Distance between Melbourne and Cairns

The distance from Melbourne to Cairns is 2,941 kilometers by road including 171 kilometers on motorways. Road takes approximately 33 hours and 21 minutes and goes through Dubbo, Charters Towers, Carlton, Parkville, Carlton North, Fitzroy North and Fitzroy.

Shortest distance by air 2,325 km ✈️
Car route length 2,941 km 🚗
Driving time 33 h 21 min
Fuel amount 235.3 L
Fuel cost 249.4 AUD
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Compare this route in other services:
City
Town
Village
Hamlet
Motorway
Primary
Secondary
Unclassified
Point Distance Time Fuel
Melbourne 0 km 0:00 00 min 0.0 L
3 km, 03 min
Carlton 3 km 0:03 03 min 0.1 L
83 2 km, 02 min
Carlton North 5 km 0:05 05 min 0.4 L
83 1 km, 01 min
Fitzroy North 7 km 0:07 07 min 0.4 L
45 2 km, 01 min
Northcote 9 km 0:08 08 min 0.6 L
45 1 km, 01 min
Thornbury 10 km 0:10 10 min 0.8 L
45 2 km, 01 min
Preston 12 km 0:11 11 min 0.9 L
45 A39 799 km, 9 h 03 min
Dubbo 810 km 9:14 9 h 14 min 63.4 L
A39 A7 1,657 km, 18 h 42 min
Charters Towers 2,468 km 27:56 27 h 56 min 196.1 L
A6 A1 476 km, 5 h 27 min
Cairns 2,943 km 33:23 33 h 23 min 235.3 L
City
Town
Village
Hamlet
Motorway
Primary
Secondary
Unclassified
Point Distance Time Fuel
Melbourne 0 km 0:00 00 min 0.0 L
3 km, 03 min
Carlton 3 km 0:03 03 min 0.1 L
83 2 km, 02 min
Carlton North 5 km 0:05 05 min 0.4 L
83 1 km, 01 min
Fitzroy North 7 km 0:07 07 min 0.4 L
45 2 km, 01 min
Northcote 9 km 0:08 08 min 0.6 L
45 1 km, 01 min
Thornbury 10 km 0:10 10 min 0.8 L
45 2 km, 01 min
Preston 12 km 0:11 11 min 0.9 L
45 4 km, 03 min
Reservoir 16 km 0:14 14 min 1.0 L
29 4 km, 03 min
Thomastown 20 km 0:18 18 min 1.5 L
M31 6 km, 03 min
Epping 26 km 0:21 21 min 1.7 L
M31 8 km, 04 min
Craigieburn 34 km 0:26 26 min 2.6 L
M31 6 km, 03 min
Mickleham 40 km 0:30 30 min 2.8 L
M31 9 km, 04 min
Beveridge 49 km 0:35 35 min 3.8 L
M31 4 km, 02 min
Wallan 53 km 0:37 37 min 4.1 L
M31 10 km, 05 min
Wandong 63 km 0:42 42 min 4.3 L
M31 40 km, 21 min
Seymour 103 km 1:04 1 h 04 min 8.1 L
M31 M39 50 km, 27 min
Murchison 153 km 1:31 1 h 31 min 12.0 L
M39 21 km, 12 min
Kialla West 174 km 1:43 1 h 43 min 13.9 L
A39 6 km, 04 min
Kialla 180 km 1:48 1 h 48 min 13.9 L
C391 18 km, 12 min
Congupna 198 km 2:00 2 h 00 min 15.5 L
C363 34 km, 22 min
Katamatite 232 km 2:23 2 h 23 min 18.2 L
C361 C371 8 km, 05 min
Muckatah 240 km 2:29 2 h 29 min 18.9 L
C371 13 km, 09 min
Cobram 253 km 2:38 2 h 38 min 19.5 L
A39 19 km, 13 min
Токемвол 272 km 2:51 2 h 51 min 21.3 L
A39 11 km, 08 min
Finley 283 km 3:00 3 h 00 min 22.2 L
A39 30 km, 23 min
Jerilderie 313 km 3:23 3 h 23 min 23.1 L
A39 100 km, 1 h 08 min
Corobimilla 413 km 4:32 4 h 32 min 32.0 L
A39 28 km, 19 min
Narrandera 441 km 4:51 4 h 51 min 34.4 L
A39 12 km, 08 min
Grong Grong 453 km 4:59 4 h 59 min 36.2 L
A39 26 km, 17 min
Ardlethan 479 km 5:17 5 h 17 min 36.3 L
A39 67 km, 45 min
West Wyalong 547 km 6:03 6 h 03 min 42.0 L
A39 24 km, 17 min
Wyalong 571 km 6:20 6 h 20 min 45.5 L
A39 27 km, 18 min
Marsden 598 km 6:39 6 h 39 min 47.4 L
A39 67 km, 48 min
Forbes 665 km 7:27 7 h 27 min 51.7 L
A39 41 km, 30 min
Parkes 705 km 7:58 7 h 58 min 54.7 L
A39 25 km, 18 min
Alectown 730 km 8:16 8 h 16 min 58.2 L
A39 16 km, 11 min
Peak Hill 746 km 8:28 8 h 28 min 58.7 L
A39 26 km, 18 min
Tomingley 771 km 8:46 8 h 46 min 61.5 L
A39 39 km, 27 min
Dubbo 810 km 9:14 9 h 14 min 63.4 L
A39 20 km, 14 min
Brocklehurst 830 km 9:28 9 h 28 min 66.4 L
A39 29 km, 19 min
Eumungerie 859 km 9:47 9 h 47 min 68.4 L
A39 36 km, 24 min
Gilgandra 895 km 10:12 10 h 12 min 69.1 L
B55 43 km, 29 min
Gulargambone 938 km 10:41 10 h 41 min 74.9 L
B55 48 km, 33 min
Coonamble 986 km 11:15 11 h 15 min 75.8 L
B55 104 km, 1 h 10 min
Walgett 1,090 km 12:25 12 h 25 min 81.9 L
B55 86 km, 58 min
Lightning Ridge 1,176 km 13:24 13 h 24 min 92.5 L
B55 59 km, 39 min
Hebel 1,235 km 14:03 14 h 03 min 98.7 L
A55 70 km, 46 min
Dirranbandi 1,305 km 14:50 14 h 50 min 101.1 L
A55 93 km, 1 h 01 min
St George 1,397 km 15:52 15 h 52 min 111.7 L
A55 117 km, 1 h 18 min
Surat 1,514 km 17:10 17 h 10 min 119.2 L
A55 71 km, 49 min
Roma 1,585 km 17:59 17 h 59 min 126.5 L
A7 262 km, 2 h 57 min
Rolleston 1,848 km 20:57 20 h 57 min 147.0 L
A7 74 km, 50 min
Springsure 1,922 km 21:47 21 h 47 min 152.5 L
A7 64 km, 44 min
Emerald 1,986 km 22:32 22 h 32 min 158.5 L
A7 38 km, 26 min
Capella 2,024 km 22:58 22 h 58 min 159.3 L
A7 66 km, 44 min
Clermont 2,089 km 23:43 23 h 43 min 166.8 L
A7 104 km, 1 h 09 min
Frankfield 2,193 km 24:52 24 h 52 min 169.7 L
A7 275 km, 3 h 03 min
Charters Towers 2,468 km 27:55 27 h 55 min 196.1 L
A6 86 km, 58 min
Woodstock 2,554 km 28:54 28 h 54 min 204.0 L
A6 33 km, 22 min
Stuart 2,587 km 29:16 29 h 16 min 206.7 L
A6 A1 11 km, 07 min
Douglas 2,598 km 29:24 29 h 24 min 207.7 L
A1 11 km, 06 min
Shaw 2,609 km 29:31 29 h 31 min 208.4 L
A1 41 km, 27 min
Rollingstone 2,650 km 29:58 29 h 58 min 212.0 L
A1 15 km, 10 min
Mutarnee 2,666 km 30:08 30 h 08 min 212.8 L
A1 12 km, 08 min
Bambaroo 2,678 km 30:17 30 h 17 min 213.7 L
A1 23 km, 15 min
Toobanna 2,701 km 30:32 30 h 32 min 216.0 L
A1 9 km, 06 min
Ingham 2,709 km 30:38 30 h 38 min 216.1 L
A1 50 km, 34 min
Cardwell 2,759 km 31:12 31 h 12 min 220.2 L
A1 45 km, 31 min
Tully 2,805 km 31:43 31 h 43 min 224.0 L
A1 15 km, 10 min
El Arish 2,819 km 31:53 31 h 53 min 225.1 L
A1 8 km, 05 min
Silkwood 2,827 km 31:59 31 h 59 min 226.0 L
A1 20 km, 13 min
Mourilyan 2,848 km 32:13 32 h 13 min 227.7 L
A1 32 km, 23 min
Mirriwinni 2,880 km 32:37 32 h 37 min 230.2 L
A1 4 km, 03 min
Babinda 2,884 km 32:40 32 h 40 min 230.6 L
A1 14 km, 09 min
Deeral 2,898 km 32:49 32 h 49 min 231.6 L
A1 7 km, 04 min
Fishery Falls 2,904 km 32:54 32 h 54 min 232.2 L
A1 14 km, 09 min
Gordonvale 2,918 km 33:03 33 h 03 min 233.1 L
A1 8 km, 06 min
Wrights Creek 2,927 km 33:09 33 h 09 min 233.9 L
A1 5 km, 03 min
Bentley Park 2,932 km 33:13 33 h 13 min 234.4 L
A1 11 km, 09 min
Cairns 2,943 km 33:22 33 h 22 min 235.3 L

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to drive from Melbourne to Cairns?

Fuel cost: 249.4 AUD

This fuel cost is calculated as: (Route length 2,941 km / 100 km) * (Fuel consumption 8.00 L/100 km) * (Fuel price 1.06 AUD / L)

You can adjust fuel consumption and fuel price here.

How long is a car ride from Melbourne to Cairns?

Driving time: 33 h 21 min

This time is calculated for driving at the maximum permitted speed, taking into account traffic rules restrictions.

  • 125 km with a maximum speed 110 km/h = 1 h 8 min
  • 43 km with a maximum speed 100 km/h = 25 min
  • 2,384 km with a maximum speed 90 km/h = 26 h 29 min
  • 302 km with a maximum speed 80 km/h = 3 h 46 min
  • 17 km with a maximum speed 70 km/h = 14 min
  • 38 km with a maximum speed 60 km/h = 38 min
  • 33 km with a maximum speed 50 km/h = 39 min

The calculated driving time does not take into account intermediate stops and traffic jams.

How far is Melbourne to Cairns by land?

The distance between Melbourne and Cairns is 2,941 km by road including 171 km on motorways.

Precise satellite coordinates of highways were used for this calculation. The start and finish points are the centers of Melbourne and Cairns respectively.

How far is Melbourne to Cairns by plane?

The shortest distance (air line, as the crow flies) between Melbourne and Cairns is 2,325 km.

This distance is calculated using the Haversine formula as a great-circle distance between two points on the surface of a sphere. The start and finish points are the centers of Melbourne and Cairns respectively. Actual distance between airports may be different.

How many hours is Melbourne from Cairns by plane?

Boeing 737 airliner needs 2 h 54 min to cover the distance of 2,325 km at a cruising speed of 800 km/h.

Small plane "Cessna 172" needs 10 h 34 min to flight this distance at average speed of 220 km/h.

This time is approximate and do not take into account takeoff and landing times, airport location and other real world factors.

How long is a helicopter ride from Melbourne to Cairns?

Fast helicopter "Eurocopter AS350" or "Hughes OH-6 Cayuse" need 9 h 41 min to cover the distance of 2,325 km at a cruising speed of 240 km/h.

Popular "Robinson R44" needs 11 h 4 min to flight this distance at average speed of 210 km/h.

This time is approximate and do not take into account takeoff and landing times, aerodrome location and other real world factors.

What city is halfway between Melbourne and Cairns?

The halfway point between Melbourne and Cairns is Surat. It is located about 43 km from the exact midpoint by road.

The distance from Surat to Melbourne is 1,514 km and driving will take about 17 h 10 min. The road between Surat and Cairns has length 1,427 km and will take approximately 16 h 11 min.

The other cities located close to halfway point:

Where is Melbourne in relation to Cairns?

Melbourne is located 2,325 km south of Cairns.

Melbourne has geographic coordinates: latitude -37.81422, longitude 144.96315.

Cairns has geographic coordinates: latitude -16.9205, longitude 145.77189.

Which highway goes from Melbourne to Cairns?

The route from Melbourne to Cairns follows A7, A39, A1, B55, A55, A6.

Other minor sections pass along the road:

  • M31: 87 km
  • M39: 58 km
  • B64: 37 km
  • C363: 32 km
  • C371: 20 km
  • C391: 19 km
  • B94: 18 km
  • B76: 14 km
  • 45: 9 km
  • C361: 6 km
  • A2: 6 km
  • 49: 2 km
  • 29: 2 km
  • A4: 2 km
  • 83: 1 km
The distance between Melbourne and Cairns is ranked 309th in the ranking popularity.
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