Distance between Cairns and Darwin

The distance from Cairns to Darwin is 2,766 kilometers by road including 4 kilometers on motorways. Road takes approximately 31 hours and 8 minutes and goes through Mount Isa, Bentley Park, Wrights Creek, Gordonvale, Malanda, Millaa Millaa and Ravenshoe.

Shortest distance by air 1,681 km ✈️
Car route length 2,766 km 🚗
Driving time 31 h 8 min
Fuel amount 221.3 L
Fuel cost 385.1 AUD
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City
Town
Village
Hamlet
Motorway
Primary
Secondary
Unclassified
Point Distance Time Fuel
Cairns 0 km 0:00 00 min 0.0 L
A1 11 km, 08 min
Bentley Park 11 km 0:08 08 min 0.8 L
A1 5 km, 03 min
Wrights Creek 16 km 0:12 12 min 1.0 L
A1 7 km, 05 min
Gordonvale 23 km 0:17 17 min 1.6 L
A1 52 53 km, 42 min
Malanda 76 km 1:00 1 h 00 min 5.8 L
25 19 km, 13 min
Millaa Millaa 95 km 1:14 1 h 14 min 7.6 L
24 20 km, 13 min
Ravenshoe 115 km 1:27 1 h 27 min 8.5 L
1 47 km, 32 min
Mount Garnet 162 km 1:59 1 h 59 min 12.4 L
1 1,002 km, 11 h 12 min
Mount Isa 1,164 km 13:12 13 h 12 min 92.2 L
A2 1 1,603 km, 17 h 56 min
Darwin 2,766 km 31:08 31 h 08 min 221.2 L
City
Town
Village
Hamlet
Motorway
Primary
Secondary
Unclassified
Point Distance Time Fuel
Cairns 0 km 0:00 00 min 0.0 L
A1 11 km, 08 min
Bentley Park 11 km 0:08 08 min 0.8 L
A1 5 km, 03 min
Wrights Creek 16 km 0:12 12 min 1.0 L
A1 7 km, 05 min
Gordonvale 23 km 0:17 17 min 1.6 L
A1 52 53 km, 42 min
Malanda 76 km 1:00 1 h 00 min 5.8 L
25 8 km, 05 min
Tarzali 84 km 1:06 1 h 06 min 6.7 L
25 11 km, 07 min
Millaa Millaa 95 km 1:14 1 h 14 min 7.6 L
24 20 km, 13 min
Ravenshoe 115 km 1:27 1 h 27 min 8.5 L
1 47 km, 32 min
Mount Garnet 162 km 1:59 1 h 59 min 12.4 L
1 103 km, 1 h 08 min
Mount Surprise 265 km 3:08 3 h 08 min 18.6 L
1 115 km, 1 h 17 min
Georgetown 380 km 4:25 4 h 25 min 29.8 L
1 148 km, 1 h 39 min
Croydon 528 km 6:04 6 h 04 min 41.8 L
1 270 km, 3 h 00 min
Stokes 798 km 9:05 9 h 05 min 58.4 L
83 210 km, 2 h 20 min
Quamby 1,008 km 11:26 11 h 26 min 80.3 L
83 43 km, 28 min
Cloncurry 1,050 km 11:55 11 h 55 min 83.5 L
83 66 km, 44 min
Mary Kathleen 1,117 km 12:39 12 h 39 min 88.6 L
83 47 km, 32 min
Mount Isa 1,164 km 13:11 13 h 11 min 92.2 L
A2 192 km, 2 h 09 min
Camooweal 1,356 km 15:21 15 h 21 min 108.4 L
A2 66 69 km, 46 min
Avon Downs 1,425 km 16:07 16 h 07 min 113.9 L
66 191 km, 2 h 07 min
Barkly Homestead 1,616 km 18:15 18 h 15 min 129.2 L
66 87 415 km, 4 h 37 min
Elliott 2,031 km 22:52 22 h 52 min 162.1 L
87 239 km, 2 h 40 min
Larrimah 2,270 km 25:33 25 h 33 min 181.5 L
1 75 km, 50 min
Mataranka 2,344 km 26:23 26 h 23 min 187.4 L
1 108 km, 1 h 12 min
Katherine 2,452 km 27:36 27 h 36 min 195.9 L
1 94 km, 1 h 03 min
Pine Creek 2,546 km 28:39 28 h 39 min 202.9 L
1 108 km, 1 h 12 min
Adelaide River 2,654 km 29:51 29 h 51 min 212.2 L
1 66 km, 44 min
Livingstone 2,720 km 30:36 30 h 36 min 217.3 L
1 5 km, 03 min
Noonamah 2,725 km 30:39 30 h 39 min 217.9 L
1 6 km, 03 min
Humpty Doo 2,731 km 30:43 30 h 43 min 218.3 L
1 9 km, 06 min
Howard Springs 2,740 km 30:49 30 h 49 min 219.1 L
1 4 km, 02 min
Palmerston Indigenous Village 2,745 km 30:52 30 h 52 min 219.4 L
1 2 km, 01 min
Yarrawonga 2,747 km 30:54 30 h 54 min 219.8 L
1 A15 17 km, 11 min
Woolner 2,764 km 31:05 31 h 05 min 221.0 L
A15 3 km, 02 min
Darwin 2,766 km 31:07 31 h 07 min 221.2 L

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Fuel cost: 385.1 AUD

This fuel cost is calculated as: (Route length 2,766 km / 100 km) * (Fuel consumption 8 L/100 km) * (Fuel price 1.74 AUD / L)

You can adjust fuel consumption and fuel price here.

How long is a car ride from Cairns to Darwin?

Driving time: 31 h 8 min

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

  • 2,642 km with a maximum speed 90 km/h = 29 h 21 min
  • 66 km with a maximum speed 80 km/h = 49 min
  • 4 km with a maximum speed 70 km/h = 3 min
  • 53 km with a maximum speed 60 km/h = 52 min
  • 1 km with a maximum speed 50 km/h = 1 min

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

How far is Cairns to Darwin by land?

The distance between Cairns and Darwin is 2,766 km by road including 4 km on motorways.

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

How far is Cairns to Darwin by plane?

The shortest distance (air line, as the crow flies) between Cairns and Darwin is 1,681 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 Cairns and Darwin respectively. Actual distance between airports may be different.

How many hours is Cairns from Darwin by plane?

Boeing 737 airliner needs 2 h 6 min to cover the distance of 1,681 km at a cruising speed of 800 km/h.

Small plane "Cessna 172" needs 7 h 38 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 Cairns to Darwin?

Fast helicopter "Eurocopter AS350" or "Hughes OH-6 Cayuse" need 7 h to cover the distance of 1,681 km at a cruising speed of 240 km/h.

Popular "Robinson R44" needs 8 h 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 Cairns and Darwin?

The halfway point between Cairns and Darwin is Camooweal. It is located about 27 km from the exact midpoint by road.

The distance from Camooweal to Cairns is 1,356 km and driving will take about 15 h 21 min. The road between Camooweal and Darwin has length 1,410 km and will take approximately 15 h 46 min.

The other cities located close to halfway point:

Where is Cairns in relation to Darwin?

Cairns is located 1,681 km south-east of Darwin.

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

Darwin has geographic coordinates: latitude -12.46044, longitude 130.84105.

Which highway goes from Cairns to Darwin?

The route from Cairns to Darwin follows 1, 83, 66, 87, A2.

Other minor sections pass along the road:

  • 52: 40 km
  • 25: 19 km
  • A15: 17 km
  • A1: 17 km
  • 24: 11 km
  • 84: 1 km
The distance between Cairns and Darwin is ranked 40th in the ranking popularity.
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