Australia Family Holidays
Beautiful Australia Holidays
Australia is a fantastic destination for a family holiday with some stunning beaches, most patrolled by life guards, most with great surfing and body surfing. It's easy to get up close to the local wildlife with cuddling a koala, stroking a snake and feeding kangaroos a tourist favourites. The cities are all family friendly, scenic and not too busy, with good museums, theme parks and most with beaches. For more adventurous families you can go camping in the wild, scuba dive coral reefs, skydive, go water water river rafting or take a journey though the bewildering and massive outback. There are even cultural centres where the kids can learn to throw a boomerang or sample some of the local bush tucker. Just be careful of the snakes, spiders, sharks and crocodiles – they are all out there enjoying the great land down under!
Map of Australia
Australia Family Holiday Highlights
Brisbane has some attractions your kids will love, including a koala sanctuary and South Bank Parklands
The Whitsunday Islands are excellent for snorkelling and diving
Landsburgh on the Sunshine Coast is a sleepy town close to some great attractions for kids
Port Douglas has numerous family-orientated hotels and Accommodation
Family Holidays in Australia
Gold Coast is one of Australia's top destinations, and there's plenty there for families to do. Learn to surf and enjoy the sands, or take a cruise. However, most families will visit at least one of the many theme parks that operate in the area. Wet'n'Wild and Waterworld are aqua parks with plenty of high-speed water slides. DreamWorld and Adrenaline Park have a wide range of rides, but each have a selection of white-knuckle attractions to get your adrenaline going. Warner Bros Movie World has something for all the family, including roller-coasters and shows. Sea World has dolphins and sea lions, and Dream Castle has fantastic gardens – both will give you a break from high-speed rides and screams! There are also theme parks where animals are the main attractions, and the Outback Spectacular, which features a horse riding show and dinner.
Cairns is also a very popular Queensland holiday destination. It's a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef – take one of the numerous excursions to try snorkelling over this fantastic marine treasure. Cairns is and a fantastic place to see Australian wildlife; there's a Wildlife Dome in town if you don't want to take one of the excursions into the jungle. Take the Sky-train Forest Cable-way, a ride through the treetops to Kuranda. Here you'll find the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and the Rainforestation Nature Park, as well as some excellent markets.
Byron Bay in New South Wales has some fabulous beaches, and is a far more relaxed alternative to the Gold Coast. The three beaches in the town are Byron Main, Watego's Beach and Tallow's Beach – all are great for surfing, swimming and sunbathing, but only Byron Main has a lifeguard on duty outside of school holidays. If your family get tired of the beach, then there are several walks and cycling tracks around the area. You can also take a trip to one of the nearby villages, like the peaceful Lennox Head or Ballina – you can also visit Mount Warning, a volcanic plug and the first place in Australia that's hit by the sun's light every dawn.
The Blue Mountains have some spectacular and unique scenery; they're not particularly high mountains, but have many short trails that are perfect for family rambles. There's a fair chance you'll base yourself in Katoomba, the region's largest settlement and resort. Give yourself a thrill by taking the caged scenic railway into the mountain. There's also a movie theatre with a giant screen that's used to show a film about the Blue Mountains, giving you information on the geology and ecology of the area. If you'd rather stay somewhere more remote, then there are several pretty mountain towns scattered around the region, all with their own mountain trails and places to stay.
Rottnest, or Rotto to locals, is a small island off the coast of Perth. It's not a great place for a pub crawl – there's only one bar – but it is a great place for a very relaxed family holiday. There are beaches all over the island – if you think the one you're at is too busy, walk a bit further from town. Rottnest is very peaceful and safe – you can cycle around the island, snorkel, or visit some of the low-key historical sights; these include a cemetery, wartime cannons and lots and lots of quokkas. It's a popular destination for school leaves in late November and early December, so it may be best to avoid during that time if you're looking for peace and quiet.
Australia Family Accommodation Search
If you're looking for a budget holiday, then try renting a chalet or cabin, or go camping – Australia has loads of campsites.
If you're not on a shoestring budget, then try a family holiday in one of the resorts around the Gold Coast – everything will be taken care of for you.