Sign inGet Pro
Melbourne (AU), Melbourne City Centre
Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Destination template · 5 days

Melbourne & Cairns in 5 days

2 sightseeing days in Melbourne, a dedicated relocation day, then 2 days in Cairns. Includes Federation Square and Cairns Esplanade, with guide-listed dining suggestions.

Adapted from community travel guides · Researched Sources & notes

The stops are drawn from the guides below; daily order, times and durations are our suggested adaptation. Available map pins are approximate, not provider-verified; missing coordinates remain unset. Prices are left unknown; check tickets, opening hours and transport before booking.

Route data adapted from Wikivoyage contributors, with our own selection and suggested timing; shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source pages link to contributor histories. This is an editorial multi-day schedule; the source community has not rated this itinerary.

  • Stay in Melbourne for the first 2 sightseeing days; move to Cairns on day 3, then stay for 2 sightseeing days. Book accommodation in both bases rather than returning each night.
  • The 2331 km figure is approximate straight-line separation, not transit distance. The relocation day reserves room for travel and check-in without promising a direct service or a same-day connection. Verify the journey before booking this two-base plan.
  • City visits and restaurants are adapted from the linked retained community-guide material, not newly verified opening hours, live menus or first-hand visits. Suggested times are editable planning blocks. Check closures, reservations, accessibility and dietary needs.
  • Cover photo shows the first city. Original source and photo credits remain attached. Adapted community route selections retain CC BY-SA 4.0 attribution; source research dates remain in the individual stop and dining notes.
4 local dining picks added to this itineraryDining sources

These picks have positive travel-guide coverage or a named professional recommendation; they are not live customer ratings. Suggested times are not reservations. Confirm service days, dietary needs and prices. Other days remain open for your own food discoveries.

  • Day 1 · Rococo — Pizza, pasta. Community guide highlights this restaurant’s food or dining experience positively. Wikivoyage contributors ↗
  • Day 2 · Stokehouse — Restaurant meal; ask about house specialties. Community guide highlights this restaurant’s food or dining experience positively. Wikivoyage contributors ↗
  • Day 4 · Yaya's Restaurant — Traditional. Community guide highlights this restaurant’s food or dining experience positively. Wikivoyage contributors ↗
  • Day 5 · La Pizza Trattoria — Pizza. Community guide highlights this restaurant’s food or dining experience positively. Wikivoyage contributors ↗

Sources checked 2026-10-30. Community-guide dining data is adapted from Wikivoyage contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; source pages link to contributor histories.

Melbourne & Cairns itinerary: 5 days at a glance

Review the original daily plan before editing below. Times and durations are suggested planning blocks; dining stops are not reservations. Your personal edits appear in the editor and downloads.

Day 1: Melbourne: Federation Square & National Gallery of Victoria

  • · Federation Square · 120 min
  • · National Gallery of Victoria · 120 min
  • · Dinner: Rococo (Pizza, pasta) · 75 min

Day 2: Melbourne: Royal Botanic Gardens & Queen Victoria Market

  • · Royal Botanic Gardens · 120 min
  • · Queen Victoria Market · 120 min
  • · Dinner: Stokehouse (Restaurant meal; ask about house specialties) · 75 min

Day 3: Melbourne → Cairns: travel and check-in

  • · Relocate: Melbourne → Cairns · 600 min

Day 4: Cairns: Cairns Esplanade & Cairns Botanic Gardens

  • · Cairns Esplanade · 120 min
  • · Cairns Botanic Gardens · 120 min
  • · Dinner: Yaya's Restaurant (Traditional) · 75 min

Day 5: Cairns: Cairns Museum & Cairns Regional Gallery

  • · Cairns Museum · 120 min
  • · Cairns Regional Gallery · 120 min
  • · Dinner: La Pizza Trattoria (Pizza) · 75 min

Download this itinerary

Free · no sign-up
Customise right here: move, duplicate, add or delete days and activities, then download.
Day 1
  • 10:00120m
    Melbourne

    Suggested visit block; confirm opening hours, admission and transfer time. Map pin unavailable; locate the entrance before navigating. Source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Melbourne (CC BY-SA 4.0). Selection and timing adapted; route data shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

  • 14:00120m
    Melbourne

    Suggested visit block; confirm opening hours, admission and transfer time. Map pin unavailable; locate the entrance before navigating. Source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Melbourne (CC BY-SA 4.0). Selection and timing adapted; route data shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

  • 18:0075m
    Dining
    85/91 Acland St

    Pizza, pasta. Community guide highlights this restaurant’s food or dining experience positively. Suggested dining time, not a booking. Confirm service days, availability, dietary needs and current menu prices before travelling. Guide-listed service: 11AM-11PM. Recheck with the restaurant. Route distance is unknown; check travel time and the entrance. Approximate map pin; confirm the entrance. Dining source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Melbourne/St_Kilda (checked 2026-10-30). Guide recommendations are not live customer star ratings. Wikivoyage revision 5391326; selection and timing adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Day 2
  • 10:00120m
    Melbourne

    Suggested visit block; confirm opening hours, admission and transfer time. Map pin unavailable; locate the entrance before navigating. Source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Melbourne (CC BY-SA 4.0). Selection and timing adapted; route data shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

  • 14:00120m
    Melbourne

    Suggested visit block; confirm opening hours, admission and transfer time. Map pin unavailable; locate the entrance before navigating. Source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Melbourne (CC BY-SA 4.0). Selection and timing adapted; route data shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

  • 18:0075m
    Dining
    30 Jacka Boulevard

    Restaurant meal; ask about house specialties. Community guide highlights this restaurant’s food or dining experience positively. Suggested dining time, not a booking. Confirm service days, availability, dietary needs and current menu prices before travelling. Guide-listed service: Midday-midnight. Recheck with the restaurant. Route distance is unknown; check travel time and the entrance. Approximate map pin; confirm the entrance. Dining source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Melbourne/St_Kilda (checked 2026-10-30). Guide recommendations are not live customer star ratings. Wikivoyage revision 5391326; selection and timing adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Day 3
  • 08:00600m
    Melbourne → Cairns

    Dedicated relocation day from Melbourne to Cairns; no transport is booked. The city centres are approximately 2331 km apart in a straight line, not a measured road or rail route. Choose and book a suitable flight, train, bus or ferry; confirm operating days, total door-to-door time, luggage rules and arrival before making reservations. This full-day block is reserved time, not a timetable. Move the following day if your journey needs longer.

Day 4
  • 10:00120m
    Cairns

    Suggested visit block; confirm opening hours, admission and transfer time. Map pin unavailable; locate the entrance before navigating. Source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cairns (CC BY-SA 4.0). Selection and timing adapted; route data shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

  • 14:00120m
    Cairns

    Suggested visit block; confirm opening hours, admission and transfer time. Approximate map pin from a community guide; confirm the entrance. Source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cairns (CC BY-SA 4.0). Selection and timing adapted; route data shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

  • 18:0075m
    Dining
    L 1 Aplin St

    Traditional. Community guide highlights this restaurant’s food or dining experience positively. Suggested dining time, not a booking. Confirm service days, availability, dietary needs and current menu prices before travelling. Guide-listed service: Sun-Tue Thu 5-9:30PM, Wed 5-10PM, Fri Sat 5-11PM. Recheck with the restaurant. Route distance is unknown; check travel time and the entrance. Map pin unavailable; use the address to locate the restaurant. Dining source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cairns (checked 2026-10-30). Guide recommendations are not live customer star ratings. Wikivoyage revision 5396330; selection and timing adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Day 5
  • 10:00120m
    Cairns

    Suggested visit block; confirm opening hours, admission and transfer time. Approximate map pin from a community guide; confirm the entrance. Source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cairns (CC BY-SA 4.0). Selection and timing adapted; route data shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

  • 14:00120m
    Cairns

    Suggested visit block; confirm opening hours, admission and transfer time. Approximate map pin from a community guide; confirm the entrance. Source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cairns (CC BY-SA 4.0). Selection and timing adapted; route data shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

  • 18:0075m
    Dining
    93 The Esplanade

    Pizza. Community guide highlights this restaurant’s food or dining experience positively. Suggested dining time, not a booking. Confirm service days, availability, dietary needs and current menu prices before travelling. Guide-listed service: Mon–Thu 6AM–10:30PM, Fri–Sun 6AM–11PM. Recheck with the restaurant. About 0.3 km straight-line from the preceding stop; allow transit or taxi time as needed, not a measured walking route. Approximate map pin; confirm the entrance. Dining source: Wikivoyage contributors, https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cairns (checked 2026-10-30). Guide recommendations are not live customer star ratings. Wikivoyage revision 5396330; selection and timing adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Been to Melbourne & Cairns? Share your experience

What was worth it, what you'd skip, where you ate. Your tips help the next traveller plan this trip.

Share your experience

Keep planning your trip