Families

If you have little people to consider in your holiday planning, you’ve come to the right place.  Queensland is king for family friendly holidays from learning to surf and theme parks to hands-on animal encounters and getting busy at museums, your kids will have a fab time in the sunshine state (and we’re pretty sure you will too!).

• Gold Coast – Land of the theme parks, mini golf, kids club and plenty of sweet spots to learn to surf like Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta.  Swap your beachy backdrop for lush green rainforest in the Gold Coast Hinterland. There’s loads of walks and waterfalls to tick off the list.  Meet loads of Australia’s favourite birds and wildlife at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Brisbane – Sneakily educate your youngins at one the awesome kid-friendly exhibitions at a museum or gallery or meet and meet some cute Australian animals at Lone Pine. Brisbane has loads of outdoorsy activities for families like kayaking, rock climbing and segways. To keep your cool head to Stradbroke or Moreton Island or the Southbank Pool.
• Sunshine Coast – Swim at kid friendly beaches like Bulcock beach at Caloundra where you’ll find sweet ice cream spots to enjoy after a dip, find a short walk around Noosa National Park (keep an eye out for koalas!) and make sure you have enough time and energy to nail Australia Zoo.  
• Southern Queensland Country – Feed cows, chickens, pigs and other cuties at a farm stay or road trip around the region in search of water holes and waterfalls. After all of that you'll be famished so head to Stanthorpe for some fresh fruit picking (and eating!).
• Outback Queensland – Dig for dinosaurs, meet a bilby, star gaze at the Cosmos Centre, climb Big Red near Birdsville, check out country life on a farm stay or learn more about our heritage.
• Fraser Coast – Meet the migrating humpback whales from June to November each year. The kids will love seeing these impressive mammals for the first time in Queensland.  Fraser Island is also popular for kids of all ages with day tours and camping on the island.  There’s even a Junior Eco Ranger program at Kingfisher Bay Resort with bush and beach walks, star gazing and campfire fun.  Grab your reel and rod and teach the kids to fish off the piers in Hervey Bay or the beach at Burrum Heads.
• Bundaberg – Two glorious words. ICE CREAM. Check out two of Queensland’s best spots to get your dairy down, Mammino’s and Nana’s Pantry. Also see the circle of life in full swing from November til February at Mon Repos Turtle Experience.  The mums lay their eggs from November and the baby turtles rise from the sands and race for the seas from January. It’s turtley awesome!
• Gladstone – Snorkel right off the beach at Heron Island or get off the grid and neigh all the way on horseback at Kroombit Tops National Park.
• Capricorn – Let the kids go batty at the Capricorn Caves or if you need some serious family time, take an island escape and head to Great Keppel Island
• Mackay – Take a day trip and head to Eungella National Park to meet a platypus.  The best times to spot these cute furry critters is at dawn and dusk (they play bingo at the Eimeo Pub during the day).  Go all Tarzan and fly through the forest at Finch Hatton Gorge.  For early birds, head to Cape Hillsborough National Park at sunrise and get face to face with wallabies and kangaroos.
• The Whitsundays – The Whitsundays island resort kids clubs and reef ranger programs are super fun, plus there’s loads of snorkelling straight off the beach.  The Whitsundays is the perfect place to learn to sail and if your kids like big things, you’ll have to get a family pic with the Big Mango in Bowen. The Airlie Beach Lagoon is a cool spot when things get a little steamy.
• Townsville North Queensland – ReefHQ is the world's largest living coral reef aquarium and is a fab place to learn about the Great Barrier Reef. Don’t miss the turtle hospital.  You’ll find great playgrounds (and gelato options) along the Strand. For koala encounters in the wild, jump on the ferry to Magnetic Island.
• Tropical North Queensland – If the kids are keen to try to find Nemo on the Great Barrier Reef, stay on Green Island or take a day trip to the reef and snorkel or learn to dive (you have to be 8 years for a PADI Bubblemaker experience).  Swim closer to home at the Cairns Lagoon. North of Cairns, the family can learn to throw a boomerang, play the didgeridoo and collect bush tucker. Or explore the lush bushland, waterfalls and rainforest on the back of a horse or on board a quad bike. There’s also the Cairns Tropical Zoo, Wildlife Habitat, Kuranda Sky Rail and tropical treats to be tasted in the Atherton Tablelands.

 

Start your family holiday planning below!