Save $6 Secure checkout
Cairns & Tropical North
8 Hours
Photo: Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0
Campervan road trip · 10–21 days
Cairns → BrisbaneOne-way campervan hire
The tropical half of the East Coast, Reef first and finishing in the city.
Great Barrier ReefIsland sailingBeachesWaterfallsWildlife
- Trip length
- 10–21 days
- Distance
- ≈ 2,000 km
- Pick up
- Cairns
- Drop off
- Brisbane
- Best time
- May–October: warm, dry days and no stingers
Live prices from the big campervan companies · book online in minutes · one-way fee included in the price.
Real prices
What Cairns to Brisbane 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 | $1,276 (JUCY Coaster, $182/night) | $1,424 (MightyLITE HiLITE) |
| 10–24 Nov 2026 | 14 | $1,830 (JUCY Crib Plus, $131/night) | $2,485 (MightyLITE HiLITE) |
Checked 25 Oct 2026; the cheapest budget vans were on request only out of Cairns · Southbound cost more than northbound; the cheapest Spaceships and Awesome vans were on request only
See today's live pricesPrices by season and van type, with the reverse direction: Cairns to Brisbane campervan hire prices. For every route side by side, see today's campervan hire prices.
The route
14 days, 9 stops
Start where the rainforest meets the Reef and drive south through the most tropical part of the coast: island sailing in the Whitsundays, rainforest swimming holes, K'gari's dunes and the surf of the Sunshine Coast, ending with city lights in Brisbane. It's ideal if you've only got a couple of weeks, or if you've flown into Cairns and want the sun behind you the whole way.
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 1–3
Cairns & the Daintree
Photo: rheins · CC BY 3.0 Spend a full day on the Outer Reef before you start driving, then head north for the Daintree and Cape Tribulation, or take the train up to Kuranda.
- 2
Day 4
Mission Beach
2 hrs · 140 km
Photo: Chris Olszewski · CC BY-SA 4.0 Cassowary country, with a quiet beach and the Tully rapids just inland.
- 3
Day 5–6
Townsville & Magnetic Island
3 hrs · 240 km
Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir · CC BY-SA 4.0 Wild koalas on the Forts Walk, rock wallabies at Geoffrey Bay, and the best granite-boulder beaches in Queensland.
- 4
Day 7–8
Airlie Beach & the Whitsundays
3.5 hrs · 280 km
Photo: rheins · CC BY 3.0 Sail to Whitehaven and Hill Inlet, ideally overnight so you wake up anchored in a quiet bay.
- 5
Day 9
Yeppoon
6.5 hrs · 500 km (the long one)
Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir · CC BY-SA 4.0 Break up the drive on the Capricorn Coast with a swim and an easy night.
- 6
Day 10
Agnes Water & 1770
3.5 hrs · 270 km
Photo: Николай Максимович · CC BY 3.0 Learn to surf on Queensland's most northerly surf beach, then watch the sun set over the water at 1770.
- 7
Day 11–12
Rainbow Beach & K'gari
4 hrs · 320 km
Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir · CC BY-SA 4.0 Leave the van and go 4WD on K'gari: freshwater lakes, Eli Creek and the Maheno wreck.
- 8
Day 13
Noosa
2 hrs · 130 km
Photo: Chris Olszewski · CC BY-SA 4.0 Walk the headland to Hell's Gates, then a sunset paddle on the river.
- 9
Day 14
Brisbane
2 hrs · 140 km
Photo: David Edwards · CC BY 3.0 A last swim at the Streets Beach lagoon, then return the van in Brisbane. If you've got a spare day, take a trip out to the wrecks off Moreton Island.
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
- Cairns → Brisbane 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.
- Ten days is doable but rushed; fourteen gives you a proper boat night in the Whitsundays and two days on K'gari.
- Rental campervans can't go onto K'gari. Join a tag-along or day tour from Rainbow Beach or Hervey Bay.
- North of Agnes Water, stinger season runs roughly November–May. Swim at netted beaches or wear a stinger suit.
- Want to go all the way to Sydney? Extend the trip and we'll quote it as one hire.
Tours worth adding
Boats, reefs, islands and 4WD tracks. Add them to your quote and we'll fit them around your drive.
Save $8 Small group · max 1
Cairns & Tropical North
6 Hours, 15 Minutes
Save $6 Small group · max 7
Cairns & Tropical North
12 Hours
Summer sale Secure checkout
The Whitsundays
9 Hours, 15 Minutes
Save $40 Secure checkout
The Whitsundays
2 Days
Save $20 Top rated
K'gari (Fraser Island)
Full day
Save $40 Top rated
K'gari (Fraser Island)
3 Days
K'gari 3-Day 4WD Tag-Along from Rainbow Beach
4.7 (1,897 · Google)
RRP $619 Save $40 From
$579 AUD
≈ $193/day
Summer sale Secure checkout
Noosa
1 Day
Cairns to Brisbane campervan FAQs
How many days do you need for Cairns to Brisbane 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 Cairns to Brisbane? +
Yes. Cairns to Brisbane 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 Cairns to Brisbane? +
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 Cairns to Brisbane?
Pop in your dates and see live prices from the big campervan companies for this route, then book online in minutes.
See live prices
