Top Ten destinations for kids when visiting Eastern Australia
Written: Jul 18 '09 (Updated Jul 19 '09)
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Pros: Great Barrier Reef, aborigine culture, Koala Sanctuary, Kuruanda, rainforest, Sydney Aquarium, Australia Zoo, Blue Mountains.
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: Australia offers and enormous amount of attractions for tourists. Eastern/North Australia has the Great Barrier Reef (astounding), the Koala Sanctuary, the Crocodile Hunter Zoo, Aborigine Culture, Rainforest, etc.
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| texas-swede's Full Review: Australia |
I, my wife and our kids spent three weeks in Eastern Australia in August of 2005. We visited Sydney and the Blue Mountains for a few days and the rest of the time we spent in Queensland. Queensland is probably Australia's prime destination for overseas tourism mostly because of the Great Barrier Reef, but also because Queensland has so much else to offer. We visited many places including Sydney, Sydney Harbor, Darling Harbor, Sydney Aquarium, National Maritime Museum, James Cook's Ship, the submarine HMAS Vampire, Paddy's Hay market, the Blue Mountains, Brisbane, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Australia Zoo, the Queensland Museum, Queensland Cultural Centre, the South Bank Parklands, Cairns, the Cairns reservoir, the esplanade, Kuruanda , Kuruanda Cableway, Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, the Daintree rain forest, the Great Barrier Reef (five day cruise), Lizard Island, Cooktown, and other places.
We planned our vacation well with the assistance of a skilled travel agent and a few travel books. The kind of tourism we did was very much focused on making it fun for our kids (age 6, 8, and 11 at the time). I am happy with all the places that we visited; however, I have selected ten places which I think are especially great for kids. I have ranked them in order from most fun to least fun (least fun still being more fun than all the places I left out).
1. Snorkeling and Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is 3,000 kilometers long and it is composed of more than 900 islands and 2,900 individual reefs. It is the largest coral reef system in the world. There are thousands of species of fish and mollusks in the reef, as well as, sea horses, giant calms, sea snakes, whales, dolphins, and much more. The reefs are large and you will be able to see beautiful corals and a rich and colorful flora and fauna whether you are snorkeling or scuba diving. Because of rising global temperatures mass coral bleaching occurred in the summers of 1998, 2002 and 2006 and it is expected that coral bleaching will become an annual occurrence. The Great Barrier Reef as we know it is slowly vanishing so this is probably a good time to see it.
We took a five day cruise (with the Coral Princess) and we stopped at nine different coral reefs. We also stopped in Cooktown and on Lizard Island. The ship had a glass bottom boat which could be used for watching the coral reefs. However, it was snorkeling and the scuba diving in the reefs that the kids loved. My 11-year old and I did Scuba diving and my younger kids and wife did snorkeling (lots of it).
The coral reefs were large and impressive and filled with beautiful fish. The distance to the bottom by the larger reefs that we visited was about 30 feet and the coral rose almost all the way to the sea surface. The corals formed mesas, pillars, and hills so you could see the coral reefs close up whether you swam at the sea surface or at the bottom of the sea (scuba diving). While you were snorkeling you could see beautiful corals, schools of colorful fish, parrot fish, sea horses, sea cucumbers, and much more. While you were scuba diving you could see all of that, plus giant clams, and in addition you could swim in the middle of large schools of fish and touch large colorful fish like parrot fish. We also saw a Barracuda and a 6 feet long white tipped reef shark (the shark was harmless).
We have been scuba diving and snuba diving in other places as well, including the Red Sea, Bermuda, and the Virgin Islands. Even though those experiences were great, nothing beats the Great Barrier Reef. I should say that scuba diving and snorkeling with the Coral Princess and other Great Barrier Reef cruises and tour guides as very safe. They watch carefully what is going on and they take down the name of every person who goes in the water so that they can check that each person who went in is up before they call in the day. Counting is not safe enough and they stopped doing that many years ago.
Our younger kids could not get enough of snorkeling and our 11-year old enjoyed both the snorkeling and the scuba diving. The boat itself was also lots of fun. They had good food and entertainment. We had a fantastic experience and the kids loved it.
To read more about our visit to the Great Barrier Reef click here.
2. Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park
The second item on my list may surprise many of you and it did surprise us as well. Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park was a lot more fun then we expected. Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park is located at the bottom of the Sky Rail Rainforest Cableway. You take this Cableway to or from Kuruanda which is a popular destination in the rain forest. Naturally you can get to Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park by bus or by car.
The Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park has three theaters. We watched a play based on an aborigine creation myth and another play that included ancient stories, music and dancing. The actors and the staff were dressed only in a small cloth and they wore paint all over their bodies and face. During the play about the creation myth my 8-year old laughed so hard at one of the jokes that the actors had to laugh them selves. A young aborigine woman also showed us how make medicine and a man showed us how to play the didgeridoo.
Outside the theaters they had fields where the aborigines taught people how to throw boomerangs and a special type of spear. The spear was thrown with the help of a long stick that you swung over your shoulder. Using this method a kid could throw a spear a hundred yards. Since it was interactive and quite exciting the kids could not get enough of the spears and the boomerangs. My kids had so much fun at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park that I was positively amazed.
3. The Pine Tree Koala Sanctuary
One of the most enjoyable attractions nearby Brisbane is the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary holds 130 Koalas. I can add that the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was founded in 1927, and it is the world's oldest and largest Koala Sanctuary. Have you ever wanted to hold one of those cuddly quiet and sleepy little Koalas?
The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is one of the few sanctuaries in the world where visitors are allowed to hold koalas for a fee. Holding these cuddly, cute, soft, slow, and baby like animals in your arms, pet them, and give them a little hug, was a quite unique experience and it was something the kids will not forget, especially my, at the time 8-year old, since his Koala went to the bathroom while he held it. It was also a great photo opportunity. I should add that regulations make sure that each Koala is not held more then 30 minutes per day
The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is also a zoo and they feature Kangaroo's, Wombats, Dingo dogs, Echidna, Cockatoos, Tasmanian Devils, Kookaburras, Emus, Cassowary's, Australian, bats, Parrots, other birds, snakes, lizards, and various reptiles. You can also feed and pet the free-roaming kangaroos (about 130 Kangaroos). The Kangaroo reserve inside the Koala sanctuary is five acres and the Kangaroos will jump up to you to get food and you might see mother Kangaroos with a Joey in their pouch. As a zoo the Sanctuary is not big (well it is not a zoo), however, the Koala holding and the kangaroo interaction are unique experiences for any European or American child.
To read more about the Pine Tree Koala Sanctuary click here.
4. Kuruanda and the Kuruanda Scenic Railway
I think that one of our greatest adventures aside from the Great Barrier Reef was our trip to Kuruanda. We took the Kuruanda Scenic Railway from Cairns to Kuruanda. The train was an old-style fairy tale sort of train that ascended through the rain forest via the Barron River Gorge. The view was astounding and we saw beautiful waterfalls, gorges, lakes, and lush rainforest. The kids loved the Kuruanda Scenic Railway.
Kuruanda is a picturesque and beautiful small town with lots of shopping opportunities and interesting things to see. We bought souvenirs for the kid's teachers and for friends. We walked around Kuruanda and visited a butterfly sanctuary, and an aviary called bird world. Our highlight in Kuruanda was lunch. We ate Crocodile and Kangaroo meat in a restaurant that was situated a bit into the rain forest. Naturally it was the best food that the kids had ever tried.
Instead of taking the train back from Kuruanda we took the Sky Rail Rainforest Cableway. The Cableway traveled across the top of the rainforest canopy and the view was amazing. We stopped at the second stop and took a hike through the rainforest. There were wooden bridges and walkways in the rain forest and walking on these walkways was an exciting experience. We could see the Barron Falls from a distance but we did not go over there.
The kids loved the train, Kuruanda, and the cable way so this turned out to be a good day for them.
5. Sydney Aquarium
The Sydney Aquarium is located in the Darling Harbor in Sydney. It features more than 650 species comprising more than 6,000 individual fish and other sea and water creatures from most of Australia's water habitats. The Sydney Aquarium has the largest collection of sharks in captivity in the World. Some of the sharks are 6 and a half feet long and weigh more than 600 pounds. They did not have the Great White Shark but many other kinds of sharks.
The Sydney Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world and is probably just as big, or almost as big as the Shedd Aquarium. However, the Sydney Aquarium is more interesting and fun then the Shedd Aquarium. It is also regarded as one of Australia's most important tourist attractions. One of the highlights at the Sydney Aquarium is a series of underwater, see-through, glass tunnels which visitors walk through while watching sharks and manta rays swim above and around them. The glass tunnels are quite long and extensive, and walking through them was the greatest Aquarium experience that I've ever had.
The second most interesting exhibit in the Sydney Aquarium, in my opinion, is the Great Barrier Reef Oceanarium. The Great Barrier Reef Oceanarium consisted of a set of large tanks containing many kinds of beautiful or interesting fish as well as corals. I think that the Great Barrier Reef Oceanarium is very interesting to most people. However, because we had just done lots of Scuba diving and snorkeling in the real Great Barrier Reef we were slightly less impressed. However, there are eight exhibits in the Sydney Aquarium.
When you walk through the Sydney Aquarium you start out at Platypus exhibit and then you continue through the Murray-Darling River System exhibit (there is also a café here). Next you enter the Salt Water Crocodile exhibit and the Barramundi exhibit. Then you walk through the penguin exhibit, the touch pool (you can touch animals here), and the Sydney Harbor exhibit. The next exhibit is the Open Ocean Oceanarium with all the tunnels through the shark and ray tanks. As mentioned this was the highlight of our visit. Then you pass another touch pool and finally you get to the Great Barrier Reef Oceanarium. For what ever reason, our kids were especially interested in the mud skipper.
In my opinion the Sydney aquarium is one of the most impressive aquariums that I have ever seen. My kids like to visit zoos and aquariums and this aquarium certainly made an impression on them.
6. Australia Zoo
While staying in Brisbane we visited the Australia Zoo. Australia's Zoo is the home of the famous Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irvin. It is owned by Terri Irwin, the widow of Steve Irwin, and was originally owned by Steve Irwin's parents Bob and Lyn Irwin. Australia Zoo is a quite large Zoo. It is 30 acres and has all kinds of exciting species from all over the world. However, what makes Australia Zoo special is the blood curling but entertaining shows, including Tiger wrestling and crocodile feeding. Yeah this zoo is definitely made in the spirit of Crocodile hunter.
We took a bus from Brisbane to Australia Zoo. The bus left 8:45AM and arrived at the Zoo at 10:15AM. The first thing we saw was the show at the Crocoseum. The show at the Crocoseum involved interaction with birds of prey, parrots, interaction and wresting with Tigers, and Crocodile interaction and feeding. The show was very entertaining, however, it seemed like the zoo keepers, or rather entertainers, were taking risks. I can add that the Crocoseum show was changed in 2008 and is allegedly even better than what we saw. On the other hand, one thing that we saw that you won't (unless you've been there already) is Harriet the world oldest Giant Tortoise. She was brought to Brisbane in 1842 but she died in 2006. When we visited they were celebrating her 175th birthday.
The Crocodile feeding (outside of the Crocoseum) was also both awesome and bone chilling. This was close up and in front a small group of people. The zoo keeper walked up to a huge Crocodile named Agro and fed him from his hand, while another guy was watching his back so that the female croc behind him would not sneak up on him and eat him too. If you think that sounds crazy you are right, but this is Australia zoo, the zoo of adventure and danger. Instead of one Crocodile Hunter on TV you get to see ten of them live. Basically Australia Zoo is a big Zoo with an element of danger and adventure added to it. Whether you think is smart or not, the kids loved it.
The Australia Zoo also has a large Tiger Exhibit (Tiger Temple), elephant feeding; they have a kids zoo, kids games, and much more. They provide live interaction with Giant Aldebaran Tortoises, Camel feeding, birds of prey live, and Otters and Koalas live. Unlike the Pine Tree Koala Sanctuary you don't get hold and pet the Koalas. I can add that Elephantasia is the largest elephant exhibit in Australia.
The Australia Zoo is quite expensive. The adult admission fee is $53.00, child $31.00, student $42.00, family of four $157.00, and family of five (us) $172.00. However, for us this was not a problem since came all the way from Texas and expected to pay to see interesting stuff and do fun things. The opening hours are 9AM to 5PM every day.
7. Blue Mountains (Blue Haze not Purple Haze)
While staying in Sydney we took a guided day tour of the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains are located about a 1-2 hrs drive west of Sydney. The Blue Mountains is a Sandstone Plateau containing canyon like gorges and valleys some of them 760 meters deep (~ 2,500 feet). The Blue Mountains looks a little bit like the Grand Canyon, except it is smaller, and has green hills and mountains, and it is not actually a canyon. The Blue Mountains are very green and the vegetation at higher altitudes is mostly eucalyptus forest; however, the gorges often have a temperate rainforest. There are also hanging swamps, creeks and waterfalls. The name Blue Mountains comes from the blue tinge the range takes on when viewed from a distance. Our guide told us that many people believe that the haze is coming from the sun light reflecting off eucalypt leaves, specifically the blue gum tree. However, the bluish tinge is caused by mie scattering which occurs when ultra violet light is scattered by particles in the atmosphere.
One of the points of interest in the Blue Mountains is the three sisters which are three pointy sandstone formations which we admired from across a gorge. Another point of interest is the Edge Cinema which offers visitors a panoramic view of the Blue Mountains. Another point of interest in the Blue Mountains is the wild Kangaroos (actually half tame) that you can get a good look at in certain places. Culture, historical sites, scenery that is all fun for adults, but chasing wild Kangaroo's that is fun for the kids. These were wild but curious Kangaroo's that came out of the forest to look at us. You could not touch them or feed them, but you could get pretty close to them before they scattered. This was even more fun than tame Kangaroo's, because it was in their natural habitat. At one point I was walking into the forest to take a leak when a Kangaroo jumped out from behind a big bush. It was a fairly big Kangaroo and it made me jump too.
The Kids thought it was interesting to see the Blue Mountains but the close encounter with the wild Kangaroos was special to them.
8. The National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbor
The National Maritime museum is located in Darling Harbor in Sydney Australia. It is one of more interesting and fun museums that I have visited. The National Maritime museum featured many interesting maritime related artifacts, for example, light house lights, anchors, marine helicopters, various boats, including some famous boats. They also had shows, movies, and rides.
What the kids thought was the most fun at the National Maritime museum was the submarine, HMAS Vampire. You could board HMAS Vampire and walk around inside the submarine, look through the periscope, check out the torpedo room, the engine room, and see where the sailors slept. They provided a guide but you were also allowed freely roam around the submarine.
Another exhibit that kids loved was a replica of James Cook ship. You were also allowed to board the ship, roam around the ship, check out the Queen's cabin, etc. I am not 100% sure it belonged to the maritime museum; however, it was right there at no extra charge. It would make sense it was part of the museum.
We enjoyed the National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbor. You could easily spend several hours in the National Maritime museum. However, I would like to say that there were a lot of attractions for children in Darling Harbor and I recommend that you visit Darling Harbor if you are Sydney and have kids, and not just for the Maritime Museum (or the Aquarium).
9. Daintree Rainforest
The Daintree rainforest is located in the tropical far north of Australia, north of Cairns. The Daintree rainforest is 1,200 square kilometers and it is the second largest virgin area of rainforest after the Amazon rainforest. It is also the largest continuous area of rainforest on the Australian mainland. It has over 150 species of trees, some of them over 3000 years old.
While we visited Cairns we decided to take a day tour to the Daintree rainforest. The tour bus drove on a red dirt road that winded its way through towering lush vegetation. We stopped to do some hiking through the rain forest and we saw a lot of amazing trees and plants. For example, we saw trees that were covered by so many vines that you could not see the tree itself, and we saw trees so big that you could build a house inside the stem. The guide had a lot to tell us about the history of this pristine forest and showed us some very important plants like the oldest flowering plants in the world. The Daintree rainforest was an exciting learning experience and the kids thought it was cool to be out in the Jungle.
10. Sydney Harbour
While visiting Sydney we stayed at hotel not far from Sydney Harbour. We walked down to harbor a couple of times to visit the famous Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and see the botanical garden. We also strolled along the water front and watched the speed boats and the tour boats go by, and we ate at a good sea food restaurant that the kids loved. Sydney Harbour is visually very stunning. As you know the Opera House has a very unique and eye catching architecture, and that combined with the bridge, the boats, the blue water, and everything else down by the water front makes Sydney Harbour a very memorable sight. We did not visit the Taronga Zoo; however, I am sure we would have liked it. The reason I am including Sydney Harbour in the list is because the children enjoyed the view and the ambiance just like we did, and we found things to do for them by the harbor that they enjoyed doing. The night life around the harbor also seemed be quite lively.
Final Recommendation
Australia is very big and it offers a large variety of tourist attractions. This list, "Top Ten destinations for kids when visiting Eastern Australia", is just my personal selection based on my children's reactions and opinions, and the selections are selected from the subset of attractions that we visited in Eastern Australia. I know they have whale watching in Tasmania and that you can swim with the Dolphins at Monkey Mia, and I know about the adventures in the outback, and I also know about Ayers Rock, the many beaches, Heron Island, and Kakadu National Park. However, they can't be on this list because we did not go there. I suggest that you take my list as just one of the many pieces of information about Australia that you need when you decide what you want to see and do in Australia.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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texas-swede
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Member: Thomas Wikman
Location: Dallas, TX, USA
Reviews written: 375
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The photo is of my daughter and a Beluga Whale, Sea World, San Antonio
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