How many little Queensland towns have you driven straight through on the way to somewhere else? This time, we’re doing things a little differently. We’re kicking off a brand new Queensland road trip, travelling from the Fraser Coast north to Townsville and Cairns, back down to Airlie Beach, before eventually turning west and heading into Outback Queensland. But this trip isn’t just about the big destinations. After seven years travelling Australia, there are still so many regional towns we’ve driven through but never actually stopped to explore. So this time we’re making a conscious effort to slow down, pull over, spend some time in these communities and support the local businesses along the way. And that’s exactly how this journey begins. After saying goodbye to Katie’s Mum on the Fraser Coast, we hitch up the caravan and point the LC300 north on the Bruce Highway. Our first night sees us pull into the free RV stop at Miriam Vale, where a walk into town leads to dinner at the local pub and, of course, a visit to the bakery the following morning. Then it’s back on the road to one of our favourite little overnight stops on this stretch of the Queensland coast – BarraCrab at Clairview – before continuing north to Rollingstone, around 60km north of Townsville. Nothing particularly extravagant. No bucket-list attractions. Just life on the road, regional Queensland and some of those little places that can make a road trip so memorable. And this is only the beginning! Over the coming episodes we’re taking you with us through Townsville, Cairns, Airlie Beach and eventually Outback Queensland, sharing plenty of incredible experiences – but also making sure we don’t forget about the little towns and local businesses in between. So hitch up and come along for the ride.
There’s a LOT of Queensland ahead of us!