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Start your journey with us today – best rates in Cairns!

We are Australia’s #1 budget and backpacker campervan hire company.

Whether you are heading off for a month-long adventure or looking to spend the week sightseeing, with our selection of low-cost, comfortable campervans to suit every need and every budget, you’ll find the perfect campervan in Cairns with Travellers Autobarn. Enquire now, and you’ll be one step closer to your next adventure.

  • Covid-19 safety measures are in place

Opening hours

Monday – 9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday – 9:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesday – 9:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday – 9:00am – 5:00pm
Friday – 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday – 9:00am – 1:00pm
Sunday & Public Holidays – Closed

We are happy to organise contactless pick-up outside of our normal office hours. Please contact us on 1800 674 374 to discuss your contactless pick-up!

Address

123 Bunda Street
Cairns, QLD 4870
Australia

Branch details

Positioned right opposite the Cairns Central Railway Station, Travellers Autobarn Cairns offers a range of campervan rental services, and is located within walking distance of nearby travel agents, shops and the Esplanade.

Our friendly team is always available to assist with your campervan hire queries, especially if you’re looking to book right out of Cairns.

Already booked? Check out our helpful road trip itineraries around Cairns and follow our blog for specials and travel tips.

Payment Methods
Visa, Mastercard and Cash accepted.
Facilities
  • Tourist Information

  • Wi-Fi

  • Lounge Area

  • Bathroom

Top Five Attractions
  • Great Barrier Reef

  • Barron Gorge National Park

  • Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

  • Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

  • Esplanade

Nearby Facilities

Closest petrol station

The nearest petrol station is Caltex in Cairns
Address: 30-36 Kenny St, Cnr Bunda St, Cairns City QLD 4870
Time: 1 minute drive from our office
Alternatives: Shell Portsmith, Mobil Parramatta Park

Closest supermarket

The nearest supermarket is Coles Cairns Central, located within Cairns Central Shopping Centre
Address: Cairns Central, Mcleod St &, Aplin St, Cairns City QLD 4870
Time: 1 minute drive from our office
Alternatives: Woolworths Cairns, IGA X-Press Esplanade, Friendly Grocer Cairns

CLOSEST CAR WASH

The nearest car wash is the McSuds Car Spa in Parramatta Park
Address: 47 Mulgrave Road, Parramatta Park QLD 4870
Time: 1 minute drive from our office
Alternatives: Cairns Car Shine

NEARBY CARAVAN PARKS

BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Cairns Coconut
Address: 23/51 Anderson Rd, Woree QLD 4868
Time: 10 minute drive from our office

NRMA Cairns Holiday Park
Address: 12-30 Little St, Manunda QLD 4870
Time: 10 minute drive from our office

Cairns Sunland Leisure Park
Address: 49-61 Little Pease St, Manoora QLD 4870
Time: 10 minute drive from our office

Call Us

Australia1800 674 374 (free call from landlines)

New Zealand0800 348 348 (free call from landlines)

United States1 800 469 4790 (local call costs apply)

From any other country: +61 1800 674 374 (local call costs apply)

3 Tips for driving your campervan around Cairns

Cairns is a beautiful city in Far Tropical North Queensland and is the perfect place to hire a campervan and explore. Here are our top 3 tips for driving your campervan around Cairns:

Avoid peak hour traffic

The most significant difficulty with traffic congestion is on the Bruce Highway, which leads to the coastal areas in the north of Cairns.

The Bruce Highway is merely a dual-lane highway (each side containing two lanes in each direction), which seems enough; nevertheless, when thousands of cars are heading to work from one direction and there is only one way into town each morning, your trip can take up to an hour or more from Smithfield.

The best time to leave is either very early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the traffic. Of course, this all depends on where you’re going and what time of year it is.

Use a Sat Nav/GPS

Having a satellite navigation system is essential for safe and efficient travel, regardless of how well you know the area. You can rest easy knowing you’ll never get lost thanks to this app’s comprehensive set of navigational features, including detailed, step-by-step directions, real-time traffic data, and even backup routes.

If you don’t have a portable GPS unit, the majority of modern smartphones come pre-installed with a mapping application. Google Maps, for instance, is available for no cost on both iOS and Android. Simply enter your starting location and destination into the app, and you’re good to go!

Drive defensively

As with anywhere else in the world, you should always drive defensively when behind the wheel of a vehicle. This means being aware of your surroundings and anticipating the actions of other drivers, even if they don’t signal their intentions.

In particular, be cautious of wildlife crossings; Cairns is home to a wide variety of animals, including kangaroos, wallabies, and cassowaries, which are known to dart out onto roads without warning. If you see signs of wildlife in the area, slow down and be prepared to stop.

Make the most of your Cairns campervan rental

Find a good location to stay

Cairns is the starting point for trips to Queensland landmarks including the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics. We recommend spending the first night of your trip in Cairns so that you can spend the next day seeing the sights.

While the prospect of a thrilling road trip is certainly exciting, it is in your best interest to get as much rest as possible before setting out on such an expedition, as extended stretches of driving can take a significant toll on one’s health.

Cairns is loaded with fantastic campgrounds and caravan sites, so you can easily choose a place to stay every night of your journey and enjoy a different vista every morning.

Travellers Autobarn offers a 10% discount on camping at any of the 300 Discovery or G’Day campgrounds if you rent a campervan from us. We will help you find free campgrounds in the Cairns area when you rent a campervan from us.

Book around key events

Experience Cairns’ unique cultural calendar by planning your trip around one of the city’s many festivals and events. Here are some of the most popular events in Cairns:

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
Every year in July, the Cairns Esplanade opens its doors to the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. Both established and up-and-coming visual artists will be featured at this event.

Cairns Show
The Cairns Show is an annual event that features something for people of all ages, from historical displays and performances to farm and local produce exhibits.

Carnival on Collins
Every year in September, there is a huge street party called Carnival on Collins. Market stalls, live performances, and more make for a fantastic day out for the whole family.

Explore the national parks

Cairns is surrounded by natural beauty, and there are plenty of opportunities to get out and explore the great outdoors. Here are some of the best national parks near Cairns:

Barron Gorge National Park
It’s only a 40-minute car ride from Cairns to this stunning, misty, and mountainous area that looks like something out of Jurassic Park. Barron Gorge National Park is home to Barron Falls, which is located inside the Wet Tropics and is so on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the summer, when the waterfalls are at their highest, you can practically feel the raging waters as they flow through the gorge. The Din Din Barron Falls Lookout is where you should go to get the best glimpse of this magnificent scene. White-water rafting down the Barron River is a great way to get your heart racing if you’re seeking excitement.

Daintree National Park
Daintree National Park is where the wet tropics rainforest meets the reef, and a journey there will take you through the world’s oldest surviving rainforest, along trails shaped by the Jurassic hooves. From the Mossman Gorge Visitor Centre, you may go along a trail that offers up-close views of the lush vegetation, the river, and the clean water that cascades over the enormous stones that line it. Experience Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture on a guided Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk and learn about the myths and legends of the Kuku Yalanji people.

Frankland Islands National Park
The islands of Frankland Group National Park are a haven for indigenous species since they are surrounded by large reef systems and feature rocky outcrops, lush tropical rainforests, mangroves, and coastal flora. Visit this unique island paradise on a day excursion with a commercial tour operator.

Wooroonooran National Park
Many people have never heard of this lesser-known national park, but that only adds to the allure of this breathtaking destination. Among the many attractions in the area is the waterhole at Babinda Boulders, the waterfalls at Josephine Falls, and the viewpoint at the end of the Johnston River Lookout Walk. People who enjoy exciting experiences will find this place to be paradise.

Book around the weather

Understandably, the weather is a major factor to consider when planning your Cairns holiday.

Summer in Cairns (December – February)
Summer temperatures range from 23 to 31 degrees. The wet season begins in December and the majority of the yearly rainfall occurs during the summer months.

Autumn in Cairns (March-May)
Although autumn in Cairns sees an end to the rain, average temperatures remain warm at 21-29 degrees, winds can persist until August.

Winter in Cairns (June – August)
Winters in Cairns are roughly 5 to 10 degrees cooler, and less humid, appealing to tourists the most. Temperatures dropped between 17 and 26 degrees.

Spring in Cairns (September – November)
From 20 to 29 degrees, springtime signals the end of the dry season as humidity starts to accumulate in preparation for December’s wet season. In November, meanwhile, coral spawning brings new life to the reef.

5 Must-see Destinations in Cairns

Cairns Botanic Gardens
Plants from the steamy jungles of South East Asia, South America, Africa, and of course Far North Queensland are all represented, exemplifying the diversity of tropical flora that can be found across the world’s tropical regions.

Cairns Esplanade
The Cairns Esplanade is the centre of a bustling community, with a wide variety of attractions drawing in both tourists and locals. Spend some time exploring this hotspot, as it offers experiences, food, and adventure to accommodate visitors of all backgrounds.

Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef stretches for almost 2,300 kilometres, making it the longest coral reef in the world. This is the perfect place for both excitement and relaxation since it is home to a wide variety of marine life that takes on a rainbow of colours. You can go on an adventure to the Whitsunday Islands, explore the Daintree Rainforest, or just relax on a beautiful tropical beach. The Great Barrier Reef offers exciting opportunities for every type of tourist.

Kuranda
Kuranda is bordered by the oldest living tropical rainforest in the world. This place is an ideal day trip destination from Cairns due to its thriving arts and crafts culture and breathtaking environment. Embrace the cool, tropical climate with a jungle stroll along the Barron River before exploring local Aboriginal art in a gallery or dining at one of the region’s finest restaurants.

FAQs

The cost to hire a campervan in Cairns shifts with the seasons and demand. Thus, we recommend using our booking engine for an up-to-date cost.

Campervans are available for pick-up and drop-off at times that suit you. You can reach our reservations staff at reservations@travellers-autobarn.com or 1800 674 374 if you need to schedule a pick-up or drop-off outside our regular business hours.

Our campers come fully equipped with everything you’ll need for a comfortable stay. All of the available campervans for rent are displayed here.

At Travellers Autobarn you can rent a variety of vehicles that meet your specific needs, please refer to our Campervan Hire page to review which vehicles are fitted with kitchen facilities.

We do not currently have any campervan vehicles fitted with toilets.

It is advised that you hold off on grocery shopping until after you have picked up your camper. That way, you’ll have a good idea of how much space you have in the freezer, fridge, and storage areas.

We recommend taking your camper to the Cairns Central Shopping Centre on Spence St. as soon as you’re able – just 1.4 km away from our Cairns branch.

IMPORTANT – you are not covered for any roof top damage of your vehicle so please avoid driving/parking in any undercover car parks or any car parks which have height restrictions.

If you have an interstate or international driver’s licence, you can drive in Queensland. Please note, by law the drivers license must be valid and issued in English.

However, if you move to Queensland, obtaining a driver’s licence from here is mandatory. Keep in mind that once you get a Queensland licence, using your old one from another state or country is no longer allowed by law. For more specifics on this matter, please click here.

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