Top 5 Day Trips Around Brisbane To Take Before School Goes Back

By: Carolyn Tate
Jan 26, 2019 

​As the school holidays near the end, the list of fun family activities starts to dwindle. Before life is filled once again with school drop offs and mountains of extra-curricular activities, escape for a day with the family and make sure you finish your holidays off on a high!

To help, we’ve created a list of our favourite day trips that don’t require months of planning for your family road trip away.

Tangalooma Island Resort

Only 75 minutes from Brisbane, Tangalooma Island Resort is the oasis you didn’t know existed. This island getaway has something to please every member of the family. Hop on the ferry from Brisbane and enjoy the picturesque coastline as you make your way across Moreton Bay.

Tangalooma Island Resort’s expansive white sandy beaches, crystal clear water and gorgeous stretches of untouched National Park provides unlimited activities for the family to enjoy. From relaxing on the beach, snorkelling the iconic Tangalooma Wrecks, and sand tobogganing, to
feeding wild dolphins at sunset, you’ll be shocked with how much you can fit in just one day!

Springbrook National Park

If amazing scenery, breathtaking views and cascading waterfalls is your thing, look no further than Springbrook National Park in the Gold Coast hinterland. This ancient rainforest is home to beautiful bush walks leading you to unmissable lookouts, into glow worm caves and behind waterfalls. Relax and take a dip in the rock pools as you discover this natural paradise, then make your way to one of the many picnic areas or Springbrook cafes for lunch.

No trip to Springbrook is complete without stopping at the iconic Fudge Shop (making for a perfect snack for the road trip home). Throw on your walking shoes for a family day out you won’t forget this summer.

Montville and Maleny

Quirky cafes, candy shops, botanic gardens, and waterfalls make for a Sunshine Coast getaway both you and the kids will love. The Sunshine Coast is teeming with places to explore, but one of our favourite spots is Montville and Maleny. Stroll down Montville’s Main Street and enjoy breakfast at one of the many cafes before getting cozy with colourful parrots and birds at the Maleny Botanic Gardens and Bird World.

If you need to escape from the sun, a quick drive down to the lush green Gardners Falls is the perfect place to take a dip and laze in the afternoon sun. With shallow rock pools for the little ones and waterfalls for older kids (and adults!), the Falls are not to be missed.

Brunswick Heads

Brunswick Heads is a little gem in between the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. It is home to stunning beaches, delicious food, and is the ideal canoeing, paddle boarding or kayaking destination. Take the kids for a swim at Torakina Beach and enjoy the calm water from behind the rock wall – perfect for families. Walk along the riverbank and indulge in some boutique shopping before picking up some fish at chips at Starfish to catch the sunset on the breakwall. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins and whales splashing in the ocean below you.

Image Credit: Brunswick Heads Information Website

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Get up close and personal with the abundance of wildlife at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary for a day out that will keep the entire family captivated. Snap a selfie with a koala, take a guided Segway safari around the rainforest the sanctuary calls home, and check out the number of daily animal shows and encounters. If your kids are thrill seekers, the Treetop Challenge rope course and zip lines will satisfy even the most adventure hungry families. For the curious kids, a tour of the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is a must to learn about the park’s conservation efforts and
rehabilitation of our precious wildlife.

More fun things to do in the day with kids:

• The Best Rockpool for Kids Around Brisbane
• The Best Bike Prks and Trails for Kids in Brisbane 
• The Best Secret Spots to Take Your Kids in Brisbane 

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Hero Image Credit: Tangalooma Island Resort