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10 family holiday destinations in Australia for the perfect school holiday escape
Where to spend the holidays with the kids in Australia.
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Anything from one week to six. That’s how long the Australian school holiday period can last.
If they (or you) are likely to go stir-crazy staying at home the whole time, or if you feel a family getaway is on the cards, these are the domestic locations that offer family-friendly activities to please all as well our top picks of where to book holidays in Australia online.
Our favourite family holiday destinations in Australia
1. The Great Barrier Reef and Far North Queensland
Perfect for: Families who like to enjoy sun, sand and surf
A visit to the Cairns and Tropical North Queenslandis a fundamental part of any Aussie childhood. From snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef to a day trip through the Daintree, it's an eye-opening experience that offers endless fun. It's warm year-round, so is perfect for any of the school breaks.
Top family holiday accommodation
Hotels: Paradise on the Beach Palm Cove
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Hotels: Reef View Hotel
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Top family holiday activities
2-day Great Barrier Reef adventure
RedBalloon
Great Barrier Reef scenic flight and snorkelling
RedBalloon
40-minute Great Barrier Reef scenic flight
Klook
2. Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast
Perfect for: Thrills, spills and general adventure
It's not called paradise without good reason. The sun and surf at the Gold Coast's Surfers Paradise could be classified as "pristine". It has plenty of theme parks in one space, with Dreamworld, WhiteWater World, Sea World, Movie World and Wet'n'Wild available to keep kids entertained all holiday long.
Top family holiday accommodation
Hotels: Artique Surfers Paradise
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Apartment: Burleigh on the Beach Apartments
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Hotels: Vibe Hotel Gold Coast
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Top family holiday activities
Gold Coast Rainforest and Wildlife tour
RedBalloon
Rainforest tour
RedBalloon
Parasailing in Gold Coast
Klook
3. Coffs Harbour
Perfect for: Relaxing beachside holidays
Coffs Harbour is right up there with other coastal holiday escapes for families from Sydney or Brisbane searching for a fun road trip. Naturally, you can fly into Coffs as well. The kids can encounter sea lions and dolphins at the marine park and spend their days playing along the beach.
Top family holiday accommodation
Resort: BreakFree Aanuka Beach Resort
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Cottages: Ambiance Holiday Apartments
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Apartment: Beach Haven Executive Apartments
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Top family holiday activities
Children's Treetop Adventure, Coffs Harbour
RedBalloon
High ropes climbing course
RedBalloon
Coffs Harbour all-terrain segway tour
Trip.com
4. Kangaroo Island
Perfect for: Younger families and wildlife encounters
Kangaroo Island is a short flight from Adelaide or a short and scenic ferry from Cape Jervis. You'll find everything paradise is expected to inhabit, from resplendent vistas, native wildlife and powder soft sands. Exploration by quad bike or boat is a must, as is marine-life watching.
Top family holiday accommodation
Hotel: Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge
Accor Hotels
Apartment: Aurora Ozone Hotel
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Kangaroo Island Cabins
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Top family holiday activities
Kangaroo Island Wildlife day tour
RedBalloon
Explore Flinders Chase on Kangaroo Island
RedBalloon
2-Hour Sandboard Hire
Viator
5. Canberra
Perfect for: Educational escapes
Canberra offers a laid back, quiet city break with more than a dash of culture and education attached. Visit the War Memorial, Parliament House, National Gallery and Questacon, and then take a foodie break at the Old Bus Depot markets while you wait for your Brodburgers to fry. Canberra is also a good gateway to get to ski resorts like Thredbo and Perisher during the winter months.
Top family holiday accommodation
Hotel: QT Canberra
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Apartment: Pinnacle Apartments
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Hotels: Novotel Canberra
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Top family holiday activities
Hot Air Balloon Ride
Adrenaline
3infun Canberra attraction pass
Viator
Thredbo or Perisher Weekend Snow Trip
Viator
6. Rottnest Island
Perfect for: Water babies
If you're heading to Western Australia, a definite contender for family-friendly adventure is Rottnest Island. Teeming with marine life and water activities, kids can splash around at on one of 65 pristine beaches if the weather is warm enough, or hop in a kayak and paddle about from sun up to sun down.
Top family holiday accommodation
Karma Rottnest
Finder Hotels
Arundels Boutique Accommodation
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Hotel Rottnest
Finder Hotels
Top family holiday activities
Rottnest Island ferry tour
RedBalloon
Rottnest Island helicopter flight
RedBalloon
Rottnest Island Bike and Snorkel Tour from Perth or Fremantle
Viator
7. Kakadu National Park
Perfect for: Land lubbers, outback encounters
Head inland for a historical and cultural adventure through Kakadu National Park. Start in Darwin and make your way down to explore the unique landscape. It's hot all year round in the Top End, so to cool down, make a well-deserved pit stop at Leanyer Water Park.
Top family holiday accommodation
Hotel: Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel
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Lodge: Kakadu Lodge
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Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel
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Top family holiday activities
Crocodile Feeding Experience - Darwin
Adrenaline
Kakadu, Nourlangie and Yellow Waters Tour with Optional Flight over Kakadu
Viator
3-Day Kakadu National Park and Waterfalls Tour from Darwin
Viator
8. Sydney
Perfect for: City escapes
Head to the big city over the school holidays and visit Australia's most popular icons. There are always child-friendly activities in Sydney throughout the school holiday periods, be it the Easter Show or Cool Yule during winter.
Top family holiday accommodation
Apartment: Waldorf Waitara Residential Apartments
Finder Hotels
Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney
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Swissotel Sydney
Finder Hotels
Top family holiday activities
Blue Mountains full-day tour
RedBalloon
Indoor skydiving for family
RedBalloon
Taronga Zoo and Sky Safari cable car combo
Klook
9. Hobart
Perfect for: Seeing a lot over a short period of time
Rent a car or campervan and drive around Tassie. Hobart is the ideal starting point, as the city offers a more vibrant atmosphere than Launceston and features the Salamanca Markets and spooky ghost tours. Venture further to see Port Arthur and hike through the lush bushland of Cradle Mountain, Freycinet National Park and Tahune Forest.
Top family holiday accommodation
Hotel: Quest Savoy
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Apartment: Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel
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Grand Chancellor Hotel Hobart
Finder Hotels
Top family holiday activities
Penguin Parade Wildlife tour
RedBalloon
Cradle Mountain tour
RedBalloon
Tasman Island cruise
Klook
10. Mount Hotham
Perfect for: Snow bunnies
Family snow and ski holidays are best had at one of Australia's most popular ski resorts. On top of Jindabyne, Perisher and Thredbo, Mount Hotham is a child-friendly resort ideal for anyone coming in from Melbourne. Family activities occur all year round, with the DP Tube Park being a hot favourite with the kids during Easter.
Top family holiday accommodation
Hotel: Absolutt
Finder Hotels
Apartment: Mountain Dreaming Apartments
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Rundells Alpine Lodge
Finder Hotels
Top family holiday activities
For family holiday activities in and around Mount Hotham, see our Family Snow and Ski Holidays in Australia section below.
Ski holiday destinations for families
You don't have to travel halfway across the world for a snow and ski holiday. Australia offers numerous ski resorts, the most popular being Thredbo, Perisher, Charlotte Pass, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Falls Creek.
Snow season in Australia is fairly short, beginning around early June and closing off late September/early October. Book your holiday early and you can cash in on early bird ski lift and hire discounts. If you're looking for deals on packages and stays, check out our ski deals roundup.
Top six ski resorts
Beach holiday destinations for families
Sand is practically synonymous with summer, so you shouldn't overlook a family getaway to one of Australia's many enviable beaches.
The east coast of the country offers more than its fair share, with stretches of sand from the Gold Coast and Cairns in Queensland to the Central Coast and Bondi Beach in New South Wales.
Head to the other side of the country for Rottnest Island and Eighty Mile Beach in WA, or travel south for Glenelg in South Australia and the Bay of Fires in Tasmania.
As you can tell from our top holiday destinations list above, Australians are spoiled for choice when it comes to beach breaks. Now it's up to you to decide which one you'll visit during the school holidays.
Hoping to take the family away during school holidays? Check when they are in your state here.
Where to find a deal on family holidays online
1. Best for cheap local breaks: Groupon
A name that should be on every budget savvy parents' radar, Groupon is a daily deals website that sells it all - from household goods to holidays - and all at a bargain price.
Holiday packages come and go on the site - so keep your eyes peeled because big discounts for large parties are plentiful.
- New deals every day
- Local escapes from coastal beach breaks to snow trips available
- Instant online bookings for select holidays
2. Best all-rounder: Flight Centre
Practically a household name, Flight Centre is one of Australia's biggest travel agencies. What we love about it is that he has a special "family holidays" section online with discounted breaks during those peak school holiday periods.
- Packages are broken into September, December, April and June/July to cover all major school holiday dates
- Hotels are specially chosen with families in mind with many featuring connecting rooms and self-contained apartments
- Features cruise holiday breaks
3. Best for beach escapes: MyQueensland
100% Australian owned and based, TravelOnline understands Australians and their family's needs with holiday packages to suit every budget and family size. Many of its holiday packages include resort beach-blessed locations in or near Australia, such as Hamilton Island, Fiji, Bali and Vanuatu.
- Holidays often include "kids stay, play and eat for free" discounts in hotels as well as discounted child airfares
- Flights, accommodation and transfers are generally included in packages
- Family friendly accommodation often includes kids' clubs to keep little ones busy and amused all holiday long
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