The iconic Sydney Harbour

Australia – it’s a long flight away from most other countries, don’t I know it!  Especially for families with kids the idea of vacationing in Australia can be daunting.  Many parents I speak to overseas question whether visiting Australia with kids is really worth the long flight.  The answer though is YES!  Australia offers so many unique experiences to traveling families that for those who have the time and means, putting Australia on the family travel agenda should be a priority.  As a proud Aussie and world traveller there is so much I love about this country that I just had to share it with you.

Beautiful beaches

Trinity Beach in Cairns – Far North Queensland

When Aussies see pictures of crowded beaches in Europe we just smile.  Australia offers thousands of miles of beautiful coastline perfect for family beach time.  One of the wonderful things about the Aussie beaches is the variety.  There are the tropical, palm tree fringed beaches of far north Queensland, wild surf beaches of Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, the city beaches of Sydney and calm bayside beaches of Melbourne perfect for families with young children.  A visit to Australia must include some sand and water time.

The Twelve Apostles on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road

Beautiful Balmoral Beach one of Sydney’s city beaches

An ancient people

A Kawandji-Wimpa dancer at the the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair

Australia’s Indigenous people are the custodians of the oldest culture in the world.  They are also heterogenous.  There are two main cultural groups – Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders – but hundreds of nations and language groups within that.  I’ve been privileged to work alongside both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  They are generous in sharing their culture and warmly welcome tourists.  A family trip to Australia gives parents and kids a unique opportunity to learn from these people and all around Australia are cultural experiences that enable visitors to do so.  Trying some bush tucker, learning about the traditional owners of the land’s relationship with Country and music experiences.  It’s all part of it.

North Queensland’s Mamu Mamu rainforest canopy walk

Given the size of Australia it is no surprise that the landscape is diverse.  Australia’s network of national and state parks offer immersive experiences in our beautiful landscapes.  Some of the stunning national parks we have explored include Kakadu in the Northern Territory, with its wetlands, crocodiles and Aboriginal Art sites.  The Daintree Rainforest, a World Heritage area in Far North Queensland where the rainforest meets the reef.  Mount Baw Baw National Park with its alpine forests and family friendly snow fields just a few hours from Melbourne offers a different perspective on Australia entirely.

One of Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort’s snow play areas

Unique wildlife

As an island nation so far from other countries our wildlife have evolved separate and distinct.  Us Aussies are proud of our animal co-inhabitants so there are many up close and personal experiences that kids can have with Australian wildlife when they visit this amazing country.  My own kids have petted crocodiles, kangaroos, pythons, wallabies and more.  There are opportunities to experience our wildlife in the national parks but even in the major cities of Sydney and Melbourne, with some insider knowledge you are able to spot a kangaroo in the wild.

My youngest meeting her first crocodile

Exploring the Victorian Highlands and meeting a mob of kangaroos in the process

Islands around an Island

Green Island – an easy day trip from Cairns.

As well as the Australian mainland there are hundreds of Australian islands to explore.  The island state of Tasmania is one of the most family friendly destinations in Australia.  A foodie paradise it also offers visitors glimpses into Australia’s convict past. The tropical waters off north Queensland are littered with exquisite islands with every budget of traveler catered for – Green Island and Fitzroy Island are two islands accessible from Cairns that host day trippers and offer resort accommodation.  Much further south Kangaroo Island off South Australia’s coast has its own ecosystem which provides amazing wildlife spotting for kids.  At Kangaroo Island families can spot home to fur seals, sea lions, goannas, koalas, little penguins, wallabies and of course kangaroos.

Seal Cove Kangaroo Island

First class art experiences for families

Andy Warhol-Ai Weiwei exhibition at Melbourne’s NGV

Each Australian city offers impressive art experiences for families including galleries such as Melbourne’s NGV that commits to family friendly exhibits.  Indigenous art experiences, outdoor sculpture parks, regional arts festivals and small galleries in Australia’s country towns – expect them to engage kids as our own family experience testifies that they do.

The Great Barrier Reef

Feeding fish at the Outer Great Barrier Reef. Sunlover Cruises

Alas, science tells us that the wonder of the Great Barrier Reef is not going to last and may actually be degraded in our children’s lifetime.  Now is the time to expose your kids to the amazing, alien ecosystem that is the Great Barrier Reef.  The good news is that even young kids can enjoy the Great Barrier Reef – we have taken our kids to the outer reef from when they were toddlers where pontoon features such as glass bottom boats, children’s swimming platforms and underwater reef viewing rooms brought them into contact with this incredible natural wonder before they could swim.

Turtle – Green Island on the Great Barrier Reef

Tips for making the most of a trip to Australia with kids.

Plan to spend at least two weeks there.   You don’t need an extended time to enjoy Australia as a family but at least two weeks when traveling from overseas is ideal.

The distances between popular destinations is huge.  It is a three hour flight for example between Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef.  Unless you are visiting Australia for an extended trip don’t plan to see too much of the country.  It is too easy to loose entire days of your precious vacation time journeying in country.  A couple of tourist hotspots, with some in depth exploration of the surrounding regions will have plenty to keep you busy.

Research the individual destinations’s weather at the time of year you plan to visit.  November for example is the “Build Up” in Darwin and not a pleasant time to visit.  Melbourne’s weather mid winter is pretty grey but the city shines in spring and autumn.

Do make the most of Australia’s community of family travel bloggers that have researched the best that this fine country has to offer.  For example:
Sydney – Check out Hello Sydney Kids. and Kid Bucket List

Melbourne – Check out Meetoo and the Victoria section of this blog.

Tropical North Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef – Check out Adventure Mumma.

Darwin and the Northern Territory – Together We Roam has some great tips for that part of the world.

So, what are you waiting for – it’s time to plan a visit with kids to Australia.

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