The Ultimate Australia Family Travel Guide: 1-Month Road Trip Itinerary
A 30-Day Melbourne to Cairns Road Trip Guide for Families
This is our 1-month family gap year travel itinerary, making our way by car from Melbourne to Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Daintree Rainforest with kids.
Australia is a wonderful destination for families, and not just because of the kangaroos, koalas, and abundant wildlife (though that is a big part of it). Melbourne is one of my favorite cities in the world, and despite its expense, Australia has a lot to offer by way of its spectacular holiday parks and truly spectacular destinations. From sightseeing the Sydney Opera House to beach bumming it on Colly’s to hanging with aboriginals in the Daintree Rainforest and trying your hand at scuba on the Great Barrier Reef. Life doesn’t get much better than a trip to Australia!
Here is our 30-day Australian Family Gap Year Itinerary:
Melbourne (4 Nights) → The Great Ocean Road (1 night) → Lakes Entrance (1 night) → Merimbula (1 night) → Pretty Beach (3 nights) → Sydney (5 nights) → Port Stephens and One Mile Beach (5 nights) → Port Macquarie (2 nights) → Coolangatta “COOLY” (3 nights) → Burleigh Heads (3 nights) → The Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation (2 nights) → Port Douglas (6 nights) → then to Thailand
1. Melbourne – 4 Nights and 3 Days
Where to stay: YHA Metro Melbourne
We stayed at the Metro YHA because the central location was booked, but this hostel worked out great!
WiFi – Excellent!
Melbourne really surprised us and ended up being one of our favorite cities we visited on our Australasia circuit. There is a good reason it is ranked the most livable city in the world.
Big green parks, wonderful public transportation, lots to see and do, along with some really good food, make Melbourne a must-see stop. Tour the city of Melbourne, take the free circle tram, visit the home of the Australian Open, take a morning jog around Queen Victoria Park, and tour the Queen Victoria Market.
2. The Great Ocean Road – 1 day
You can read my full post on The Great Ocean Road with Kids
Where to stay: Big 4 Holiday Park
**** We enjoyed the free flying fox, the kids’ playground, basketball court, and the amazing views of the beach right from our doorstep.
WiFi – Acceptable
We drove from Melbourne to Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. Although we only had one day for the journey, I am so glad we took the time to visit this part of Australia. In this short time, we played with birds and wild koalas, saw some amazing sights, and stayed at the truly fantastic Apollo Bay Big 4 Holiday Park overlooking the ocean and the clear blue water beach. If you are a surfer, you will find Bell’s Beach home of the annual Rip Curl surf competition.
4. Lakes Entrance – 1 day
You can read my full post: From Melbourne to Sydney with Kids
Where to stay: Big 4 Holiday Park, Lakes Entrance
There are two Big 4 Holiday Parks here, and we stayed at the Whiters Holiday Village, which provided good value in the center of town. Great beach and playground for kids.
WiFi – Standard Big 4 Wifi
Lakes Entrance served as a stopover on the way to Sydney. Lakes Entrance is a 7-hour drive from Apollo Bay (our last stop) and makes for a good stopping point.
5. Merimbula – 1 day
You can read my full post: From Melbourne to Sydney with Kids
Where to Stay: NRMA Merimbula Beach Holiday Park
Another stopover on our way to Sydney and Pretty Beach. We stayed at this amazing Big 4 resort right on the ocean with a ton of wonderful kids’ activities. They have babysitting and a wide array of family fun, including a wonderful jumping “marshmallow” along with a great beach.
WiFi – Yes
There is a wonderful wooden boardwalk perfect for walking/jogging that takes you through a very nice Mangrove forest. There is also surfing at Merimbula Beach. We wish we had more time in Merimbula, and I am sure you will, too.
6. Pretty Beach – 2 days
You can read my full post on Pretty Beach here.
Where to Stay: Stay at the Pretty Beach Cabins
***** 4-star rugged! This will likely be one of the highlights of your Australian trip! Pretty Beach is one of those gems.
WiFi – None, thank God!
Kangaroos. Camp and surf on the beach. . It is off the beaten path and not in any guidebook. But it is truly worth the stop!
7. Sydney 4 days – 5 nights
Where to Stay: Sydney Harbor YHA
We actually stayed at the Sydney Central YHA because the Harbor location was booked. This is a cheaper option, which may be better for your budget. That being said, the Sydney Harbor YHA may be one of the best hostels in the world, and if your budget fits, I would stay here.
WiFi – Always good at YHA, never free but fast and reliable!
Head to the Circular Quay to see the Sydney Opera House. A tour inside might be a bit much for younger kids, but you can walk around a fair bit of it and take the obligatory photos of Australia’s most famous landmark.
Royal Botanic Gardens to spot long-beaked ibises wandering around the grass and hundreds of fruit bats squabbling among the treetops in the jungle section.
The Rocks, where you can take a quick stroll through the historic streets, stopping off for a look at some of the trendy shops or the Market on Saturdays. There are plenty of places to eat lunch, but a filling prospect is pasta at Rossini, opposite the ferry terminals, where you can sit outside and watch the world go by. Portions are large, so you might want to split a meal between younger kids.
Taronga Zoo, where a cable car takes you up the hill to the main entrance. All the kids’ favorites are here, from kangaroos and koalas to platypuses, located in a nocturnal house. A farmyard section edges onto a playground of sorts, with lots of water features to give your kids a sprinkle on a hot day.
Head to the city center for an elevator ride up to the top of Sydney Tower, where you can look right across Sydney as far as the Blue Mountains in the distance. Entry includes admission to the Sky Tower, which features a darkened storytelling room where the kids can learn a little about Australian legends and Aboriginals, and there’s also a thrilling simulator ride that takes you on adventures throughout Australia.
It’s a short walk from here to Darling Harbor,
Bondi Beach, where you can reward your efforts with ice cream or a late-afternoon pizza from Pompei’s, on the main drag.
8. The Blue Mountains – Sydney Side Trip
You could easily spend a couple more days with the kids having fun in Sydney, but you shouldn’t miss a trip to the mountains. Several companies run tour buses to the area, stopping off at an animal park along the way.
If you missed out on Pretty Beach, you may want to visit the Featherdale Wildlife Park, where you can get up close to more kangaroos, koalas, and Tasmanian devils. The tour will also stop at Scenic World, where you can take the short ride on the Scenic Railway (Family $88.00). It’s very steep, so hold on tight. At the bottom, you’ll find yourselves among an ancient tree fern forest — it’s truly remarkable. A short walk takes you to the Skyway, a cable car that travels 300m (984 ft.) above the Jamison Valley.
Elsewhere in the mountains, there are fabulous views across craggy bluffs and deep bowls of gum trees. It’s a long day, so pack plenty of snacks and a few favorite toys.
9. Port Stephens and One Mile Beach – 5 nights
Read on: You can read my full post Port Stephens and Bay’s Holiday Park – A Perfect Combo for Families
Where to Stay: Bays Holiday Park (cabin 3 is the best with kids)
This is a wonderful Holiday Park that provides great value and is perfect for families.
WiFi – Wonderful WiFi!
Stockton Beach, One Mile Beach surfing, sand dunes, camel rides, great kids beaches, sand, sunshine, and a wonderful holiday park. Stockton Beach was a big surprise and sucked us in. I bought a surfboard here and surfed for 4 days. We enjoyed every minute of it.
10. Port Macquarie – 2 nights
Where to Stay: Flynns’ Beach Caravan Park
The Flynns Beach Caravan Park is newly owned and operated by a husband and wife team and their 8-year-old daughter. It is clean, well-priced, and close to Flynn’s beach!
WiFi – Off and on, but it works.
We came here to surf, but the weather told us otherwise. So we hunkered down, enjoyed some family time, and visited the Koala Sanctuary. Port Macquarie (also known to locals as just “Port”) is a beautiful beachside town with plenty to offer families. It is a nice stop on the way up to the Gold Coast.
Begin the Gold Coast
10. Coolangatta “COOLY” – 3 nights
Where to Stay: BIG4 Tweed Billabong Holiday Park
The Big 4 Holiday Park is just on the other side of the highway. It is in a weird location, but was super family-friendly, with tons of happy kids and a swimming lake.
WiFi – Limited in many of the cabins.
A laid-back seaside town with high-quality surf beaches and a tight-knit community. Bypass the glam and party scene, catch some great waves, or just kick back on the beach.
11. Burleigh Heads – 3 nights
Where to Stay: Swell Resort Burleigh Heads
**** This place can be pricey, but we got a great rate through Booking at the time. We scored a nice full-size apartment for 3 nights right on the beach, where we regrouped, did some laundry, surfed, and got ready to catch our flight to Cairns.
WiFi – No, because it is crazy expensive! But the public library is right next door and has great free WiFi!
On a rocky headland (great surf and swimming), with a nice walking/running path and a laid back local vibe, Burleigh Heads is a good stop on the Gold Coast. Just down from Surfer’s Paradise, it is a much better choice for family and waves.
* Surfers Paradise, a slightly unnerving cityscape on the horizon. There are as many apartment towers here as shades of fake tan. Check it out if you like casinos and theme parks,
Board a Plane to Cairns
Getting ready for Christmas in Cairns. Now it’s time to fly north, up the Tropics. We boarded the plane from Brisbane.
12. The Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation – 2 nights
Where to stay: Cape Trib Beach House Recommended (Yes)
** Funky in a fun way, the Cape Tribulation beach house is one to remember. It is a YHA hostel and well-run, with good staff who mean well.
WiFi – Yes, you can get dial-up speeds just outside the registration office.
We spent one night in Cairns to pick up our rental car and then drove straight up to the Daintree National Park and the Cape Tribulation Rainforests, where you emerge into a dripping world of palms, strangler figs, staghorns, pythons, frogs, and electric-blue butterflies.
13. Port Douglas – 6 nights
Where we stayed: The Nimrod Serviced Apartments – Recommended (YES!)
The Nimrod, despite its horrible name, is a group of wonderful apartments about 3 minutes from Port Douglas proper by car, with a reasonable price and a beautiful pool.
WiFi – Yes, very good if you are closer to the office or by the pool. Otherwise, you will have trouble getting a good signal.
We based ourselves in Port Douglas rather than Cairns, because the beach is huge and uncrowded, and some of the best trips originate from here.
If you do go swimming, remember to swim inside the nets off the sand; the “stingers” (box jellyfish) around here can cause life-threatening stings, especially where kids are concerned.
14. A Great day on the Great Barrier Reef!
We are home-based in Port Douglas (see above) and drove into Cairns for the day to do our pontoon trip.
Thankfully, once on the Reef itself, the dangerous jellyfish that make most of the region uninhabitable are very uncommon. Cruise boats leave from Port Douglas and Cairns, with the majority of the boats leaving from Cairns. It takes around 90 minutes to get to the outer Reef by boat, but once there, you are in for some amazing snorkeling.
Expect to see numerous coral and fish species, and even an occasional turtle. A good seafood lunch is generally served on board, so you won’t go hungry!
Australian resources we used
- The best Australia Family Travel Blog on the planet is by far: Ytravelblog. Check out their post on 9 ways to save on accommodation in Australia and five Byron Bay Beaches you must set foot on.
- YHA – Youth Hostel Accommodation is great in Australia, especially in the big cities.
- Big 4 Holiday Parks – The Big 4 Holiday Parks in Australia are of two types: 1. Crazy expensive, or 2. Amazing value. We love the latter and found some great Big 4 Holiday Parks as we traveled through Australia.
- Bookings.com – Very good for booking in Australia, with sometimes very heavily discounted accommodations.
- Agoda – I always check both Booking and Agoda before I hit the “book now” button. Agoda is the best in Asia and the second best in Australia.