Get Moving: A Free-Spirited Road Trip for Active Travellers in the Mackay Isaac Region

If your kind of travel includes muddy shoes, wild swims, or sky-high views – and your favourite plan is no plan at all – then the Mackay Isaac Region is about to be your playground.

This is a road trip that relies on you chasing whatever vibes you: a trail, a climb, a ride, or a dip. Just throw the gear in the boot and follow those vibes.

Here’s a list of spots to hit if you're the kind of adventurer who doesn’t just admire the view – you get amongst it. 

Hike It, Run It, Climb It

If hiking trails and hilltop lookouts are your jam, the region delivers big time. Lords Table Mountain near Dysart is all about bold views and a solid climb – perfect for those who want to earn their sunset. Wolfang Peak offers another scenic challenge if you're headed Clermont way.

The Gemini Peaks near Moranbah are remote and rugged for hikers who like things a bit wilder. Mount Britton Walk is a bit of a hidden gem – an atmospheric hike that leads you through ghost town relics and outback bushland.

For something gentler, check out Sky Walk in Eungella National Park – easy-going trails with sweeping rainforest views. And if running events are your thing, time your trip for the Mackay Marina Run in June. A fun, fast course right by the sea.

Water You Waiting For? Dive In

Water lovers, your options are endless – whether you want to paddle, swim, SUP or fish your way through the region.

Head straight to Wake House Australia in Mackay for cable wakeboarding – no boat required, just good balance and go-for-it energy.

Platypus Beach and Cattle Creek are chill spots to SUP with Platypus Paddle or float with the current, and Teemburra Dam is great for a quiet paddle or kayak mission.

At Lake Elphinstone, Theresa Creek Dam, and Eungella Dam, you can fish, swim, sail, or camp right on the water’s edge. Or get salty with a beach camp at Smalleys Beach in Cape Hillsborough National Park, where you can fish or paddle at sunrise with wallabies nearby.

Cycle or Cruise Through It

If wheels or high wires are more your style, you’ve got options. The Bluewater Trail in Mackay is a 20km+ coastal circuit that wraps around the city’s best riverfront and parkland.

Hit the dirt at Finch Hatton MTB Park – a growing mecca for mountain bikers who like their rides wild and their trails with a view or keep it mellow with a ride through Mackay’s Botanic Gardens, where there's a café for that mid-ride caffeine hit.

Unique & Unexpected Thrills

Road tripping is about the unexpected – those “why not?” moments. The Mackay Isaac region has plenty.

Bush Heli Tours out of Clermont take you above the landscape for a full panorama of where you've been (and where you’re headed). In Eungella, The Diggins is a 4WD-only campground where the swimming holes are pristine, and the stars go off every night.

Catch the vibe at the Nebo Rodeo or a PBR event if your timing lines up – raw, loud, local action. And for pure novelty, seek out the Dinosaur Footprints near Middlemount — yep, real ones.

Wildlife Wanders & Natural Encounters

For active travellers who love spotting creatures on their path, this region doesn't disappoint.

Broken River in Eungella is one of the best places in the world to see wild platypus – walk the trails and watch quietly from the platforms. Cape Hillsborough is famous for its wallabies on the beach at sunrise – early alarm required, but so worth it.

The Kommo Toera Trail near Mackay is a peaceful mangrove boardwalk filled with birdlife and local flora.

Hit the Road Your Way

This isn’t a trip that needs ticking off a checklist. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure kind of ride. Some days you'll be hiking mountain peaks, other days you'll just float on a SUP or swing in a hammock by a dam.

So, load the car with your boards, boots, bikes and bait – and let the road do the rest. Because in the Mackay Isaac Region, it’s not just where you go – it’s how you move through it that counts.