The 12 Best Family Holidays in Australia for 2025

If there was one way to sum up the Gold Coast, it would be that it’s Australia’s biggest playground. From amusement park hopping to the strip in the heart of Surfers Paradise that comes alive with street performers, eateries, shops and attractions, this destination is a must-visit for families. Sunny weather is the regular for this pocket of fun in Queensland, so beat the heat in the waves of the beach perched right on the edge of the monstrous skyscrapers or catch the convenient tram line right to the humongous resort-style shopping centre ‘Pacific Fair’ (or Pac-Fair as it’s affectionately known to locals).

Kids will love: Choosing between movie stars, marine life and rollercoasters at Dreamworld, Movie World and Sea World.

Adults will love: Waterfront cocktails at Burleigh Pavilion and sneaking off for a spa day at one of the Goldie’s luxe resort hotels.

You’re almost too spoilt for choice when it comes to family-friendly fun on the Sunshine Coast. Sure, it might not have as many theme parks as the Gold Coast, but it’s worth venturing north to Palmview, where you’ll find the smaller but mighty Aussie World. Just down the road, you’ll also find Australia Zoo, an absolutely massive wildlife park bursting with seriously unique animal experiences. Still got energy to burn? Hit up the bustling Eumundi Markets, get lost in the labyrinth at Amaze World, fly like Tarzan on the ziplines at TreeTop Challenge or meet 10,000 marine creatures at Sea Life. 

Kids will love: Front-row seats at the Crocoseum’s jaw-dropping show, then cooling off at the splash pad in The Wharf Mooloolaba. 

Adults will love: Sunrise swims at Noosa Main Beach, followed by a long lunch at Rickys.

We can’t decide which is better: Cairns or all the extraordinarily lush islands just a ferry ride away. Cairns itself acts as a fantastic landing pad for a wealth of marine life and world-renowned biodiversity (hello Great Barrier Reef). Day trip or extend your Northern Queensland stay at Fitzroy Island and Green Island, which are just a 45-minute ferry ride away from the main marina in Cairns. The islands have world-renowned beaches, turtle rehabilitation centres and challenging yet highly scenic bushwalks, while back on the mainland there’s the Daintree Rainforest to be explored by skyrail and rivers to be rafted (this one’s for the big kids only).

Kids will love: Glass-bottom boat rides over the Great Barrier Reef. 

Adults will love: Reef-to-table dining at Ochre and cocktails with a view at the Salt House.

Stepping foot in Launceston is like stepping back in time to what Australia looked like more than 100 years ago. While it’s got its modern aspects like e-scooters and some delicious contemporary Australian restaurants (like the grain silos-turned-eatery in the Peppers Hotel), almost every second building is made quite solidly of red brick and reads ‘flour mill’ or ‘courthouse’. Plenty of day trips from the town will entertain every member of the family, from picking all the fresh fruit you can eat at Australia's top berry farms to riding chair lifts far above Cataract Gorge and spotting all the peacocks below.

Kids will love: Riding the world’s longest single-span chairlift. 

Adults will love: Cellar-door hopping along the Tamar Valley Wine Route and dinner at Stillwater, one of Tassie’s best.

Now, look. It’s no secret that Australia wasn’t blessed with the same powdery snow-capped mountains as, say, Switzerland or Japan, but we do have Mount Kosciuszko. That has to count for something, right? It’s actually Australia’s tallest mountain and the views go to show it. When it is finally time for the snow to make its way Down Under, nearby ski resorts Thredbo and Perisher are the places to be. There are plenty of family pass options for days on the slopes and rides up and down the chairlift. The area is even magical in summer when Mount Kosciuszko turns into prime mountain biking terrain with tracks for all ages and abilities.

Kids will love: The novelty of snowball fights and ski school.

Adults will love: Après-ski wine by the fire. 

Merimbula might be the crown jewel of the NSW Sapphire Coast, but we’d consider it more of a hidden gem when it comes to incredible family holidays. The chill coastal town has its very own theme park, Magic Mountain, complete with mini golf, a toboggan ride, dodgem cars, a rollercoaster, two summer waterslides and so much more. Animal lovers can head to Potooroo Palace to feed free-roaming kangaroos and reptiles, or check out the impressive 70,000-litre aquarium at Merimbula Wharf. Of course, you can have plenty of fun without spending a cent by hopping between the town’s beautiful beaches and exploring the charming township. 

Kids will love: Spotting dolphins from the wharf and racing down the summer waterslides at Magic Mountain.

Adults will love: Long, lazy oyster lunches at Wheelers and evening walks along Short Point Beach with no crowds in sight.

Australia’s very own Galápagos, Kangaroo Island is an adventure playground for families who love the great outdoors. Start with a guided walk at Seal Bay (the only place in the world where you can stroll through a colony of wild sea lions), then venture west to Flinders Chase National Park to climb over the wind-carved granite of Remarkable Rocks and spot kangaroos, koalas and echidnas along the way. Stop by the Clifford’s Honey Farm to sample their famous honey ice cream, or wander through the lavender fields at Emu Bay Lavender Farm for scones and milkshakes. The best way to explore the island is by piling into a campervan and road tripping around – waking up to ocean views and wallabys at your doorstep.

Kids will love: Spotting koalas along the Cygnet River Koala Walk – aka, the real-life version of “I Spy.”

Adults will love: Freshly shucked oysters at the Kangaroo Island Oyster Farm Shop and sampling native-botanical gin at Kangaroo Island Spirits. 

It doesn’t matter if you’re five or 50 – you will find enjoyment in taking a selfie with Rottnest Island’s native residents: quokkas. This is the only place in the world to find these adorable little animals who look like they’re permanently smiling. That’s not to mention the pristine beaches with sapphire waters, the rocky outcrops that look like they’ve been dumped there from some Greek Island, and the bikes you can hire to cycle around the whole island. You can day trip to Rottnest Island from Perth or stay the night (or two…) with accommodation options tailored to all budgets.

Kids will love: Quokka selfies and snorkeling in The Basin.

Adults will love: Their kiddos being able to cycle the car-free roads without a care in the world.

A three-hour drive south of Perth drops you into a stretch of coastline where sugar-white coves meet tangled karri forests. Mornings start with a flat white or babyccino at White Elephant Café, followed by a barefoot stroll along Gnarabup Beach or a paddle in the shallows. When the heat kicks in, head underground to the glittering limestone chambers of Mammoth or Lake Cave, or head north to the Boranup Karri Forest for a scenic drive under 60-metre giants. By midday, swap sand for stemware: long lunches at Vasse Felix, Voyager Estate or the farm-to-fork Glenarty Road, where kids can roam the veggie gardens while the adults look on with one more glass. Evenings end the same way they have for decades: at Surfers Point, with picnic rugs, fish-and-chips and the quiet that comes when everyone’s happily exhausted.

Kids will love: Exploring the glowworm-lit caves and hand-feeding stingrays at Hamelin Bay.

Adults will love: The endless cellar doors and farm-to-table restaurants on offer. 

Despite Melbourne’s reputation for its not-so-optimal weather, you'd best believe that when the sun comes out, you’ll want to be sitting on the ferris wheel at Luna Park in St Kilda, gazing over Port Phillip Bay. This suburb is just a 20-minute drive or a 30-minute tram ride from Melbourne’s CBD, so you can get your art and culture fix in the big smoke, then kick back in this seaside suburb with a feed by the beach, followed by a relaxed stroll down the pier. 

Kids will love: Meeting the resident penguins at dusk on the St Kilda Pier.

Adults will love: Espresso martinis on Acland Street and morning swims in the heritage St Kilda Sea Baths.