Travelling With Kids In Queensland: A Family Motorhome Journey

Swap the school run for reef days and rainforest adventures, with theme park thrills and tropical fruit stops waiting along the way!

The beautiful state of Queensland is practically made for a perfect family motorhome holiday. Around Brisbane and the Gold Coast, days can be filled with rides, city adventures and easy afternoons beside the water. Head up north and Cairns opens the door to the Great Barrier Reef, while Far North Queensland brings ancient rainforests, tropical farms and some very different family adventures into the mix.

Travelling by campervan with Cruisin’ Motorhomes makes those days feel easier too. Snacks stay close, spare clothes are never back at the hotel and there’s always somewhere familiar to return to when little legs have had enough. No need to unpack the family every time the road leads somewhere new!

Set yourself up at one of the many campsites and holiday parks in Queensland, then start exploring! Queensland is the second-largest state in Australia, so give your loved ones enough time to enjoy each stop rather than turning every day into another long drive.

Image: Family fun day awaits, Tourism & Events Queensland

Top Places to Visit in Queensland With Kids

Gold Coast

No family travel blog about Queensland would be worth reading without mentioning the theme parks!

In the theme park capital of Australia, you’ll find yourselves surrounded by some of the best parks the world has to offer. Dreamworld, Warner Bros. Movie World and Sea World are just a few of the many parks in the area. We recommend grabbing an annual or multi-day park pass to experience all these theme parks at a better value as you won’t be able to do everything in one day!

Image: Get topsy turvy with rollercoasters galore, Tourism & Events Queensland

Brisbane

Brisbane is an easy city to explore with kids without turning the day into a marathon.

Wander around South Bank, where riverside paths and green spaces make it easy to move between activities, stop for lunch and find somewhere for the kids to burn off some energy. Family programs and the Children’s Art Centre at the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) make it easy to add some culture and creativity to the day while hiding from the sun on warmer days.

Check out our guide for family-friendly attractions in Brisbane and some Brisbane destination ideas!

Image: A beach amidst the skyscrapers of Brisbane, Tourism and Events Queensland

Noosa

After an adrenaline rush at the Gold Coast, Noosa is the ideal destination to slow it all down.

Spend a day at the Noosa River for some kayaking and paddleboarding. Top it off with a picnic by the water while your little ones splash around the shallow river mouth. The Ginger Factory in Yandina is also a great stopover for a day of fun and food! With a myriad of attractions to explore, the whole family can learn more about ginger from farm to table. Cool down with some ginger-flavoured gelato and a cold Buderim Ginger Beer for the grown-ups!

Image: A theme park all about ginger, Tourism and Events Queensland

Scenic Rim

Swap the coast for the countryside with the Scenic Rim!

Feed and cuddle some camels and get the kids to expand their palates with camel milk ice cream at Summer Land Camels. For more outdoor fun, explore Thunderbird Park and fly over the trees with ziplines and treetop adventures, and even become a tradie for a day with the mini excavators at Dig IT!

Image: Ever met a camel? - Tourism and Events Queensland

Great Barrier Reef

Take the kids to find Nemo!

Head to the many islands on the Great Barrier Reef and snorkel straight from the beach, or hop onto a pontoon to stay dry while getting a great view of the sealife with glassbottom boats or underwater viewing platforms. Some pontoons have enclosed swimming areas for the little ones, and some even have thrilling waterslides that go right into the ocean!

Image: Get your snorkel gear ready, Tourism and Events Queensland

Cairns

Kids too young to swim in the ocean at the Great Barrier Reef? No problem!

With a ‘sandy’ coast by the edges of the pool, you can get a view and feel of the beach with the safety of a swimming pool with qualified lifeguards at the Cairns Lagoon. You’ll also find Muddy’s Playground here, an expansive splash playground and parkland! While Cairns may not be a ‘Gold Coast’, it has its very own water park, the Sugarworld Adventure Park, perfect for splashing and sliding.

Want more family-friendly activities in Cairns? Check out our guide here!

Image: Waddle into the Cairns Lagoon, Tourism and Events Queensland

Kuranda

Swap the coast for a day in the rainforest and make your way up to Kuranda by train or cable car!

Explore the rainforest village and wander through the Kuranda Markets, marvel at the majestic Barron Falls and cuddle up with Australia’s cutest animals at the many wildlife enclosures. For something a little different, stop by KUR-Cow Barnwell Farm for a hands-on farm experience the kids can get involved in. Meet the animals, try horse riding or quad biking, then finish the day with a wagyu BBQ dinner.

Image: Explore the markets in an ancient tropical rainforest, Tourism and Events Queensland

Daintree Rainforest

Step into one of the world’s oldest surviving tropical rainforests and turn the day into a real-life nature and culture lesson for the kids.

Follow the Jindalba Boardwalk through the rainforest, where signs explain how local plants and wildlife have adapted to the tropical environment, with the chance to spot cassowaries along the way. Families can also join a Daintree River cruise to look for wildlife from the water or go on a guided tour with Walkabout Cultural Adventures to learn about the Kuku Yalanji culture.

Image: Learn about the Kuku Yalanji people with local Aboriginal guides, Tourism and Events Queensland

Top Family-Friendly Attractions in Queensland

Aside from the theme parks on the Gold Coast, these are some destinations worth a trip!

• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Currumbin: See wild rainbow lorikeets and stay after dark to watch the bushland light up during Astra Lumina, an immersive light and sound walk.
• SparkLab, South Brisbane: Explore over 40 hands-on exhibits designed to turn science into something they can touch and test at this science museum.
• Bounce INC Gold Coast, Burleigh Waters: Give energetic kids somewhere to go big with more than 50 interconnected trampolines.
• Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Fig Tree Pocket: Make some furry new friends at the world’s oldest and largest koala sanctuary.
• Amaze World, Tanawha: Getting lost is part of the fun at this Sunshine Coast attraction packed with mazes and puzzles hidden among subtropical gardens.
• Australia Zoo, Beerwah: Follow in the footsteps of the Crocodile Hunter at a wildlife park home to more than 1,200 animals from Australia and around the world.
• Granite Belt Christmas Farm, Applethorpe: Pick your own Christmas trees and feel the Christmas spirit all year round at Mrs Claus Cafe and Mistletoe Store.
• White Ridge Farm, Elimbah: Come face-to-face with friendly farm animals at this hands-on petting farm zoo.
• The Crystal Caves, Atherton: Let the kids give geode-cracking a crack and explore chambers filled with crystals and fossils.
• Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, Wangetti: Catch the thrilling Croc Attack Show and spot crocs in their natural habitat on a boat cruise.
• Mamu Tropical Skywalk, East Palmerston: Leave the forest floor below and walk through the rainforest canopy before climbing the 37-metre observation tower.
• Wildlife Habitat, Port Douglas: Swim with the salties or go on a night safari to witness nocturnal animals out and about.
• Paronella Park, Mena Creek: Discover a Spanish castle hidden among tropical rainforest beside Mena Creek Falls.
• Hook-A-Barra, Wonga Beach: Take ‘Catch of the day’ to a whole new level and learn all about barramundi from paddock to plate.

Image: Get up close and personal with the crocs, Tourism and Events Queensland

Best Family-Friendly Beaches In Queensland

• Streets Beach, South Brisbane
• Surfers Paradise Beach, Surfers Paradise
• Paradise Point Beach, Paradise Point
• Tallebudgera Creek Beach, Palm Beach
• Pandanus Beach, Wynnum
• Labrador Beach, Labrador
• Woorim Beach, Woorim
• Etty Bay Beach, Etty Bay
• Mission Beach
• Palm Cove Beach, Palm Cove
• Four Mile Beach Park, Port Douglas

Image: Get ready for some fun in the sun, Tourism & Events Queensland

Best Family-Friendly Islands in Queensland

• Magnetic Island
• Whitsunday Island
• Hamilton Island
• Daydream Island
• K’gari (Fraser Island)
• Heron Island
• Lady Musgrave Island
• Great Keppel Island
• North Stradbroke Island

Image: Paddleboarding with the family on Magnetic Island, Tourism and Events Queensland

Food & Drink for Kids In Queensland

All that exploring is bound to make your tummy rumble! Here are some food recommendations suitable for the kids and big kids alike 😉

• Bella's Wonderland, Southport: Turn kid-friendly lunches into playtime at this indoor wonderland. Perfect for the little princesses!
• Maleny Chocolate Co, Maleny: Follow the smell of chocolate and stock up on handcrafted treats, with tastings for both kids and adults.
• Shaylee Strawberries, Atherton: Head into the strawberry fields and pick your own fruit before cooling off with something sweet from the farm.
• Rusty’s Market, Cairns: Let the kids choose a tropical fruit they have never tried before while the adults browse local produce to experiment with in the campervan kitchen.
• Eastern Colour, Applethorpe: Turn snack time into an activity by picking crisp apples and juicy strawberries straight from the farm when in season.
• Mungalli Creek Dairy, Atherton: Taste farm-fresh dairy from this biodynamic farm with creamy treats that make an easy reward after a day on the road.
• Cape Trib Farm, Cape Tribulation: Put everyone’s tastebuds to the test with exotic tropical fruits grown right beside the Daintree Rainforest.
• Skybury Farm: Coffee for the grown-ups and tropical papaya for the kids await you at this working farm and restaurant. Papaya curry, anyone?

Tip: When driving around, you might see stalls full of different seasonal fruits! Try to stop by (if it’s safe to do so) and see what local delicacies you might find. Need more food recommendations? Check out our food lover’s guide to Queensland here.

Image: Pick up some fresh produce on your travels and make a kid-friendly charcuterie board inside the campervan!

Start Planning Your Queensland Family Road Trip!

Hire a self-contained motorhome from Cruisin’ Motorhomes and turn your family holiday in Queensland into the ultimate road trip.

Call our friendly reservations team on 1300 664 485 or check out our website to see the motorhomes we have available at our Brisbane and Cairns branches!

✨ Need inspiration on what to do with the kiddos? Check out our detailed itineraries and our blog articles for our latest motorhome tips!

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