Brisbane, the capital of the Sunshine State, enjoys idyllic subtropical weather all year round, award-winning food and wine experiences, a jam-packed events calendar and plenty of adventurous activities both in and out of the city to keep the whole family happy.
The Wheel of Brisbane offers spectacular sky-high views in the heart of Brisbane’s entertainment precinct, South Bank. Unrivalled for its 360 degree views, a ride on The Wheel of Brisbane is an uplifting experience for young and old. Rising 60 metres above the ground in the safety and comfort of a fully enclosed, air-conditioned gondola that seats up to 8 people (maximum 6 adults), it’s a must-do part of any city visit.
Calling all family detectives! If you love doing challenging things as a family, solving mysteries and consider yourself a ‘super sleuth’, then The Escape Hunt Experience is just what you’re after! Escape Hunt is Australia’s most original and exhilarating real live interactive escape room experience. Teams of up to five people are locked in a room for 60 minutes and must find clues, crack puzzles and solve the crime before time runs out! It’s non-stop, adrenaline pumping, brain activity at its best!
Brisbane’s favourite native animal sanctuary, Lone Pine is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary. Here you can meet more than 130 koalas, hand-feed kangaroos without barriers and encounter other Australian wildlife.
Experience a taste of life on the farm at Tommerup’s Dairy Farm and Farmstay, an authentic sixth generation working dairy farm offering guests a genuine farm holiday adventure in a beautiful setting. Help to milk the cows and feed the pigs, sheep, calves and goats, and enjoy meat, cheese and eggs straight from the farm while staying in your rustic country cottage accommodation.
The Lyell Deer Sanctuary at Mt Samson, Queensland, is home to a small herd of Red, Rusa and Fallow Deer. This peaceful little hideaway in the beautiful Samford Valley, just thirty minutes north of Brisbane, is a popular destination for groups, adults and children alike, offering education, serenity, good food, crafts and a truly unique experience.
This museum in Longreach is a modern world-class facility built around the heritage listed original Qantas hangar, combining historical artefacts and multimedia displays for all ages to enjoy. A tour is available of the magnificent Qantas 747 Jumbo jet “City of Bunbury” and the Boeing 707 “City of Canberra”, the first Qantas jet aircraft registered in Australia. These tours give you the opportunity to get up close and personal and learn some of the amazing facts and figures of these aircraft.
The Workshops Rail Museum is an award-winning interactive heritage and cultural experience located at Australia’s oldest operating railway workshop. Tour the active heritage workshops in Ipswich and see the state’s steam fleet being restored.
Ever wanted to run away and join the circus? Here’s your chance! Flipside Circus offers a year-round program of circus classes and school holiday workshops for ages 12 months to adult, with all skill levels and abilities catered to. Learn to swing on the trapeze, juggle, spin plates, and more!
Just 10 minutes from Brisbane’s CBD, the European style indoor kart track at Slideways Go Karting features 425 metres of adrenalin pumping action, with an all-weather outdoor loop. The unique track surface is designed by Slideways Go Karting Australia and is like no other in the southern hemisphere, allowing the karts to drift and get Slideways!
Set your eyes to the skies at The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium: the perfect place for the whole family to learn about stars, planets and all things space. Check out recreations of the night sky in the cosmic skydome, see fragments of asteroids and spacecraft models, and watch educational and entertaining feature shows.
With its pristine powder-white sand and accessible location in the South Bank Parklands, Streets Beach is Australia’s only inner-city, man-made beach. The sparkling lagoon is free to use and is patrolled by qualified lifeguards all year round.
Not only can kids aged 10 and over (minimum height 130 centimetres) climb in harnesses across the top of Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge, but they can also abseil 30 metres down the southern pylon into Captain Burke Park, Spider-Man style.
The Queensland Museum is packed with interactive exhibits. From dinosaurs to the Discovery Centre, kids will love learning about natural, social and cultural history in a hands-on way. The museum’s all-new interactive Sciencentre, opening in September 2018, will only add to the fun.
The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art is home to the QAGOMA Children’s Art Centre, which works with artists to create interactive installations, artist projects and activities especially for kids and families.
A one-stop shop for wannabe wizards, The Store of Requirement is a cornucopia of wizarding wares, where – along with the mandatory wands and cloaks – kids can knock back freshly brewed butterbeer and a selection of wizard-themed cakes at the wizards’ cafe.
Mount Coot-tha not only offers the best views in town, but is also the location of the city’s stunning Botanic Gardens, with its interactive and educational Hide ‘n’ Seek Children’s Trail and the out-of-this world Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium.
Every night as the sun sets over beautiful Moreton Bay, something magical happens – a pod of dolphins swims into the jetty at Tangalooma Island Resort, much to the delight of excited tourists who have gathered on the shore. The dolphins show up punctually and play around in the shadows of the jetty; then guests are invited down to feed fish to the pod. Guests at the resort can also spend time with marine scientists at the Marine Education and Conservation Centre and learn about whales, dugongs and dolphins that make the pristine waters of the bay their home. Dolphin feeding is suitable for all ages, and is an experience your children will remember forever.
Riverlife Adventure Centre at Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point offers a wide range of adventure activities for families looking for outdoor thrills – including abseiling, climbing and kayaking – without leaving the city centre.
Fort Lytton, built in 1881, is an important historical site, 30 minutes from the CBD. Little historians will love exploring the fort, open every Sunday and most public holidays with free entry, and its regular re-enactments and cannon-firing.
The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail is a regional recreation trail in south-east Queensland which can be explored on foot, on horseback or by bicycle. This 161-kilometre trail follows the old Brisbane Valley rail line from Ipswich to Yarramun, taking in the history and rural landscape of the Brisbane Valley River. It makes for a great outing for the fittness families, and you can hire bikes on arrival.
You can read our comprehensive guide to a family holiday in Queensland here.
Main image: © The Wheel of Brisbane
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