Your sunshine coast to brisbane campervan run, done slowly

The direct sunshine coast to brisbane drive from Mooloolaba to central Brisbane is about 105 km and usually 1 hr 30 min outside peak traffic. From Noosa, call it roughly 140 km and 2 hr to 2 hr 30 min. That is not a road trip; that is a servo coffee with scenery.

For a proper sunshine coast to brisbane motorhome road trip, take 3 days if you are returning a van, or 4 days if this is your first go at living with the fridge, awning, grey-water habits and the mysterious cupboard latch that only opens on roundabouts.

• Fast but sane: 2 days, with one night around Maroochydore, Glass House or Bribie.
• Best pace: 3 to 4 days, adding Maleny and Redcliffe before Brisbane.
• Fuel reality: servos are frequent; the longest sensible hop on this route is about 55 km if you skip towns.
• Do: arrive at your first camp before 4 pm so you can level the van in daylight.
• Don’t: plan to free-camp on beachfront streets; councils patrol popular coastal spots.

Start wherever you collect the van on the Sunshine Coast, then resist the urge to point straight at Brisbane. Cotton Tree, Mooloolaba and Caloundra give you a gentle first night with supermarkets, dump-point options nearby and flat coastal driving. After that, climb inland through Landsborough or Palmwoods to Maleny, where the road gets bendy and the views get smug.

The Maleny to Glass House Mountains section is sealed and manageable in a 2WD campervan, but it is not the place to discover your crockery was packed by a lunatic. Use lower gears on descents, keep left on narrow bits and let locals pass when safe.

• Maroochydore to Maleny: about 45 km, allow 1 hr with the climb.
• Maleny to Beerwah: about 35 km, allow 45 min to 1 hr with photo stops.
• Best fuel tactic: top up at Maroochydore, Landsborough, Beerwah or Caboolture rather than rolling into Brisbane on fumes.
• Do: use sealed lookouts and day-use areas for breaks.
• Don’t: nose a long motorhome into tiny roadside pull-offs unless you can see the exit.

Bribie Island is the classic little detour between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane: bridge access, calm-water picnic spots at Bongaree, surf at Woorim and a good chance to test the outdoor chairs without committing to the Big Lap. From Beerwah to Bongaree is around 55 km via the Bruce Highway and Bribie Island Road.

The trap is the island’s ocean beach and inland 4WD tracks. They require permits, soft-sand driving and a vehicle that your hire agreement almost certainly does not allow there. A motorhome bogged to the axles is not adventure; it is paperwork with mosquitoes.

• 2WD-friendly: Bongaree foreshore, Woorim township, sealed car parks and caravan parks.
• Not for standard hire campers: Ocean Beach camping area, beach driving and sand tracks.
• Distance to Brisbane from Bribie: about 70 km to the CBD, usually 1 hr to 1 hr 30 min depending on traffic.
• Do: book island sites ahead for weekends and school holidays.
• Don’t: assume “campervan” means “self-contained enough to camp anywhere”. Local rules still apply.

On this route, the camping is more organised than outback-romantic. Coastal councils do not smile kindly on overnighting in beach car parks, and “just resting” with the roof vent open and chairs out fools nobody. Expect to use holiday parks, showground-style stays where available, and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service campgrounds such as Coochin Creek if they suit your van and dates.

QPWS camping is usually booked online in advance, with basic fees around $7.25 per person per night, and facilities can be simple: toilets, no power, no showers, sometimes no drinking water. Holiday parks cost more, but a powered site, laundry and a real shower can rescue morale after a sweaty hinterland day.

• Dump points: check current council, National Public Toilet Map or CMCA listings around Maroochydore/Cotton Tree, Beerwah/Caboolture, Bribie Island, Redcliffe and Brisbane.
• Water: fill at your campground or approved potable-water taps; never use signed non-potable taps for drinking tanks.
• Grey water: use a sullage hose or contained grey-water tank where required; don’t let it run across a site.
• LPG: swap-and-go and refill options are common at larger servos and hardware outlets, but check bottle compatibility before you are cooking pasta in the dark.
• Do: empty the cassette before entering Brisbane if you are returning the van next morning.

Brisbane is not hard in a campervan, but it is less forgiving than a beach town. The Gateway Motorway, Airport Link and some river crossings use electronic tolling, and a taller or heavier motorhome may be charged differently from a car. A single toll can be roughly $6 to $10 for smaller vehicles and more for larger classes, before any hire-vehicle admin charges.

Peak hour is the real toll. Southbound traffic on the Bruce Highway and Gateway can turn a 45-minute final leg from Redcliffe into 75 minutes or worse. If you are returning a vehicle, camp close the night before, fuel up outside the CBD and leave time for cleaning, dumping and the classic last-minute hunt for the missing teaspoon.

• Height: many campervans sit around 2.7 m to 3.2 m; larger motorhomes can be higher. Avoid underground car parks unless you have checked clearance.
• Length: 6 m to 7.5 m rigs need proper street parking or oversized bays; inner-city café lanes are not your friend.
• Road trains: not a feature here, but B-doubles and heavy freight are common on the Bruce and Gateway.
• Do: use navigation set for vehicle height where possible and read bridge signs.
• Don’t: leave the final dump, fuel and rubbish stop until you are five minutes from handover.