Awesome family holiday for last-minute parents

Worried you’ve missed the boat on top summer deals for the Christmas holidays? Dilvin Yasa says there are plenty of great last-minute family holidays to be had – if you know where to look.

If you’re anything like me, summer holiday panic usually sets in somewhere around the end-of-year school concert and that stomach-dropping chat with another parent who tells you about that wonderful new Fijian resort they’ve booked for Christmas. Of course, if you are me, you also have the panic of knowing that if you don’t book something today, you’ll be spending the next few weeks sitting under your mother’s carport, eating sun-warmed snags as your children wrestle with the sun-warmed hose – a holiday you’ve been known to previously sell as a ‘STAYCATION!’

I won’t lie; this fear alone is enough to prompt me to book something quickly these days, but should you find yourself facing a similar situation (and you don’t fancy dropping in at my mum’s), you’ll be pleased to know there are plenty of amazing family holiday destinations you can access with little-to-no planning.

Capital gains: Canberra

When I was a child, you only ever went to Canberra as punishment, but since the hipsters, their coffee machines and a multitude of Michelin-starred restaurants have moved in, our nation’s capital has long since shaken off its ‘kill me now’ tag and groomed itself into one of the hottest cities around.

For a start, it’s probably more child-friendly than most, with a wealth of fun museums such as Questacon, National Museum of Australia and The National Dinosaur Museum , and it has a multitude of gargantuan outdoor spaces packed to the brim with activities such as kayaking at Burley Griffin, cycling Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, and riding the miniature steam train at Cockington Green Gardens . Add to that accommodation options that range from sleeping with a lion or brown bear just outside your window at Jamala Wildlife Lodge , to the bright and bold East Hotel , which offers families interconnecting Kids Studios with bunk beds, play tables and an Xbox 360.

The cherry on top? Since Canberra is still considered on the up and up, you’re likely to find some truly great last-minute deals through sites such as lastminute.com.au and booking.com

Road trippin’

Embrace those ‘character building’ driving holidays of your youth and treat your own family to a similar experience (this time with air-con, water and a spare tyre) by taking advantage of super-low domestic fares and hiring a car at your destination.

With minimal planning, you can fly to Launceston, Tasmania, pick up a hire car from the airport and embark on a stunning driving holiday around the northern part of the state where the produce is mouth-watering, the scenery jaw-dropping and the activities such as Penny Royal Adventures , Cataract Gorge Chairlift and basin , Hollybank Treetops Adventure, and Tasmazia & The Village Of Lower Crackpot in Sheffield, suitable for young and old.

Fancy somewhere warmer? Take the well-trodden path between Sydney and Yamba (on the way to the Gold Coast), visiting all the ‘Big’ things before eventually settling at a campground at Yuraygir National Park . Offering cliff-top sites overlooking stunning beaches, the park is located close enough to both towns to visit regularly, but is far enough that you’re unlikely to be affected by summer crowds (and pricing).

For other holiday parks you can match with a driving holiday, check out Turu, Big4 Holiday Parks and Discovery Parks .

Kangaroo Island time

What’s a guaranteed way to have the (last-minute) holiday of your dreams without having it crushed by crowds or surge pricing? You head somewhere many don’t know too much about… somewhere like South Australia’s spectacular Kangaroo Island.

Located 13 kilometres off the coast, Kangaroo Island is a wilderness wonderland where the seals, sea lions and yes, kangaroos, appear to outnumber the human population of some 4,500 by quite a bit. Simply hire a 4WD and earmark visiting the sea lions at Admirals Arch, enjoying a guided seal tour at Seal Bay Conservation Park, and feeding pelicans at Kingscote as ‘must dos’. Then rest your head at one of the many campgrounds scattered around the island, hire one of the waterfront private residences also readily available through sites such as Stayz or Airbnb, give yourself over to the ultimate luxury by checking in at LifeTime Private Retreats .

The Great Barrier Reef alternative: Bundaberg

Going to the Great Barrier Reef for a last-minute summer holiday may not sound like a particularly good deal – until you realise the trick to successfully staking your claim on a palm-fringed beach is to dismiss the big ‘names’ and instead look at neighbouring towns, which not only tend to be cheaper, but are at less risk of being booked out by the time you make the call.

Lady Musgrave already booked out? Look to staying at Bundaberg, AKA the launch pad to the Southern Great Barrier Reef. With the town as your base, you can take the kids to visit Mon Repos Beach – home to the largest turtle rookery in the South Pacific, enjoy the beauty of Lady Elliot Island where you can swim straight off the beach over the reef, and you can visit the charming towns of Childers and Gin Gin where you can eat your body weight in gorgeous fresh produce. And then, of course, there’s the rum, but that’s another story…

Tips for booking last-minute

Help yourself score a better deal over the school holidays by liking your favourite/preferred hotels on social media or signing up to their newsletters. Doing so will put you ahead of the queue for any last-minute flash sales (likewise for airfares).

Consider also house swapping through Aussie House Swap or by hiring a private rental at the destination of your choice. Not only will this work out to be cheaper, but you’ll also (usually) have a full kitchen and laundry ready to go (reality stops for no one).

Download apps such as Skyscanner , which will not only notify you of price drops from airlines and online travel agents, but let you search through lists of suitable destinations for your desired travel period arranged by price, cheapest to most expensive.

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.

Awesome family holidays for last-minute parents