1 day in Brisbane & Cairns Itinerary

Queensland’s biggest town and state capital, Brisbane has an attractive, manicured image based around its riverside aesthetic as well as the contrast between its high-rise center and extensive urban greenery.

To find where to stay, reviews, and tourist information, refer to the Brisbane trip planner.

Use the Route module to find suitable travel options from your home destination to Brisbane. In December, daily temperatures in Brisbane can reach 32°C, while at night they dip to 23°C. You'll have a few hours on the 12th (Sat) to wrap things up before traveling to Cairns.

A neat, cosmopolitan city of shaded plazas and laid-back neighborhoods, Cairns serves as a popular base for exploration of the surrounding region and the Great Barrier Reef, as well as a center for watersport activities like surfing or waterskiing.

For reviews and more tourist information, use the Cairns road trip website.

Traveling by flight from Brisbane to Cairns takes 4.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train. When traveling from Brisbane in December, plan for somewhat warmer days and about the same nights in Cairns: temperatures range from 36°C by day to 26°C at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 12th (Sat) to allow enough time to travel back home.