The first stop on your Queensland road trip is the stunning Glass House Mountains, located just outside of Brisbane. Magnificent hinterland scenery will accompany you along the drive between the six small towns in the area, where you can get a feel for the ease of country living. You can also pay respect to the traditional owners of the area, the Gubbi Gubbi people, who would often gather at the mountains' peaks for ceremonies. The gorgeous views from here will leave you in no doubt as to why the Glass House Mountains are the first must-see entry in this Brisbane to Cairns road trip itinerary.

The Big Pineapple is another legendary can't-miss stop between Brisbane and Cairns, only a half hour's drive north of the Glass House Mountains. Whether you want to enjoy a peaceful coffee, learn about the history of Queensland's pineapple industry, or even climb inside the Big Pineapple itself, there is something for everyone. Best of all, the Big Pineapple is absolutely free to visit! It is a golden opportunity to see this world-famous structure for yourself. At an impressive height of 16 metres and located on a hill overlooking the Bruce Highway, the Big Pineapple is impossible to miss on your Brisbane to Cairns drive.

Next up on our road trip itinerary is the charming seaside town of Seventeen Seventy, named for the year in which James Cook's Endeavour made its second landing. The gorgeous coastal settlement is surrounded on three sides by ocean, and is truly worth visiting as you make your way from Brisbane to Cairns. Located not far off the Bruce Highway, you can drive all the way up to Wave Lookout and gaze across the vast Coral Sea. As one of the last ocean lookouts before the Great Barrier Reef, this is somewhere you just must stop and take in the view during your Queensland road trip.

Just past the halfway point between Brisbane and Cairns is the beautiful Cape Hillsborough National Park. The park encapsulates a perfect cross section of all that Queensland has to offer, from lush rainforest and iconic Aussie wildlife to vibrant beaches and mangrove ecosystems. While there are plenty of places between Brisbane and Cairns where you can connect with nature, Cape Hillsborough goes above and beyond in this regard and allows you to truly immerse yourself in the scenery. It is hard to believe that the national park is only a short detour off the highway as you meander north, and is yet another must-see destination on your Queensland road trip.

The final stop on our Brisbane to Cairns itinerary may be a bit further off the beaten track, but this time the destination really is more important than the journey. Wallaman Falls is the highest single drop waterfall in Australia at 268 metres, and with a road that takes you right up to the main lookout, there is no excuse to miss out on this spectacular view. You will rapidly find yourself mesmerised by the crashing water and the enveloping rainbow mist as you observe the falls from the top of the lookout. Beyond this point, you can enjoy the rest of Girringun National Park, full of more breathtaking gorges and falls. Wallaman Falls is the perfect final stop on our list of the best sights between Brisbane and Cairns.