Your destination is in sight, but you might also consider stopping at Berry Springs Nature Park for a swim and Territory Wildlife Park to see the full range of outback animals, including nocturnal creatures seldom seen in the wild. A winding road leads from Cairns to the top of the plateau, where youll find charming farms, quaint villages, and volcanic crater lakes. See roadhouses on our Savannah Way detailed map. How to get half price tickets for the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Continue west to former gold-mining settlement Georgetown and check out the mineral collection at The Terrestrial Centre. Hi, I will be driving my Ford XR6 to Cairns from Darwin in late April. Those seeking more unsealed adventure can travel to Lorella Springs for a night and Roper Bar to Mataranka (588km, about 9 hours). Cooktown is quiet and laidback, but with its history, environment and beach side location it has a lot to offer. In Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park, the limestone rock formations are worth a visit. However, for the best Outback experience, we recommend camping along the road, where you can watch the passing kangaroos at night, drink a beer or two, and enjoy cooking from your own camp oven. Stay at luxe Gilberton Outback Retreat and explore rock art, gold-mining history and wildlife. Any advice you have would be most appreciated Regards,PS. Highlights 1. 05. These hot springs can also be visited in Katherine. Darwin to Perth Fuel Cost - Motorhome Hire - Gallivanting Oz Quick Tips for Road Trip Darwin to Cairns. Go for a swim in Lake Eacham or take a cruise at Lake Barrine, and sample the local produce like coffee and mango wine. You can stop for fuel in Jabiru, Mataranka, Borroloola, Cape Crawford, Burketown, Dumadgee, Normanton, Katherine, Cairns, Mareeba, Chillagoe, and Darwin. A free shower is also available at the boat ramp.From Normanton, the distances between places are shorter so you can stock up with food supplies daily. Free accommodation for your next holiday! Days 2-3 Undara Lava Tubes (225 kms, about 3 hours). Day 1 Cairns to Yungaburra (68kms, about 1 hour). Example: during our trip, in the Roper Bar Store Roadhouse, diesel cost about AUD2 per gallon, which at the time was 40% more expensive than in Cairns. drive for about 3 hours. Barkly Homestead is the first stop with Camooweal just over the Queensland border a further 250 k's along the road. (nitmiluktours.com.au). Compared to other road trips in Australia, you only have a small window of time each year to make the journey from Cairns to Darwin. Throughout our whole 4wd road trip around Australia, it's definitely the section from Cairns to Darwin that sticks out most in our minds. . SUGGESTED TIME FRAME: 14 days minimum. Australian Traveller Media 2023. Now youre getting closer to Darwin than Cairns. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland). The famous Outback service began in Cloncurry, and you can learn more at the John Flynn Place Museum in town. Darwin is the bustling hub of the Top End. Allow around $1.70 per litre for fuel. It's 187km from Barkly Homestead to the Threeways . Fill-up your tank at every petrol station you find in the Outback. Whiz on west, filling up with petrol at Hells Gate Roadhouse and passing over the border into the Northern Territory. Only swim at safe swimming spots, and be careful around waterways and rivers, as Australias biggest saltwater crocodiles are found in the Top End. Burketown on the Albert River is another terrific spot to tackle barramundi, so be sure to pack your fishing rod, or you can hire one locally. Journey through the heart of Australia experiencing the iconic outback, stunning flora and fauna, topped off with the tropical and lush top end and world renowned food and wine destinations. Cairns to Adelaide 2974km = $202.20 in petrol; VS. Total airfares for 4 people: $756, one way If youre traveling from Queensland to the Northern Territory, there are so many places to see and things to do that you will want to be on the road for a long time. Best time to travel: in the dry season from May to September. Cyclones are a regular occurrence, and heavy rains can flood roads and isolate Outback towns for weeks on end. Stay overnight at the luxury Cicada Lodge. Stop off at Florence Falls (40 minutes from Batchelor) followed by a quick pit stop at Tolmer Falls, which is merely 12 minutes from Wangi Falls. Rest areas are a place where you can stop and rest, making your journey safer and more enjoyable. It's a campers paradise with free parking, free camping, a free infinity pool looking out over the river and even free hot . Your Savannah travel route can start from Cairns through the deep outback gorges and end in the historic town of Broome or even in Kakadu National Park. See amazing Aboriginal artwork at Nourlangie Rock and Ubirr. You will see no roads, people, houses just pure nature. Check out the 8-meter long saltwater crocodile replica, which is a monument dedicated to Krys, one of the largest crocs ever captured in Australia. From rest area locations, fatigue and road hazards, learn about the unique road network in the state. This isnt a road trip for first-time travelers to Australia. You will find turquoise spring water pools perfect for a plunge in adjacent Elsey National Park, a landscape patchworked with savannah woodland, stone country and monsoon rainforest. Hard to resist pausing in Normanton for a photo at its eight-metre crocodile (relax, its a replica) and lurid Purple Pub. This is the last place you will finding anything resembling a supermarket or department store for hundreds of kilometres. Quickly locate Shell fuels, products and services around Australia. We stopped at Pine Creek and Adelaide River, both worthy of a leg stretch and wander around. Suggested Time: 4 days. Where are Savannah Way fuel stops? After yesterdays long drive, relax in Undara Volcanic National Park, where the outback begins and 164 ancient volcanoes pepper the landscape. The final town before you get to the border is Camooweal about 25km from the border. Google traffic. With an average flight time of 2h 30min from Cairns to Darwin, you'll be exploring the city in no time. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland). Turn it into a road trip over the course of a week or so - preferably at least two weeks - and things get . The drive to Cooktown is very scenic and switches from Rainforest to drier climates. Distance: 113km's from Adelaide River, about 1hr, 15 mins. The wet season runs from November to April, and youll want to avoid this time of year completely. ). Hailed as Australia's wildest road trip, the journey from tropical Darwin to coastal Broome will also take you along a stretch of the Savannah Way, through a contrast of palm-fringed gorges and vast grasslands, towards pristine beaches and surreal sunsets. For the ultimate adventurous experience, we highly recommend that you drive through the Savannah Way by hiring a 4x4. Roads will turn red with dust as you drive from Queensland into the Northern Territory, but despite the distances involved and time it takes to get between destinations, youll be seeing a part of Australia that few ever venture into, with stunning landscapes, unique rock formations, deep canyons, and remote national parks. Darwin is Australia's smallest state capital, but compared to the stops on the way from Cairns, Darwin will seem like a veritable metropolis. Its cheap price of only $40/month really makes it a no-brainer. Leichhardt Falls are 70 km south of Burketown. Bundaberg is a surprising stop that is great for visiting with kids. We even hiked up multiple mountains/volcanoes with them. Continue west to Undara Experience try to arrive in time for a sunset wildlife tour. Check road conditions before visiting. However, if you camp in the bush and not on the campgrounds you wont need to worry about wood;)Planning is essential for Outback. Yes there are car and motorbike tours on offer, especially between Darwin and Cairns. Our go to shoes are Nike Free 5.0. As well as being a good place to stock up on any supplies you might need, Normanton has a curious collection of quirky giant statues. Georgetown Pioneer Walk. It begins in . Or, you can say yes to adventure, stock up the 4WD with spare tyres and a puncture repair kit, and brave the Gibb River Road.. This is the quintessential NT wilderness experience. If hiring a campervan allow a good hour to collect and become familiarised with your vehicle before you leave the depot. Driving 384 km in 4 hrs 25 mins, stay over in Daly Waters. Travelling from South Australia. Katherine to Darwin. Australian Traveller Media acknowledges the traditional custodians of the Country on which we live and work, and pays respect to Elders's past, present and emerging. Day 13 Katherine (276 kms, about 3 hours). Can you please let me know places of interest to see along the way. Learn how your comment data is processed. The distance from Melbourne to Darwin by car is 3,740km. The distances involved on a journey from Cairns to Darwin are vast, and youll need to be comfortable driving for long periods of time with few breaks to the monotony. Considering the distance youve just traveled, its really just down the road! Our favorite is the Klean Kanteen Classic Stainless Steel Water Bottle. And of course the Great Barrier Reef and the Kuranda Sky Rail are other . A couple popular stops being Daly Waters and the Mataranka Thermal Springs. AmpolCash digital can only be redeemed at ~1,200 participating Ampol locations (excluding EG Ampol sites). (Image: Tourism NT/Kate Flowers). However, never go into the water as there are crocodiles everywhere. For more of the best in travel sign up to our newsletter! Famously traversing three Australian states and territories, twenty national parks and five World Heritage Sites, the Savannah Way is one of Australia's most incredible drive journeys. Day 6 Normanton and Karumba (225 kms, about 3 hours). Berry Springs Nature Park, where the cooling blue-green woodland pools call out for a swim. You will have the best experience if you camp in a remote location in the middle of nowhere. There are fuel stops at Victoria River Roadhouse and Timber Creek in the Northern Territory. There are plenty of waterfalls and waterholes in Litchfield National Park that are accessible via sealed roads: Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole are popular among both locals and visitors. Note; fuel is not available at Avon Downs Or drive on and go bush camping to meet the local birdlife at Leichhardt Lagoon. June to November. According to Motorhome Republic, a 2-berth campervan rental in Cairns booked for summer costs around $223 per night and winter sits at roughly $177. Never stay at Three Ways. Take your time in visiting the historic Burns Philp Traders Building and jump aboard the historic Gulflander Train in Normanton and try your luck at catching barramundi in Karumba. From: 1 traveler 2 travelers 3 travelers 4 travelers 5 travelers 6 travelers. PO Box 5244, Cairns, QLD 4870 / 24 Hour FREECALL 1800 645 832 / Ph (07) 4035 5888 / Fax (07) 4035 6777. The large town of Katherine, 300 kilometers north, is the next port of call. Thanks, awesome road trip, yippie. Driving north from South Australia, take the Stuart Highway from Adelaide through Coober Pedy into the Northern Territory. Our itinerary will take you along sealed roads only, making this a more accessible trip for those who dont have four by four access or arent ready to get really remote. This remote crossing from east to west across the bottom of Australia is a must-do journey. The majority of it is on very quiet long stretches of road, again some single lane sections. You'll have the time of your life's. Darwin. Australias Northern Territory is a breathtaking scenery that stretches along the Western coastline. In Georgetown, you can visit the excellent TerrEstrial Centre, a museum dedicated to the geological history of Australia, where you can find one of the largest collections of rocks and minerals in the country, and enough stories and information to keep even the least scientifically inclined of travelers mesmerized. Direct. Our minimum recommended time for this itinerary is 10 days, but you may want to add a few extra days to spend in Cairns and Darwin. You can visit the local museums, take sunset cruises out into the harbor, and if you have a few days to spare, head out into nearby Kakadu National Park to experience more of the Northern Territory's . I have placed a previous post here requesting if anyone can offer a lift Mt Isa to Darwin. 8:09 pm Bourke. I have travelled on at least three routes from Cairns to Darwin. If its not too hot why not try a bit of rock hopping. Some people drive to the Cape in 2-3 days from Cairns. With a population of over 1000 residents, Normanton is a real hub in the Outback, and this is where the landscapes turn from green to red. This is the eastern half of the Savannah Way, if you are considering doing it all, then you will also need our itinerary and guide to the western half, Darwin to Broom. Your next stops should be former gold-rush town Pine Creek and Adelaide River, famous for its jumping crocodile cruises. You need four-wheel drive to complete this journey. The bite marks on the buoys would indicate whether a new saltwater crocodile is in the river or not. Avoid the wet season, as roads may be impassable and you risk getting stranded. Swim in the serene waterhole of Leliyn (Edith Falls) in Nitmiluk National Park. Best stops along Darwin to Cairns drive. Hoping to get there in with 3 overnight stops - 4 at the most as on a time limit with work. The Adventurous Cairns to Darwin Trip Via Savannah Way, Start: Cairns End: Darwin Estimated Travel Distance: 3,530.7 kms Estimated Travel Period: 17 Days including Kakadu National Park. Day 4 Cobbold Gorge (237 kms, about 3 hours 20 mins). Due to popular demand, we've compiled an Interactive Map of fuel stops across the Nullarbor a complete list of Eyre Highway fuel stops! I find each one is interesting but if I were travelling by myself in March I would go to Townsville, Mount Isa, The Three Ways then on to Darwin bearing in mind you are travelling during the Wet The road is all sealed and most of it is double lane and carries a lot of traffic. There is a maximum of 300km between fuel stops in Laverton and Tjukayirla Roadhouse, so carry extra fuel. Best Places to Stay in Tennant Creek:Goldfields Hotel Motel. No wonder Australias colonial father Captain James Cook chose to land here. Once you pass Ravenshoe (Queenslands highest town) the highway is very easy. Distance: 94km's from Palmerston, about 1hr, 15 mins. From the tropical, touristy, sunny Cairns, youll be heading west into the interior, where long stretches of seemingly endless road are punctuated by quirky small towns with resident populations that barely break out of the hundreds, where there are more kangaroos than people, and where life is truly a world away from the big cities of the east coast. Klean Kanteen Classic Stainless Steel Water Bottle, 10 Best Hostels in Amsterdam, Netherlands, How to Buy Tickets to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, How to Buy Tickets to the Royal Alczar of Seville. However, dont attempt to cross if the water is fast-flowing or at a greater depth than the height of your cars middle wheel. Just make sure you look for a suitable place to camp before sunset so that you have enough time to assemble your tent, collect wood, etc. Cairns is home to many of the natural wonders found in Australia, including the Great Barrier Reef. Flannel as the next shower may be a few hundred kilometres away, Savannah Way Borroloola to Burketown = 492km, Borroloola - Katherine = 655km (Limmen National Park), Katherine - Jabiru = 297km (Kakadu National Park), Savannah Way Normanton to Burketown = 230km. and all the way to Katherine Gorge and beyond. If you do not have much time, we recommend that you take the helicopter flight, with which you can enjoy a unique view of the gorges and Arnhem Land from above. Roads are mostly unsealed. Oct. Heres everything youll ever need to know Pamela Wright takes a dip with a movie star, Burt the crocodile, in Darwin's Cage of Death. Check out the newly reopened Baruwei Lookout for jaw-dropping views over the ancient gorge system. Filter. It's disgusting and looks like something out of Wolf Creek (Australian horror movie). Turn right and aim to stay at The Daly Waters Pub, which has motel, cabins, budget rooms and camping. Travelling across WA by road is one of the best ways to see the state. Croydon, in the heart of the Gulf Savannah has a lot to offer. Good luck to anyone that's going to do it and you'll be knackered at . Cost of Driving from Cairns, Australia to Darwin, Australia Rest every two hours for at least 15 minutes. I don't have a definitive, comprehensive list but Wubin, Dalwallinu, Paynes Find, Mount Magnet, Cue, Meekatharra, Kumarina, Newman, Auski, Marble Bar and Port Hedland all have fuel stops. Stay at The Daly Waters Pub, which has motel, cabins, budget rooms and camping. The Outback Way. Embark on your Outback Way adventure by purchasing The Outback Way Atlas and . and leave at 1:59 pm. (Image: Tourism NT/Kate Flowers). If you were to drive the entire coastline, you'd cover a total of 16,155mi (26,000km). Filter by 'AmpolCash Digital Accepted' for a location near you. However, make sure you have adequate insurance and roadside assistance which covers remote locations. 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