Your stays
Choose a property, room type and dates for each night of your trip.
Stop 1
Explore Toowoomba
Stay
Quest Toowoomba
1 Night
Stop 1
Explore Toowoomba
Stop 2
Explore Ipswich
Stay
Quest Ipswich
1 Night
Stop 2
Explore Ipswich
Stop 3
Explore Mackay
Stay
Quest Mackay on Gordon
2 Nights
Stop 3
Explore Mackay
Removed stays
Your Route
What to bring
For this Queensland journey from the Darling Downs through Ipswich to the tropical coast of Mackay, pack for a shift from inland gardens and heritage architecture to warm coral-coast air.
Comfortable shoes are needed for Toowoomba's parks and Ipswich's heritage walks, while a swimsuit and reef-safe sunscreen are essential for Mackay's coastline and reef snorkelling. Light, breathable clothing suits the tropical north, and smart-casual works for dining at Host Dining in Toowoomba and Rare Bar and Grill in Mackay. A camera is a must for Cape Hillsborough's sunrise wallabies and Great Barrier Reef colours.
Explore Toowoomba
With 74 apartment-style rooms, some of which overlook the lush Queen's Park (one of the city's oldest spots), the pet-friendly Quest Toowoomba is an oasis within walking distance of some of the town's most popular attractions. It's next to Fitzy's pub, a local institution where you can tuck into what might be one of Queensland's best steaks, and also just a short walk from the buzz of Ruthven Street and the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery.
The Baker's Duck bakery, Gummingurru Ceremonial Site, Picnic Point Parklands, Cobb+Co Museum, Host Dining + Wine Bar
Explore Ipswich
Bright, airy and overlooking serene parkland, Quest Ipswich is just two kilometres from the historic Top Of Town precinct, a stretch of Brisbane Street bordered by Ellenborough and Waghorn Streets where bars, restaurants and shopfronts peep out from original heritage facades. With an expansive pool and BBQ area, as well as accessible accreditation, the 64 bright, breezy apartments are the perfect home away from home in this charming heritage city along the Bremer River.
Fourthchild Cafe & Restaurant, Ipswich Art Gallery, Flinders Peak Hike, Bakehouse Steakhouse, Stony Creek Brewing
Explore Mackay
You might come for the natural wonders surrounding this tropical outpost, but the friendly locals, humming bar scene and laidback coastal vibes give Mackay a magnetism all its own. Quest Mackay on Gordon, our accessible-accredited property with 115 breezy apartments, boasts a rooftop pool overlooking the mouth of the Pioneer River. The city is a great jumping-off point to explore the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef, and Cape Hillsborough National Park, famous for its sunrise kangaroos and wallabies, is a short drive away.
Woodman's Axe Espresso, Platypus Paradise Tour at Eungella National Park, Great Barrier Reef snorkelling with Barrier Reef Australia, Cape Hillsborough sunrise wildlife, Rare Bar and Grill, Sarina Sugar Shed
Journey Home
Mackay is well-connected by air, and most travellers will find a flight home the most practical way to close this trip. If you have a final morning before departure, grab a last flat white at Woodman's Axe Espresso, take one more look at the mouth of the Pioneer River from the Quest rooftop pool, or pick up some sugar cane products at Sarina Sugar Shed as a souvenir of this remarkable stretch of Queensland coast.
Woodman's Axe Espresso farewell coffee, Quest rooftop pool final morning, Sarina Sugar Shed souvenir stop, Mackay Airport departure
