Zac on top of Sydney Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb Sydney.

Bucket-list Australia – Our Top Picks with Kids Down Under

By Rhonda Carrier

Australia is infuriating – a ridiculous distance away and very expensive to get to, and, as it’s a continent as well as a country, so vast that there is no chance of taking in all of its wonders in one holiday, or even several holidays.

However, my youngest son and I have fallen in love with it. And having been to Australia a couple of times now with Zac, the following are, in my opinion, the stand-out experiences to plan your trip around.

'One of the best things we did here was an eco-friendly wild crocodile tour aboard Solar Whisper, while Cape Tribulation – a remote headland with boardwalks and a ridge trail – had a romantically end-of-the-world feel.'

Would you like to go on a family trip to Australia? Our specialist agents would be happy to put the perfect Australia family holiday together for you and your crew; just call (020 3633 0653) or message us to chat about an Australia family itinerary tailored to your family’s exact wishes and needs.

Climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge

I’ll confess I wasn’t woman enough to do this, but for his 17th birthday, Zac and his two best friends ascended one of the world’s most recognisable bridges and the world’s largest steel arch – and loved it.

BridgeClimb Sydney is not a cheap few hours of fun (prices depend on the specific climb type and time of day, ranging from approximately £70 to £200 per adult), but the kids were intoxicated by the 360° views including the Sydney Opera House right below, the stories that their climb leader told them about the bridge’s engineering and cultural history, and the sense of achievement.

Other activities that Zac and his friends really rated as things to do in Sydney with kids were enjoying the classic rollercoasters and other rides at Luna Park on Sydney Harbour itself and hanging out at Bondi Beach with its surf vibe. Zac and I also adored the epic Bondi to Coogee Walk along the cliffs down past Sydney’s eastern suburbs – one of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

About six kilometres long, the Bondi–Coogee walk combines fascinating geology, lots of lidos/rock pools to swim in, including the famous Icebergs, fabulous beaches, parks and playgrounds, outdoor gyms and even a cemetery with sea views. As well as surfing and bodyboarding, this part of the coast is great for snorkelling, diving and skateboarding.

Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef

Tropical North Queensland, and particularly the world's largest coral reef system, was a must for us, although none of us are divers, so we settled for a sampler trip to the Low Isles of the inner reef. These are a very family-friendly option – short boat rides from the Coral Sea town of Port Douglas to calm lagoon waters and coral gardens ripe for fun and easy snorkelling. We were delighted to see lots of colourful fish, sharks, green sea turtles and, in the distance, a humpback whale. And the zippy boat ride was a blast.

You could also stay in (and take a boat out from) Cairns, the main gateway to the reef and a lively, fun city in which to hang out with kids and teens, with attractions including a seafront big wheel, a huge swimming lagoon, and lots of family-friendly restaurants and cafes.

Just outside Cairns, we all loved the Skyforest Rainforest Cableway, which took us over and through World Heritage-listed rainforest for lovely views of the Barron Gorge and waterfall and the chance to amble around the ‘Village in the Rainforest’ with its markets, cafés and wildlife attractions. Another favourite was the Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas - especially for its Savannah area, where we were able to interact with kangaroos. Port Douglas is also home to the gorgeous, uncrowded sweep of the Four Mile Beach, making it perfect for those visiting Australia with toddlers.

See also our writer Nicole’s feature on a family holiday on the Great Barrier Reef.

Exploring Daintree Rainforest

Combine this, the world’s oldest rainforest, with the Great Barrier Reef, as it’s just an hour or so’s drive up a spectacular sliver of coastline from Port Douglas, with deserted beaches like something out of a dream. Crocodiles and cassowaries abound here, as do around 35 outlandish species of mangroves.

One of the best things we did here was an eco-friendly wild crocodile tour aboard Solar Whisper; while Cape Tribulation – a remote headland with boardwalks and a ridge trail – had a romantically end-of-the-world feel. Aboriginal activities in Daintree Rainforest include walking through the Mossman Gorge with a Kuku Yalanji guide and painting with a local artist.

The Great Victorian Bathing Trail, Victoria

The state capital, Melbourne, is fabulous in its own right, especially with teens who love its street art, food and fashion. But aside from discovering Melbourne with kids, further afield in this southeastern state, you’ll find an expanding network of hot springs, mineral springs and sea baths, the Great Victorian Bathing Trail, stretching for 900km and perfect for a family escape and digital detox.

Nine minutes from Melbourne, we experienced the original Peninsula Hot Springs, which, as well as pampering for adults, features a dedicated family area in the Bath House, with baby baths, bathing barrels and a shallow pool, plus a Bubble Spa Couch, Cave Pool and Reflexology Walk that kids enjoy. And there are glamping and eco-lodges on site for a sleepover experience.

We also made a road trip four hours east of Melbourne, into the farming and coastal region of Gippsland, home to the growing Metung Hot Springs venue with safari tents perched on stilts over the lagoon with its turtle families and birdlife. Kids are welcome to use facilities such as the bathing barrels, stargazing pool, and Wombat Pool with a waterfall.

Encounter Indigenous Heritage at Uluru

This is still on our list to do. Last time we went to Australia (for Christmas - their summer), it was too hot to head inland to this sandstone monolith in the heart of the ‘Red Centre’ in the Northern Territory (see our Australia map). I console myself with the fact that there are a great many Australians who haven’t yet made it there either.

But ‘Ayers Rock’ as it's also known is very much on our agenda for next time, and we’ll time our upcoming trip around it being cool enough to visit (the best time to visit Uluru is May to September, when daytimes are dry and warm and nights are not too chilly).

Believed to have begun forming approximately 550 million years ago and sacred to indigenous Australians, Uluru is part of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, where you can also admire the 36 red-rock domes of the Kata Tjuta (‘The Olgas’) formation.

Uluru is also glorious by night, when artist Bruce Munro’s Field of Light illuminates the desert with gentle undulations of colour waves – an unforgettable part of a family trip to Australia.