These 10 islands are Australia’s best islands for a family holiday. Swim in crystal clear water, meet Aussie animals and absorb local culture.
If you’re looking for an island with lush rainforests, coral beaches, resort accommodation and calm waters for the kids, you can’t go past Fitzroy Island. Just a 45-minute ferry from Cairns, this tropical paradise is a family-friendly gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.
Get your bearings on a glass-bottom boat tour, see the coral reef, or jump off the boat and explore by snorkel. Then let the kids flock to the giant ocean trampoline at Fitzroy Island Resorts’ Welcome Bay.
The resort also offers fish feeding on the jetty, tours of the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre and a Junior Marine Biologist program. The program teaches kids about marine life through a series of hands-on activities.
The 274 small islands of the Torres Strait Islands, located between Cape York and Papua New Guinea, remain relatively untouched.
On Horn Island, history-loving families will be fascinated by the remnants of WWII, including trenches and even wrecked aircraft.
While on Thursday Island, Green Hill Fort is a must – even if it’s just for the sunset. If you’re a creative bunch, Gab Titui Cultural Centre holds artworks and cultural artefacts like ceremonial headdresses, sculptures and paintings. They also host performances that will enchant the little ones with vibrant song and dance. Before you leave, make sure to visit one of the island’s pearl farms. You’ll learn how pearls are harvested and pick your own to take home.
As the largest sand island in the world and the only place where tall rainforests grow on sand dunes, Fraser Island has earned its place on the World Heritage List.
Adventurers will be in paradise here, with 4WD being the primary way to get around. If you don’t have your own, 4WD tours are available, stopping at the top sites, including 75 Mile Beach and Lake McKenzie – a clear freshwater lake and the perfect place for the little ones to play.
Kingfisher Bay Resort also run a Junior Eco Rangers program every weekend, which sees kids set off on a wildlife adventure filled with games and scavenger hunts.
Just the name Penguin Island will have kids giddy with excitement. But there’s more than just penguins to enjoy on this charming little island (it’s just 12.5 hectares).
Penguin Island is a five-minute ferry ride off the coast south of Perth. This hidden gem, in Shoalwater Islands Marine Park, is a great place for a family day trip. Here, wildlife is the star attraction. Visitors can get up close to the penguins at the Discovery Centre during one of the daily feedings. Then head out on a cruise to spot wild dolphins, sea lions, stingrays, pelicans and seabirds.
Families can fill the rest of their day swimming, snorkelling and exploring nature trails. The beaches come with clear, shallow water making them great for young kids.
Kangaroo Island is a rugged paradise of pristine beaches and native bushland. The wildlife makes it one of the best islands for a family holiday.
From swimming with wild dolphins to searching for sea lions at the Seal Bay Conservation Park, unique animal encounters abound. Interactive presentations at the Raptor Domain will see kids introduced to a plethora of native birds.
Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park allows them to get up close to koala joeys, echidnas, kangaroos, wallabies, little penguins and emus. After the animals, take the kids sandboarding and tobogganing at the Little Sahara sand dunes, or swimming at the secluded rock pools of Stokes Bay.
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The Tiwi Islands are bursting with art, culture, football and jovial personality. It’s made up of two main islands, Bathurst and Melville, which sit 80 kilometres north of Darwin. The islands are home to a thriving Aboriginal community.
Families can book a tour with a local guide to explore the diverse landscapes. You’ll explore tropical rainforests, clay-like cliffs, white-sand beaches and inviting rock pools. Tomorapi and Taracumbie Falls on Melville Island are a must.
Then get creative at one of the many art centres. Tiwi Design on Bathurst Island offers cultural tours inclusive of an art session with a Tiwi local.
Located off Tasmania’s east coast, Maria Island is a national park that demands you put on your explorer shoes.
Stroll around the Darlington Probation Station – a World Heritage Australian Convict Site. Scramble up boulders to the summit of Mount Maria, or cycle across the island. There’s something to see at every corner. Kids will love the Painted Cliffs. These sandstone cliffs are steaked and painted with vibrant iron oxide layers.
There are no cars on the island, meaning it’s safe for kids to run freely. There are no food retails so pack your own picnic lunch before getting the ferry across.
The must-sees include the Painted and Fossil cliffs, the shallow waters of Shoal Bay and the local wildlife including wombats, Tasmanian devils, wallabies, pademelons and an array of native birds.
King Island is located in the Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania. It’s home to beautiful beaches, world-class golf courses, and delicious local produce including freshly caught seafood and gourmet cheese.
While you’re there, explore offshore shipwrecks and Cape Wickham Lighthouse – the tallest lighthouse in the southern hemisphere.
Uncover the island’s history in the main town of Currie. Or take a guided walk around the unique veggie gardens at Frogshack Farm, home to frogs, chickens and other roaming animals.
For something more adventurous, take the kids horse riding along the beach with King Island Trail Rides or get off the beaten track on a thrilling 4WD tour.
Christmas Island is not your typical tropical island, but it is perhaps one of Australia’s best-kept secrets. With a coastline dominated by cliffs, the beaches here are small and secluded with unspoilt coral reefs just waiting to be explored.
Families can venture through the labyrinth of nature trails. You’ll discover jungle waterfalls, grottos and blowholes, and an open-air cinema. Keep count of all the unique birds and crabs you spot along the way.
Visit from October to December for Christmas Island’s annual crab migration. Millions of red crabs scurry from the forests to the coast to spawn during the wet season kids will find it fascinating.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an atoll of 27 tranquil, coral islands in the Indian Ocean.
West Island – where the airport is located – is the most popular place to stay. It’s also one of the few islands where you can hire bikes to get around.
Spend your days touring the surrounding islands, comparing locations to swim, snorkel, canoe, kitesurf or spotting marine life. You can see turtles, dolphins and tropical fish.
Learn more about Cocos Malay culture at Home Island or, for a gorgeous beach day, Cossies Beach on Direction Island is particularly picturesque.
This article originally appeared in Holidays with Kids magazine. Subscribe to the latest issue here.
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