You won’t believe some of the cool and quirky places you can stay with kids in Australia! Go beyond the bland hotels and motels and try something different for your next family holiday.
Discover 15 fun and unique accommodation options around Australia below.
Escape to a tiny home
Into The Wild Escapes
For a unique family getaway, book one of Into The Wild Escapes‘ tiny homes across Australia. CEO Nic Chin says tiny houses also offer the perfect antidote to busy family life. “Being restricted to our homes made people realise just how much they miss being in nature, and its power to relax and rejuvenate you,” he says. “We’ve seen a significant increase in interest in tiny house stays since the restrictions have lifted. Each tiny house has self-check in and gives guests the opportunity to take a breath of fresh air, let the kids run wild, and stare up at the sky.”
Read our review: A family of four takes a tiny home vacation in Victoria
Stay in a family-friendly treehouse
Cubby House - Sunshine Beach, QLD
Cubby House is a hit with families for obvious reasons. Sleeping 10 guests, this Sunshine Coast holiday home is made up of two buildings joined by a timber bridge. The rooftop terrace captures beach and hinterland views, there’s ample indoor and outdoor living areas, a pool, spa, fully decked out gym, kids retreat and an incredible tri-level cubby house to keep kids entertained for hours.
🏄 KEEP EXPLORING: 27 things to do on the Sunshine Coast with kids
The Canopy Treehouses - Atherton Tablelands, QLD
Travel 90 minutes southwest from Cairns and 700m above sea level to discover this patch of ancient rainforest on the banks of the Ithaca River. Hidden in the canopy is The Canopy Treehouses, a set of six luxury glass-and-timber treehouses!
From your loungeroom high in the trees of this rainforest eco-resort, you might even spot brushtail possums and bright red and green king parrots. Meander along the paths below looking for cassowaries, platypus, rare tree kangaroos, and endangered green possums. Just 15 minutes down the road, marvel at the spectacular Millaa Millaa Falls – perhaps the most photographed falls in Australia – and swim in the safe waterhole underneath.
Options include the two-bedroom riverfront treehouses, the three-bedroom Bower House that sleeps up to eight guests. The secluded Rainforest Tiny House has one Queen bed and a private walking trail down the river’s edge.
🐠 KEEP EXPLORING: 32 things to see and do in Cairns with kids
Girraween Environmental Lodge - Ballandean, QLD
Set in 162ha of private bushland in the Granite Belt, you only need to step out of your recycled-timber chalet at Girraween Environmental Lodge to set off on an extraordinary bushwalk!
The eco-lodge is surrounded by surrounded by Girraween National Park. The name means ‘place of flowers’ but, along with wildflowers, there are also striking granite formations, balancing boulders, and swimming holes to enjoy.
Refuel at the Wisteria Cottage Chocolate Shop two minutes from the Lodge, or head to Sutton’s Farm, around 30 minutes drive, where you can pick fresh fruit and sample the most flavoursome apples you’ve ever tasted! Many of the boutique wineries dotted throughout the area also have kid-friendly cellar doors.
As far as old-fashioned road trips go, the three-hour drive back to Brisbane or the Gold Coast is a pleasure. Pass grazing cows and colourful crops, and stop at a country bakery for morning tea.
🌳 DISCOVER MORE: A family-friendly guide to the Granite Belt, QLD
Wake up to a water park
Tasman Holiday Parks North Star - Hastings Point, NSW
Half an hour from Gold Coast airport, Tasman Holiday Parks – North Star on the Tweed Coast is a dream for active kids. On hot days, they’ll make a beeline for the two-storey water park with 8m waterslides, a wading pool and tipping bucket.
On dry land, there’s an indoor playground with a ball pit, a shaded outdoor playground, and a free kids’ club on weekends and school holidays. While the kids are occupied, parents can enjoy the serene adults-only zone featuring a day spa, gym and pool.
Previously known as North Star Holiday Resort, accommodation here ranges from camping sites to apartments and boutique villas, catering for groups of up to 12. You can head out from the resort on your scooters, bikes and strollers along 10km of safe beachfront footpath, or take the family fishing, canoeing or kayaking in the creek and estuary.
🦀 KEEP EXPLORING: 14 things for families to do in Kingscliff & the Tweed
Paradise Resort - Gold Coast, QLD
At Paradise Resort Gold Coast, even the busiest children are hard-pressed to exhaust all the fun on the menu. They’ll probably go for the water park first, with two aqua playgrounds (one for littlies), a paddling pool, lagoon pool and 9m slide.
But then it might be tough choosing between the ice skating rink, rock climbing wall, laser tag, outdoor playground, and the kids’ club – which is more like a mini theme park! Specially-designed family rooms that let everyone stay close but have their own their space. Some even have brightly coloured bunk beds and gaming systems just for kids.
🎉 DISCOVER MORE: Everything families need to know about Paradise Resort Gold Coast
Holiday in a heritage train carriage
Madison's Mountain Retreat - Blue Mountains, NSW
This alpaca farm stay borders the Wollemi and Blue Mountains National Parks in Kurrajong Heights, just over an hour northwest of Sydney. Madison’s Mountain Retreat features two self-contained, air-conditioned ex-railway carriages can each sleep up to 5 people. There’s also a heated pool and spa and, of course, the adorable alpacas! As a bonus, the retreat is pet-friendly.
Enjoy the mountain air and wildlife on a private trail, in the national parks next door, or at the nearby Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens. Wherever you go in the Blue Mountains, you’re sure to marvel at the sweeping views.
🚞 KEEP EXPLORING: 13 things to do in the Blue Mountains with kids
Dunsborough Rail Carriages and Farm Cottages - Margaret River, WA
Less than three hours south-west of Perth, Dunsborough Rail Carriages and Farm Cottages is a unique farm stay experience. From the verandah of your historic jarrah rail cottage, you can watch kangaroos and native birds, then venture out to fresh eggs, paddle in the creek and explore the bush.
Each lovingly-restored train carriage has a kitchenette, ensuite and all the mod cons. The carriage accommodation suits smaller families, with a queen bed and a double sofa bed, and dogs are welcome too! Bigger families can stay at the farmhouse or cottages, which sleep up to 8 guests.
The 40-hectare property is only a few kilometres from the coast of Western Australia, so white sandy beaches are just minutes away – as are some of Australia’s best kid-friendly wineries. For more railway-themed adventures, drive 25 minutes east to the Busselton Jetty, where you can catch a train almost 2km out to sea on the Southern Hemisphere’s longest timber jetty.
🐋 KEEP EXPLORING: 20 best places for families to visit in Western Australia
Sleep overnight at the zoo
Wildlife Retreat at Taronga - Sydney, NSW
Experience the ultimate Sydney family holiday adventure when you visit the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga. There are plenty of exclusive experiences only available to overnight guests, including the chance to tour the Zoo after hours.
Kids can also become ‘Encrichment Engineers’ and help prepare treats for the zoo’s animal residents or head off on a thrilling scavenger hunt. Packages at this unique Sydney accommodation option include a buffet breakfast and the chance to meet native animals at the Retreat’s private sanctuary.
🦒 READ OUR REVIEW: An overnight stay at the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga with my son
Taronga Western Plains Zoo - Dubbo, NSW
Keen for a wild experience in Dubbo? Overnight accommodation at Taronga Western Plains Zoo gives families a whole new way to experience the popular safari park! There’s something for every family (and every budget) with a choice of three stays: Zoofari Lodge, Savannah Cabins, and Billabong Camp, where you can hear the lions roaring as you fall asleep.
Book an Animal View Room in the Zoofari Lodge for the chance to watch giraffe, antelope and ostrich from your private deck. Whichever you choose, it’s the perfect base to explore the Zoo and the rest of Dubbo’s top family activities.
🚙 KEEP EXPLORING: 3 best road trip routes from Newcastle and Sydney to Dubbo
Escape to a wildlife sanctuary
Hanson Bay Cabins - Kangaroo Island, SA
Located in Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, these self-contained cabins make the most of Kangaroo Island’s glorious wilderness setting. The conservation-focused sanctuary is best known for its guided Koala Walk, where you can also spot wallabies, kangaroos, bats, echidnas, and birdlife.
Guided night tours also let you check out the many animals that party when others sleep – but if that’s not enough, you can stay overnight! There are two beachfront cabins available, both with one bedroom (plus fold-out beds available on request). They’re located just 100m from the beach.
A Kangaroo Island adventure is a natural workout for energetic kids as they poke around historical ruins, clamber over rocky cliffs, sandboard down dunes and sprint along pristine beaches. From Adelaide, Kangaroo Island is a 30-minute flight, or a two-hour drive plus ferry ride.
🦘 KEEP EXPLORING: 14 unique things to do on Kangaroo Island with kids
Cape Cabin - Phillip Island, VIC
Cape Cabin is a thoughtfully designed holiday home on Phillip Island, Victoria. According to the owners, the property has been designed specifically with families in mind, with plenty of little touches designed to create the picture-perfect getaway with kids.
An original mud brick and timber a-frame home, it sleeps up to 8 guests and has direct access to the beach overlooking the Bass Strait and Cape Woolamai Nature Park. Kids love the loft playroom, bunk beds, toys and books left by the owner’s own children to share with guests.
🐧 KEEP EXPLORING: How to spend three days on Phillip Island with kids
Enjoy a unique holiday home
Elanora - Gerroa, NSW
South of Wollongong on the NSW South Coast, Elanora Gerroa overlooks tranquil Shelley Beach and farmland (where cows can sometimes be spotted). It’s not hard to see what families love about this four-bedroom, three bathroom property – starting with the uninterrupted ocean views! The best place to take them in is the garden deck, complete with a cosy fire pit.
As well as three large bedrooms, the downstairs living room can be converted into a fourth bedroom with two single beds, making it ideal for big families and group trips. Elanora is ideally located to explore the many family attractions in the Kiama region and take in some of the South Coast’s best beaches.
🐳 KEEP EXPLORING: Family holiday destinations on the NSW South Coast
Hunter Valley Lodge and Retreat - Pokolbin, NSW
Hunter Valley Lodge and Retreat is uniquely styled after a Canadian hunting lodge – but in fact, you’ll find it in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine region, just a two hour drive from Sydney. With 11 bedrooms and eight bathrooms, the property can accommodate a whopping 33 guests!
It’s perfect for family reunions and group trips, where everyone can enjoy the wrap-around verandahs, large swimming pool, hot tub, games room, billiard, table tennis, cinema, bocce court, outdoor chess, croquet, and cubby house. All of that with with views to the Broken Back Range and the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park right next door.
🍷 KEEP EXPLORING: Top things for families to do in the Hunter Valley
Kinfauns - Yallingup Hills, WA
The architecturally-designed Kinfauns is a spacious, contemporary interpretation of traditional rural style. With a large open plan living, dining and kitchen area, the four-bedroom and two-bathroom property feels surrounded by nature, including visiting kangaroos and Western Australian birdlife.
A short walk between Petra and Yallingup, it’s a great base for families to explore Margaret River’s beaches, wineries, walking trails and bike tracks.
Discover more of Australia's unique destinations
Opening image: Cubby House holiday home in Sunshine Beach, Queensland
Content contributors: Holly O’Sullivan, Elisa Elwin, Dan Campbell
