Queensland is known as the Sunshine State for good reason! Here are some of the best Queensland family holiday destinations, from tropical islands, coral reefs, steam trains, theme parks, cultural experiences, zoos, resorts and much much more.
1. Gold Coast
Best known for its theme parks, this Queensland city just over an hour south of Brisbane certainly goes for gold. Here’s what you need to know for a Gold Coast family holiday:
What to do
There’s a Gold Coast theme park for all ages: meet superheroes in Movie World, fly sky-high in Dreamworld, dive deep into Sea World and get wet at Whitewater World or Wet ‘n’ Wild. For the best Gold Coast wildlife encounters, spend a day feeding lorikeets at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and meeting koalas and crocs at David Fleay Wildlife Park.
Nature lovers will find plenty of outdoor adventures on the Gold Coast starting with Mount Tambourine, where you can embark on a Rainforest Walk, Treetop Challenge and explore glow worm caves and waterfalls. For more thrills, try out BOUNCE Trampoline Park or iFly Indoor Skydiving before cooling off in the famous Gold Coast beaches. The crowd-pleasers are Burleigh Heads, Broadbeach, Coolangatta and Rainbow Bay.
Where to stay
With a jungle gym welcoming young guests in the lobby, epic water parks and activities and entertainment ranging from slime making and cupcake decorating workshops to magic shows, fancy dress parades and movie nights, Paradise Resort Gold Coast is a dream destination for families. Children will love the resort’s kids’ club and Teen Club. The resort also has an adventure playground, rock-climbing wall and the only ice-skating rink in Surfers Paradise, Planet Chill. If you can find the time to leave, it’s all walking distance from the bright lights, shops, restaurants and golden beaches of Surfers Paradise.
2. The Whitsundays
Noted for its calm seas and 74 dreamy island wonders, a family trip to the Whitsundays could be just the right tonic to recharge your batteries. Fly to either Hamilton Island or Whitsunday Coast Airport for easy access to the best of the region’s attractions.
What to do
Stunning Whitehaven Beach, stretching over seven kilometres along Whitsunday Island, is the largest in the Whitsundays. It claims the title of Australia’s most photographed beach with its pure white silica sands and turquoise waters and should top everyone’s ‘must see’ list. For families with young children in tow, a half day trip is plenty to consider, and be sure to slip, slop slap as even in winter, the Whitsunday sun can be brutal.
Daydream Island is home to the famous Living Reef where you can paddle with rays or take in the sights from the underwater observatory. It’s a 30-minute ferry ride from Airlie Beach or 60 minutes from Hamilton Island Marina.
Where to stay
Boasting the largest resort waterslide park in Australia with 13 slides, a lagoon-style pool (heated in winter), two giant jumping pillows, a mini-golf course, outdoor cinema and a non-stop games and activities program, BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort is kiddie heaven!
3. Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast lives up to its name when it comes to its summery vibes and great beaches. Caloundra is the easiest to get to from Brisbane, with the lovely Bulcock Beach and Pumicestone Passage marine park to enjoy by SUP, kayak or boat ride. Mooloolaba has an awesome patrolled beach and a delicious line-up of family-friendly eateries such as the Surf Club and Augello’s Pizzeria.
Head into the hinterland for a scenic drive along Blackhall Range Tourist Drive and to marvel at the magnificent Glass House Mountains. Hit the track in Noosa with a coastal walk through Noosa Heads National Park, or enjoy the Saturday morning markets of Eumundi. At the southern end of the Sunshine Coast, an hour from Brisbane lies Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo in Beerwah.
4. Hervey Bay
Head even further north to chase the tropical sun of Hervey Bay, approximately three and a half hours from Brisbane. Walk along the delightful Esplanade, and from June to October, keep your eyes peeled for humpback whales. Offshore, you’ll find Australia’s most famous sand island, K’gari.
With its calm, protected waters providing the perfect conditions for humpbacks to teach their newborn calves survival skills before continuing on their long journey back to Antarctica, Hervey Bay is known as the whale watching capital of Australia. Each year thousands of the mammals hang out in the bay for up to two weeks at a time from July to November.
The whales here tend to be quite curious, with more prolonged encounters than you may expect in other parts of the country. If you get really lucky, you could see playful newborns coming right up to your boat to get a closer look at their first humans. The town also hosts an annual whale festival that includes a blessing of the fleet ceremony to mark the start of the season, in late July, a whale parade and paddle-out for whales.
5. K'gari (Fraser Island)
The world’s largest sand island, K’gari (Fraser Island) has lush rainforests, spectacular sand dunes, long stretches of beautiful beaches ideal for 4WDing, and crystal clear freshwater lakes including the famous Lake McKenzie. Known as K’gari (meaning paradise) by its Traditional Owners, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed island is a 40-minute boat ride from Hervey Bay.
What to do
Kids love swimming in the crystal waters of Lake Mackenzie. They can peer though portholes of the Maheno ship wreck at low tide, roll down the sand dunes into the icy cold water at Lake Wabby, an snorkel around volcanic rock at the Champagne Pools. The sound of howling dingoes is one they will never forget! And don’t get us started on prehistoric rainforests. This is a true Jurassic Park adventure.
Where to stay
You can camp, stay in a cabin or book into Kingfisher Bay Resort, which runs an excellent Junior Eco Rangers program during school holidays, with interactive wildlife experiences led by experienced rangers.
6. Fitzroy Island
Just a 45-minute boat ride from Cairns, the affordable Fitzroy Island Resort is the place where locals go for weekend camping trips, or to take visitors when they’re in town.
What to do
Swimming with turtles just off the beach in front of the island’s only resort is not only possible, it’s a common activity. There’s plenty to keep kids entertained, with a movie theatre, games room, table tennis and a playroom. You can also hire kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, hike to lookouts, take glass-bottom boat tours, cruise to the Outer Great Barrier Reef, and enjoy scenic and sunset sailing trips.
The main restaurant, Zephyr, serves modern Australian dishes with an international flavour, while the beachfront Foxy’s Bar & Grill is a more casual option, ideal for families, with bingo nights, trivia and live music throughout the week. Don’t miss a visit to the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre or the Instagram-worthy Nudey Beach, around 20 minutes’ walk from the resort.
7. Great Keppel Island
Just a 30-minute ferry ride from the mainland seaside town of Yeppoon, Great Keppel Island is a nature lover’s paradise in the heart of the Southern Great Barrier Reef, with 17 white sandy beaches and sub-tropical waters that are safe for swimming year-round without the need for stinger suits.
What to do
Don a snorkel and mask or book a Freedom Fast Cats glass-bottom boat tour to discover stunning coral and marine life, including giant clams, sea turtles and tropical fish. The calm bays are also ideal for kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, while families with older kids can try scuba diving or explore secret beaches and sea caves on a tour with Keppel Explorer.
Whale watching cruises are offered between July and September, when humpbacks pass by en masse during their annual migration. The island also has a network of walking trails, ranging from a 15-minute beach stroll to a challenging 15km hike to the lighthouse at the island’s tip. Along the way keep an eye out for wildlife such as echidnas, and listen for the calls of more than 100 species of birds that call the island home, including kookaburras, rainbow lorikeets and seabirds.
Where to stay
You can either visit on a day trip or book a longer stay, with accommodation ranging from glamping tents and cabins to holiday houses. Favourite places to stay include Great Keppel Island Holiday Village and Great Keppel Island Hideaway. The latter has a beachfront bar and bistro, where you can dine at outdoor tables shaded by trees or in a large wooden hut.
How to get there
Regular ferry services depart from Keppel Bay Marina and Rosslyn Bay Harbour in Yeppoon, just north of Rockhampton on Central Queensland’s Capricorn Coast. Or put the money you’ve saved not going overseas to good use and splash out on a scenic helicopter flight with Rockhampton Helicopters.
8. Lady Elliot Island
There’s no kids’ club and just one restaurant, but mini environmental crusaders will delight in a stay at this eco-resort, located on a coral cay at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, just north of Fraser Island. Swim with turtles and manta rays and explore an unspoilt coral reef from your base at the family-run resort, which has a strong focus on sustainability.
Where to stay
Accommodation options include a unit, a glamping-style tent or in a cabin. Day trips are also available.
How to get there
The resort is just a light plane flight away from Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Brisbane or the Gold Coast.
Book your Lady Elliot Island Great Barrier Reef day tour from the Gold Coast
9. Outback Queensland
See the dinosaur footprints which inspired the stampede in the Hollywood blockbuster, Jurassic Park, on a road trip in Outback Queensland.
What to do
As well as visiting Lark Quarry in Winton, the Australian Dinosaur Trail touring route encompasses the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, which boasts the world’s largest collection of Australian Dinosaur fossils, and Kronosaurus Korner in Richmond, which is home to Australia’s best preserved dinosaur skeleton. Meet Hughie, a skeletal Muttaburrasaurus, at The Flinders Discovery Centre in Hughenden before travelling north to Porcupine Gorge National Park to see 500 million years of layers of rock formations in this deep gorge system, known as Australia’s ‘Little Grand Canyon’.
10. Toowoomba
With over 150 public parks and gardens, and an annual festival of flowers, Toowoomba is well worth the nickname ‘The Garden City’. This regional capital in Darling Downs, southern Queensland, is less than two hours drive from Brisbane City.
What to do
A wealth of activities is on offer making a weekend in Toowoomba well-suited to everyone. The Cobb and Co Museum for which Toowoomba is famous should be first on your list. See old horse-drawn vehicles, enter the national carriage factory, peek at fossils found in the local area and discover more about the Indigenous culture of the region. Animal-lovers will enjoy cosying up to the critters at Darling Downs Zoo.
11. Cairns
There’s no denying it, Cairns is like a foreign country compared to the Southern States. There’s the balmy climate, a rainforest that’s said to have inspired the hit movie Avatar, and the biggest reef system in the world.
What to do
At Rainforestation in Kuranda, kids can tour an Aussie wildlife park then join a Pamagirri Rainforest Walkabout tour to gain an insight into the culture of Australia’s First Nation. If the family is not up for a long Great Barrier Reef Cruise, sign up for Big Cat’s re-engineered glass bottom boat that cruises around Green Island. The boat’s massive windows offer little ones big coral views. Elsewise, stick to Terra Firma and visit the marvellous Cairns Aquarium. Here mini Attenboroughs can look into deep reef lagoons, without getting wet, and as captivating guides tell the story of the reef.
Where to stay
Bed down at the Crystalbrook Flynn overlooking The Esplanade to experience the best of Tropical North Queensland.
12. Port Douglas
Explore the beautiful coral cays and reefs of the Great Barrier Reef on a day trip from Port Douglas with Sailaway. The eco-tourism operator offers a range of experiences, travelling on its luxury catamaran to Mackay and Undine Coral Cays on the Outer Reef, and the idyllic coral cay island known as Low Isles. On the latter, you can relax on the white sand beach, embark on a heritage walk to learn about the island’s nature and history, go on a glass-bottom boat tour, snorkel over coral gardens in the blue lagoon alongside a marine biologist, and swim with turtles in their natural habitat.
13. Hamilton Island
Only eight of the Whitsunday region’s many islands are inhabited and Hamilton Island is one of the stars. And though it offers a range of holiday accommodation caters to all budgets and tastes, Hamilton Island also welcomes day trippers.
What to do
Getting around the island is part of the fun. Hire a golf buggy for the day – kids love the bumpy, breezy adventure and if you plan ahead by picking up a picnic lunch from the local bakery, some of the most breathtaking views of the Whitsunday passage can be enjoyed from the island’s many peaks and lookouts. Hiking trails criss-cross the island giving adventurers over 20 km of walking tracks to discover and for a unique meeting with some furry locals book in for breakfast with the koalas at the resident wildlife park.
Where to stay
A range of family accommodation options include refined five star luxury apartments and spectacular private hillside houses that are magnets for visiting celebrities.
14. Townsville
Big city benefits combined with pretty coastal havens, sandy beaches, rainforests, rugged outback terrain and the idyllic paradise that is Magnetic Island right on the doorstep, it’s not hard to see the appeal of Townsville as a family destination.
What to do
Younger families can splish and splash on the water slides and swimming pools at The Strand water park. Fit families might like to try sea kayaking to one of the many National Park Islands within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Those who want to be in and not on the water can snorkel and dive with a dazzling variety of tropical marine life in the Coral Sea but if your kids prefer their fish on the end of a line, Townsville’s surrounding waterways are brimming with game fish. On the outskirts of Townsville, the Tully River is a great spot for some whitewater rafting action.
A trek up Castle Hill for majestic 360-degree views is well worthwhile. Magical Magnetic Island is home to superb views, palm-fringed beaches, bush walks and a huge koala population and is just 20 minutes from the city centre by catamaran. Kids are sure to love Billabong Sanctuary, an interactive wildlife experience featuring native animals set in 25 acres of natural bush where many animals and birds roam free.
Content contributors: Angela Saurine, Christine Kane, Dan Campbell, Elisa Elwin
