Dubbo is approximately five hours by car from Sydney. A road trip it may be, but one well worth the effort. There are so many great things to do in Dubbo. From off-grid trailblazing to thrilling animal encounters, here are the best things to do in Dubbo with kids.
The legendary Taronga Western Plains Zoo is home to over 5,000 animals from over 350 species!
Kids will never forget an exclusive up-close encounter with the meerkats, big cats or giraffes, or other behind-the-scenes experiences. Make a night of it with a stay at Taronga’s Billabong Camp, Savannah Cabins or Zoofari Lodge. Kids can kick back in a luxurious tent overlooking the giraffe-dotted savannah. Plan in advance, though, as bookings are essential.
Open: 9am to 4pm
Cost: Adults $45.90, children $27, under 4’s are free
Taronga Western Plains Zoo © Destination NSW
Enjoy an immersive experience at the Royal Flying Doctor Service base in Dubbo where visitors can get hands-on with the Flying Doctor.
Kids can relive extraordinary human stories, touch, explore and interact with state-of-the-art technology and get up close with Augmented Reality missions and an interactive control centre.
Open: 9am to 5pm weekdays, till 4pm on Saturdays and 3pm on Sundays.
Cost: Adults $23, children $15, under four’s are free. Family passes are also available.
Another great thing to do in Dubbo with kids is visit the Old Dubbo Gaol. History hunters will discover the colonial and criminal roots of Dubbo at the heritage-listed attraction. Dubbo was first proclaimed a village in 1849, but by then, Old Dubbo Gaol (as we now call it) had already been in operation for two years. It continued to house convicted criminals for 119 years in its position on the main street. Today, the 19th- and 20th-century buildings remain an important legacy of Australian history, particularly with collections featuring objects like the hangman’s kit and gallows, and the cells themselves on display.
For an extra spooky encounter, join the Old Dubbo Gaol Twilight Tour. It’s family-friendly and available throughout the NSW school holidays. Little historians will be inducted as the newest inmates, learning lots of cool history with an immersive theatrical twist.
Open: 9am – 5pm daily. Closed Christmas Day.
Cost: Adult $22.50, pensioner/student $18.50, child $8 and family passes (2 adults and 2 kids)$55 + $7.50 per additional child. Twilight Tour is an additional cost.
Old Dubbo Gaol © Destination NSW
Aspiring astronomers can reach for the stars at Dubbo Observatory. Discover the secrets of the night sky on an expert-led Night Sky & Telescope Viewing Tour. Expert guides will point out the specific planets, star clusters and galaxies.
Cost: Adult $34, children (5- 16) $23.
Time: from 6:15pm. See the website for more details.
Take a step back in time as you walk into the beautifully restored 1840s Dundullimal Homestead. Originally a 10,000-hectare working property, enjoy strolling through the gardens, sandstone stables, timber church, and blacksmith’s forge for a real sense of working life on a sheep and cattle station.
Open: 11am – 3pm Monday, Friday and Saturday
Cost: Adults $15, Children (5-15) $12, Family $42.
Discover the countryside by horseback at the Western Plains Riding Centre, which caters for all ages and levels of horse riding, from beginner to experienced riders.
Enjoy the countryside on a one-hour trail ride. Trail rides are suitable for kids aged eight years and older and are a great way to explore the region’s natural beauty.
Open: Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5:30pm
Cost: $40 for a one-hour ride
About a 45-minute drive from Dubbo, head underground on a guided tour of Wellington Caves. See astonishing 15-metre-tall crystal formations, mesmerising megafauna fossils and intricate cave corals. The caves are 400 million years old and the geological tour interweaves First Nations peoples’ stories from 50,000 years ago.
Cost: see the website for tour pricing.
Open: Everyday 9am – 4:15pm
Less than 90 minutes from Dubbo, a trip to Lake Burrendong is a must for outdoor enthusiasts. When it’s warmer the lake is a great spot for swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, water skiing and wakeboarding. Throughout the year enjoy fishing, scenic hikes around the lake or a picnic lunch.
A 90-minute drive from Dubbo, Warrumbungle National Park is home to the Southern Hemisphere’s first Dark Sky Park. The park is renowned for its stargazing opportunities thanks to its crystal-clear night skies, low humidity, high altitude and world-class astronomy research facility at nearby Siding Spring Observatory. Set up camp for the night under a sky of diamond-studded black velvet. It will be some of the best star-gazing of your life.
Just under 90 minutes from Dubbo, at Emu Logic Farm kids can meet our country’s flightless birds up close. Join a tour to learn more about the farming of emus and enter the paddock to feed the creatures. Time your visit between July and October for the best chance to see emu chicks!
Cost: adults $15, children (under 16) $6.
Tours run at 11am and 2pm
Cool down over the summer at the Dubbo Aquatic Leisure Centre. There’s a heated Olympic-sized swimming pool, heated toddler pool, splash park with waterslides, BBQ facilities and a Pool Deck cafe.
Open: September to April
Cost: Adults $7.50, children $5.50 and family pass $22.
Head to the bimonthly Dubbo Farmers Market to buy fresh, locally-grown produce. You’ll find it at Dubbo Lions Park on the corner of Newell Highway and Macquarie Street, Dubbo.
Open: 8am – 12pm on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month.
Channel your inner tranquillity at the five distinct gardens of Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden. Wander between the Sensory Garden, the Biodiversity Garden, the Oasis Valley, Wiradjuri Garden and the Shoyoen Japanese Garden, recognised as one of Australia’s most authentic Japanese gardens.
There is a playground with BBQs and toilets too.
Open: 7am – 5pm weekdays and 9.30am – 5pm on weekends.
Give the kids an Australian history tour at the Western Plains Cultural Centre. Discover contemporary art, local history and cultural events.
Take a peek inside the tunnel of time for the stories of the Tubbagah people, and those that have since made the rural city their home.
Its Dendroglyph is an intricately carved tree traditionally used to mark the graves of important Indigenous men.
Open: 9 am – 4 pm Sunday to Thursday and till 6 pm Friday.
See 150 ancient rock carvings created by the Tubbagah people at the Terramungamine Rock Grooves. The site is of tremendous significance to the local Wiradjuri people.
These rocks were an important meeting place and once used by the Wiradjuri tribe to shape tools and spears. They have resided in this region for more than 40,000 years.
You can see the grinding grooves the Wiradjuri people used to sharpen tools. There are around 150 on the outcrop of rock that extends along the river.
Leave the city limits behind for an outing on the beautiful Macquarie River, one of NSW’s main inland rivers. The best picnic location is on the west bank behind the West Dubbo Bowling Club but anywhere you choose will be beautiful.
There are also walking and bike tracks around the river. The Tracker Riley Cycleway is named after the first Aboriginal police tracker to reach the rank of sergeant and receive the King’s Medal.
Adventure Craft Hire offers kayaks and stand-up paddleboards along with all the safety gear you need, so families can choose their preferred mode of discovery and set whatever pace they please.
Stay: There is a camping reserve along the Macquarie River.
Grab the bikes, scooters and prams and hit the 13-kilometre Tracker Riley Cycleway for some fitness, fresh air and fun.
When the kids are ready for a run around head to Elston Water Park. There’s a playground, lawn areas, shelters, free electric BBQs and public amenities so it’s a great spot for a picnic lunch.
Less than an hour from Dubbo, head to Mount Arthur Reserve to find several great bushwalking trails with spectacular views of lush valleys and the Macquarie River. Hikes are between one and a half to four hours duration. There a picnic areas available. Visit during spring and you’ll be treated to colourful hills of blooming wattles, pea flowers, bugle flowers and bluebells. Pick up a map from the Wellington Visitors Information Centre.
Sometimes the weather is not our friend when travelling. A great wet weather option for families with older kids is a visit to the Dubbo Escape Room. Choose between three escape rooms and a virtual reality room to test your problem-solving and teamwork skills.
From ages 12 and up.
Open: Wednesday to Sunday. Open every day of school holidays.
Cost: From $35 per person.
When the kids have some serious energy to burn, make a beeline to Inflatable World Dubbo. Sessions run for two hours and you can bounce, jump and tumble alongside with your kids.
Open: 10am – 3pm on weekends and daily during NSW school holidays.
Cost: Adults $16, kids (5 and over) $16 and kids under 4$10.
If it’s wet or you just need a chill day, catch a movie at the local Reading Cinemas.
For some nostalgic family fun head to iPlay Dubbo Bowl for a game of ten-pin bowling. There are 13 lanes plus arcade games and a licenced bar for the parents. See the website for opening hours and pricing.
Only seven minutes from Dubbo, kids will get a kick out of visiting Aladdin’s Cave Bottlehouse, a quirky yurt-like structure made from 3000 bottles. Some even have messages, photos and toys tucked inside. While you’re there visit the fairy gardens that house famous fairytale characters from Snow White to Thumbelina.
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This article originally appeared in Holidays with Kids magazine. To subscribe to the latest issue, click here.
Main image © Destination NSW
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