Bluey’s World is open! Here are all the highlights your kids will love

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Thrill the little ones — and your own inner child — with a first look at the long-awaited Bluey’s World in Brisbane

Step aside, Hemsworths. Take a hike, Vegemite. Australia’s biggest export is Bluey, a children’s TV series about a Brisbane-based family of blue heelers that has thoroughly bewitched the globe. In a spectacular, pastel-splashed effort to captivate fans’ imaginations via an entirely new medium, Bluey’s World is an immersive event staged in the Queensland capital that celebrates the phenomenon in ways most could never have imagined.

From a dance party in the depths of Bluey and Bingo’s wardrobe to decorating jumbo-sized pavlovas in the family’s kitchen, our first look at Bluey’s World (open now at Northshore Brisbane in Hamilton until September 2025) uncovers extraordinary moments behind every door. Here, we break down the masterstrokes you need to see now.

 

 

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Exterior of Bluey's house at Bluey's World in Brisbane
Step inside Bluey’s World and enter the family’s life-sized house.

1. It’s a guided tour for kids, so parents can take a load off

Visitors to Bluey’s World are split into groups and taken on a guided 60-minute tour inside the 4,000-square-metre Northshore Pavilion within the Northshore Brisbane Precinct. Tasked to endlessly enchant your kids, the guides arrive as the Heelers’ garden gnomes (seen in episodes including Hide and Seek and Hammerbarn), brought to life by magical fairies (who debuted in Fairies but are also mentioned in later episodes), much to the delight of every kid in the room. Not only will parents have their little ones totally distracted for a solid hour, but those heaven-sent angels also nudge you when it’s time to usher your kids along. “Grown-ups, grab your squirts" was this very appreciative Australian Traveller writer’s cue to spring back into parenting mode when required.

Kids in Bluey's living room at the all new Bluey's World in Brisbane
The experience includes an action-packed guided tour.

2. There’s even Bluey-themed ferries to get you there

You can jump on board a regular CityCat service to Bluey’s World (or drive as there’s plenty of free parking) but we suggest you go one better by hitching a ride on a limited-edition CityDog. Two very special ferries have been decked out to resemble Bluey and Bingo, with one dressed in the older sibling’s trademark blue hue and the other a vibrant orange. No matter which one you catch, the sisters’ wide-eyed faces feature on both, providing an exhilarating, photo-perfect prelude to what’s to come.

Car rides inside Bluey's World in Brisbane
If you miss out on the ferry, you can always hitch a ride inside with these guys,

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3. The life-size sets are absolutely breathtaking

Your first step into Bluey’s World — which starts out the front of the Heeler house before the fairies open the front door — instantly teleports you to, well, the world of six-year-old Bluey. From the red and yellow garbage bins of Bin Night to the native purple cloud perennials planted at the foot of the old Queenslander’s façade, the details are deeply considered and flat-out beautiful.

Inside Bluey's bedroom at Bluey's World in Brisbane
The bedroom is as colourful as can be,

At one stage, your group will move through a walkable blanket fort, inspired by the episode Cubby and complete with scribbles of arrows, a toilet, a clock and other tell-tale household markers. And that’s before you even get to the siblings’ bedroom, and the playroom, and of course…

Inside Bluey's playroom at Bluey's World in Brisbane
The playroom… The sets are a work of art.

4. The kitchen. Just, everything about the kitchen

While every new door presents a room worthy of gasps (and we heard audible varieties upon every new unveiling), the kitchen at Bluey’s World is a standout.

Inside Bluey's kitchen at Bluey's World in Brisbane
Visitors gasped in awe when entering Bluey’s family kitchen for the first time.

Whether you’re piling berries and sprinkles over gigantic pavlovas, building ham and cheese sandwiches while overlooking the backyard (more on that highlight later), cooking the famed Australian Women’s Weekly Duck Cake (honoured in the Duck Cake episode) in the oven or simply basking in the fact you can finally take photos (all rooms prior to the kitchen prohibit photography), the kitchen is indeed the heart of this home.

The iconic Women's Weekly duck cake in the oven at Bluey's World in Brisbane
The iconic Women’s Weekly duck cake is baking in the oven.
Kids cooking pavlova in Bluey's kitchen at Bluey's World in Brisbane
The kids can pile berries and sprinkles over the gigantic pavlovas.

5. The kids’ wardrobe hides an infectious dance party

Once you’re done playing a round of Magic Xylophone with Unicorse (the very cheeky hand puppet from Unicorse who plays a central role at Bluey’s World), you’ll walk right through Bluey and Bingo’s wardrobe and into a darkened room made for unadulterated boogeying. No child is immune to the spell of Bluey’s gnomes, who dance around the room like absolutely nobody is watching. It’s end-to-end euphoric fun as racks of the kids’ clothing and Chattermax, Bluey’s favourite electronic toy, are projected in high-octane colour across the walls.

The hallway of Bluey's World in Brisbane
Follow your guide into Bluey and Bingo’s wardrobe for a dance party to rival all others.

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6. There’s a surprise creek in the mix

Organisers sold Bluey’s World as a tour of the Heeler homestead, but Bluey’s World also encompasses a slice of the great outdoors. At one stage of the tour, you’ll stumble across a tranquil creek, much like the one featured in the widely adored The Creek episode, filled with more impressive projections and set designs to recreate Bluey’s beloved open-air escape. Skip across rocks, hop between floods of tadpoles and spot a wallaby amid a remarkably cooling ode to Queensland’s natural beauty.

7. The backyard’s Poinciana tree is an architectural feat

As iconic as the show’s canine stars, the Heelers’ Poinciana tree is world-renowned. Thankfully, this interpretation lives up to the hype. It looms dramatically over Bluey’s World’s sprawling backyard, decorated with the same paper lanterns seen hanging off the animated version in the famed Keepy Uppy episode. A family selfie is mandatory, as is taking a seat beneath its leafy branches as a series of inflated red balls take flight and squealing children live out their wildest dreams around you.

The Heelers’ Poinciana tree is in the backyard at Bluey's World
Get a family selfie under the Heelers’ Poinciana tree is world-renowned in the backyard.

8. The retail outlets are themed to perfection

It wouldn’t be a kids’ day out without sufficient snacks. At Bluey’s World, they’ve got you covered with a variety of light bites or much heartier picks including a selection of pudgy-based pizzas inspired by the episode Pizza Girls.

The shopfront of Golden Crown Takeaway inside Bluey's World in Brisbane
Pick up spring rolls, gyoza and fortune cookies from Golden Crown Takeaway onsite.

Fans of the show will love the Golden Crown Takeaway shopfront, seen in the episode Takeaway, which dishes up spring rolls, gyoza and fortune cookies. Don’t leave without visiting Alfie’s Gift Shop, too, home to exclusive Bluey merchandise no visitor to this once-in-a-lifetime event will manage to resist.

Shopfront of Alfie's Gift Shop inside Bluey's World in Brisbane
Alfie’s Gift Shop is full to the brim of take-home souvenirs.

Bluey’s World is now open at Northshore Brisbane. For tickets and further information, visit the website.    

Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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A gourmand’s guide to eating your way around Hamilton Island

(Credit: Nikki To)

From poolside bites and tasting flights to seafood plates and dry-aged steaks, a foodie adventure on Hamilton Island is worth every bite.

Hamilton Island’s sun-lacquered shores have long magnetised travellers craving an escape from reality. But what’s less expected – and more interesting – is just how assuredly this Whitsundays idyll delivers on the culinary front. Dialling up the flavour as much as the barefoot allure, the Hamilton Island food scene offers world-class dining and drinking options, spanning slick fine-dining moments to just-caught seafood served within sight of the sea. Let’s dig in.

Catseye Pool Club

Catseye Pool Club
Catseye Pool Club offers stunning beach views. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

Framing the electric blues of Catseye Beach from The Sundays hotel, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s latest culinary prodigy. Shown to our table, we thread through rattan chairs, Zellige tiles and tumbling greenery that opens up to Coral Sea shimmer.

The poolside restaurant is the brainchild of Sydney-based chef duo Josh and Julie Niland, who have brought their relaxed yet elevated dining ethos north. The menu – designed to bring people together – is made for sharing, each hero ingredient orbited by a palette of sides to mix, match and layer as you please.

My thyme cocktail – woody with scotch, lifted by lime leaf – pairs perfectly with the charcoal grilled prawns entree, which is served with tumeric and lemongrass marinade, macadamia satay sauce and a thai-leaning sour green mango salad. Each forkful lands differently, but all are a delight. Then comes the coral trout. True to Josh Niland’s ‘scale-to-tail’ philosophy, the fish is presented whole in a theatrical crescent, a tiny fork stuck into its cheek in a nod to Niland’s declared prize cut. Ribbons of zucchini resembling gauzy curtains bring brightness and snap, while kasundi lends depth and warmth. It’s tongue-tantalising, special occasion dining with humanity.

Sails Restaurant

Sails Restaurant hamilton island
Settle into casual poolside dining. (Credit: Nikki To)

A more casual poolside dining scene awaits at nearby Sails Restaurant, where Eastern Mediterranean flavours are dished up with an island twist. Chermoula chicken skewers and barramundi souvlaki lie on the more filling side of the menu, while the sumac squid and stone-bread flatbread with za’atar – arriving alongside pomegranate molasses, beetroot hummus and crushed macadamias – are perfect light bites after a dip in the pool. And don’t miss the garlic lemon scallops.

The setting is equally part of the draw. Sunlight floods the high-ceilinged dining room, while outdoor tables look out across the glittering expanse of Catseye Beach. Holidaymakers in oversized sunglasses sip spritzes beneath umbrellas, the gentle clink of plates mixing with splashes from the adjacent pool. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger long after lunch.

Bommie

cuttlefish dish at Bommie restaurant Hamilton Island Yacht Club
Head to the Hamilton Island Yacht Club for a taste of Bommie. (Credit: Nikki To)

Tucked into a sleek curved wing of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Bommie delivers experiential fine dining with a sense of occasion. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Ryan Locke, the seasonal menu champions local and native Australian ingredients whipped up into a modern display of creative precision.

Inside the dim-lit dining room, guests can choose between the Tasting Menu or Chef’s Signature Degustation. Sourdough with pine oil sets the tone for the six-course tasting menu, beautifully presented in a bed of pine needles alongside smoked paperbark butter. I love how the squid ink choux pastry is served with flavour-popping native finger lime, which our waiter encourages us to eat caviar-style. Standout moments continue with the wattle-seed-crusted venison elevated by red fruit and pickled beetroot swirls; the meat is perfectly pink in the middle and an homage to the island’s history as a deer farm.

Pebble Beach

qualia Resort Pebble Beach
qualia Resort guests can dine at Pebble Beach. (Credit: Lean Timms)

Exclusive to qualia Resort guests for lunch and dinner, Pebble Beach is Hamilton Island’s most serene expression of seasonal island dining. Ocean-facing chairs dot a timber deck that spills straight onto the resort’s private beach, while crystalline turquoise waters stretch to meet distant islands – a scene far prettier than any postcard could capture.

The recently refreshed menu doubles down on seasonality and bright, layered flavours. While the more substantial T-bone steak with hazelnut honey carrots tempts, we go lighter: Coffin Bay oysters with Champagne foam and keffir lime dust kick us off splendidly, followed by Byron Bay burrata served with balsamic and caramelised figs. The fennel and orange salad topped with succulent grilled chicken is utterly delectable, but it’s the zingy, oh-so-fresh soft shell fish tacos that I can’t stop thinking about. It all goes down a treat with a glass of delicate Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

Beach Club Restaurant

Beach Club Restaurant hamilton island
Book in advance for Beach Club Restaurant. (Credit: Nikki To)

A lunch or dinner table at Beach Club Restaurant is best booked in advance – and it’s easy to see why. Looking out over the hotel’s palm-fringed infinity pool, the restaurant spotlights elegant contemporary Australian cuisine with a stellar (also Aussie-leaning) wine list to match.

I am completely enamoured by the grilled Queensland prawns, which are brought to life with a smoked compound, local fried curry leaves and lime. Digging into the butter-soft lamb rump served atop pea ragout and parsley Paris mash feels like a warm, nostalgic hug. And dessert – vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with hot salted honey and apple gel – ends the night on a high note.

Expect warm and discreet service; our waiter Marco tells us that the tiny decorative starfish on our table are there to help the staff remember whether we prefer sparkling or still water, so they don’t need to bother us by asking multiple times.

Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher

hamilton island Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher
Join this immersive wine experience. (Credit Eleanor Edström)

There’s more to Hamilton Island’s foodie scene than restaurant reservations alone. For wine-curious travellers seeking something a little more immersive, Beach Club has recently introduced Talk & Taste – a tutored tasting hosted by Bommie Assistant Manager and wine enthusiast Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher. Held twice weekly for a maximum of eight guests, the experience explores Australian wine culture through four thoughtfully selected drops paired with native-inspired bites.

We opt for the white wine and seafood option. Alongside pours from Eden Valley and Launceston, a nibbling platter arrives featuring sashimi, salmon roe, Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and palate-cleansing ginger. The seafood is pristine and pared back, allowing the wines to take centre stage.

The real highlight, however, is discovering just how nuanced winemaking can be. Courtenay speaks of viticulture as both art and science: harvest grapes a week too late and ripeness tips into ruin; plant the same varietal on different elevations and the sun, slope and water flow will shape entirely different expressions. Pinot noir, she explains, with its delicate skin and high water content, yields lighter fruit-forward wines, while thicker-skinned shiraz delivers depth and structure. I leave feeling fascinated and inspired by Courtenay’s evident passion.

coca chu

table spread at CocaChu
Get a taste of Southeast Asian flavours. (Credit: Nikki To)

Sweet and hot. Sour and salty. Dining at ever-popular coca chu is a sensation-swirling experience that’s not to be missed if you’re a sucker for punchy Southeast Asian flavours. Located at the Main Pool end of Catseye Beach, this lively hangout is all swaying lanterns, driftwood, high beamed ceilings and giant open windows that let in the balmy ocean breeze.

Drawing from hawker traditions, the grilled betel leaf is a neat, vibrant mouthful of chilli fried cashews and spiced beef. The tofu surprises – soft beneath a tumble of dill, mint and coriander, and glossed in moreish peanut sauce. The massaman curry is pure comfort: creamy, fragrant, fall-apart meat. It’s generous and expressive cooking that I, for one, cannot get enough of.

Marina Cafe

hamilton island MArina Cafe
Take in harbour views and comfort food.

Sometimes, all you crave on holidays is a bacon and egg roll done properly and a creamy fruit smoothie. Boasting harbour views, an easygoing atmosphere and clean modern interiors, Marina Cafe is a popular local haunt for a reason. The casual menu lures families and couples alike with its all-day brekky, seasonal salads and sandwiches – from a roasted pumpkin bowl to prosciutto and rocket on herby focaccia.

The acai bowl, topped with toasted nuts and berries, is a refreshing start to my day. Whether you sit in or takeaway, it’s a good-vibes-guaranteed place to refuel before or after your Whitsundays adventures.

Discover your foodie getaway now at hamiltonisland.com.au.