The Open Road Is Back En Vogue This Easter

Who doesn't love a good road trip? And with the extended Easter weekend and school holidays just around the corner, we've handpicked a trio of trips to kickstart your Queensland adventure.

Matilda Way: Black Stump, Bilbies And Beyond…

Pack up your chocolate bilbies and head outback to see the real thing this Easter! Snaking its way from the New South Wales border to the Gulf of Carpentaria, the fully-sealed Matilda Way offers a glimpse of outback life – complete with lowing livestock and road trains (as you head northwards). Whilst it can be done fairly quick, we reckon this trip is worth switching your watch to 'outback time' and savouring the drive.

We pick up this journey on the tiny NSW border town of Barringun and head north a-hundred-clicks-or-so to Cunnamulla, which means long stretch of water in the local lingo. The town was immortalised in a poem by Stan Coster and sung by Slim Dusty which pays tribute to the region's stockmen. Onwards to Wyandra and Charleville - home of the Cosmos Centre, Bilby Centre, Flying Doctor Base and School of the Air - making it worth stopping over a night or two.

The towns of Augathella, Quilpie and Tambo shine with outback charm and you'll be assured a country welcome and a generous feed at all. You may also want to pack in a side-trip to Salvator Rosa National Park or stroll the banks of the Barcoo River. Roughly 100km north of Tambo, you'll stumble across the home of the original 'black stump'. In Blackall, add The Historic Blackall Woolscour to your sight-seeing list.

If you love an outback pub, plan to overnight in Barcaldine, which is famous for its row of pubs on the same side of the street and the stunning monument to the Tree of Knowledge at its heart. The open-air machinery museum near Ilfracombe is quintessentially Queensland country and The Stockman's Hall of Fame and Qantas Founders Museum beg more than just a casual glance. We also reckon a sunset cruise on the Thomson River is a great way to end your day on the road.

As you move into Waltzing Matilda country, you'll notice a change in the landscape from undulating downs to jump-ups (abrupt rises in otherwise flat country). Cloncurry's history has been shaped by mining and it's a hop, skip and a drive to Mount Isa, famous for its fabulous rodeo.

Large terminate mounds will herald your arrival into Normanton and the north-west of the state. From there, your last leg to Karumba and the Gulf of Carpentaria is around 70km. This is where the outback meets the sea.

Instagram-worthy stops:

• The Cunnamulla Fella (try a star trail at night).
• The stock sales/yards at Warrego Park, Wyandra.
• Snap the dusty red dirt tracks, railway lines stretching in to the distance and the silhouettes of power poles against vermilion-coloured sunsets.
• Don't screech your car to a halt with the first hint of wildlife, but do keep your eyes peeled for echidnas, emus and roos.
• Try the riverbanks of the Barcoo or the Thomson.
• Barcaldine's Tree of Knowledge (check train timetables to avoid the influx of tourists).
• Ilfracombe's disused farm equipment display looks great with the right light.
• Sunset on the Thompson River.
• The Gulflander train and Normanton Station are extremely hashtag worthy.

Pacific Coast Way: Every Day Is A Daycation On This East Coast Excursion…

Sun, surf and the seabreeze set the scene for this seaside sortie. A great starting point for this roadie is the Gold Coast - or any coastal port along the eastern seaboard - enroute to the bustling seaside town of Port Douglas. You can always flip things on their head and start anywhere along the coast.

From the South East to the tropics, you'll be able to take your pick of world-class places to stay along our coastline or slip off the Bruce Highway and feast your senses on Mother Nature's fruit bowl, lush National Parks and our fabulous rural towns. This is one roadie where you'll truly appreciate the size and diversity of our Great Barrier Reef and our coastal communities.

Drive Day 1: Gold Coast to Brisbane - 

The Gold Coast is famous for fun and for the golden beaches that frame the coastal strip. From here, it's an easy hours' drive to Brisbane, Queensland's cultural hub packed with urban villages, a thumping music scene, temperate climes and eclectic festivals.

Drive Day 2: Brisbane to Maroochydore - 

Nestled between the Maroochy River and the Pacific Ocean, Maroochydore is known for its relaxed atmosphere, fabulous surf breaks and sheltered beaches. Just a stone's throw from the coastline, you'll find the sub-tropical rainforests and fertile lands of the Blackall Ranges and quaint country villages.

Drive Day 3: Maroochydore to Hervey Bay - 

Gympie boasts a proud gold mining heritage, but these days it is also known for its annual country music muster and is a great pit-stop on your journey to Australia's whale watch capital, Hervey Bay. Undoubtedly the jewel in the crown for the Fraser Coast region is the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island - the largest sand island in the world and a four-wheel-driving mecca.

Drive Day 4: Hervey Bay to Bundaberg or Gin Gin. 

Mention Bundaberg and Bundy Rum or Burt Hinkler might come to mind, but this modern farming city is just a 20 minute drive to the annual turtle migration/nesting (November to March) on Mon Repos Beach–- perhaps one of the greatest of all the Great Barrier Reef experiences. Enroute, Gin Gin is known as 'halfway to everywhere' due to its central location and offers a relaxing respite from the road.

Drive Day 5: Onwards to Gladstone - 

The harbourside town of Gladstone is the gateway to Heron Island, one of David Attenborough's preferred spots on the Southern Great Barrier Reef. For those with a nose for history, you can learn about the town's industrial heart during the Giants of Industry Tour.

Drive Day 6: Gladstone to Rockhampton - 

From seafood to beef, this bustling city is the Beef Capital of the country in the heart of the Tropic of Capricorn and is worth an overnighter or two. On the north-eastern outskirts, Mt Archer National Park offers splendid views and is home to an impressive range of native flora and fauna, while a one hour boat ride east of Rockhampton will see you arrive at the timelessly beautiful Great Keppel Island.

Drive Day 7: Rockhampton to Mackay - 

From Eungella's resident platypus to the beach-mad wallabies at Cape Hillsborough National Park and the flotilla of Great Barrier Reef islands offshore, Mackay is one region that taps into its natural attractions with the snap of a finger, so make sure you put the brakes on and stay awhile with a well deserved rest day.

Drive Day 8: Mackay to Airlie Beach - 

Mention Airlie Beach to a Queenslander and they'll immediately wax lyrical about the beauty. The largest town on the Whitsunday coast, Airlie is where you really start to feel the wonder of the Great Barrier Reef and its hero spots, Whitehaven Beach, Heart Reef and the 74 islands of The Whitsundays.

Drive Day 9: A giant mango heralds your arrival to the town of Bowen - 

a languid, tropical haven with palm-lined beaches, sheltered bays and some of Queensland's best fringing reefs lying just offshore. Perfect for families, divers and snorkellers.

Drive Day 10: Bowen to Home Hill and Townsville - 

If you're a mad-keen diver, then chances are the Yongala wreck is on your bucket list. Manta and eagle rays, turtles, the odd whale shark and barracudas are just some of the marine life that rub fins with the pelagic species in this neck of the woods. If you're nature-mad, Townsville offers hands-on reef, rainforest, outback and wetland experiences all within an hour or two of the city.

Drive Day 11: As you continue north, you'll pass through the gateway to Queensland's Wet Tropic World Heritage-listed areas. 

Ingham is known for its large Italian community and hospitality; Cardwell prides itself as a world-class fishing and boating destination and being a stepping stone to Hinchinbrook Island, the largest island National Park in Australia; and Mission Beach is a fab spot where the Wet Tropics meet the Great Barrier Reef.

Drive Day 12: Onwards to Cairns - This city is tucked between the Coral Sea and the lush Atherton Tableland. Springboard your way to the reef or if you're energetic after your epic drive, try a range of adrenalin-charged adventures including white water rafting, bunging jumping and diving.

From here, you'll drive one of the most luscious legs on the whole journey - the 60-minute, 66km hop from Cairns to Port Douglas - it's worth the extra kilometres on your clock!

Overlander's Way – The Best of The Beach And The Bush…

For an Easter break with a side of bush life, consider an outback outing. The Overlander's Way is a journey of a thousand kilometres and whilst you won't walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs on this road trip, you'll drive by their final resting places. This beaut trip starts on the shores of The Great Barrier Reef and heads west, following in the footsteps of bygone drovers.

The gold mining town of Charters Towers sits around 130km south west of Townsville and if you like tales of the past, stay the night and head out on the ghost trail. Along the way, stop at Burra Range or Mount Walker lookouts for an uninterrupted view of this buffel grass country. Onwards to Pentland, be sure to visit the Norwood Police Cells for a glimpse into the tiny town's shady past.

Dinosaur buffs beware! Around 3000 dinosaur and marine fossils have been discovered in the countryside that surrounds Hughenden and it is here, you'll be able to rub shoulders with a life-sized replica of Queensland's own Muttaburrasaurus. Richmond, however, bears the moniker 'Australia's Fossil Capital' and boasts Kronosaurus Korner and the Richmond Pliosaur - one of the world's best dino skeletons.

Westward still to Julia Creek where you'll get an idea of just how important water (like that in the Great Artesian Basin) is to the survival of outback communities and, if you're visiting in April, join in the fun and frivolity of the Dirt and Dust Festival. Another few hours' along the Overlander's Way will bring you to Cloncurry, the birthplace of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. From here, you'll wind your way around the Selwyn Rangers to Mount Isa - the cowboy capital of Australia and home to the largest rodeo meet in the southern hemisphere. It's just a short drive to our end point, Camooweal and the Camooweal Caves National Park, which is honeycombed with sink holes dating back millions of years.

Moments made for social media:

• Burra Range Lookout is accessible from the Flinders Highway and Mt Walker Lookout near Hughenden are worth a look.
• Porcupine Gorge - Australia's little Grand Canyon - is 60 clicks north of Hughenden.
• Take a break in Lake Fred Tritton, near Richmond.
• Cool off in the Fountain Springs rock pool, just 60km west from Cloncurry or at the Chinaman Creek Dam.
• Mount Isa's Town Lookout offers Instagram-worthy views at sunset.

For help planning these or any Queensland road trip this Easter, visit: http://www.queensland.com/en-AU/Plan-Your-Trip/Holiday-Type/Driving-Holidays