic Island
3.5 hrs · 280 km
Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir · CC BY-SA 4.0 Climb Castle Hill for the view over the city, then take the ferry to Magnetic Island. The Forts Walk has wild koalas in the gums, and rock wallabies live on the boulders at Geoffrey Bay.
- 8
Day 12
Mission Beach
3 hrs · 230 km
Photo: Chris Olszewski · CC BY-SA 4.0 Rainforest runs right down to the sand here, and cassowaries cross the road, so drive slowly. Fourteen kilometres of beach face Dunk Island, and the Tully River rapids are just inland.
- 9
Day 13–14
Cairns & the Daintree
2 hrs · 140 km
Photo: rheins · CC BY 3.0 Give the Outer Reef a full day, by pontoon or on a sand cay full of seabirds. Then drive north past Port Douglas, cross the Daintree River on the cable ferry and carry on to Cape Tribulation, where rainforest meets reef. Return the van in Cairns.
Good to know
- Where to sleep
- Caravan and holiday parks with powered sites and showers, national park campgrounds, and low-cost sites listed in WikiCamps. Book ahead in school holidays.
- One-way fee
- Brisbane → Cairns is one-way, so operators add a fee that varies by season. We build it into your quote upfront.
- Driver age
- Most operators need drivers aged 21+. A few take 18–20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge; tell us the youngest driver's age and we'll quote what fits.
- Recommended vans
- Best fits: the hi-top campervan; the 2-seater, 2-sleeper and the motorhome. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll match the size.
Free and low-cost places to park up on this route, with the local rules: free camping in Queensland.
- Hire campervans can't go onto K'gari or Moreton Island. Park the van and join a tag-along or day tour.
- Yeppoon to Airlie Beach is about 6.5 hours. Start early, break it at Mackay, and stay off the road at dawn and dusk when wildlife is out.
- North of Agnes Water, stinger season runs roughly November–May. Swim at netted beaches or wear a stinger suit.
- Brisbane → Cairns is one-way, so operators add a one-way fee. It varies by season and we include it in your quote upfront.
Tours worth adding
Boats, reefs, islands and 4WD tracks. Add them to your quote and we'll fit them around your drive.
Save $10 Top rated
Brisbane
9 Hours
Summer sale Secure checkout
Noosa
1 Day
Save $13 Top rated
Noosa
6 Hours
Double Island Point Dolphin Kayak & Beach 4WD Tour from Noosa
4.8 (641 · TripAdvisor)
RRP $172 Save $13 From
$159 AUD
Summer sale Top rated
Noosa
6 Hours
Save $10 Top rated
K'gari (Fraser Island)
2 Days
K'gari PINK 4WD Tag-Along, 2 Days from Hervey Bay
4.9 (1,344 · Google)
RRP $659 Save $10 From
$649 AUD
≈ $325/day
Save $76 Top rated
K'gari (Fraser Island)
3 Days
K'gari 3-Day 4WD Escape Ex Hervey Bay
4.9 (1,344 · Google)
RRP $795 Save $76 From
$719 AUD
≈ $240/day
Summer sale Secure checkout
The Whitsundays
9 Hours, 15 Minutes
Brisbane to Cairns campervan FAQs
Can I drive Brisbane to Cairns in 10 days? +
Yes, but most of it will be driving. Ten days gives you one day each in Noosa, on K'gari and in the Whitsundays. Fourteen adds an overnight sail and a second day on K'gari, and 21 lets you slow down at every stop.
Is it better to drive Brisbane to Cairns or Cairns to Brisbane? +
Same road, same stops. Driving north, the weather and water warm up as you go and you finish on the Reef. Driving south suits you if you fly into Cairns. Prices can differ by direction, so ask us to quote both.
How many days do you need for Brisbane to Cairns in a campervan? +
Allow 10–21 days. This plan is paced for 14 days with 9 overnight bases. Short on time? Merge two stops. Got longer? Stay on wherever you like it.
Is there a one-way fee for Brisbane to Cairns? +
Yes. Brisbane to Cairns is a one-way hire, and operators add a one-way fee that varies by season. We include it in your quote upfront.
How old do I need to be to hire a campervan? +
Most operators require drivers to be 21 or older. A few accept 18 to 20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge. Tell us the youngest driver's age in the quote form and we'll only quote vans you can drive.
Which campervan suits Brisbane to Cairns? +
The best fits are the hi-top campervan; the 2-seater, 2-sleeper and the motorhome. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll quote the right size.
Ready to drive Brisbane to Cairns?
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