What is the distance between Perth and Cairns?

Answer 1

To drive from Cairns to Perth is a distance of 4636 km, but this route takes you right through the remote centre of Australia, where roads are often unsealed and it is extremely risky and dangerous to travel alone. This route would take an estimated 61 hours of actual driving time, not counting breaks and rest stops. To go a safer, more populated route would be further.

The flight distance between Cairns and Perth is 3,444km.

Further information on road distance:

No matter which route you take by road the drive from Cairns to Perth is a long way. Essentially, the shortest way on sealed roads is a total distance of 6,217 km. Starting in Cairns, this route goes via Ravenshoe, Normanton, Cloncurry, across the Barkly Tableland, then up to Katherine and on to Kununurra and following the W.A. inland route (The Great Northern Highway) through Newman and Meekathara and finally to Perth. The Gulf Developmental Road in Queensland between Mt surprise and Normanton is not recommended as it is narrow, undulating and damaged in places and it is safer and only slightly longer to go via Charters Towers and then across to Mt Isa before heading off to the Northern Territory section. Going this way makes the total distance 6,398 km.

If you want to stick to the west coast on your drive down to Perth then take the North West Coastal Highway. Instead of turning left onto the Great Northern Highway at the turnoff 42 km from Port Hedland, go straight on and head for Roeburn. This route makes side trips to places like Monkey Mia and Kalbarri possible. Push on to Geraldton and from there take the Brand Highway the rest of the way to Perth. Total distance, 6363 km (and that includes the better road via Charters Towers in Queensland).

A word of warning. Before setting off on a road trip of this magnitude, remember that vast sections of these routes traverse remote, sparsely populated regions where services of any kind may be difficult if not impossible to access. Make sure that your car is in first rate condition, you have plenty of food and most importantly water available and that you have accurate road maps. Mobile phones won't work outside of towns so if you anticipate difficulties of one kind or another consider a satellite phone. Petrol and diesel can also be very expensive in the northern reaches of Western Australia and the far western regions of Queensland so keep this in mind if money is likely to be tight. Also, consider the time of year. Summer temperatures in the north of Australia can be extremely high especially in inland Western Australia; 50 degrees Celsius is not unknown in the north west. Flooding and cut roads are also possible in the cyclone season (between November and March).

Answer 2

There are 4 flights per week from Perth, Australia to Cairns, Australia, and the flight time is 4 hours 10 minutes. The driving distance is 5,253.3 miles, and the drive takes about 58 hours.