You might think that travelling to Australia with children is a bad idea, thanks to the sheer scale of the place and the enormous distances between locations throughout the country. What looks like a short journey on the map can quickly transform into an all-day epic: not what you want when you’ve got screaming children in the back of the car and the thermometer is reading 104ºF (40ºC) degrees outside.
But Australia can be child-friendly, especially with the right planning. Here’s what to do and where to go.
Explore Darwin’s National Parks
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Things can get pretty hot in Darwin, right up in the north of the country. But if you plan your visits to national parks sensibly, you can soon find croc-free places to cool off.
One of the best places is at the Litchfield National Park. Here there are crystal-clear lakes you can enjoy and swim in, helping to take some of the sting out of the intense summer heat.
You can also pay a visit to the Kakadu National Park which has its own swimming holes too.
Go All-In-One Off the Queensland Coast
When you’ve got the family with you, the last thing you want to do is spend hours working out where your next meal is going to come from or what your next activity should be.
The good news is that on Australia’s east coast, you don’t have to. There are dozens of operators who will organize everything for you, from Day Dream Island tours to meals out in the evening.
Visit Canberra
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Politicians have, for centuries, tried to create bustling cities around political centers of power. Just take a look at what happened in France in eighteenth century or Brazil in the twentieth. More often than not, however, their projects fail.
You simply cannot force economic development where it wouldn’t naturally arise through voluntary processes, like the free market.
With that said, however, Canberra is a little different. Yes, it’s an artificial city built inland around the Australian government, but it’s actually very good for kids. Not only is there not an awful lot of traffic, but there are lots of open spaces and parks for kids to enjoy. It’s great for a game of football or flying a kite.
If you want to teach your children a little about politics you can do that too. Tourists can visit Parliament House and see politics playing out inside.
There are also museums dedicated to the nation’s political history in Canberra.
The Theme Parks Along The Gold Coast
zayzayem via flickr
The Gold Coast is among Australia’s premier attractions, famous for its outdoor sports and legendary nightlife. But the Gold Coast is also home to Australia’s best theme-parks, providing thrills to all family members, great and small.
What’s great about the Gold Coast theme parks is how different they all are.
There’s SeaWorld for kids who love marine life; Movie World for all the film buffs in the family, White Water World for those who love being on the water, and finally Dreamworld, the country’s biggest theme park.
So why not add to Australia to your family travel bucket list!
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