Where to head this school holidays in Cairns and Great Barrier Reef

White sands, tropical warm waters and plenty of on-island activities makes Fitzroy Island a great fit for families looking to explore the Great Barrier Reef together. This family friendly fave offers those with a modest budget an option to spend school holidays off the Cairns mainland.

It’s home to incredible sea life, where one dive beneath the water will have you meeting the locals face to face. Snorkel amidst angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish, sea anemones, corals both hard and soft, alongside brilliantly hued clams and starfish. Visit reception and request the hire one of their double kayaks or take a tour out to the massive ocean trampoline or take trip on a glass-bottom boat.

A family visit to the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre on Fitzroy Island is a must. This world-class facility is a place to learn and get hands on with wildlife. Your little ones will enjoy an up-close encounter with Green and Hawksbill turtles, rescued off the east coast. With help from their volunteer base, the non-for-profit Education Centre has raised the island’s rehabilitation success rate from 30% to 85% - one of the highest in Australia. Book one of their daily tours and know your visit is helping one of the turtles through their six-month-long journey back to the ocean.

Feel on top of the world on the Skyrail

Explore the world’s oldest tropical rainforest together. Soar through the treetops and ascend over the pristine tropical rainforest canopy with panoramic views out to the Coral Sea and Highlands. The Skyrail Rainforest Experience has been dubbed one of the most rewarding eco-experiences around – the cableway spanning across nearly 8km of wonderland. The cable car has two mid-stations: Red Peak and Barron Falls, where you can join a guided tour to learn the magic of the ancient rainforest or wander the pathways and displays at your leisure.

The gondola’s cater to families of up to six, all ages and abilities. Allow a half day to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Dip below the surface at Cairns Aquarium

An unbeatable experience for little ones with big curiosities, Cairns Aquarium is a place to explore the sea floor without venturing into it. The aquarium is an inspiration for kids to respect, protect and conserve the Great Barrier Reef. The facility is dedicated to the conservation of the Tropics and its ecosystems - some of the most biodiverse on earth.

Visitors can experience a tactile interaction with some of the rarest and most protected species on earth. A mesmerising experience for all ages - even the grown-ups.

Be a marine biologist for a day at Sunlover Reef Cruises

A callout to all budding biologists! If you have a water-loving teen on your hands, the Sunlover Reef Cruises ‘Marine Biologist for a Day’ program is an incredible experience for youth. Environmentalists come in all ages and sizes - this day trip caters to the school-aged enthusiasts who are keen to learn more about reef ecology, climate change, marine life identification and underwater predators. Many of the experiences can cater to kids with low swimming confidence (using supports or floatation devices), making it an accessible experience to a broader range of kids.

The young biologists are invited on a guided snorkel safari where they monitor the reef’s health and signs for environmental impacts. The day also includes a glass bottom boat tour, waterslide activities, a tropical buffet lunch with prawns (can cater to fussy eaters and dietaries), a touch tank presentation, fish feeding and all travel. This is one underwater classroom they won’t mind spending their school holidays in.

Discover the Kuku Yalanji people's environment 

Be a Junior Zoo Keeper for the day at Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas

Want to know what it’s like to work for Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas? These school holidays, join their Junior Keepers program and live a ‘day in the life’ of a keeper. Help to care for koalas, crocs, reptiles, kangaroos and cassowaries in this tactile animal experience. It’s open to junior rangers from ages 8 to 14 and runs on selected days. The four-hour session includes lunch and afternoon tea. It’s best to check availabilities and book ahead of time.

Discover the Daintree this school holidays in Cairns 

Grant yourself permission to learn. Established in 1989, The Daintree Discovery Centre is renowned for its leadership in ecotourism. No matter your age, there’s something to explore at the centre: a Jurassic experience with animated dinosaurs, 23m high canopy tower and 125m long skywalk, aquarium, and one of the best places to spot a cassowary in the wild.

Admission to the centre gives you unfettered access to the surrounding attractions, with a complimentary guidebook and seven days to explore the host of self-guided tours, boardwalks, attractions and the Bush Tucker Trail. See how much wildlife you can spot and identify during your time here.

Release your inner artist at Cairns Art Gallery

Set your inner Banksy or Michelangelo free with workshops in digital art, sculpture, still life, painting and drawing - just some of the artistic activities on offer at the Cairns Art Gallery these school holidays. You’ll be taught by working artists and art teachers with sculpture, jewellery making and food mosaic classes on offer. 

Find thrills with Bad Fishy Jetboating 

For families looking for a bit of zip in their day, head to Bad Fishy Jetboating - an exhilarating experience that’ll have the family sharing ‘holy-dooleys’ for days. Buckle up and enjoy a healthy dose of white knuckles, fish-tails and water spray, all set against the spectacular tropical backdrops of Trinity Inlet. When you’re not flying at full speed, the driver will school you on the local flora and fauna of the surrounding landscape. A bit of adrenaline here, and a bit of education there.

Let excitement soar at Kuranda Birdworld & Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

Finding stillness with children is an art, but even the most energetic little ones will be still for a moment at Kuranda Birdworld and Australian Butterfly Sanctuary.

The Butterfly Sanctuary is an incredible opportunity to see, touch and interact with some of Australia’s most beautiful little insects. It’s home to over 1500 butterflies, all of which are bred onsite in the educational laboratory. Species include an array of local rainforest butterflies, from electric blue Ulysses to the majestic green and yellow Cairns Birdwing and the Monarch. Butterflies have some special Aboriginal stories behind them, which you can hear about throughout the exhibits and during daily guided tours. 

Or, pay a visit to Kuranda Birdworld where families can interact one on one with tropical bird life – one of the most unique wildlife encounters in our tropical north. Immerse yourself in their rainforest habitat and try your luck at having an endangered species take a ride on your shoulder. Witness some of Australia’s most precious birds flying about, from macaws and lorikeets to cockatoos and galahs. It’s anything but a static day out. 

Uncover Australia’s cultural history at Rainforestation

Discovery is the cross section between education and delight - both of which are covered at Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda. So many experiences are rolled into one day here, where you can take an Army Duck tour through the rainforest, go behind the scenes with a wildlife keeper in the Koala Park, and get deep spiritual insight into one of the world's oldest surviving culture with the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience. Discover Dreamtime stories, learn culture and customs, before sitting down for traditional dance performances. 

Learn about eco-tourism at Reef Teach

The perfect start to any Great Barrier Reef exploration during school holidays, Reef Teach Talk gives adults, teens and kids a comprehensive virtual tour around the reef in two hours.

Run by marine biologists, this educational pit stop uses storytelling, humour and audience engagement to share their deep reef knowledge with you. Reef Teach covers everything from corals to science-fiction-style animals and you’ll leave with a really clear understanding of the Great Barrier Reef - how it’s been, how it’s going, and where its future is headed. Visitors will leave with a better understanding of eco-tourism, a must before venturing further into the region.