Active and healthy family holiday escapes around Australia
Thinking about taking a short break over the school holidays? Take inspiration from a recent zoo adventure and these other active trips around Australia.
Thinking about taking a short break over the school holidays? Take inspiration from body+soul art director Barry Goodwin’s recent zoo adventure and these other active trips around Australia.
GO ON SAFARI AT...
Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo
Five-and-a-half hours in the car with a five- and eight-year-old can be a challenge at the best of times. Add to that the hard-to-contain excitement of lions, elephants and tigers at the end of the journey and it’s no wonder we were all in need of some space by the time we arrived in Dubbo from Sydney.
It was the perfect opportunity to hire some bikes to start exploring the zoo’s 5.3km circuit, which is just short enough for little legs.
Any tiredness was soon dispelled by our first sightings of giraffes, rhinos and zebras — and the ice-cream stand halfway didn’t hurt, either.
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By the time we arrived at our first night’s digs at Savannah Cabins, we were happy to find an airconditioned room with enough space to chill out and find our bearings for the action-packed weekend ahead.
We woke up the next morning ready and ‘roaring’ to explore the zoo’s 300ha.
As much as we’d loved touring on two wheels, we decided we’d need an electric cart if we were going to hit up all the different animal talks on offer — especially the one at the new Lion Pride Lands, which turned out to be our favourite.
We then Hakuna Matatad our way towards our next lodgings, the luxe Zoofari Lodge. There are 15 of these on the property and although the plush beds and glamping vibe were pretty special, it was the view that blew us away.
There’s nothing quite like being woken by your kids yelling: “Dad there’s a giraffe outside!” Sure enough, there it was, right in front of our room, and standing tall and proud among its elephant and zebra pals.
It’s at sundown that the animals become most active and during the Twilight Safari Tour, a lion stalked our five-year-old from behind a glass screen.
Unfazed, she got down on her hands and knees, and met its stare. It was a rather special moment until I tried to do the same — let’s just say the lion didn’t find me quite as adorable!
Dinner that night was as luxe as the lodges and two normally fussy young ladies declared the day “brilliant” and the crocodile meal “yummy”.
After burning off some energy at the kids’ playground after dinner, we returned to our room to find a glorious peacock had made himself at home on our deck. What a way to end a perfect day.
Staying at the Zoofari Lodge entitles you to a special early morning behind-the-scenes tour, which was undoubtedly the highlight of the trip, where the girls got to feed a rhino and a giraffe, and also helped wash the elephants. I can’t think of many other experiences guaranteed to engender a lifelong love of animals and awareness about the importance of conservation.
Our visit lasted only two-and-a-half days, but it felt like we’d spent a week on the African savanna. Taronga Western Plains is a zoo unlike any in Australia — a must-visit.
INFO: Savannah Cabins start from $299 per night, taronga.org.au/dubbo-zoo
SPLASH AROUND IN...
Airlie Beach
Perched on the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef at Airlie Beach, the Big 4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort offers a choice of accommodation from camping and cottages to condos.
Better still, there’s a newly opened 13-slide waterpark and a huge 32m lagoon pool that’s always heated to 28C.
When you need a break from water play, there are plenty of other activities to try — bocce, basketball and badminton are just the b’s! There are also endless experiences outside the resort, from Segway tours to crocodile safaris.
INFO: Deluxe Studio Apartments from $117 per night, adventurewhitsunday.com.au
GET SPORTY IN...
Victor Harbor
If you’ve got a budding Jason Day in the family or just fancy dusting off the old clubs yourself, McCracken Country Club is the spot for you.
Most rooms offer views of the fairways and there are both basketball and tennis courts for hotel guests to enjoy. If you want to get wet, you’re within easy reach of the kayak-friendly Coorong River.
Fancy some stand-up paddleboarding or a surf lesson? That’s all nearby, too. And should a seaside bike ride beckon, check out the Encounter Bikeway between Victor Harbor and Goolwa.
INFO: Two-bedroom apartments start from $230 per night, mccrackencountryclub.com.au
HIT THE BUSH AT...
Dandenong Ranges National Park
Less than an hour’s drive from Melbourne is this sprawling 3500ha national park, known for its misty forests, lush fern gullies and diverse wildlife.
Take your littlies on the 3km Living Bush Nature Walk to get up close with soft tree ferns and rosellas. Give your older kids an educational experience as well as a challenging one on the 1000-step Kokoda Memorial Walk — plaques along the way explain what it was like for our diggers in PNG in 1942.
If you’d rather explore the national park on two wheels, though, there are bike trails galore. While there’s no camping inside the park, there are myriad rentals, B&Bs and quaint guesthouses in the national-park towns of Olinda and Sassafras.
INFO: Free entry, parkweb.vic.gov.au
SNORKEL AT...
Rottnest Island
This island paradise is a short ferry ride from the mainland.
With no cars allowed, it’s best to explore the sandy coves and cuddly quokka population by bike.
You can hire bikes and snorkel sets, allowing you to stop off at one of the dozens of beaches and bays — the snorkel trails at Little Salmon Bay and Parker Point are outstanding. Accommodation ranges from cheap and cheerful to seriously luxe, but the self-contained Heritage Cottages are a good middle-ground.
INFO: Return ferry tickets and admission fees from $69 per adult; Heritage Cottage with four beds start from $123 per night, rottnestisland.com
* Additional reporting David Smiedt
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