# Cassowary Coast: Cairns to Townsville

> 4-day road trip of about 460 km (286 mi) with 12 stops, from Cairns to Townsville. About 5 h 01 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-cassowary-coast-cairns-townsville/

**At a glance:** 4-day road trip of about 460 km (286 mi) with 12 stops, from Cairns to Townsville. About 5 h 01 min of driving in total. Rainforest creeks, Art Deco Innisfail, cassowary beaches, the world’s tallest single-drop falls and Hinchinbrook Island along the Bruce Highway.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 460 km (286 mi) |
| Driving | 5 h 01 min |
| Suggested days | 4 |
| Stops | 12 |
| Route | Cairns → Townsville |
| States | Queensland |
| Updated | May 1, 2026 |

## Route description

Leave Cairns south on the Bruce Highway, about 60 km to Babinda, then turn off to Babinda Boulders, where the Devil’s Pool is dangerous and you should keep to the track. Josephine Falls lies further along, beneath Mount Bartle Frere, Queensland’s highest peak; avoid its rock slide when water is high. Both are in Wooroonooran National Park, with wet rainforest, so expect showers even in the dry season.

Continue 40 km to Innisfail to see its rebuilt Art Deco centre, then take the detour to Paronella Park at Mena Creek, a Spanish-style folly of the late 1920s with a waterfall. In the afternoon, Etty Bay offers a small beach where cassowaries sometimes appear; keep well back and never feed them. Stinger season runs roughly November to May, so swim only where signs allow.

Mission Beach, about 139 km from Cairns, is the base for the short boat trip to Dunk Island; check the water taxi, as sailings depend on weather. Cassowary signs line the roads here, so drive slowly, especially at dawn and dusk. Next, Tully’s Golden Gumboot marks Australia’s rainfall record, and the town lies within reach of Tully Gorge’s rainforest. Fill up with fuel at Tully before continuing.

From Ingham, about 50 km west, climb to Wallaman Falls, plunging 268 m in Girringun National Park; the steep winding road is unsuitable for large rigs, and the falls are strongest after the wet season. Hinchinbrook Island, off Cardwell, is for boat or multi-day walkers, with crocodiles in the channel. Then continue about 110 km on the Bruce Highway to Townsville, passing sugar cane.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Cairns** (Queensland)
2. **Babinda Boulders** (Cairns, Queensland): Granite boulders and clear water on Babinda Creek in Wooroonooran National Park, a pretty short walk. The Devil’s Pool is dangerous: strong currents have drowned visitors, so stay on the track and obey the signs.
3. **Josephine Falls** (Cairns, Queensland): Natural rock slide and swimming holes below Mount Bartle Frere, Queensland’s highest mountain, in Wooroonooran National Park. Flash floods can rise without warning after rain, so avoid the rocks when the water is high or cloudy.
4. **Innisfail Art Deco** (Innisfail, Queensland): After cyclone damage in the early twentieth century, Innisfail rebuilt its centre in the Art Deco style of the 1920s and 1930s, leaving one of the best-preserved collections in regional Australia. Easy to see on a short walk through the town centre.
5. **Paronella Park** (Innisfail, Queensland): Spanish-style castle ruins begun by José Paronella in the late 1920s beside a waterfall at Mena Creek. Floods and fire damaged the folly, but the heritage-listed site is a romantic wander among rainforest and tall palms.
6. **Etty Bay** (Mission Beach, Queensland): Small beach with a rainforest backdrop near Innisfail, where cassowaries sometimes wander onto the sand. Keep well back, never feed them, and swim only between the flags, remembering stingers from about November to May.
7. **Mission Beach** (Queensland)
8. **Dunk Island** (Mission Beach, Queensland): Island in the Family Islands National Park, a short boat ride from Mission Beach, badly hit by Cyclone Yasi in 2011. Today it offers quiet beaches and walking tracks; services depend on weather, so check the water taxi before you go.
9. **Tully** (Queensland)
10. **Golden Gumboot** (Tully, Queensland): A giant golden gumboot, 7.9 m high, marking the record 7,900 mm of rain that fell on Tully in 1950. A cheerful roadside stop in one of Australia’s wettest towns, handy before the drive on towards Mission Beach.
11. **Wallaman Falls** (Ingham, Queensland): Australia’s tallest permanent single-drop waterfall, plunging 268 m into a gorge in Girringun National Park west of Ingham. Lookouts at the top and a steep track to the base; flow is strongest after the wet season.
12. **Townsville** (Queensland)

## Suggested stages and overnight stops

1. **Day 1: Cairns → Paronella Park** (114 km, 1 h 15 min) On the way: Babinda Boulders, Josephine Falls, Innisfail Art Deco.
2. **Day 2: Paronella Park → Golden Gumboot** (100 km, 1 h 05 min) On the way: Etty Bay, Mission Beach, Dunk Island, Tully.
3. **Day 3: Golden Gumboot → Wallaman Falls** (89 km, 0 h 58 min)
4. **Day 4: Wallaman Falls → Townsville** (156 km, 1 h 42 min)

## Best time to go

The most pleasant months are usually May–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in March–April and October–November. Hot in January–February. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## FAQs

**How long is Cassowary Coast: Cairns to Townsville?**
4-day road trip of about 460 km (286 mi) with 12 stops, from Cairns to Townsville. About 5 h 01 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Cassowary Coast: Cairns to Townsville?**
We suggest 4 days: about 5 h 01 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Cassowary Coast: Cairns to Townsville start and end?**
It starts in Cairns and ends in Townsville.

**Which states does Cassowary Coast: Cairns to Townsville pass through?**
Queensland.

**When is the best time for Cassowary Coast: Cairns to Townsville?**
The most pleasant months are usually May–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in March–April and October–November. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## Part of these destinations

- [Daintree National Park and the Wet Tropics](https://camping-spirit.com/destinations/au-daintree-wet-tropics/)
- [Great Barrier Reef](https://camping-spirit.com/destinations/au-great-barrier-reef/)