The best holiday ideas for families with young children

There’s nothing like parenthood to strengthen the lure of a well-earned holiday. Yet the logistical challenges of jetting off to a far-flung destination once kids are in the mix can be a turn off.

Fortunately, Australia’s striking landscapes and laid-back nature mean you need not look any further than your own backyard for family travel inspiration. These are just a few of the best holiday ideas for families with young children.

The island break

Living on ‘island time’ may feel like a distant memory of holidays past, but you can recreate the carefree vibe of old with an island holiday that’s tailored to young families. While the very idea of your island sojourn might conjure visions of the Maldives or Tahiti, Australia boasts a number of stunning isles much closer to home.

Hamilton Island has long held firm as one of Australia’s premium travel destinations, and its credentials only strengthen when it comes to holidaying with kids. Sitting pretty in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Hamilton Island is a postcard-perfect location, ideal for recharging your batteries, all while the little ones run down theirs – in the best possible way.

Go-karting, mini golf, nine-pin bowling and an array of watersports – to name but a few activities – will keep the whole family busy, while the Clownfish Club (Hamilton Island’s childcare centre) is on hand 365 days a year when kid-free moments beckon. Three of the island’s five resorts cater for young children and even include a generous ‘kids stay and eat free ’ offer. Sign us up!

HIE Family running on beach — Recharge your batteries while the little ones run down theirs on a tropical family getaway to Hamilton Island.

The group getaway

You’ve heard the expression ‘safety in numbers’, and that can apply to family holidays, too. More and more Australian destinations have started catering for large groups, making multi-generational family holidays, or holidays with friends, more appealing than ever. Sprawling homes, interconnecting hotel rooms, and side-by-side villas or cabins are all great options, giving big groups space to come together and create treasured memories. A location with plenty of nearby attractions will allow smaller groups to break away and do their own thing, which can help keep potential chaos at bay. Then again, leaning into the chaos could be an adventure all of its own!

For chilled beach vibes, Byron Bay Beach Houses might be up your alley, or perhaps you’d prefer the urban buzz of Sydney or Melbourne, in which case family-friendly hotels such as the Four Seasons, Swissotel Sydney, or Melbourne Marriott Hotel have your back. For the best of both worlds, a luxury villa from Villa Getaways on the Gold Coast has plenty to offer guests young and old.

Byron-Bay-family-on-beach — Rent a house by the beach in Byron Bay and bring the whole family along.

The snow holiday

Experienced ski bunnies might have their sights on ski destinations such as Japan or Canada, but there is plenty of quality powder to be found locally, too. Of course, skiing’s not an easy skill to pick up, but don’t forget how quickly your offspring learnt to speak, walk and defy your every request. They’ve got this. Plus, many Australian resorts offer childcare and snowsport classes for kids as young as three.

In Victoria, Mt Buller has kid-friendly activities both on and off the slopes. The Buller Air Zone includes trampolines and inflatable climbing walls, while dog sledding is fun for all ages. In Thredbo , a kids-only area includes entertainment and a terrain park, and there’s also a 50-metre heated pool and waterslide. Meanwhile, parents can make a splash with a little après-ski.

Mt Buller Ski School — Mt Buller has kid-friendly activities on and off the slopes.

The holiday park

Before kids, you might have been wary of the holiday park. But once you enter parenthood and rearrange your priorities, you’ll soon discover these places are, at worst fine, and at best fantastic. Often taking up prime real estate in picturesque locations where nature is king, holiday parks across the country are well equipped to ensure kids and, in turn, their parents, are catered for. Plus, the range of accommodation styles means there is something for everyone, from happy campers to those who prefer creature comforts.

BIG4 is one of the most recognisable names in the business and Easts Beach Holiday Park , nestled on 14 hectares of parkland just a few kilometres from Kiama, in particular, is a sight to behold. With a stunning beachfront location set against a backdrop of rolling hills, it’s the perfect base for young families on a South Coast road trip. The park boasts an epic waterpark, complete with three waterslides, a giant tipping bucket and an ocean-themed splash pad with interactive features, as well as a pool complex, a shaded jumping pillow, a play corner and games room, and an all-important kids’ activity program that runs throughout the school holidays.

Big4-Easts-Beach — Easts Beach Holiday Park, nestled on 14 hectares of parkland, is just a few kilometres from Kiama.

The wildlife encounter

Notwithstanding the challenges, the magic of parenthood knows no bounds, and watching your kids’ curious eyes widen with delight must be one of the greatest perks of the job. And there is arguably nowhere more likely to entice such bright-eyed delight than in the animal kingdom.

Let your kids get up close and personal with seals, dolphins, polar bears, turtles, penguins and more at Sea World Gold Coast.

Nurture your mini-Attenboroughs with a visit to Sea World Resort Gold Coast , where they can get up close and personal with seals, dolphins, polar bears, turtles, penguins and more. Along with unlimited access to Sea World, some package options will also grant you entry to Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet ‘n’ Wild Gold Coast and Paradise Country. Get a peek into farm life at the latter with lambs, foals, calves and piglets among the adorable residents. Proximity to the Gold Coast’s famous beaches makes this a sweet two-for-one holiday option.

Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

“Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten , the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

heritage buildings in Ballarat — Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery , a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

How Ballarat is preserving the past

artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades .

The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

A city steeped in food and flavours

Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho — Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho , José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat — Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits . At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat — The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat — The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

Staying there

Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial , which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat — Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

Eating there

dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat — The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat — Dining at Grainery Lane.

Playing there

a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat — An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery — Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections .

Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle , ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.

Five holiday ideas for families with young children