A handy guide to North Queensland with kids
North Queensland
Explore North Queensland with your family
There’s more to North Queensland than mud flats, mangoes and backpackers wearing cut-off denims. Stretching from the city of Mackay and the Whitsundays north to Cairns and the tip of Cape York, the diversity of natural attractions here is unbeatable.
Though it’s best known for the Great Barrier Reef and wet tropic rainforests, there’s so more to discover in a region that is rich with history and Aboriginal heritage. Discover the best of North Queensland’s cosmopolitan towns, charming villages, golden beaches, and rich farmlands.
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Kid-friendly fun in Townsville
As the gateway to Tropical North Queensland — and flanked by two World Heritage Sites — the Townsville region is home to some of Queensland’s best family travel experiences.
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Tropical North Queensland is stunningly beautiful, but the thought stingers and crocodiles can scare people off. Don’t let them! Instead, book your flights to the Tropics and explore some of these fantastic destinations.
Cairns
The international gateway to Tropical North Queensland, family-friendly Cairns is the closest jumping off point for the Great Barrier Reef from the Australian mainland. With around 300 days of sunshine a year and plenty to explore, it is a safe, fun and affordable destination for families. The Cairns Esplanade is the perfect place for a family to visit with it’ lagoon, skate park, beach volleyball courts and relaxed shopping strip. Be sure to take the Skyrail up to Kuranda, a relaxed little artisan’s town perched up in the cloudscape of the Tablelands, and visit the many wildlife attractions there.
Palm Cove
With a fantastic beach, a great market and the choice of several family-friendly restaurants, Palm Cove offers an excellent alternative to staying in central Cairns for people travelling with young kids. Resorts include the super laid-back Reef Retreat Palm Cove, with beautiful villas set around a forest-fringed pool, and Peppers Beach Club & Spa Palm Cove, with several pools and a swim-up bar – both walking distance from the beach.
Port Douglas
Port Douglas is the ideal base to explore the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. This lush region offers a range of memorable experiences: take a guided tour to explore Mossman Gorge, head out on a Daintree River crocodile cruise, and stop at Alexandra Lookout to enjoy the views from the river estuary out to the Coral Sea.
Go bushwalking at Noah Creek, a privately-owned World Heritage reserve near Cape Tribulation, then enjoy exotic flavours like mangosteen and starfruit at Daintree Ice Cream Company. After eating, families can take a self-guided tour of the tropical fruit orchard.
Fitzroy Island
Keen to take the family on a tropical island getaway in North Queensland? Located only 29 km off the coast of Cairns, Fitzroy Island is a protected National Park ideal for exploring with kids. Visit on a day trip or stay overnight in 4.5 star accommodation and enjoy the resort’s pool, restaurant, bar and kids’ activities like fish feeding.
The Whitsundays
Magnetic Island
Picturesque Magnetic Island, just 20 minutes off the coast of Townsville, is two-thirds National Park with 24 kilometres of walking trails, 23 beaches and bays and northern Australia’s largest colony of wild koalas. Located on the island is Bounce Magnetic Island and Koala Park, a haven for rock wallabies, possums, more than 100 species of birdlife and you can also cuddle a koala.
Townsville
The Museum of Tropical Queensland and Maritime Museum of Townsville houses an impressive collection of artefacts from the S. S Yongala and H.M.S Pandora, where budding historians can get a first-hand glimpse of life on board and learn about the history of the wrecks without getting wet.
Tours tell personal stories of Nywaigi Aboriginal history and culture. Throw a boomerang, weave a basket and indulge in a traditional Kup-nurri meal. Billabong Sanctuary is home to Australia’s most iconic wildlife. Here, kids can snap a selfie with a koala, hold a baby croc or watch live crocodile feeding in action.
It’s worth taking a day trip to Charters Towers, home to one of the largest gold rushes in Queensland history, where you can still see signs of those early days and and pan for gold at the Miners Cottage.
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Opening image: Cairns Esplanade Lagoon has become a popular destination for both travelling and local families. ©