Road trip from Cairns to Cardwell on the breathtaking Great Green Way

The Great Green Way from Cairns to Cardwell is a fantastic road trip to explore Queensland’s natural attractions. Along the way you can visit two World Heritage-listed areas – The Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.

Road trip stops include beaches, waterfalls, swimming holes, museums, 12 national parks and even a castle. The distance from Cairns to Cardwell is 180 kilometres, one way. The drive time is 2.5 hours, but there is so much to do along the way your family could easily spend many days visiting all the stops.

Cairns to Babinda

Head 59 kilometres south of Cairns, and you’ll reach Babinda. The quaint town is located in the foothills of Mount Bartle Frere, Queensland’s highest mountain and Wooroonooran National Park.

In town, the Babinda Bakery is famous for its cream buns. The calories are easily burned off afterwards with a swim in Babinda Boulder’s swimming hole and a 1.3-kilometre walk to the Devil’s Pool  Lookout. The pools are filled with water that gushes down from Mount Bartle Frere, and the smooth granite boulders are steeped in local Yidinji legend. You can also go on a kayak tour with Babinda Kayaks to paddle down the gently flowing waters of Babinda Creek.

For another unmissable swimming spot, drive 15 minutes to Josephine Falls. The kids will love slithering down the natural rockslides into the sunlit pool. Another detour will take you to wander amid the clouds. Mamu Tropical Skywalk’s elevated walkways lead high into the rainforest canopy.

Etty Bay

If you want to spot a southern cassowary in the wild, Etty Bay is the place. On arrival, you may see a majestic male cassowary sauntering right past your car. The birds are most active in the late afternoon and early morning. Etty Bay is known as one of North Queensland’s most scenic beaches. It is pristine and surrounded by the rainforest with little signs of human habitation except for the Caravan Park.

The beachfront Etty Bay Caravan Park is a regular hangout for the flightless cassowaries, but be warned if you decide to picnic here: they may just try to pinch your lunch. Do note there is little infrastructure at Etta Bay, so if you need to pick up any supplies, your best bet is the Art-Deco-inspired town of Innisfail.

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Paronella Park

Paronella Park is a Spanish-style castle built upon a five-hectare wonderland. The stone castle is almost covered by the 7,000 plants and trees planted in the park. The entry fee includes a 30-minute storytelling tour, and you are free to explore waterfalls, bridges and tunnels.

Bring a picnic to enjoy amongst moss-clad ruins and play tennis on the two on-site courts. Or, take a stroll across the suspension bridge and gaze down at Mena Creek Falls tumbling below.

Mission Beach

From Etty Bay, it is a scenic drive to Mission Beach – where rainforest tumbles from mountains almost into the sea.

Mission Beach comprises four coastal villages – Bingil Bay, North Mission, Wongaling Beach and South Mission. The villages are linked by 14 kilometres of palm-fringed beach. The laid-back seaside enclave is flanked by rainforest, fruit fields and a reef. Mission Beach is an excellent place to base yourself for a few nights on this Cairns to Cardwell road trip.

The Family Islands float just a few kilometres offshore. The best way to visit them is on a private snorkelling tour with Great Barrier Reef Safaris. Resident marine biologist Dr Adele Pile delivers a family-friendly, flipper-free snorkel session. Along with preserving coral from being kicked, floating on pool noodles leads to a slower, more sublime appreciation of the reef; it also gives marine life a chance to be curious about you.

Rent bikes from Mission Beach Bike Hire to cycle the stunning Musgravea Track in Djiru National Park. If you want to take a snap of the kids with a giant cassowary, drive to the Big Cassowary Statue at Wongaling Beach.

Read: 23 best things to do in Mission Beach with kids

Tully

Pop into Tully to see the eight-metre-high Golden Gumboot with its famous frog. It stands in recognition of the 1950’s record-breaking rain that heralded Tully as Australia’s wettest town.

Detour northwest of Tully to visit Tully Gorge National Park. The high rainfall makes it a stunningly dense and tropical national park. It also provides excellent rapids if you feel like a spot of white-water rafting.

Cardwell Spa Pool

This stunning waterhole showcases a variety of bedazzling blue hues. The Cardwell Spa Pool is a naturally-fed, seasonal creek, meaning the water levels fluctuate throughout the year. During its peak season (May-September) the pools are bright blue in colour thanks to the minerals found in the water.

If you have the time, take a boat to Hinchinbrook Island for waterfalls, and scenic bush walks.

Cardwell

The Great Green Way road trip ends in coastal Cardwell. Browse Indigenous art at Girringun Art Centre. Explore the Cardwell Visitor and Heritage Centre, built in 1870 it is one of the oldest buildings in Queensland. Then when tummies start grumbling taste a famous crab burger from Seaview Deli Cafe.

This article was produced with in partnership with Cairns & Great Barrier Reef and is a Holidays with Kids digital exclusive. Be the first to see more exclusive online content by subscribing to the enewsletter here.

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