Popular Campervan Hire Itineraries

Cairns to Alice Springs / Darwin (14-15 days)
Savannah Way, Matilda Highway, Mount Isa, Tennant Creek

Start: Cairns, QLD
Finish: Alice Springs or Darwin, NT
Distance (Cairns to Alice Springs): 2667 Kilometers (14 days)
Distance (Cairns to Darwin): 3149 Kilometers (15 days)

This campervan hire itinerary takes you from Cairns on the east coast of Australia across the heart of Queensland into the Northern Territory. You will travel along part of the iconic Savannah Highway as you head inland from Cairns towards to the Gulf of Carpentaria and the township of Karumba. Your campervan rental journey then takes you south to Mt Isa, with a stop at the Burke and Wills roadhouse before crossing into the Northern Territory and continuing on to Tennant Creek. From here you can choose to finish your campervan journey in either Alice Springs or Darwin.

Weather Warning: This campervan hire itinerary is suitable for 2WD campervans as all of the roads are sealed, but is not recommended during the wet season (approximately December to April) as the inland roads will be flooded.

Day 1 - Cairns to Yungaburra - 68km

After collecting your rental campervan in Cairns, take the Bruce Highway west to the small town of Gordonvale. This is the start of the �Savannah Way�, a route that takes you inland across some of Australia's most interesting landscapes. From here you will join the famous Gillies Highway as it winds its way up to Yungaburra. As you make your way up the mountain you will find spectacular views from many of the lookout points along the road. You can take a break and take in the view of the valleys deep in the Great Dividing Range (Australia's most substantial mountain range and the fourth longest in the world).

However, be warned that this road is not for the faint-hearted. If you get car sick easily, you may want to take the slightly longer road to Atherton through the town of Mareeba and then down to Yungaburra.

From Yungaburra you have access to some of the most amazing tourist spots. A must-see is Lake Eacham, a superb volcanic crater lake with deep emerald waters. Or take a trip to Lake Barrine, the larger of the twin craters for a day cruise on the lake to watch python's sunbake, turtles play and eels swim. The area has many lakes and rainforest walks to explore. For overnight campervan accommodation, try the Lake Eacham Tourist Park.

Day 2 and 3 - Yungaburra to Atherton - 14km

Atherton is the centre of the Tableland district. From here you can visit the local crystal caves, the centre of town or hike up the side of an extinct volcano to Halloran's Hill lookout. On the way you'll see a curtain fig tree, miniature waterfalls, rock pools and rainforest. Keep an eye out for bush turkeys and even the occasional tree-kangaroo.

From Atherton, you will have plenty of places to choose from when deciding where to visit. A unique experience is the old steam train ride down to the tin mining town of Herberton. Alternatively a day trip to Malanda or Milla Milla to take in the local walks to waterfalls is also not to be missed. Or take a trip out to Chillagoe (approximately 2 ½ hrs drive west of Atherton) and take a tour guide of the amazing lime caves this small town has to offer. There are a number of caravan parks in Atherton to spend the night in your rental campervan.

Day 4 - Atherton to Mount Garnet - 96km

As you head towards Mount Garnet, a popular stop along the way is the small town of Innot Hot Springs. Here you can take a dip in the local watering hole that runs hot due to the natural underground spring and experience the healing powers of this water.

Mount Garnet is then only a short 1 ½ dive west of Innot Hot Springs. Mount Garnet is described as the stopover to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Here in this small town, you can rest up and enjoy the magic of the bush and its pleasant, naturally air-conditioned climate at 700 metres above sea-level before heading further west. To spend the night in your hire campervan, try the Norwestgate Travellers Rest Van Park (ph: 07 4097 9249).

Day 5 - Mount Garnet to Mount Surprise - 123km

At Mount Surprise you can fossick for gems by taking a local tour or go it alone and try your own luck. You never know when you may be surprised by what you find. Mount Surprise sits on the edge of an immense lava flow from an ancient volcano to the south east. The surrounding country is flat, savannah grasslands with isolated hills.

If you are in the area during the dry season (March to December), you can also experience the �Savannahlander�, a classic 1960's Railmotor that operates weekly between Cairns and the old gold mining town of Forsayth. Short tours aboard the Savannahlander from Mount Surprise to Einasleigh are run weekly by Bedrock Village in Mount Surprise.

Day 6 - Mount Surprise to Croydon - 240km

If you are keen for more fossicking, you can try your hand at gold mining in Croydon. In its heyday, Croydon was a booming gold mining town boasting 19 hotels, of which only one remains. You can also take a guided tour around the town's historic buildings or sit and have a drink in the town's remaining pub, before getting ready to head to Karumba the next day. There are a number of caravan parks to choose from in Croydon to overnight in your rental campervan.

Day 7 - Croydon to Karumba - 225km

On your way to Karumba, a stop at Normanton is a must to have a drink at the famous �Purple Pub� and have a walk around the town. Normanton is just some 30 kilometres to the south-west of camp 119, Burke and Wills' most northerly camp. Robert Burke and William Wills were famous Australian explorers who led an 1860's expedition of 19 men with the intention of crossing Australia from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Due to some poor leadership and bad luck, 7 men (including Burke and Wills) perished on the expedition and entered into Australian folklore.

As you make your way from Normanton to Karumba, you will find that the land flattens out and all you can see for miles is farm land. Karumba marks your arrival at the Gulf of Carpentaria and here you will find yourself at the mouth of the Norman River and Arafuran Sea. Karumba is home to pearling boats and prawn fishing and has some of the best finishing spots in North Queensland. After the day's drive, relax and take in the amazing sunsets. Karumba has 3 caravan parks for overnight campervan accommodation.

Day 8 - Karumba to Burke and Wills Roadhouse - 268km

From Karumba, take the highway back to Normanton and then continue south along the Matilda Highway towards Cloncurry. Along the way, the Burke and Wills Roadhouse (ph 07 4742 5909) is a welcome sight and a good spot to stop for a break. Here you stop for a meal, fill up with fuel and stay the night (the roadhouse offers both powered and non-powered campsites). It's a long way between facilities in this neck of the woods!

Day 9 - Roadhouse to Cloncurry - 184km

Spend the day exploring Litchfield on the bushwalking tracks, admiring the bird and wildlife species, and swimming in the crystal-clear waterholes under thundering waterfalls that flow year-round. Take a wildlife cruise on the Reynolds River , part of a bordering working cattle station.

Day 10 - Cloncurry to Camooweal - 470km

As you head from Cloncurry to Camooweal, stop at the mining town of Mount Isa to visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service Base. Here you will learn about this unique operation that provides routine and emergency medical care by plane for the people in the Outback. Then continue on to Camooweal.

Camooweal is known as Queensland's gateway to the Northern Territory, sitting only 12km from the NT border. This town is full of history and was first discovered by the explorer William Landsborough as he passed through the Camooweal area searching for missing Burke and Wills around 1862.

The Camooweal district is honeycombed with rare sink holes and caves that run underneath the land. These formations were created around 500 million years ago. A unique story you may hear throughout your travels as you head west is that of the famous �Min Min Light�. This is the name given to an unusual light formation that has been reported numerous times in eastern Australia. Accounts of the light appearances vary, though they are most commonly described as being fuzzy disc shaped lights that appear to hover just above the horizon. Ultimately no one has been able to confirm or explain just what the light is - it is just one of the antiquities of the Outback.

To stay overnight in your campervan, try the Camooweal Motel & Caravan Park (ph: 07 4748 2155) which has 18 powered sites.

Day 11 - Camooweal to Barkly Homestead - 260km

As you leave Camooweal and take the first steps into the Northern Territory, a welcome site at the end of the day will be the Barkly Homestead Roadhouse. This dot on the map may be small but it has everything a weary traveller could need from a motel, caravan park, service station and bar and grill. Here you can sit back and relax after a hard days driving and swap stories of your journey with other travellers.

Day 12 - Barkly Homestead to Tennant Creek - 211km

The next stop along the road is Tennant Creek. Here you can take a trip up to the Bill Allen look out which offers a 360-degree view across the landscape. You can also stop at the Pink Palace art centre to watch the local artists work, or visit the Tennant Creek Telegraph station. Built in 1872, the station was part of the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line to connect Adelaide and Darwin.

From Tennant Creek you have the option of either travelling south to Alice Springs or north to Darwin.

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Option 1: Finish in Alice Springs

Day 13 - Tennant Creek to Wycliffe Well - 133km

About 100 kilometres south of Tennant Creek you will find the region's most spectacular landmark, the Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve. The Devils Marbles are made up of thousands of huge, precariously balanced boulders. Local indigenous people believe these mysterious rock spheres are the eggs of the Dreamtime's Rainbow Serpent.

After spending the day exploring the Devils Marbles, the small town of Wycliffe Well will offer a stop with a difference. Wycliffe Well is famous for its numerous UFO sightings and is popular with visitors of the extraterrestrial kind. UFO sightings have been part of Wycliffe Well's folklore since World War II, and the town's reputation for the unexplained attracts all types: even the Royal Australian Air Force has stopped by to investigate.

For overnight accommodation in your hire campervan, try the Big 4 Wycliffe Well Holiday Park.

Day 14 - Wycliffe Well to Alice Springs - 375km

From Wycliffe Well's continue south to Alice Springs. You may want to consider spending a few extra days in the Alice Springs area to visit the many sights surrounding this town. A trip out to Ayres Rock (also known as Uluru) is a must to see for all travellers, along with Kings Canyon. Or you can just relax in Alice Springs and take in the sights of this town.

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Option 2: Finish in Darwin

Day 13 - Tennant Creek to Elliott - 253km

From Tennant Creek, drive north to the small town of Elliott. The town does not offer much besides some walking tracks and local history however this is a great place to rest-up before heading to Katherine the next day. Fuel and supplies as well as basic accommodation are available here.

Day 14 - Elliott to Katherine - 420km

On the drive up to up to Darwin a stop a Katherine is a must. Katherine offers may options for day trips like the ever-popular Katherine Gorge. You can take a day trip on the river to get up and personal with the flooded gorge. You can also do a day trip north to Pine Creek or south to Mataranka. Pine Creek has a strong gold mining heritage with original buildings dating back to the 1800s, while Mataranka is famous for its tropical thermal pools and nearby Elsey National Park.

There are a number of caravan parks in Katherine to spend the night in your hire campervan, including Big 4 Katherine Low Level Caravan Park, River View Tourist Village and Knott's Crossing.  

Day 15 - Katherine to Darwin - 317km

Darwin offers a relaxed outdoor lifestyle where you can enjoy the warm weather all year round. Perched on a peninsula with sea on three sides, Darwin is an excellent base from which to explore the natural attractions of World Heritage listed Kakadu, Litchfield and Nitmiluk National Parks, the Tiwi Islands and Arnhem Land. It will be well worth spending a few extra days in Darwin to see the local sights.

Cairns to Alice Springs / Darwin Campervan Itinerary:

For more information please visit www.travelnt.com and www.queenslandholidays.com.au

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