Explore QLD
turn cmc rocks qld 2027 into the ultimate queensland road trip
CMC Rocks is the home of iconic country artists—and Queensland is packed with iconic places worth adding to your playlist. Make the festival the headline act, then let the Sunshine State deliver the encore.
CMC Rocks is the home of iconic country artists—and Queensland is packed with iconic places well worth the holiday.
flying from overseas?
Make CMC Rocks QLD 2027 the centrepiece of an unforgettable Australian holiday. Brisbane is a major international gateway with direct connections to destinations across Asia, the Americas, and Europe—so touching down in Queensland is easier than you might think. Arrive a few days early to explore Brisbane’s riverfront, rooftop bars, dining scene and wildlife experiences, then hit the road for the festival and keep the adventure rolling through beaches, rainforests and country towns.
Whether you’re hopping across the ditch from New Zealand (less than four hours by air), road-tripping across from Darwin or flying in from Perth, CMC Rocks QLD 2027 is your cue to stay a little longer and soak up more of the Sunshine State.
Think golden beaches and buzzing breweries, lush rainforests and dazzling reefs, country charm and city energy. However you like to travel, there’s plenty to discover. One flight can unlock the festival weekend – and a Queensland holiday worth crossing the world for.
Ipswich:
your festival basecamp
Ipswich, the proud home of CMC Rocks QLD, is around an hour’s drive from both Brisbane and Gold Coast airports – making the journey from international arrivals to festival country refreshingly simple.
acknowledgement of country
The Traditional Owners of the Ipswich region are the Clans that identify as being a part of the Yagara/Yugara Language Group (the Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul People). CMC Rocks respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners as custodians of the land and waters we share. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, as the keepers of the traditions, customs, cultures and stories of proud peoples.
Not quite ready for the weekend to end? Make Ipswich your Basecamp and keep the good times rolling. Just a short drive from the festival grounds, you'll find great food, local brews, unique experiences and plenty of reasons to turn your CMC Rocks trip into a mini getaway.
Whether you're extending your stay, travelling with friends, or turning CMC Rocks into a full Queensland road trip, Ipswich is the perfect place to relax, refuel and make a few more memories before heading home.
Still building your itinerary? Discover even more things to see, do, eat and drink in Ipswich at visitipswich.com.au
Start with a feed.
Sink your teeth into a steak at Bakehouse Steakhouse, grab a paddle at Stony Creek Brewing, or round up your mates for a tasting at award-winning Imbibis Craft Distillery.
Chasing your morning-after coffee fix?
Pull up a seat at local favourites Rafter & Rose, Ellen & Rod, or Queens Park Café and ease into the day.
Looking for something a little different between sets?
Take in the views with a sunrise hot air balloon flight, meet the camels at Summer Land Camels and try their famous camel milk coffee, or get up close with the fluffy locals on a walk at The Llama Farm.
Date Night, Girls’ Night or a Well-Earned Treat
For a stay that feels extra special, escape to Spicers Hidden Vale in the Ipswich town of Grandchester and linger over dinner at hatted Homage restaurant. Swim in the resort pool, tour the market garden, taste cheese in the cellar – or simply slow down and take in the view. Want to turn it into a full-day escape? Explore more quirky and romantic Ipswich date ideas.
BRISBANE:
CITY ENERGY, RIVER ADVENTURES
Turn your CMC Rocks road trip into a Brisbane city break with serious range. Climb the iconic Story Bridge for sweeping skyline views, wander South Bank’s riverside parklands and cultural precinct, meet koalas at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, then follow the city’s appetite from hidden laneways to award-winning restaurants. Start planning with 37 of the best things to do in and around Brisbane—and see how many you can fit in before the festival gates open.
When the city buzz gives way to open skies, Brisbane’s backyard is ready. Head for the cool rainforest air and walking trails of Mount Glorious, an easy year-round escape. Or trade the skyline for island time on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island). A short ferry ride delivers sandy tracks, clear water and wildlife encounters; join a Yura Tour to connect with Quandamooka culture, stories and sacred places.
Go beyond sightseeing and experience Brisbane through art, storytelling, food and Country. These must-do Indigenous experiences offer meaningful ways to connect with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures across the city and surrounding region.
In the city, join BlackCard Cultural Tours through South Brisbane’s cultural precinct and uncover the stories behind its striking First Nations public art. Nearby, Birrunga Gallery & Dining brings contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art together with modern Australian cuisine inspired by native ingredients—a memorable meeting of culture, creativity and flavour.
For an experience on Country, book a Nyanda Cultural Tour at the Nudgee Waterholes. Take part in a smoking ceremony, taste seasonal bush foods and discover weaving and ochre-making demonstrations while learning about the cultural significance of this special place.
* Photo credit: Tourism and Events Moreton Bay, Visit Moreton Bay
** Photo credit: Nyanda Aboriginal Cultural Tours and Bush Foods Experience
Toowoomba:
Country Charm, City Spark
Perched high on the Great Dividing Range, Toowoomba blends fresh country air with a confident city pulse. Stroll through leafy gardens and heritage streets, hunt down colourful laneway murals, refuel with freshly roasted coffee, then settle in for cocktails, a long lunch or a show beneath the grand arch of the Empire Theatre.
There’s room for the classics too, including a proper Devonshire tea. Whether your perfect detour is fuelled by culture, food, history, gardens or panoramic views, follow this guide to the best of Toowoomba and build a country escape worthy of the road-trip playlist.
Give Toowoomba a full weekend and it will reward you handsomely. Start with a bakery breakfast, browse antiques and vintage finds, take in sweeping mountain views, and wind down among boutique wineries and a thriving food scene. Here, the great outdoors is never far from a great coffee—and every turn offers another reason to slow the pace, linger longer and enjoy the good life.
Gold Coast & Sunshine Coast:
Chase the Coastline
Ready to swap festival boots for bare feet? Add a coastal couple of days to your CMC Rocks road trip and follow the sunshine to two of Queensland’s most iconic stretches of sand.
Gold Coast
On the Gold Coast, warm autumn water, golden beaches and a buzzing dining scene meet lush hinterland trails and waterfalls just beyond the shoreline. Build your perfect detour with this guide to Autumn on the Gold Coast.
Sunshine Coast
Head north to the Sunshine Coast for a slower rhythm—think refreshing waterfalls, mountain villages, seasonal flavours and long, blue-sky days made for exploring. Build your perfect detour with this guide to Autumn on the Sunshine Coast.
keep the road trip rolling!
Still craving more Queensland? Hitch up the caravan, cue the playlist and let the open road choose the next stop. With more than 300 days of clear blue skies, World Heritage-listed coastline, dramatic outback country and scenery that changes around every bend, Queensland was made for a quintessential caravaning holiday. Autumn and winter (March to August) bring ideal road-trip conditions, whether you’re chasing quiet beach camps, country towns or somewhere completely off the map. Recharge, reconnect with nature and make the journey every bit as memorable as the festival.
