Out & About with Kids - Issue #50 Spring 2016

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FAMILY | TRAVEL | HOLIDAY | LEISURE | ENTERTAINMENT

OUT&ABOUT

50

SPRING 2016

R R P $ 7. 9 5

KIDS

WITH

50 No.

28-page

HOLIDAY PARKS FEATURE PLUS

Fiji Tokyo Disney Fraser Island

New Column

THE GOOD LIFE!

YUMI STYNES

Solomon Islands • Central Australia • Kingscliff NSW • Diving in Indonesia with kids • NSW Coffs Coast

TODDLER TRAVEL

with Sue White

KIDS IN AMERICA

featuring Washington DC • West Coast USA • NY State • Missouri • Hawaii • Dallas Texas

tall peaks | deep canyon A P E A K 12,633 F E E T I N E L E VAT I O N A N D H I G H E ST P O I N T I N A R I ZO N A A C A N YO N 6,000 F E E T D E E P A N D G R A N D E ST I N T H E WO R L D

flagstaffarizona.org

G R A N D C A N YO N N AT I O N A L PA R K SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS

Out & About with Kids Print & Digital outandaboutwithkids.com.au Publisher Elisa Elwin elisa@oawk.com.au 0413 770 550 Editor Christine Kane christine@oawk.com.au Digital Content Manager Lisa Monk lisamonk@oawk.com.au

© iStock

Associate Publisher Richard Bunting rbunting@oawk.com.au 0424 138 806

S

pring is synonymous with new arrivals and new beginnings and the Out & About with Kids team has been busy behind-the-scenes creating a new look across our magazine, website and newsletter to herald this happy season.

Ever evolving in response to our readers’ suggestions and requests for specific family travel and leisure content, we’re delighted to unveil the colourful new outandaboutwithkids.com.au, chock-a-block with ideas and inspiration, in a fresh design that makes it even easier for you to find news, family holiday deals, helpful resources and traveller tips.

Not only has spring sprung online at Out & About with Kids, but within the pages of our magazine you will have noticed some changes too! Over the last few issues we’ve introduced you to our wonderful Toddler Travel regular columnist, Sue White (babieswhotravel.com) and, more recently, to contributor Julie Jones, who shares her valuable experiences and tips on accessible travel for families on her website havewheelchairwilltravel.net. In this issue we welcome our newest columnist, and travelling mum, Monique Von Tulder, whose blog (theurbanmum.com.au) focuses on luxury travel and lifestyle, and combining ‘the good life’ with kids, on holidays.

Including our long time regular contributor, the fabulous Yumi Stynes, these welltravelled mums have nine children between them, ranging in ages from one year to 18, sharing their own priceless, firsthand knowledge in Out & About with Kids – to help you make the most of every precious holiday and leisure opportunity with your family!

PROUD SUPPORTER OF

The Out & About with Kids team

Contributors Katie Cage Guy Dundas Julie Jones Kristie Kellahan Anne Majumdar Simon Mallender Craig Sheather Barry Stone Yumi Stynes Monique Von Tulder Sue White Cover: Discovery Parks Byron Bay Print Design Magnesium Media Print Art Director Louise Summerton Advertising Enquiries Richard Bunting rbunting@oawk.com.au 0424 138 806 Published by Elwin Media Pty Ltd ABN: 22 159 093 606

PO Box 4148, Balgowlah Heights NSW 2093 0413 770 550 Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the editorials are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher and Out & About with Kids. Information provided was believed to be correct at the time of publication.

Copyright © Out & About with Kids 2016 Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All reasonable efforts have been made to contact copyright holders. Out & About with Kids cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such items are to be sent to the magazine they will be returned.

outandaboutwithkids.com.au 2

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So Solomons,

So Different !

Explore the hidden paradise of the South Pacific, an archipelago comprising a vast group of 992 breathtaking tropical islands.

Feel the spirit of adventure and enjoy your own special piece of paradise - dive, fish, surf, hike, kayak or simply relax and discover a culture with a welcoming smile.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau PO Box 321, Mendana Avenue, Honiara, Solomon Islands call (677) 22442 or email info@sivb.com.sb

www.visitsolomons.com.sb www.facebook.com/VisitSolomonIslands

contents

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Holiday Parks Feature

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YUMI STYNES A fun run in Canberra with her two ‘big girls’ is all the excuse Yumi needs for a family getaway to the Capital. While her two babies enjoy soft toy play at cool cafes, and a giant fish tank, Yumi and the girls limber up for a ‘Running Party’, on a route that takes them past some of the city’s most famous landmarks.

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DID YOU KNOW …?

Stay up to date with the latest family travel news covering destinations and attractions in Australia and internationally, airlines and airports, cruises, luxury holidays, events, entertainment, and Queensland’s spectacular Fraser Island for families.

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FIJI NEWS What’s new in family-friendly Fiji?

The whole nation celebrates its firstever Olympic Gold win; more resorts re-open with gorgeous new-look features after Cyclone Winston damage; fantastic rescue program for endangered island wildlife; new Fiji travel app, and guess which family favourite resort is turning 50?

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TOKYO DISNEY RESORT 5 great reasons to visit Tokyo Disney Resort – and that’s just scratching the surface – discover the extra special celebrations here this year, right through until March 2017.

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© Active Holidays BIG4 Lake Conjola

WE REVIEW

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We stayed and played to bring you the lowdown on Holiday Inn Resort, Vanuatu; Ramada Resort Shoal Bay in Port Stephens, NSW; and the recently revamped Radisson Blu Sydney in the heart of the Harbour City.

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HOLIDAY PARKS FEATURE

28 pages!

Get ready for fun family adventure in the great outdoors with our Aussie Holiday Parks feature – includes the latest news from the Parks, diverse and unique locations, onsite and offsite activities and attractions, as well as camping and caravanning.

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© Guy Dundas

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Kids in America

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KIDS IN AMERICA FEATURE Our annual ‘Kids in America’ pages showcase a selection of US destinations that are jam-packed with kid-friendly delights. Discover the nation’s capital, Washington DC; the Missouri cities of St. Louis and Branson in the mid-west; Dallas, Texas; and heavenly Hawaii.

Explore attractions in New York State that will wow the kids, and take a road trip on the West Coast, with exciting pit stops at Disneyland Resort, LEGOLAND, and Universal Studios Hollywood!

88 Join our fabulous family contributors on their holidays to the unspoiled Solomon Islands; in picture-perfect Kingscliff on the NSW North Coast; to the Northern Territory and Central Australia; on Indonesia’s spectacular reefs for family diving; and to the Coffs Coast in NSW, one of the country’s most popular family holiday playgrounds.

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TODDLER TRAVEL Join our Toddler Travel guru, SUE WHITE, and Ollie, on a beachside holiday to Noosa, on Queensland’s glorious Sunshine Coast, with plenty of sand and (baby) surf action, day trips to toddler-friendly attractions and delicious dining to suit both palates; and check out the latest baby and toddler products for happy holidays with little ones.

Toddler Travel page 115

Family Traveller page 88 SPRING 2016 outandaboutwithkids.com.au

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YUMI STYNES Yumi takes her brood of four on another road trip – and this time mummy and the big girls are off to a fun ‘Running Party’ – getting out and about for some exercise in the nation’s Capital!

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TOP

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here are things a person should never confess in a magazine such as this …

1. On this holiday there were times when I wondered why I even left home. (We work so hard furnishing and making home nice. Why leave?)

2. I also wondered whether I had made a terrible mistake having so many kids. Two – maybe …? Four – OMG. Taking all four kids on a road trip from Sydney to Canberra seems like a good idea when you plan and book six months out. Then it’s like a fantasy or sweet little joke. You don’t picture the hours stuck in the car with screaming babies and the bigger children who frown endlessly into their phones, and terrible radio, and that sinking feeling when you realise that, in spite of all your years of experience as a parent, you’ve forgotten something crucial, like an epi-pen or the pet, or in our case, a credit card and baby wipes.

“Where are the wipes?” my husband asks me again, as if repeating the question might change the answer.

“Why would we need wipes with two babies on a 3-hour drive?”, I say. There’s an eruption of coughs.

“Why are we going to Canberra?” the teenager asks. She is killing sharks on a phone game and practising her sarcasm.

This is going to be the Best. Canberra. Trip. Ever.

My strongest Canberra memory is from a childhood excursion when one of my classmates became unwell on Day 1 and stayed sick the whole week. His name was Jeffrey, and something about Canberra just didn’t agree with him. The entire 5-day excursion was punctuated with him vomiting in and around different monuments, usually while the rest of us were eating lunch.

My family tries to visit every two years, and one thing I can confidently say about Canberra is that Canberra people are the staunchest hometown defenders in the world. They are nuts about Canberra. Even my husband Martin, who once lived in Canberra for two years, can’t bear to hear Canberra criticised. If you mention you can’t figure out the roads, locals will tell you, “It’s the most planned city in Australia.” If you tell a Canberran that you’re from Sydney, they say “Where in Sydney?” and then don’t listen to your answer because they’re too busy listing the attributes of Canberra, including great schools and hospitals.

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FOODS THAT GOT ME THROUGH BREASTFEEDING

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Macaroni cheese – what is better than carbs and cheese? Carbs and bubbly melted cheese.

Ricotta cannoli – no, I don’t make these myself!

(Shops were invented so experts could pipe fresh ricotta filling into these tubular bad-boys)

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Hot chips. In my healthier years I referred to chips as “Fat Sticks” because that is

Two babies, two teenagerslyongo awrroaongd trip – what could possib

Yumi warms-up ‘Running Party’ in Caprnbeerra essentially what they are.

One of the most fattening, unhealthy, delicious, crunchy salty yummy snacks ever invented by marvellous geniuses.

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Ben & Jerry’s.

Because Monaco

bars are impossible to find.

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Apples. Is it just me or did apples get super delicious the last couple of years? I always keep a few in the car and they avert road rage.

When in Canberra …

Toots Café, (Aqua Harmony Swim School) This is a homey little café with loads of kids toys that will keep them busy on a rainy day. The adjacent pool is for swimming lessons only.

4 Jenke Circuit, Kambah

CISAC – Canberra International Sports and Aquatic Centre

A huge complex with a fun waterslide and pools for little and big kids, this is a crowd-pleaser.

100 Eastern Valley Way, Bruce Fortunately, my children have no use for hospitals and (unfortunately) little use for school. They also don’t appreciate that you can almost always get a parking spot and you don’t have to schedule cross-town travel around peak hour.

“I could get used to this,” I think, as we sail into a plum parking spot at the local Westfield to pick up baby wipes.

(I later discover there are special parking spots reserved for medical staff, and it could be that at that moment we hit peak Canberra.)

Locals include beloved family and old friends who make us welcome, show us the cool places to go for

Anouk and Dee Dee at the Finish Line

breakfast, and the pick of the newest restaurants that have cropped up in the last few years. (If you ask, locals can usually point out politicians roaming around in their natural habitat. I don’t ask.) I’m still breastfeeding so keen to eat as much food in as little time as possible.

Here’s what health-conscious mums do when breastfeeding: They order the salad because it’s good for you and, therefore, good for the baby. Then they’re still hungry, so they order a large hot chips and a chocolate sundae and on the drive home there’s still a little pang of need so they eat a couple of KitKats before wiping up the chocolate smeared all over the hands and face if they remembered to bring the wipes…

Anyway, apart from seeking out calories and discovering that my husband had booked accommodation that did not include a bathtub but had a giant fishtank, one of the big things we wanted to do in Canberra was the Canberra Times Fun Run. I’m a sucker for a fun run and it seems to be the best way to get my daughters out and exercising. The 12-yearold loves collecting her medal at the end and the 14-yearold gets that it makes her feel good for the rest of the day.

We’ve helped our 2-year-old understand the idea of a fun run by naming them “Running Parties”. “Mummy’s off to a running party,” we say, and she understands immediately: it’s a gathering of people in a celebratory atmosphere with running!

The Canberra fun run is particularly glorious because it’s guaranteed to be a cracking sunny day and the run takes you past The Lodge, the Mint, yields a terrific view of Parliament House from State Circle and across a bridge over Lake Burley Griffin where, if you look left, you can see The National Carillon bells, before galloping (or limping) to the finish line.

Penny University

Hipster breakfast? Yes, please. Matcha smoothie, hot chips, fast service and even blankets you can borrow if it gets a bit cold.

15 Kennedy Street, Kingston

Westfield Woden

All the baby wipes you could possibly need! (Just don’t forget your credit card.)

Keltie Street, Woden

AIS – Australian Institute of Sport

Find your inner sports champion on a tour of Australia’s premier elite sports precinct.

Leverrier Street, Bruce experienceais.com/visit-ais

Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre

Fun, interactive, and relevant, the whole family can experience hands-on discovery – and entry is free for under 4s!

King Edward Terrace, Parkes questacon.edu.au

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Australia’s premier elite sports precinct

AIS TOUR SPORTS AND STUDENT CAMPS AQUATIC CENTRE FITNESS CENTRE

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ASC34602

GG ESPRESSO CAFE AIS SHOP

D I D Y O U K NO W...?

Did you know …?

New-look Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas One of Queensland’s most iconic beachside resorts, the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas, has recently completed a whopping $43 million renovation across all guest rooms, suites and public areas.

Located at the gateway to Australia’s World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, and enjoying a balmy year-round average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, Sheraton Mirage sits on beautiful Four Mile Beach and, following its massive makeover, also offers new Lagoon Edge Rooms and Lagoon Edge Studio Suites on the ground floor, with private balconies and direct access to the resort’s saltwater lagoon swimming pools. sheratonportdouglas.com

Holiday fun for the whole family with retro revival board games

The Circus comes to Sydney Opera House Roll up! Roll Up! Don’t miss this world-premiere event, CIRCUS 1903 – The Golden Age of Circus, bringing life-size ‘elephants’ to the Opera House in a jaw-dropping, turn-of-the-century circus spectacular suitable for all ages. The producers of the biggest-selling magic show internationally (The Illusionists) have teamed with the award-winning puppeteers of War Horse to present sensational puppetry on a never-before-seen scale, with the largest-ever performing African elephant (and her calf) leading a unique cast of the world’s most amazing and dangerous acts, including a cycle artist from Germany, French jugglers, a Russian rola-bola artist, Ukrainian acrobats, Mexican high-wire artists and a Brazilian knife thrower!

Across 11 days and 18 performances, CIRCUS 1903 - The Golden Age of Circus comes to the Opera House Concert Hall from 18-29 December 2016, before heading to Los Angeles and New York. sydneyoperahouse.com

Some of your favourite board games from childhood have made a ‘retro revival’, with a twist, so it’s time to challenge your screen-savvy ‘virtual’ kids to a ‘real time’ contest with mum and dad on your next holiday.

Yes, instead of tapping on a screen, you actually have to open a cardboard box to start playing, and once you do the fun is on! Icon of 1980s pop culture, Pac Man, must try and escape the four roaming ghosts in Pac Man Connect 4; in Monopoly you can choose from the uniquely-themed DC Comics, Ghostbusters, Thunderbirds or Doctor Who versions, either hanging out with Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman, dodging ghosts with your Proton Pack, playing Thunderbirds and undertaking daring International Rescue adventures or hopping inside a Tardis with the 11th Doctor!

The new range also includes themed Cluedo and Trivial Pursuit.

RRPs range from $30 to $60

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DISCO NOW VERY W 60 PA ITH RKS

MORE HAPPY CAMPERS

From the Kimberley to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and almost everywhere in between, Discovery Parks has a location for your next family adventure. Wherever you’re planning your journey, Discovery Parks understand there’s nothing like being immersed in the destination and provides all the facilities you need to make your stay memorable. Discover great new holiday experiences with a distinctly local touch in some of Australia’s most beautiful places.

DISCOVER MORE AT WWW.DISCOVERYHOLIDAYPARKS.COM.AU

D I D Y O U K NO W...?

Go on a Penguin Island Expedition!

From November 2016 SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium will become home to the world’s first-of-its-kind penguin exhibit where visitors can enjoy an up close encounter with a spectacular colony of King and Gentoo penguins.

Penguin Island Expedition is inspired by Macquarie Island - an Australian-owned island that lies in the southwest Pacific Ocean - and creates an explorer out of each and every guest, as they travel in a raft through a rugged, sub-Antarctic environment at a cool but comfortable 6 degrees Celsius, surrounded by penguins and a flurry of snow, whistling winds and the stunning southern lights.

Entry to Penguin Island Expedition – including daily feeds and talks from keepers and trainers – is included in the cost of general admission. sydneyaquarium.com.au

Family beach home named Great Outdoors Winner in 2016 Stayz Awards

A spacious, rammed earth home called ‘The Sanctuary’ has just been announced as the Winner of The Great Outdoors category in the 2016 Stayz Holiday Rental Awards – and it is perfect for a family beach holiday, including the family pet!

Aptly named, The Sanctuary is located

in the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula region of South Australia, and this peaceful and charming holiday escape sits right on the edge of Deep Creek Conservation Park.

The unique open-plan 3 bedroom house is warm and welcoming, and comfortably sleeps six people. Nature is literally on

the doorstep, with kangaroos grazing right outside the window, and birds chirping everywhere. Accessible picnic areas and safe beaches make this area ideal for the family holiday with bushwalking, snorkelling/diving and fishing for more adventure. stayz.com.au

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KBRV1248

With plenty of activities for kids of all ages, and countless ways to help the “big kids” relax, great family memories are made on Fraser Island.

When you’re ready to explore pristine rainforests and world-famous shipwrecks, Eurong Beach Resort is the ideal base for your four-wheel drive adventure.

There’s no end to the ways to spend your days at Kingfisher Bay Resort with water sports, guided-walks and the popular Junior Eco Ranger program packed full of fun activities.

Offering all the comforts of home and the ultimate beachfront address, you’ll have more fun and less stress with a family holiday on Fraser Island.

CHECK FOR HOT DEALS ONLINE

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kingfisherbayresortgroup.com.au or

1800 Fraser (372 737)

D I D Y OU K NO W...?

Did you know …?

Cruise Pacific Dawn dresses up for the New Year Pacific Dawn, P&O Cruises’ 2000-guest, Brisbane-based superliner, will have a brand new multi-million dollar look when she emerges from her dry dock in February 2017 – including a new stateof-the-art waterpark.

The ship’s public spaces, including the three-level ‘atrium’, Charlie’s, The Orient, and the Promenade Bar, will receive a makeover, and The Pantry, an international market place of fresh food outlets, will replace the traditional onboard buffet.

The refit comes as P&O prepares for its biggest year of Queensland cruising, with two ships – Pacific Dawn and Pacific Aria – sailing from Brisbane year-round, offering a record 108 cruises to Aussie holidaymakers in 2017. pocruises.com.au

The ‘Emerald City of Oz’ welcomes a Princess!

For the first time, the biggest ship in the Princess Cruises fleet – the spectacular 3082-guest Emerald Princess – will be based Down Under, sailing into the ‘Emerald City’ of Sydney on 15 November, ahead of her five-month long maiden season in Oz. (Sydney earned the nickname ‘Emerald City of Oz’, from the 1987 David Williamson play ‘Emerald City’) Stretching 290m, Emerald Princess features more than 1500 guest rooms, and every one of them boasts the new ‘Princess Luxury Bed’ for the ultimate sleep at sea!

Kids and teens will be constantly entertained onboard, with age-appropriate ‘centres’ featuring the latest video games and movies, arts and crafts, board games and jukeboxes, kids’ karaoke, pizza parties, pyjama nights and more. Mums and dads can enjoy the kid-free ‘Sanctuary’, and luxurious Lotus Spa, and dine out at SHARE by

High speed VOOM at sea

Curtis Stone, a stunning 125-seat restaurant with a mouth-watering menu designed by the awardwinning chef.

But Emerald Princess won’t have much time to enjoy her Emerald City home port during her debut 2016/2017 season, with 13 round-trip cruises scheduled from Sydney, to destinations in the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia. princess.com

Royal Caribbean has introduced ‘the fastest internet at sea’ across every ship in its worldwide fleet. VOOM lets guests share, stream and stay connected with high speed internet access across two package options. The ‘Surf’ package allows guests to surf the web, stay in touch via email and share photos on social media, while ‘Surf & Stream’ does all that and more, giving guests the option to stream via Netflix and Spotify, and connect using video chat apps like Skype. Each package is available for up to four devices. royalcaribbean.com/voom

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travel the south coast Holiday Haven Tourist Parks

Holiday Haven Tourist Parks like to provide your family with all the elements of a fun-filled caravan, camping or holiday cabin getaway.

Our 12 parks are located on the South Coast of NSW and just 2–3 hours’ drive from Sydney or Canberra.

Our Parks offer…

• Fully self-contained cabins • Shady powered campsites • Powered ensuite van/tent sites • Large RV sites* • Kids’ playgrounds • Kids under 5 stay free • Camp kitchens • Swimming pools

• Splash pads • Group accommodation • Easy access cabins • Holiday activities • Clean amenities • Jumping pillows • Internet access + WiFi • Beach, lake and river access

Note: Not all facilities available at all parks. Please check with individual parks

Relax. Enjoy. Explore.

www.holidayhaven.com.au

Kangaroo Valley Shoalhaven Heads Crookhaven Heads Currarong Beachside Huskisson White Sands Huskisson Beach Swan Lake Bendalong Point Lake Conjola Entrance Ulladulla Headland Burrill Lake Lake Tabourie

1300 559 977 1300 782 222 1300 733 026 1300 555 515 1300 733 028 1300 733 027 1300 555 517 1300 733 025 1300 133 395 1300 733 021 1300 555 525 1300 559 966

D I D Y OU K NO W...?

Did you know …?

Airlines & Airports

Break your flight to the US with a stopover in paradise!

Air Tahiti Nui has released a new combination fare, offering Australian travellers the ultimate way to travel to the United States, with a stopover in Tahiti one way and a seamless non-stop flight home.

The new Pacific Loop allows guests to depart Sydney, and stopover in Papeete, Tahiti, en route to Los Angeles, with the convenience and value of one airfare. The return journey is a swift non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Sydney with American Airlines. The journey can also be reversed. airtahitinui.com

Back in the air with daily flights between Melbourne & Canberra

A Happy Angel makes for happy flying!

As part of its ‘Sweeten You Up’ inflight service, Hong Kong Airlines has introduced a new dedicated service for parents, with a ‘Happy Angel’, onboard selected flights, who will help kids settle in their seats, brief parents or guardians about inflight safety guidelines and facilitate a priority meals ordering service. Children aged between 3 years and 11 years will also receive a Travel Journal and coloured pencils.

hkairlines.com

After five years, it’s good news for the people of Melbourne and Canberra with the announcement that Tigerair Australia is reinstating daily services between the two cities from 8 December 2016.

Flights will depart Melbourne at 10.30am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday and at 5.35pm on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Canberra to Melbourne flights will depart at 12.05pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday and at 7.20pm on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. tigerair.com.au

Sydney Airport goes Electric Blu Sydney Airport’s famous ‘Blu Emu’ Carpark has introduced an ‘Australian Airport first’, with the delivery of the first of six electric buses as part of a multi-million dollar initiative to replace its existing shuttle vehicles with environmentally-friendly Electric Blu buses. The state-of-the-art buses will eventually run the shuttle route between the T2/ T3 terminal precinct and the Blu Emu Car Park, and can make up to 100 transfer journeys on a single charge! Each bus can carry 70 passengers and features speciallydesigned luggage storage racks. sydneyairport.com.au/ Parking SPRING 2016 outandaboutwithkids.com.au

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DID YO U K NO W WITH M ONI QUE

THE GOOD LIFE …

Out & About with Kids welcomes our new regular columnist, Monique Van Tulder.

Show kids the world – go shopping!

MEET MONIQUE In the course of a fabulously full career in travel, this mum has been fortunate to have access to many of the world’s top destinations. Monique and her family, including two teenage boys, have experienced international cities, skiing, golf, resort beaches, and even shopping, together. Her advice and tips on ‘the good things in life’ are shared on her own luxury (family) travel site theurbanmum.com.au … and, as a coffee devotee, she knows where to find the best, around the globe!

Confession – I have never met a shop I didn’t like.

As such, I’ve concluded it’s less about the stuff and more about the thrill of the chase.

On my travels without kids, I’ve ended up with one leg of Sir Bob Geldof’s jeans found in a London Red Cross shop (my sister has the other leg), braved a night of howling snow in the Japanese Alps to seek out a 100 Yen (AUD$1) shop, and travelled through the streets of Johannesburg, in South Africa, by taxi, hunting down a specific art gallery.

“Why do you bother?” you might ask (as does my husband, for the record).

Well there are few better ways to absorb the culture of a country than shopping.

Miss the tourist traps and travel slowly through neighbourhoods – ditch the malls and find nirvana in the laneways … it’s where you meet the people.

“But what about the kids?”, I hear you sigh.

Admittedly, children and wandering slowly don’t tend to go hand in hand. However, I have a long-held theory; if you start kids early enough most things become the norm – languages, making beds, and shopping. The flip side of early introduction is that reluctant little shoppers turn into teens, and they only love to shop with you because they want your credit card. Once they have spent all your money, you’re left on the outside, window shopping!

So compromise, find something for you and your offspring (yes it might be in a mall) – follow my lead, I’ve managed to successfully show my kids the world ... of shopping.

TOKYO Little Shoppers At upmarket Ginza you’ll find Muji (with café & wooden play area), Uniqlo spread across 12 floors, and glamorous Mitsokoshi department store (head to the rooftop garden and take a ‘picnic’ from the foodhall). Ginza is also home to some of the city’s best Christmas lights, and it’s just a stroll to the Imperial Gardens if children need a run around.

TIP: Cars are not allowed in Ginza’s main streets between 12-5pm on weekends – perfect for ambling with families.

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Thumb’s up for great shopping, mum!

Teen Shoppers No trip to Tokyo is complete without visiting Don Quijote (or Donki as it is known). Let the teens go wild in this discount superstore that won’t cost you the earth (also try the 100 Yen shops in teen paradise, Harajuku). jnto.org.au

HONG KONG Little Shoppers Escape the Hong Kong bustle and hop on a bus to Stanley, a seaside village with beach, markets and plenty of food options.

TIP: Try and avoid the markets on weekends when they become crazy busy.

Teen Shoppers For a snapshot of local life, every visit to Hong Kong should include a trip on the Central – Mid-Levels Escalator, the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world (on Hong Kong Island). Look for shops that sell ‘Chops’ (a traditional stamp made with your name in Chinese Characters).

Alternatively, try designer Citygate Outlets - 40 minutes on the MTR from Central to Tung Chung. discoverhongkong.com.au

© iStock

Bike riding on Santa Monica Beach

Shopping selfie SYDNEY

LOS ANGELES

Little Shoppers

Little Shoppers

Boutique shopping in Double Bay – tire kids out at the harbour playground or jump on a ferry for a return trip to Watsons Bay. Then pop them in the pram, grab an ice cream and stroll the wide, flat footpaths.

TIP: Double Bay hosts Organic Food Markets every Thursday, with kids’ entertainment, including pony rides. sydney.com

Citadel Outlet mall is renowned for fabulous prices on fancy labels; you’ll discover enough to keep kids happy with a food court, Disney Store and Toys r Us. TIP: It’s easy to visit Citadel Outlet Mall on their Shuttle Bus. Purchase tickets online, or ask your hotel concierge. citadeloutlets.com

Teen Shoppers

Teen Shoppers

Harbourside Birkenhead Point, in Drummoyne, has plenty of outdoor spaces, eateries, and an EB Games. Outlets for Asics and Nike have good deals on sports shoes. birkenheadpoint.com.au

Santa Monica Place is where you want to be at sale time – for deals and celebrity spotting. Your teens can show off their new designer sneakers when they bike ride down at Santa Monica Beach. discoverlosangeles.com

Top Right: Tokyo shopping © JNTO

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CAIRNS | GREAT BARRIER REEF

Just 45 minutes from Cairns by Fast Cat, Fitzroy Island is nestled on a slice of tropical island paradise, positioned where the reef and rainforest collide. The 4 1/2 star resort is the ideal location for discovering the Great Barrier Reef, come for the day or stay overnight.

Ph: + 61 (07) 4044 6700 E: stay@fitzroyisland.com W: www.fitzroyisland.com

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Family Fun Package

Save

Enjoy some Family Fun on 20% Fitzroy Island with 3 nights in an Ocean Suite from $185 per room per night.

Book online using promo code ‘KIDS20’.

Applies to the One Bedroom Ocean Suite with use of Sofa Bed. Based on 2 Adults & 2 Children. Children are 13 years and under. Subject to availability. Valid until 30/05/17. Book via www.fitzroyisland.com using the promo code.

D I D Y O U K NO W...?

Did you know …?

LUXURY

Grand baby treatment at Grand Velas Enjoy the VIP Baby experience at Grand Velas properties in Mexico – massages, organic food, baby concierge, and, at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, the new ‘Special First Haircut’, that comes with plenty of pampering and a certificate celebrating baby’s milestone.

Little guests from 1 year to 3 years can also indulge in a 25-minute Sunrise Massage that has been designed to stimulate children’s senses, guiding them through a gentle and fun experience that focuses on textures and sounds.

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is a ‘Leading Hotel of the World’ and enjoys a privileged natural setting beside a long stretch of pristine beach, with a dramatic backdrop of the Sierra Madre mountains.

Five minutes from Playa del Carmen, the Grand Velas Riviera Maya offers the most sophisticated, ultra luxury all-inclusive resort experience in the Caribbean, with jungle and beach settings, and all Grand Velas properties include extensive family programs. grandvelas.com

VI-Kids, Babies and Teens in Mauritius In exquisite settings near Domaine de Bel Ombre, Heritage Resorts gives families the choice of three exceptional, luxury 5-star family holiday experiences – Heritage Awaili Golf & Spa Resort, Heritage Le Telfair Golf Resort & Spa and the private pool villas, Heritage The Villas.

Once you’ve unpacked, VI-Kids is waiting to welcome your children across three distinctly different age-appropriate clubs including Timomo Bay for 0-2 year olds, Mini Tomomo for 3-6 year olds and Kids Tomomo for 6-11 years. Youngsters 1217 years get their own ‘Cool Teens Club’, a dedicated space open from 8.30am-

11.30am daily, with cool video games, cool hangout areas, cool juice bar, swimming pool, sunbeds, beanbags, pool and ping pong, a Wi-Fi Zone, cool climbing wall, musical instruments, fitness centre, iPod dock, Apple TV, DJ Booth and cool dance floor, all under the supervision of dynamic activity leaders and professionals. Each kids club offers something unique and special including day trips and custommade food, picnics and Mauritian cultural activities for the older ones, and beautiful baby products and amenities for tiny tots. heritageresorts.mu SPRING 2016 outandaboutwithkids.com.au

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Your cool home base for the Nation’s Capital 69 Canberra Avenue Kingston ACT 2604 | easthotel.com.au

relax the mind and spoil the senses in our luxury oceanfront penthouses and apartments mooloolaba’s only 5 star beachfront resort

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“A mother can manage to drink her cappuccino while the foam is still hot ...”

– that’s the promise of Martinhal Family Hotels & Resorts founder, Chitra Stern, made to mums (and dads!) staying at any of the four unique, family-friendly, luxury Martinhal properties in Portugal. Two new properties have opened in 2016, including the Martinhal Lisbon Cascais, perfectly situated for families to explore the Cascais/ Sintra/Guincho area (including Guincho’s beaches), while dipping into the hustle and bustle of central Lisbon, one of Europe’s most popular city-break destinations. Children (from 6 months to teens) enjoy their own luxurious, 700 sqm Kids Clubhouse.

The other new opening this year, Martinhal Chiado, was heralded as ‘The World’s first city centre, elegant family hotel.” Set in the heart of Lisbon, between Largo de Camões and Cais de Sodre, the property consists of 37 family apartments, with onsite Kids Club, fun family café, and extended evening hours for kids to experience Pyjama Club while parents dine out in the city!

All Martinhal Properties boast a Baby Concierge Service, offering the convenience of prearranging essential equipment needed for baby, to ensure that everything from bottle sterilisers to baby gates, potties and more, is ready and waiting in-room on your arrival. martinhal.com/cascais/en/ martinhal.com/chiado/en/

Red Carpet roll-out for little guests at Cape Grace In a thoughtfully-created experience that makes children feel super-welcome from the moment they arrive, the luxurious Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa, situated right at the familyfriendly V & A Waterfront, rolls out the red carpet for kids.

Children receive a personalised check-in service and a welcome gift bag filled with surprises, and will find colouring-in and activity books, children’s gowns and various bathroom amenities waiting for them in their room.

The outdoor heated pool area has been re-imagined to make it feel as if you are on a boat, the Spa has a kids treatment menu, children’s meals are plentiful and varied, and there’s always activities to enjoy including gingerbread man painting and story time in the library with African stories. Plus some of Cape Town’s best family attractions are only a stone’s throw away. capegrace.com

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SKI STEAMBOAT & WINTER PARK

SKI STEAMBOAT & WINTER PARK, COLORADO USA

• EARLY BIRD DEALS: UP TO 40% OFF HOTELS & APARTMENTS • NEW MID-WINTER PASS: UNLIMITED SKIING JAN 1 – FEB 17 ADULTS AU$807 • KIDS 12 YRS & UNDER SKI AND RENT FREE WITH ADULT PURCHASE

BEST PRICE POLICY!

GREAT SKI PACKAGES WITH LIFTS

2 BEDROOM APARTMENT 7 NIGHTS STAY WITH 7 DAYS LIFTS FROM

$1286*

STEAMBOAT GRAND, STEAMBOAT 1 BEDROOM APARTMENT 9 NIGHTS STAY WITH 9 DAYS LIFTS FROM

$2448*

PER ADULT SHARE FOUR

MUCH LESS FOR KIDS!

STEAMBOAT + WINTER PARK

1 BEDROOM APARTMENTS 14 NIGHTS STAY WITH ROUTE 40 PASS FROM

PER ADULT SHARE TWO

ADD UP TO 2 KIDS FREE INCL LIFTS, TO 12 YEARS!

$3196*

PER ADULT SHARE TWO

ADD UP TO 2 KIDS FREE INCL LIFTS, TO 12 YEARS!

BOOK NOW for great ski airfares to Colorado! *Based on travel February 2017. Early bird and other conditions apply. Prices valid as at 15 September 2016.

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Contact us for a FREE

World’s Best Ski SPRING 2016 Holidays brochure outandaboutwithkids.com.au

Call 1300 754 754

TPN4232

TRAPPEUR’S CROSSING, STEAMBOAT

email ski@travelplan.com.au visit www.travelplan.com.au

Offices in Sydney and Melbourne. ATAS Accreditation No: A10479.

D I D Y O U K NO W...?

Did you know …?

Ski Steamboat & Winter Park, Colorado USA Enjoy unlimited skiing at North America’s #1 family resort, Steamboat, and Colorado’s longest continually operated resort, Winter Park, with the new Midwinter Pass – and Kids Ski Free!

Both Steamboat and Winter Park have incredible snow, mountain terrain, natural beauty, dining, activities and local charm for a

perfect, and affordable, family holiday. The new MID-Winter Pass is priced at AUD$807 and includes one child free per adult purchase, valid 1 January 2017 to 16 February 2017.

Contact TRAVELPLAN SKI on 1300 754 754, or visit travelplan.com.au

Upgrade Family Time with a Hawaiian Holiday Make a splash on your next family holiday to Hawaii by staying with Aston Hotels & Resorts for the perfect home away from home in an upscale serviced apartment resort, with tons of value. Look forward to separate living and dining areas, fully equipped kitchens and must-have amenities for families on the move.

On the lively island of Oahu, Aston Waikiki Beach Tower is located directly across from Waikiki Beach. Book a ‘Picnic and Play’ package and enjoy a $75 credit to Tucker & Bevvy for a fresh picnic lunch after a morning of discovery with admission for four to the Honolulu Zoo. After exploring this urban playground return to your spacious suite where the kids can unpack their Diamond Bakery Hawaiian fun totes while the adults unwind. If Maui is calling, with its variety of active pursuits matched with a leisurely island pace, stay at the Aston Mahana at Kaanapali, where all of the oceanfront suites boast floor-to-ceiling windows to soak in the views and ensure you never miss a spectacular sunset or breaching whale. The famous Kaanapali Beach is just steps away. astonHotels.com

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DI D Y OU KNOW...?

Fancy a family-friendly holistic wellness island escape?

Club Med Bintan Island, (which is in Indonesia, but only a short ferry ride from Singapore), re-opens on 27 November 2016 after undergoing a magical makeover that has seen the whole resort re-imagined as a family-friendly holistic wellness escape!

The wellness theme extends to the multiple Kids Clubs, for tiny travellers through to teens (aged 17 years), offering dedicated, ageappropriate activities including circus school, a petit chef program, sand painting and cultural experiences like tie-dyeing. There’s also family yoga by the sea at sunrise and sunset, stand-up paddle boarding and twilight trapeze.

Catering to Australian tastes for holidays that combine stunning settings with pampering and wellness, the resort offers families jaw-dropping natural beauty; unique experiences for body and mind; and delicious, healthy cuisine – served with a side of authentic Indonesian culture.

Bintan Island, formerly known as ‘Pirate Island’, has a rich history thanks to its location along the India-China trading route – in the 12th Century it was a hideout for smugglers and pirates who plundered treasures from passing ships! clubmed.com.au

‘Green’ apps help holidaymakers protect the planet

Angel Wings across LA Renowned Los Angeles street artist Colette Miller has been busy creating a majestic piece of art - unveiling her contribution of a pair of Angel Wings at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in August, as part of the Global Angel Wings Project that launched in L.A. in 2012. Designed to uplift, inspire and remind us of our shared humanity, the Global Angel Wings Project has become a worldwide sensation, particularly on social media, with people flocking to take selfies in front of all manner of creative wings, produced by a range of artists, in and around LA. discoverlosangeles.com/blog/discoverglobal-angel-wings-project-los-angeles

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Increased awareness of our ‘environmental footprint’ has seen many of us seek out the best ways in which we can each do our part, at home and when we travel, to protect our planet. A testament to this growing global awareness is the rise of eco-tourism and voluntourism holidays. Rechelle Coombes, the founder of Socielle, an Australian sustainable retailer across beauty, fashion and homeware products, has created her own list of Top 5 ‘Green’ apps for travellers.

“Forget the maps, travel books and paper itineraries – monitoring your CO2 emissions, finding sustainable accommodation and identifying organic rest stops is all just an app away,” says Rechelle.

Green Globe helps you find sustainable hotels, resorts, cruise ships and tours, with photos, videos and links that allow you to book travel directly.

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Green Travel Choice can track your CO2 emissions whether you’re driving a car, riding a motorcycle, taking the bus or flying.

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CO2 Emissions Calculator estimates the emissions used during air travel. Travellers select the airports they are using, the class of travel and number of passengers, and the app shows the carbon footprint and distance travelled during the trip.

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The Goodguide allows users to find healthy, safe, and socially responsible consumer products.

By photographing the bar code on food, household, and pesonal care items, as well as toys, users can see information from scientific research and ratings.

Look for these apps at iTunes for Apple and Google Play for Android. socielle.co

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DI D YOU KNOW...?

Did you know …?

Events Alice Springs Christmas Carnival

Darwin Symphony Orchestra – Master Series 4 “Babe”, NT

In this 21st anniversary special event, conductor Matthew Wood brings to life the adventures of family favourite character Babe, the pig who stole our hearts 21 years ago on his quest to “become” a sheepdog. Held at the Darwin Darwin Symphony Convention Centre on 10 December Orchestra 2016, the Darwin Symphony Orchestra will perform Nigel Westlake’s stunning film score.

Tickets range between $20-$99.

Visit northernterritory.com and search Events in Darwin

Hello Koalas Art Sculpture Trail – Port Macquarie, NSW DECEMBER 2016 Alice Springs Town Council Christmas Carnival, NT Alice Springs Council Lawns and Todd Mall will come alive with Christmas cheer on 2 December 2016 for the Alice Springs Town Council Christmas Carnival; brimming with musical acts and street performers that create a uniquely Australian holiday experience.

Wander through the variety of market stalls to kick off your Christmas gift shopping, with a wide selection of artisan crafts on offer, and enjoy cuisines from all over the globe. Relax on the lawn with the family and enjoy the fireworks that wrap-up the evening.

5pm-9pm Free Entry Visit northernterritory.com and search Events in Alice Springs

Don’t miss the opportunity to see large-scale koala sculptures dotting the Port Macquarie landscape, from the mountains to the sea, on the Hello Koalas Public Art Sculpture Trail. Originally slated until 2015, the great news is that that the Trail has been supported to continue as a long-term attraction for NSW. You might see one resting in parkland, lazing on the beach or waiting outside the shops! The koala sculptures are made of fibreglass and hand painted and decorated by celebrity artists, professional artists and community groups.

Celebrate one of Australia’s iconic animals - the koala - and the outstanding work of the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital - the first facility in the world solely dedicated to care and conserve the koala, based in Port Macquarie. hellokoalas.com

Symphonic Santa – Kiddies Cushion Concert 2016, Brisbane Join Jay Laga’aia and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra for a special musical tribute to the festive season for little ones, with sing-alongs, traditional trimmings and Santa! QSO Kiddies Cushion Concerts are the perfect way to introduce young children to the sights and sounds of a full symphony orchestra.

Two shows daily 2 and 3 December 2016.

Tickets are $17, and FREE for children 18 months and younger. qso.com.au

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Hello Koalas Stoney at Billabong Zoo

© Tamworth Regional Council

Woodford Folk Festival - Prayer Wheel

If you’re heading off on holidays, check your destination tourism website ‘What’s On’ and ‘Events’ calendars before you leave home, for special family activities you can participate in during your stay.

Kids Concert at Tamworth

JANUARY 2016 Parkes Elvis Festival 2017, NSW Wollongong Museum Trail, NSW Learn more about Illawarra’s rich history via the Wollongong Museum Trail, on the second Sunday of each month. Explore the Black Diamond Heritage Centre, Illawarra Light Railway Museum, Balgownie Heritage School Museum, HARS Historic Aircraft Museum, Mount Kembla Heritage Centre, The Australian Motorlife Museum, Breakwater Battery Museum, and the Illawarra Museum. Download the Wollongong Museum Trail brochure from the website before you set out. lostwollongong.com

Woodford Folk Festival, QLD The annual family-friendly Woodford Folk Festival takes place on 200ha of land behind the tiny township of Woodford on the Sunshine Coast, on an eco-friendly site that is also home to tree-filled campgrounds, butterfly walks, ponds and wildlife. Held over six days and six nights from 27 December -1 January 2017, the packed program includes concerts, dances, street theatre, writers’ panels, film festival, comedy sessions, acoustic jams, social dialogue and debate, folk medicine, a children’s festival, an environmental program, art and craft workshops, circus performances, late-night cabarets, parades and special events including a spectacular fire event. woodfordfolkfestival.com

The fabulous Elvis Festival is celebrating 25 years of hipswivelling rock ‘n’roll in January, with a special Viva Las Vegas theme, a nod to one of The King’s most popular films – ‘Viva Las Vegas’, released in 1964! Jumpsuits are coming out of wardrobes and rhinestones are being polished in expectation of 20,000+ festival-goers for the five-day extravaganza 11-17 January 2017. Concerts, competitions, busking, dancing and a super Street Parade are just some of the highlights of one of the most fun, annual family festivals in regional NSW! parkesfestival.com.au

AUSTRALIA New South Wales visitnsw.com Victoria visitvictoria.com Queensland queensland.com/events

Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth 2017, NSW It’s Australia’s biggest Country Music Festival, held in the country music capital of Tamworth, NSW from 20-29 January 2017. Over 10 days, 700 artists will be performing across more than 2,800 events. At the dedicated ‘Family Zone’ precinct, there’s plenty of fun to be had on rides and at shows the whole family will enjoy, plus entertainment just for kids. Every day of the festival brings thrills and excitement with events including Toyota Star Maker (which has uncovered some of our best known country music artists over the years), Tamworth Strongman contest and Queen of Country Music Quest. The sheer size, scale and awesomeness of the family-friendly Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth 2017 will be hard to top! tcmf.com.au

Gold Coast, Queensland visitgoldcoast.com Sunshine Coast, Queensland visitsunshinecoast.com South Australia southaustralia.com ACT/Canberra visitcanberra.com.au Western Australia westernaustralia.com Tasmania discovertasmania.com.au Northern Territory travelnt.com

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Did you know... that the world’s largest sand island is in Australia?

H

ow lucky are we to have the stunning World Heritage-listed Fraser Island - with its 120km beach highway, rainforests that grow in sand, freshwater swimming lakes, and fabulous native wildlife - so close to home, in Queensland (just off the coast of Hervey Bay)?

Out & About with Kids readers voted Fraser Island Australia’s Best Camping Spot in our 2016 Best of Family Travel Awards, while the island’s amazing, awardwinning, eco-friendly Kingfisher Bay Resort offers non-camping families an alternative holiday experience in this pristine part of the world, with a choice of beautiful rooms and villas and a huge range of fantastic family-friendly activities. Did you know …

Kingfisher Bay Resort holds nine Advanced Ecotourism Certifications from Ecotourism Australia for its tours and accommodation, and took its place in the Queensland Tourism Awards Hall of Fame after winning the 2006 Steve Irwin Ecotourism Award!

What can your family do, see and experience on a Fraser Island holiday? The answer is: SO much, and even more! Here’s just a taste of the adventures that await you at Kingfisher Bay Resort …

understand a little bit more about Fraser Island’s World Heritage-listed wilderness and its animals. You might learn about Bush Tucker and Bush Medicines, Indigenous culture and Fraser Island’s dingoes; mangroves, astronomy and more. They will even take you on a tour of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s important eco initiatives including the worm farm, herb and native food gardens and the ‘poo farm’!

ENJOY TOGETHER

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Get to know Resort Rangers Resort Rangers conduct a series of complimentary walks and talks to help you

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Design your ‘island day out’ on a 4WD tour Get your bearings and soak up the unbelievably diverse landscape of Fraser Island with the resort’s Rangers. Travel across the sand on a customised, guided 4WD tour that takes in sights and experiences your family will love! Look out for the blue lakes tucked into sand dunes that stretch as far as the eye can see, and stop for a swim on a hot Queensland Day; wander along crystal-clear streams that meander through the island’s forest; explore the wilderness and wildlife together on an off-road track. Pre-order a resort hamper and picnic in a favourite spot.

Try paddleboarding Experience the family fun of standup paddleboarding. Head to the resort’s watersports hub, the Jetty Hut, then take to the water together and enjoy the views!

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Or paddle a canoe!

Set out with an experienced Ranger on an easy paddle from the Jetty to stunning Dundonga Creek. Feast your eyes on the sea birds and birds of prey, plus fish, rays, turtle, dolphin or dugong that happily share the space with you as you paddle through the calm waters.

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Explore on a Segway PT adventure Take the Family Package (2 adults and 2 children) and join the resort’s Rangers on a one-hour eco-adventure across the sands of Kingfisher Bay with the fleet of green machines - Segway Personal Transporters.

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Go night-spotlighting for nocturnal native wildlife On this Ranger-guided night walk you can turn the spotlight on rare acid frogs and insectivorous bats as they go about their nightly business around the resort’s lakes.

You could also spot Sugar Gliders as they trapeze their way through the trees and identify the animals behind the rustles in the wallum or down by the water’s edge.

As darkness falls, Fraser Island’s natives come out to play under the starry sky ... you never know quite what you’ll see!

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Pump for yabbies, hunt for Solider Crabs and go fishing at 75 Mile Beach!

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Opposite from top: Family Segway adventures

Play Laser Skirmish Get the family together, with an experienced instructor, and unleash your inner warriors in a fun session of Laser Skirmish with no paint, no pain and no limits, suitable for children 7 years and over.

Play Laser Skirmish Paddle a canoe!

Above: Kingfisher Bay Pier

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Cool down and splash about in the resort’s four pools!

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Bring out your inner Robin Hood Families (children 10 years and over) can test their individual and collective archery skills in a fun bow-and-arrow experience in the wilderness.

And so much more …

• play cricket, beach volleyball and soccer on the beach • be a beachcomber and search the sands for shells (and treasures!)

• enjoy a friendly game of tennis • pick a family board game from the resort’s great collection • go on a whale watching cruise (August-October) and see majestic humpbacks at play • discover some of the wonderful feathered residents of Fraser Island on a bird-watching expedition

Become a Junior Eco-Ranger Try the low ropes course; go canoeing; make sand sculptures; enjoy beach and bush walks and learn about mangrove colonies and intertidal zones; hear Aboriginal stories and sit around a campfire cooking damper and toasting marshmallows; go spotlighting; play games with environmental themes; experience awesome stargazing! (Weekend and school holidays programs for kids 5 years to 14 years.)

Resort Ranger Blog kingfisherbayresort.blogspot. com.au

More info QantasLink operates daily flights from Brisbane to Hervey Bay (40 minutes).

Virgin Australia operates direct services from Sydney to Hervey Bay (90 minutes).

Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Passenger Ferry service departs from Hervey Bay/ River Heads for Fraser Island daily. visitfrasercoast.com kingfisherbay.com kingfisherbay.com/ things-to-do.html

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.com.au For the best family travel deals, latest news, tips, blogs and competitions visit Out & About with Kids website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. www.twitter.com/OAWK2 www.facebook.com/oawkids www.pinterest.com/oawkids outandaboutwithkids

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D I D Y O U K NO W...?

Did you know…?

Fiji S

everal of our favourite family resorts are celebrating their recent re-openings, following extensive repairs and makeovers as a result of damage sustained when devastating Cyclone Winston came to town in February this year.

Ready to welcome an influx of spring guests again, Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, one of the most renowned holiday destinations in the South Pacific, re-opened on 1 September 2016. The iconic eco-luxury resort has been restored to its former splendour and further enhanced to feature a new dedicated spa and refreshed design elements and furnishings across its guestrooms (bures) and suites, plus an expanded pier, updated swimming pools and more.

“We are overjoyed to welcome guests back to our Fiji home,” said Bart Simpson, the resort’s general manager. “All of the things our guests have come to love about the resort are still here – including spectacular experiences, the understated natural luxury, and our same beloved staff – and now guests can appreciate new enhancements, too.” fijiresort.com Also open for business on 1 September 2016, after a seven-month closure, is the luxurious Vomo Resort, with changes to roofing, joinery, air conditioning, the main kitchen and landscaping as well as a makeover of Reception. Plus, the

island has also unveiled two stunning new beachfront 3 and 4 bedroom private residences, available for nightly or weekly rental, each with its own swimming pool! vomofiji.com

Castaway Island Fiji Resort has been welcoming guests back since 1 June 2016, following a three-month renovation that included upgrades to fourteen of the island’s 65 bures, and to the outdoor kitchen that services the resort’s awardwinning 1808 ‘feet in the sand’ restaurant.

Now Castaway has another reason to celebrate, marking its 50th birthday this year! Fifty years ago workers began clearing scrub with bush knives, and building bures on this small island called Qualito, acknowledged as one of the most beautiful in the Mamanucas.

Guests who stay at Castaway during the month of November 2016 will be treated to celebrations, with cocktails, cultural events and festivities and the gift of a complimentary commemorative Castaway sulu (sarong).

“We have several staff who have lived on the island for over 30 years. Castaway Island is their home and our guests are their family. As we approach our birthday, we remain dedicated to creating lasting holiday memories for our guests and a tranquil home for our hosts for another 50 years,” said resort general manager Steven Andrews. castawayfiji.com

From top: Castaway Island Fiji Resort © Matt C Bauer Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji VOMO Resort Fiji

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Rescuing endangered iguanas on Malolo Island

Top: Iguanas discovered on Malolo Island are released after being tagged with a microchip. © Mamanuca Environment Society

Above: Steve Anstey with rare Malolo Island Iguana. © Deborah Dickson-Smith, Diveplanit.com

FREE Fejee Traveller App

Nadi-based Rosie Holidays has launched its new Feejee Traveller App, Fiji’s first-ever mobile digital app. The app is FREE to download from the AppStore for Apple device users and from Google Play for Android.

So precious and delicately-balanced is the ecosystem that supports the flora and fauna on Malolo Island in the Mamanucas, that sightings of the native Malolo Island Iguana have been a rare thing. However, guests of beautiful Malolo Island Resort might soon be lucky enough to come across one of these rare crested Brachylophus vitiensis, thanks to the fantastic initiatives of Ahura Resorts Group (Malolo Island Resort and Likuliku Lagoon Resort).

Adam Clause, a research specialist from The University of Georgia (USA), has been on the island studying, tagging and releasing the handful of endangered iguanas held for research and breeding purposes. It is hoped that the continued success of the programs will increase the native iguana population on the island. Adam’s work on Malolo also included a detailed analysis of its tropical dry forest areas that are classified as one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet.

Ahura Resorts’ Group general manager, Steve Anstey, says the resort company is proud to be fulfilling its legal and moral responsibility to ensure the environment is not degraded through irresponsible activities and practices. “... operating in a pristine, sensitive environment such as ours, with ocean and coral reefs on one side and land flora and fauna on the other, we fully recognise the importance of sustainable tourism,” he says. Happily, the commitment to the preservation of the iguanas and the forest vegetation on Malolo Island and at Malolo Island Resort is ongoing, in partnership with US Geological Survey, Taronga Zoo, San Diego Zoo Global and the Mamanuca Environmental Society. maloloisland.com

Even more happiness across Fiji with first Olympic GOLD! There were celebrations throughout the nation, and a public holiday declared, with the news of Fiji’s sensational first-ever Olympic Gold at Rio in August.

Fiji’s Rugby 7s beat Great Britain 43-7 in a nail-biting match that cemented Fiji’s status as the world’s top rugby nation.

Carlah Walton, regional direct of Tourism Fiji Australia said the historic win reminded the world “… that happiness can find you on our beaches, in our turquoise waters, through the smiles and welcoming Bula of our people, as well as on the Rugby pitch.”

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DID YOU KNOW...?

5

Bursting onto the scene in 1983 as the first Disneyland to be built outside of the United States, Tokyo’s top theme park has since reinvented itself as the Tokyo Disney Resort. Infused with all the wonder, excitement, rides and shows for which Disney is renowned, Tokyo Disney Resort also includes a great selection of Disney-themed hotels and the unique Tokyo DisneySea, which celebrates its grand 15th anniversary in 2016.

So if you’ve been considering taking the kids to experience a Disney theme park, here are five reasons why the Tokyo Disney Resort should be at the top of your list, and why there is no time like the present.

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It’s a whole Disney world

When Disney first established itself in Japan, the theme park almost completely mirrored Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom in the United States. But over time it has hugely expanded and evolved into a world within itself, including two different theme parks (Disneyland and DisneySea), the shopping, dining and entertainment area of Ikspiari, and four separate Disney-themed hotels (plus a

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few independently-owned ones).

They’re known collectively as the Tokyo Disney Resort, and everything is conveniently connected by the Disney Resort Line monorail.

So not only are there endless hours of rides and Disney-themed shows to ignite your family’s imagination, with all the classic Disney characters for the kids to meet, but you can eat, sleep and shop within the Tokyo Disney Resort.

All images © Tokyo Disney Resort

Reasons you should visit Tokyo Disney Resort!

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Tokyo DisneySea is celebrating “The Year of Wishes” This year marks the 15th anniversary of Tokyo DisneySea’s official opening, and they are celebrating in grand style with “The Year of Wishes”.

The DisneySea Park is a really unique addition to the Tokyo Disney Resort, inspired by the legends and myths of the sea.

Come face-to-face with Aladdin on the Arabian Coast or delve under the sea into the world of Ariel in the Mermaid Lagoon.

Experience the eye of a storm in the futuristic Port Discovery’s “StormRider” or go on an Indiana Jones-style adventure in the Lost River Delta.

Right through until March 2017, the theme park will be adorned with coloured crystals, symbolising the dreams we all have for the future, and infusing Tokyo DisneySea with a renewed sense of hope and excitement! There’s also a brand new selection of shows and fireworks displays bringing the message to life.

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There’s a new Disney hotel

Designed specifically for families, and right on the doorstep of the theme parks, the Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel has just opened its doors. The hotel is the fourth Disney hotel in Japan and features 702 colourfully-themed rooms that the kids will absolutely love. With a free shuttle bus to get you right into the thick of all the action, you will also benefit from guaranteed park admission and the option to sneak in 15 minutes before the park’s official opening time.

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You can shop, dine and stock up at Ikspiari Dubbed as a ‘town filled with

fairy tales and entertainment’, Ikspiari is a large shopping mall and cinema complex, located right near the entrance of the Tokyo Disney Resort.

Disney-affiliated shops and independent retailers can be found across its nine themed zones, as well as a 16 screen “Cinema Ikspiari” complex where you can see Disney’s latest flicks.

If you’re staying at one of the nearby Disney resorts, Ikspiari is a great place to eat (or get a coffee fix!), with a food court that offers a wide range of options at prices that are highly reasonable. You will also find pharmacies stocking medication and toiletries, so you don’t need to venture out of the Disney complex if you don’t want to.

The Ikspiari Mall has a relaxed ambience and if you have a night flight, it’s also a great spot to hang out for a few hours after checking out from your hotel.

You can now 5 book everything in English!

Up until very recently, booking a holiday online at the Tokyo Disney Resort was a little challenging, with limited information available in English. Since March 2016, the Tokyo Disney Resort’s website has been completely revamped so that you can purchase two or three day “Tokyo Disney Resort Vacation Packages” in English. Multi-day passports for both Disneyland and DisneySea are also available through the website, along with hotel rooms, and special benefits (including show tickets, meals, fast-track entrance and free Disney goods).

There really is no time like this year to experience, firsthand, why one of Japan’s most established familyfriendly destinations is still one of its best.

More info Fly there with Japan Airlines (JAL) au.jal.com/aul/en Tokyo Disney Resort tokyodisneyresort.jp/en Tokyo Disney Resort Vacation Package reserve.tokyodisneyresort. jp/en

Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel disneyhotels.jp/english/dch/ index.html Japan National Tourism Organization jnto.org.au

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Holiday Inn Resort, Vanuatu Location Vanuatua is just 3.5 hours flight time from Sydney, and Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu is a true tropical oasis located mere minutes from the capital, Port Vila. Spanning magnificently over 1.5ha, this South Pacific resort offers exclusive lagoon frontage and unspoilt landscapes, as well as a vast array of indoor and outdoor activities to suit all ages.

Accommodation The resort boasts 148 well-appointed rooms with either pool or garden views, all within strolling distance of the beach. For those looking to treat the family, look no further than the terrific family suites. With a private King room for the grown ups and an interconnecting Banyan treehouse-themed room for kids, these suites are the ultimate in family accommodation.

If you’re after something more private, you can’t beat the seclusion of the Resort Overwater Villas. With dedicated family and couples zones, you can enjoy some quality time with the troops, or a romantic tropical getaway, with direct access to the lagoon on the resort’s private Erongo Island.

Why we stayed there Balance … Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu gave us the best of both worlds, with a range of activities at the resort, and in town, plus the opportunity to lie by the pool or lagoon and just relax. Everything you could possibly want is at your fingertips.

Activities An abundance of activities will keep the whole family entertained at Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu. Before the luggage had even reached our room, master eight had found his way to the complimentary Totel Kids Club, conveniently located next door to the day spa!

The kids club stays open until 9.00pm and provides a range of activities such as arts and craft and games, and gives children a glimpse into the Vanuatu culture. The evening disco

was also a big hit!

We spent much of our time around the lagoon pool and splash park – a kids’ paradise.

The pool overlooks the private beach where you can enjoy a wide variety of on-water activities at your leisure, including kayaks, paddleboards and catamarans. For novices like us, the activities team were more than happy to help out and teach us the basics. Equally, if you’re looking to stay dry, the resort crew loves a game of beach soccer or volleyball and if you want a little grown-up time, there is also a gym overlooking the water as well as a picturesque nine-hole golf course.

OAWK Tip: The kids discos run a few times a week from 6.30pm, keeping the younger set thoroughly entertained while you enjoy some quiet time or a romantic dinner!

Explore The resort is ideally located just a short drive from town, where you can enjoy a great range of local experiences. A highlight for us was the Reef Cruise, where we explored the stunning aquatic life in a glass-sided boat, and enjoyed a secluded snorkelling session in the pristine waters. Master eight also loved

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our visit to Eden on the River that, true to its name, was bursting with stunning natural splendour. Eden provides a great variety of eco-tours, however, we couldn’t go past the bridge climb experience, which took us across a series of bridges suspended over a stunning tropical riverscape. The experience ended with a zipline to the banks, where we then floated on a tube in the crystal clear water.

OAWK Tip: Be sure to take time to explore Port Vila during your stay and, in particular, take a walk through the Port Vila Market, abundant with fresh local vegetables and flowers – it’s also a great place to get the kids’ hair braided.

Food and Beverage From the open air restaurant that overlooks the spectacular and expansive grounds, to the poolside bar with its amazing woodfired pizzas and delightful cocktails and mocktails, there is food to suit all. And no need to worry about the kids either, as Holiday Inn has partnered with Nutrition Australia to create a complimentary kids’ menu featuring flavourful and playfully

presented dishes that appeal to the big imaginations of little ones.

OAWK Tip: Each Thursday night Holiday Inn Resort holds a spectacular fire show, right on the beach. Head down early for the best seats and enjoy one of the speciality wood-fired pizzas – the Vanuatu Special is a must.

- Reviewed by Katie Cage

Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu Tassiriki Park, Port Vila P: +678 22040 E: reservations.vanuatu@ihg.com vanuatu.holidayinnresorts.com

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Radisson RadissonBlu, Blu,Sydney Sydney Location Situated on the corner of Pitt, Hunter and O’Connell Streets in the Sydney CBD, this recently refurbished 5 Star hotel has the city and her glorious harbour right on its doorstep, making it the perfect base for a family break in the heart of Sydney. Housed in the old Fairfax building, Radisson Blu offers a slice of Sydney history.

Accommodation With 336 guest rooms and 28 suites, the new blue décor, and touches of chrome and silk, is elegant and edgy, and each room offers deep baths, and showers with exclusive amenities.

There’s also a gym and steam room with an indoor heated spa and swimming pool.

OAWK Tip: For a quieter night, ask for a peaceful room on the upper floors away from the busy city noise.

Activities Within easy walking distance of Sydney’s most popular attractions and sights including The Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, the historic Rocks area and the glorious Botanical Gardens. Just minutes away, train transport via Wynyard Station and iconic Sydney ferries from Circular Quay make it easy to explore beyond the city.

Food & Beverage A fantastic buffet breakfast is served daily in

the historic Lady Fairfax Room. Every fussy eater is catered for and the hotel specialises in gluten-free fare.

Our visit started with a celebratory High Tea - the gluten-free variation option for my daughter, and a fun Distiller’s High Tea for me. Sweet and savoury treats were beautifully presented, mine paired with three of the Archie Rose spirits range, including Radisson Blu’s specially-blended gin, aptly named ‘Out of the Blu’. Radisson Blu Sydney has regular High Tea offers, and special occasions such as birthdays and Mother’s Day are always popular. Make

sure you book to reserve your place.

OAWK Tip: You might like to consider booking a babysitter and enjoying adult time at the resident two-hatted Bentley Restaurant and Bar. 24-hour room service is a great option to keep the kids happy, whilst they watch a movie in the luxury and comfort of your room.

Check online for specials including the “Family Getaway Package” that includes daily breakfast, kids’ goodie bag, an in-room movie and kids’ snack (applies to families with children 12 years and under).

- Reviewed by Elisa Elwin

Radisson Blu Sydney 27 O’Connell Street, Sydney P: +61 2 8214 0000 radissonblu.com/en/plazahotel-sydney

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Ramada Resort Shoal Bay

Location Ramada Shoal Bay is situated in one of the beautiful bays of picturesque Port Stephens, an easy 2.5 hour drive from Sydney, a 40 minute drive from Newcastle Airport, or a 9 hour drive from Brisbane.

you wish. The rooms that OAWK inspected when we stayed were all clean, spacious, comfortable, and well-presented. The friendly team at the Ramada encourage prospective guests to call and discuss their room needs ahead of their stay.

Accommodation The resort is made up of four separate buildings that each have an uninterrupted outlook across to the beach. There is a variety of room types to suit all family sizes, many with peaceful and relaxing views to the waters of Shoal Bay. As with some of its sister Ramada properties, Ramada Shoal Bay has a fully-equipped kitchen in select rooms, allowing you to self-cater if

Activities The resort has its own beach pool (with sand leading into it) with a kids pool for the little ones. Additionally, there is a 25m indoor lap pool and three mineral spas for total relaxation. Like many coastal destinations in Australia the action often happens outside the resort itself. Port Stephens has many outdoor activities to be experienced, and the council has built a

safe and long network of bike paths, so hire a bike at the Ramada or byo! Spend time exploring, going for walks or taking a dip at a different beach each day.

OAWK Tip: Treat the family to one of the cruises run by Moonshadow Cruises. We were lucky enough to have an afternoon on a Dolphin Watching cruise.

Moonshadow offers multiple cruises out into the bays every day and, while there are no guarantees, you are very likely to see pods of dolphins. Further offshore, in-season, there’s a good chance you will spot whales on the Whale Watching cruise. moonshadow.com.au Food & Beverage You will find ample places to dine out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With four restaurants/cafes aligned to the resort you can choose from a delicious fine dining experience at Catch at Shoal Bay, a family pub meal at the Port Stephens Country Club, and a satisfying breakfast at the Sandyfoot Café. During busier times the SeaRock @ Shoal Bay restaurant and bar is also open for meals and drinks.

OAWK Tip: Enjoy a family dinner at Catch - friendly staff, fantastic food, and they cater for kids. My recommendation: “Put some Pork on your fork” and try the Pork Belly. You won’t be disappointed, I certainly wasn’t!

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Recommended Visit Find your way to Anna Bay and Birubi Point Surf Life Saving Club and you will be at the starting point to Port Stephens 4WD Tours. The Worimi Conservation Lands (Stockton Bight Sand Dunes) cover 4,200ha … 1,800ha of which is forest, as well as 32km of the longest moving sand dunes in the southern hemisphere*.

The team from Port Stephens 4WD Tours has been around for many years, and has won numerous tourism awards for their tours over these iconic sand dunes.

Friendly, professional, eco aware and with one goal - everyone who joins a tour has to

enjoy themselves! We loved sandboarding, and it was a definite highlight not only for us, but also our fellow bus passengers. portstephens4wd.com.au *Source: portstephens.org.au

Did you know Captain Cook named Port Stephens after sailing past on 11 May 1770. He did so in honour of the Secretary of the Admiralty – Sir Phillip Stephens. The first ship to enter Port Stephens was the Salamander, a ship of the Third Fleet, in 1791.

- Reviewed by Richard Bunting

Ramada Shoal Bay 35-45 Shoal Bay Road Shoal Bay, Port Stephens NSW 2315 Australia Phone: 1800 18 18 10 Email: reservations@ramadashoalbay.com.au

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GetawayS the whole family wilL Love Bring back the great east coast road trip with pocket-friendly camping, cabin and caravan stays.

Book now Visit nrmahp.com.au or call 1300 414 448 Treasure Island, Gold Coast | Darlington Beach | Myall Shores | Ocean Beach Sydney Lakeside | Murramarang Beachfront | Merimbula Beach 42

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Holiday Parks Feature It’s time to start planning a family getaway for the coming summer school holidays – and what better place for relaxation, adventure and fun than one of Australia’s fabulous resort-style Holiday Parks?

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very one of them is nestled in a prime position that takes best advantage of the surrounding beaches, lakes, rivers, dams, mountains, rainforest, national parks, farmland and countryside or outback. Seaside towns, historic towns, charming and quirky towns, and attractions – natural and man-made – all wait for

your arrival! And in the Parks themselves, activities and entertainment choices are seemingly endless, facilities are first class, accommodation is awesome and the holiday vibe is everywhere.

Too numerous to name them all … we’ve picked a few Holiday Parks in each state to whet your appetite …

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POOLS, SLIDES & MORE

KIDS’ ACTIVITIES

?

E M I T T I T ’ N IS Let the kids do all the running around.

Imagine a holiday where everything you need and want is all in the one place. Kids’ activities are just a stroll away from your cabin or campsite, and finding a way to relax is easier.

From splash pools to kids’ clubs, it’s all here for you to get a real break too. With 180 locations around Australia, the perfect family getaway is now within reach. If you’re thinking about getting away from the grind and taking that well-earned break, ask yourself a simple question – isn’t it time?

CREATURE COMFORTS Let’s get connected

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IT VOUR IA’S FA L A R T AUS

BIG4.com.au Isn’t it time you visited?

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South Australia

Marion Holiday Park, Adelaide Location: Nestled among 200-year-old red river gum trees, Sturt Creek, and Wetlands, Marion Holiday Park has a relaxed country ambience, just 12km from the city.

BIG4 Stuart Range Outback Resort, Coober Pedy Location: With opals and great sunsets in abundance, this unique Outback Resort is 8.5 hours’ drive from Adelaide, and 7 hours from Alice Springs and Uluru, making it the perfect outback oasis for families travelling through the region.

Accommodation: Poolside apartments, lagoon units, bungalows, retreats, cottages and caravan sites and campsites

Accommodation: Cabin/apartments and camp sites – befitting the outback setting, sites are gravel/dirt and, since water is a precious commodity in Coober Pedy, there is no water hook up, however, the Park has a water dispenser that lets you top up your tanks and all the water in the park is suitable for drinking.

Activities for kids: > New 45m lagoon pool > Waterpark, multiple pools plus Toddlers Pool > Playground > Games Room > Huge jumping pillow > Indoor tennis courts Something Special: Stay in the contemporary, architecturally-designed Retreats, with 2 bedrooms (each with flat screen TV), 2 bathrooms (including a luxurious spa), charming creek setting and private deck, gas log fire, fullyequipped kitchen and a delicious continental breakfast welcome basket on arrival. big4.com.au/marion

Activities for kids: > Playground > TV room > Nostimo Pizza restaurant > Bus tours of Coober Pedy and the Breakaways, daily from April to October Something Special: Coober Pedy is famous for producing some of the world’s most beautiful opals. The unique underground “dugouts” of Coober Pedy are a highlight of any visit, and guests of the resort have the opportunity to visit underground homes and businesses, and underground churches. Shopping is quirky and diverse with a range of opals, art galleries and local aboriginal cultural pieces. big4.com.au/stuart-range

BIG4 Port Willunga Tourist Park Location: This relaxing park is situated on South Australia’s lovely Fleurieu Peninsula, an hour from Adelaide and 10 minutes from the famed vineyards of the McLaren Vale. Walk to stunning beaches renowned for swimming, diving and surfing, and enjoy delicious local seafood and wine!

Accommodation: Cabins (including Deluxe), the OzShack, Spa Unit and camping and caravan sites Activities for kids: > Swimming pool > Big chess board > Playground > Games Room > Giant jumping pillow > Tennis court Something Special: Take a day trip to stunning Kangaroo Island, just 45 minutes from Cape Jervis on the Kangaroo Island Ferry.

Try the Park’s special style of ‘Glamping’ – in an OzShack! These modern, wooden single-room tents even come with two chairs and an esky! big4.com.au/port-willunga

Above from top: BIG4 Port Willunga Tourist Park - Fleurieu Peninsula old jetty Marion Holiday Park dump bucket BIG4 Port Willunga Tourist Park glamping OzShacks BIG4 Stuart Range Outback Resort

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Western Australia

Above from left: Feeding the animals at Taunton Farm

BIG4 Middleton Beach Location: Sheltered by the calm waters of King George Sound in Albany, BIG4 Middleton Beach Holiday Park is located on 500m of world class beach frontage offering safe swimming, surfing, kite surfing, fishing and whale watching in season.

BIG4 Beachlands Holiday Park, Busselton Location: Set in the beautiful Margaret River Wine Region and central to the many attractions of the south west of Western Australia, Beachlands is only 3.5km from the iconic Busselton jetty and town centre.

Accommodation: Cabins, chalets, villas, campsites

Accommodation: Cabins, chalets, villas, campsites and caravan sites

Activities for kids: > Kids Club daily in summer > Playground > Games Room > Theatre > Solar-heated pool and Toddlers’ Pool > Bike Hire > Walking tracks

Activities for kids: > Daily kids activities > Cruiser bikes and Pedal Karts > Giant jumping pillow > Theatre > NEOS - the latest and greatest in play equipment and a splash and play zone with heated pool and Toddlers’ Pool > Library > Playground

Something Special: Stay in The Beach House, twostorey luxury cabins that sleep up to eight people, with 3 bedrooms, flat screen TV/DVD, private courtyard and balcony, fully-equipped kitchen, spacious living area, reverse cycle air conditioning, BBQ, and amazing views. big4.com.au/middleton-beach

BIG4 Middleton Beach BIG4 Beachlands

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Something Special: Stay in a fabulous fully self-contained Jacuzzi Bungalow, with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and your own Jacuzzi on the private rear deck. BONUS: Beachlands will deliver hot, baristamade, locally-roasted Yahava Coffee to your cabin every morning! big4.com.au/beachlands

Taunton Farm Holiday Park Location: Taunton Farm is a farmthemed park right in the heart of the beautiful Margaret River wine, food, nature, and surf region of Western Australia. Explore nearby caves, wineries, beaches, whale watching and much more, and return to feed the farm animals!

Accommodation: Quirky country rustic cabins and new superior Family Cottages, all located within a working farm Activities for kids:

> Feed the animals at 5pm daily > Go Karts > Movies under the stars > Bouncy pillow and playground > Ice creams and milkshakes at the

Margaret River Dairy Co next door

> Kids activities

Something Special: This lovely, rural holiday park is actually a farm set in rich vineyard country, and the perfect place to relax under a peppermint tree while the kids feed the farm animals and the sausages sizzle on the barbecue! big4.com.au/taunton-farm

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Tasmania

Northern Territory

BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park Location: The perfect urban escape, BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park is a sprawling 6.5ha elevated city retreat boasting stunning views of Launceston and the Tamar Valley, just 2km from Launceston CBD and only 10 minutes from the airport.

Accommodation: Cabins, villas, caravan sites and campsites Activities for kids: > Wildlife viewing > Playground > Giant jumping pillow > Library > Free Wi-Fi Something Special: Discover Launceston’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant Georgian streetscapes at the head of the picturesque Tamar Valley. Explore the city’s abundant natural attractions, including the spectacular Cataract Gorge Reserve, beautiful parks and gardens, walking and cycling trails. big4.com.au/Launceston-holiday-park

Below: BIG4 Launceston City View villas BIG4 Launceston City View Villa living room

BIG4 Katherine Holiday Park Location: Stretching across nearly 18ha of parkland, this holiday park sits 5km west of Katherine, off the Victoria Highway, in a region renowned for a variety of wildlife, abundant bird life, Nitmiluk Gorge and Katherine Hot Springs.

Accommodation: Cabins (including Deluxe), Safari Tents, caravan sites and campsites Activities for kids: > Huge pool with spa > Fishing > Wildlife viewing > Aboriginal culture and art > Internet Something Special: Take the time to explore this special part of Australia - wander across the road to the Low Level Nature Park and Katherine River, throw in a rod and relax; browse the Katherine Railway Museum, view the fine collection of Aboriginal art at Katherine Art Gallery, relax in the Katherine Hot Springs or gain an insight into the workings of a cattle station with a visit to the historic Springvale Homestead, built in 1878. big4.com.au/Katherine

BIG4 MacDonnell Range, Alice Springs Location: Just 4km from Alice Springs and from the East MacDonnell Ranges, this is the perfect base from which to explore Australia’s Red Centre.

Accommodation: Villas (including Deluxe), cabins, rooms, caravan sites and campsites Activities for kids: > Two new swimming pools with swirly waterslide plus Toddlers Pool > Two jumping pillows > BMX track > Pedal Kart and Bike hire > TV & Games Room > Half basketball court > Adventure playgrounds Something Special: Between April and September, BIG4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park is renowned for its Free Entertainment program including Pancake Breakfast every Sunday morning, ‘Star Talk’ on Tuesday nights, ‘Bush Ballads’ on Wednesday nights, a Wildlife Slide Show on Friday nights and the Didgeridoo Show every Saturday night! macrange.com.au

Above from left: BIG4 MacDonnell Ranges water slide BIG4 MacDonnell Ranges pedal go karts BIG4 Katherine glamping

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Did you know …?

Holiday Parks NSW Crown Holiday Parks in settings for maximum serenity!

Holiday parks at Eden and Bermagui, set amid secluded, unspoiled beaches with crystal-clear landscapes of ocean, and wild national parks are perfect South Coast spots for families to relax on a caravanning or camping adventure. southcoastparks.com.au

Images: Copeton Waters Holiday Park © Inland Waters Holiday Parks

Families seem to be busier than ever with the day-to-days, so making precious time for relaxing and reconnecting together on affordable and fun holidays is fast becoming a family priority. Did you know that the NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust (NSWCHPT) group has 35 holiday parks and boutique accommodation – across north, south and inland NSW – that provide those ‘together’ holiday destinations for families?

North Coast Parks span from Brunswick Heads on the Far North Coast through to Jimmys Beach and Hawkes Nest Beach in the Greater Newcastle Region. northcoastholidayparks.com.au

Situated on the shores of dams that resemble giant lakes, these inland parks offer amazing boating and water sport locations, some of the best fresh water fishing in Australia, and a chance to reconnect with nature, and each other, on incredible walks and hiking trails. inlandwaters.com.au

Luxury family safari tents at new BIG4 Rivershore Resort, Sunshine Coast, now open!

Overlooking the beautiful Maroochy River on Queensland’s sun-sational Sunshine Coast, the new BIG4 Rivershore Resort is a spectacular park that offers everything from campsites to luxury glamping. Go for the luxury option, with 13 king safari tents and two family safari tents, equipped with en suite bathrooms, stunning claw-foot baths and kitchenettes, or choose one of the 80 spacious camping and caravan sites.

The park also offers a vast range of great onsite activities and facilities including a café/restaurant and bar, large heated pool complete with two waterslides, spacious picnic areas, a mini-golf course, kayak/canoe hire, bike hire and more, and with patrolled beaches and the township of Maroochydore just minutes away, a holiday at Rivershore Resort has it all! rivershore.com.au

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Did you know …?

Big4 Water Parks & Water Slides

What’s new across Australia’s BIG4 Holiday Parks?

© BIG4 Great Lakes Park (NSW)

Did you know that many BIG4 Holiday Parks offer terrific Kids Clubs, dedicated kids play rooms and facilities, and a range of other fantastic and fun activities to keep the kids busy over school holidays?

This round-up of some of the newest and best activities from across the network of 180 BIG4 Holiday Parks, illustrates the diversity, imagination and excitement waiting for families at every BIG4 destination during the school holidays.

Across the BIG4 Parks some great new water features have arrived! Check out, BIG4 Townsville Woodlands (QLD) new waterpark, complete with two tipping buckets and water slides. (Sorry parents, these are just for the under 13s, so you can’t join in the colourful fun!)

Likewise, BIG4 MacDonnell Range (NT) has just unveiled its new swirly waterslide and brand new pools. BIG4 Tweed Billabong (NSW) is also showcasing a new waterpark and BIG4 Merimbula Tween Waters (NSW) has serpents and slides for hours of fun. BIG4 Inverloch (VIC) has an indoor waterpark, perfect for cooler Victorian days outside of summer. big4.com.au

At BIG4 Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort (QLD) there’s a new ‘mini coconuts’ 0-6 indoor playroom, and BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens (VIC) has a brand new Games Room equipped with fussball, a train set and an Xbox 360. BIG4 Beacon Resort’s (VIC) CoutaKidz Central is a dedicated activities space, and BIG4 Bellarine (VIC) offers kids fitness classes in their ‘fit’ facilities.

For an outdoor playroom with a twist, BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort (QLD) has a new animal park where the kids can get up close and personal with Rachel the pig, Bruno the cow, alpacas, sheep, chickens and ducks. Feed the animals daily at BIG4 Taunton Farm (WA), and kids can handle snakes and lizards in the special reptile display at Beachcomber Coconut Holiday Park (QLD).

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BIG4 Bright (VIC), Sydney Lakeside (NSW), Discovery Parks-Emerald Beach (NSW) and Harrington (NSW) have daily programs of kids activities, including movies under the stars, trivia, bingo, crafts and even chocolate and pizza making workshops, while at Active Holidays Lake Conjola (NSW), the nightly ‘Lake Conjola’s Got Talent’ contest is a real hoot! BIG4 Saltwater @ Yamba (NSW) has sand castle building activities with an expert sand castle builder, and Active Holidays Soldiers Point (NSW) hosts the ‘Amazing Jonathon Show’.

BIG4 Apollo Bay Pisces (VIC) has recently installed a Modular Pumptrack, to provide a safe and adventurous environment for kids to ride their bikes and scooters. BIG4 Traralgon Park Lane (VIC) challenges the kids with its high adventure ropes course and laser tag, while BIG4 Wangaratta North Cedars (VIC) has a brand new kids playground, and there’s a new obstacle course at BIG4 Taggerty (VIC). Discovery Parks Gerroa (NSW) has added a 9-hole mini golf course and, in the summer school holidays, BIG4 Karuah Jetty (NSW) will bring out its amazing Zorb balls!

© BIG4 Karuah Jetty (NSW)

Play Rooms and Animal Adventures

© BIG4 Cairns Coconut Resort (QLD)

Kids Clubs, Entertainment and Exhilaration!

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Did you know …?

Adventure Whitsunday Winning Whitsunday Resort keeps the tropical adventures coming BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, in Queensland’s Airlie Beach, is set on 10.5ha of botanic-like gardens and is just a hop-step-andjump to Australia’s marine crown – the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.

Did you know this family-friendly tropical holiday park was the Winner of the 2015 Queensland Tourism Award for ‘Caravan and Holiday Parks’? In fact Adventure Whitsunday has over 35 major tourism awards to its name.

Constantly evolving and adding facilities and activities to thrill both new guests and the many regular returning families, the big news is that opening in early 2017 will be an exciting super-fantastic water park! That’s on top of the brand new Animal Park with over 20 friendly resident animals. Guests can hold, pat and feed these cute farm animals at scheduled times throughout the week.

The Park’s activities are tailor-made for kids big and small, and include jumping pillows, tennis court, outdoor cinema, go karts, 18-hole mini-golf, creative, jam-packed weekly Activity Guides full of fun and games, and extra fun and entertainment programs, including Kids Club and Toddler Time, during the school holidays.

Families love the scope of quality accommodation options at Adventure Whitsunday - from budget to spare-noexpense, you can find something suitable for a single family holiday, or bring the whole clan – grandparents, aunts and uncles and friends – and share camping sites, multiple villas or luxurious three-bedroom apartmentstyle condominiums. Cabins are self-contained, beautifully decorated and squeaky clean. Every cabin has its own balcony and is set among lush mini rainforests of palms, fragrant shrubs and rock gardens, for a private and tranquil retreat.

Head out and explore the nearby attractions Airlie Beach has to offer. The Park’s friendly staff will be happy to help you with insider lowdown and tips, organise a picnic, and point you in the right direction for jetski tours, sailing, beautiful beaches (including famous Whitehaven Beach) and trips to the Great Barrier Reef! adventurewhitsunday.com.au SPRING 2016 outandaboutwithkids.com.au

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Discovery Holiday Park Byron Bay Location Discovery Holiday Park Byron Bay is located only 2km from the relaxing Byron Bay town centre at 399 Ewingsdale Road.

The nearest airport is Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, a 35-minute drive from the holiday park. The park is a little under two hours’ drive from Brisbane City, 45 minutes from Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta, and an 8.5 hour drive from Sydney CBD. Accommodation The park offers 18 different accommodation options with powered and unpowered sites, budget cabins, villas, newly-opened and superbly finished Safari Tents, and the very impressive Duplex cabins. The Duplex cabins are perfect for all combinations of guests, including holidays with grandparents and family friends.

Out & About with Kids stayed in the Duplex cabin, and it was impressive.

The cabin can be booked to individual guests as two separate villas, however, the opportunity exists for you to share the entire villa enabling the kids to have one half and the parents to retreat to the other. Alternatively, relatives or friends could stay in one half of the cabin. The Duplex is made up of one villa with a double bed (roll out can be ordered for a third bed) and a second 2 bedroom villa with a double bed, and 2 x bunk beds (4) All in all the duplex sleeps 8.

OAWK Tip: Book your trip to Discovery Holiday Park outside peak periods to get great rates and your safari tent or villa of choice.

Activities Inside the park you will find a variety of activities to keep the kids busy jumping pillow, waterpark, school holiday activity programs and plenty of open space.

While the park is set up so you can have days of family fun without ever leaving, Byron Bay itself offers a huge range of activities for families to enjoy, including

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taking a dip and catching a wave at some of the stunning beaches in the region, and exploring the beautiful hinterland. Visit Australia’s most eastern point, Cape Byron.

Tours of the lighthouse are operated by National Parks, and from the vantage point at Cape Byron you can view pods of dolphin and, in-season, grab a birds eye view of whales migrating up the coast. You could say you will have a ‘Whale of a time!’

need to cook up a storm. The Safari Tents have modern BBQs and there are common BBQ areas that service families staying in cabins and villas.

Enjoy a lazy breakfast and twilight dinners while the kids are still running about and playing at the new, amazing waterpark. There is a café at the main entrance for snacks, coffee and some everyday items.

Food & Beverage All cabins, villas and safari tents are set up for you to self-cater, with all the necessary utensils and kitchen appliances that you’ll

Recommended Visit For a special breakfast or lunch, head to The Farm. This well-known restaurant is set on a working farm and has expansive

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grounds where you can see the chooks that lay the eggs and where the produce is grown. As it’s a working farm it offers unique experiences you won’t find at any city restaurant or café. The Farm runs a program called Farm Kids and we suggest you get in touch with the restaurant to learn more about the program. thefarmbyronbay.com.au Water Fun Discovery Holiday Parks has invested heavily in the Byron Bay Park and officially opened its new $3 million-dollar waterpark, ‘Byron’s Barrel’, in June 2016.

OAWK didn’t actually brave the water during our stay, but it certainly ticked the ‘awesome’ box with features including jets, a massive barrel dump, water slide, slippery dip and more. If you need one last incentive to visit Discovery Byron Bay this is it. You won’t be disappointed.

Did you know …?

Captain Cook named Cape Byron in 1770.

The Byron region has over 30km of beach frontage and the beaches closest to the town are patrolled.

- Reviewed by Richard Bunting

Discovery Holiday Park Byron Bay 399 Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay NSW 2481 P: 1800 039 512 E: byron@discoveryparks.com.au discoveryholidayparks.com.au/nsw/north_coast/ byron_bay/

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Victoria

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BIG4 Bellarine Holiday Park Location: One of Australia’s newest holiday parks is situated in Marcus Hill, a rural area in the City of Greater Geelong, on the Bellarine Peninsula, where you’ll also find one of Australia’s most iconic coastal routes – Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.

Accommodation: Units, Vineyard Suite, enormous camp sites Activities for kids: > Swimming Pool plus Toddlers Pool > Giant Jumping Pillow > Board Games and Toy Room > Water Playground and Adventure Playground > Movies Something Special: BIG4 Bellarine Holiday Park has been custombuilt, with love, for families with young children - with an indoor water complex, new fitness centre, a BMX track, cinema room, a flying fox, an indoor toddler play room, an adventure playground, full size football goals, a 1.2km walking track, soccer goals, croquet lawn, a tennis court, a coffee bar and much more, in a beautiful holiday location. .big4.com.au/Bellarine BIG4 Bright Holiday Park Location: Situated on the Ovens River in Bright, in Victoria’s Alpine region, near the popular ski resort of Mount Hotham, BIG4 Bright Holiday Park is a great base from which to discover the parks, gardens, history, heritage and towns in the Ovens Valley.

Accommodation: Villas (including luxury Treetop and Riverside Villas), units, cabins, caravan and camping sites.

Activities for kids: > Kids activities and entertainment > Indoor games and board games > Playground > Storytelling > Wildlife Viewing > Just 200m from Bright Water Splash Park Something Special: Depending on the season you visit, park outdoor activities can include anything from watersports and cycling to skiing and tobogganing! This region of North East Victoria is famous for its gourmet food, cool climate wines and breweries and, during the warmer months, Bright explodes with colour, festivals and events. big4bright.com.au

BIG4 Beacon Resort, Queenscliff Location: At the entrance to Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula, 90km SouthWest of Melbourne’s CBD, BIG4 Beacon Resort is surrounded by a national marine park.

Accommodation: Villas, cabins, apartments, The Beach House, and sites for caravans and camping Activities for kids: > CoutaKidz Activity Program, daily > Swimming Pool > Toddlers Pool and Toddlers Playground > Games Room > Giant jumping pillow > Bike hire, basketball, tennis court > Treasure Hunts and ‘Red Faces’ competitions Something Special: The Beach House sleeps up to 12 people and provides contemporary accommodation in a private, fully enclosed yard with carport, courtyard and BBQ area, with everything you could possibly want on your holiday right at your fingertips! Recently upgraded, the Resort’s 2 bedroom Villas have been refurbished with a ‘city style by the beach’ feel, using contemporary furnishings and original artworks, and including brushed stainless steel appliances.

Relax at the Resort’s very own Mud Day Spa, and try pilates and yoga classes at the newly-opened Fitness Studio. big4.com.au/beacon

BIG4 Wye River Holiday Park Location: Set in a lovely riverside valley with koalas in the trees, the beach at your doorstep, and the Great Ocean Road leading you to some of Victoria’s most remarkable scenery.

Accommodation: Units (including Family and Deluxe), powered sites for caravans and campers, and the luxury Beach House Activities for kids: > Adventure playground > Movies > Seasonal Kids Club > Games Room > Sandcastle competitions > Bike hire Something Special: Grab extended family and friends and check into the recently renovated, luxury Beach House that sleeps up to 10 people. With everything at hand, the whole family will love holidaying in this spacious house with a fantastic deck and an outdoor setting, BBQ and ocean views. The Beach House also has a Wii and Foxtel! big4.com.au/wye-river Opposite top: Cricket at BIG4 Beacon Opposite bottom: BIG4 Bellarine 3 bedroom interior Kids fun at BIG 4 Beacon BIG4 Wye River Beach House kitchen Top: BIG4 Bellarine Go Karting Cabin at BIG4 Bright

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Kid’s Club Daily Activity Schedule Outdoor Cinema Luxury Cabins Landscaped Sites Over 15 Onsite Activities Multi Award Winning Reservations 1300 640 587 reservations@adventurewhitsunday.com.au www.adventurewhitsunday.com.au Shute Harbour Road - Airlie Beach

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Queensland BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park Location: One of the big pluses of this holiday park for families is its Gold Coast location – with sun, sand and surf across multiple beaches, bustling Surfers Paradise and, of course, proximity to all of the theme parks!

Accommodation: Cabins, Villas, Bungalows, Motel Suites and caravan sites and campsites Activities for kids: > Swimming Pool and waterslide > Inflatable trampoline > Tennis Court > Seasonal Kids Club Something Special: Check into a private and secluded Family Cabin, set in lush tropical gardens in a quiet corner of the park for a total holiday getaway. Spacious Family Cabins sleep up to six people and are kitted out with free Wi-Fi and a pod Espresso machine. big4.com.au/gold-coast-holiday-park

Sunshine Coast Holiday Parks Families LOVE Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast and return year after year for kilometres of beautiful beaches, the lush hinterland, the laid back holiday vibe and, of course, the sunshine!

Pick your destination and kick back at one of these fun, fabulous and family-friendly Holiday Parks – Dicky Beach, Mooloolaba Beach, Maroochydore Beach, Cotton Tree, Mudjimba Beach and Coolum Beach. sunshinecoastholidayparks. com.au

Top: Coolum Beach © Sunshine coast Holiday Parks

Left: BIG4 Gold Coast dining Pedal cart fun at BIG4 Bowen Coral Coast Beachfront Holiday Park

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H OLIDAY PAR KS

Left: Rowes Beachfront Townsville Kids Playground Below: NRMA Treasure Island BIG4 Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort

BIG4 Cairns Coconut Resort Location: Holiday in the true Queensland tropics and enjoy everything the Cairns region has to offer – including famous attractions like the Kuranda Scenic Rail, 4WD tours to the Daintree National Park, trips to the Great Barrier Reef and loads of wildlife encounters.

Queensland

Accommodation: Cabins, Luxury and Spa Villas, Condos, Units, campsites and caravan sites

Rowes Bay Beachfront Holiday Park, Townsville Location: Rowes Bay Beachfront Holiday Park in Tropical North Queensland sits on a premier location in Townsville, offering a beautiful beachfront outlook with picturesque views of Magnetic Island, only a short distance from the popular Strand and the city centre.

Accommodation: Cabins, Villas (including Deluxe), campsites and caravan sites Activities for kids: > Saltwater Pool and Kids Area > Playground

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Something Special: The Park says its mission is ‘to deliver you amazing memories that will last a lifetime! We are passionate about providing exceptional customer service.

From the first time you speak to us till we wave goodbye to you as you drive out of the gate, our friendly staff are here to assist you however we can.

If you see something that isn’t up to scratch, let us know! We will jump onto it in a snap.’ …. now that’s a holiday guarantee! rowesbayholidaypark.com.au

Activities for kids: > Swimming Pool and Toddlers Pool > Water Playground > Jumping Pillow > Playground and Toddlers Playground > Mini Golf, Beach Volleyball, Tennis, Basketball > Movies Something Special: Handy and spacious 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom Lagoon Condos are perfectly situated overlooking the Sun Lagoon Pool and sleep eight people.

Two LCD TVs, AUSTAR with ten channels, air conditioning, laundry, full kitchen, BBQ and verandah plus undercover parking – perfect for the whole extended family! big4.com.au/cairns-coconut

Naturally relaxing Stay right on the beach or river frontage at all of the Sunshine Coast Holiday Parks at any of the 6 great locations: Dicky Beach Family Holiday Park

BOOK ONLINE Mooloolaba Beach Holiday Park

+617 5491 3342

Mudjimba Beach Holiday Park +617 5448 7157

+617 5444 1201

Cotton Tree Holiday Park

+617 5459 9070

Coolum Beach Holiday Park

+617 5446 1474

Maroochydore Beach Holiday Park +617 5443 1167

BOOK ONLINE

Naturally relaxing

BOOK ONLINE

sunshinecoastholidayparks.com.au

7 AUSTRALIAN & 13 QUEENSLAND TOURISM AWARDS FREE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Splash waterpark 2 Resort pools (heated in winter) Air conditioned gymnasium 2 Giant jumping pillows Pancake breakfast (Thursday) Free WiFi hotspots Neos interactive play hub Mini Coconuts indoor playground 18 Hole mini golf Aqua aerobics Heated and cold spas Outdoor movie screenings Barbeques Outdoor exercise equipment Day/night tennis Adventure playground Table tennis • Beach volleyball TV/movie room Tour booking desk City courtesy coach... and much, much more

ONLY 7 MINUTES TO CAIRNS CITY CENTRE RESERVATIONS: (07) 4054 6644 • www.coconut.com.au E: coco@coconut.com.au • 23-51 Anderson Road, Woree, Cairns, Qld

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New South Wales INLAND

BIG4 Deniliquin Holiday Park Location: This award-winning Park sits on the banks of the Edward River, in the beautiful Murray and Riverina regions of NSW, approximately 2 hours’ drive inland from Albury, and 3.5 hours’ drive north of Melbourne.

Accommodation: Cabins, Villas, caravan sites and campsites Activities for kids: > Swimming pool and water playground > Kids playground and Toddlers playground > Basketball, mini-golf, tennis, Giant Chess > Giant jumping pillows > Seasonal Kids Club Something Special: Relax and spread out in a spacious, self-contained Family Villa with a queen bedroom, second bedroom with double bed and single overhead bunk, and a third bedroom with two single beds and fold down bed. There’s even room for a Portacot, making the Family Villa a great accommodation choice for large families or multigen holidays, plus big screen TV/DVD, modern kitchen and an expansive deck – all close to the water play splash park and brand new Resort Pool! big4.com.au/deniliquin

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Inland Waters Holiday Parks Find a fabulous holiday park in a selection of great locations in inland NSW. From Lake Keepit, 25 minutes from Gunnedah, and Copeton Waters in Inverell, to Cudgegong River, 35 minutes from Mudgee and Lake Glenbawn in Scone, you’ll discover a world of wonder – and plenty of water across dams, creeks and rivers – on a family holiday.

Discover these natural playgrounds and more – Burrinjuck Waters, Copeton Waters, Grabine Lakeside, Lake Burrendong, Mookerawa Waters, Wyangala Waters. inlandwaters.com.au

Above: BIG4 Deniliquin Below: BIG4 Dubbo Parklands jumping pillow Opposite top: BIG4 Renmark Riverfront © Watts Holiday Parks

H O LI D AY PA R K S

Find a Holiday Park Active Holiday Parks ahp.com.au BIG4 Holiday Parks big4.com.au Central Coast Holiday Parks cchp.com.au Discovery Holiday Parks discoveryholidayparks.com.au Inland Waters Holiday & Recreation Parks inlandwaters.com.au Macleay Valley Holiday Parks mvcholidayparks.com.au North Coast Holiday Parks northcoastholidayparks.com.au NRMA Holiday Parks nrmaholidayparks.com.au Sunshine Coast Holiday Parks sunshinecoastholidayparks.com.au Watts Holiday Parks wattsholidayparks.com.au

Central Coast Council

Central Coast Council

Central Coast Council

Central Coast Council

Central Coast Holiday Parks

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New South Wales

NORTH Norah Head Holiday Park, Central Coast Location: Norah Head is situated near Toukley on the Central Coast, approximately 1.5 hours’ drive from either Sydney or Newcastle. The area is famous for Soldiers Beach and the iconic, heritage-listed Norah Head Lighthouse, and the Park’s location is in easy proximity to Wyrrabalong National Park and Munmorah State Conservation Area.

Accommodation: Cabins, ensuite sites, a Bunkhouse, powered and unpowered caravan and camping sites.

Activities for kids: > Resort-style swimming pool > Playground > Jumping pillow > FOXTEL in all cabins > Free WI-FI > Free kids activities during school holidays > Soldiers Beach, and rockpools, within walking distance Something Special: Don’t miss the opportunity to discover Norah Head Lighthouse; take a 10 minute drive to The Entrance, a popular tourist town for families, where you can see daily Pelican Feedings, swim, lunch at cafes, restaurants and family-friendly pubs, have a picnic on the grass overlooking the beach (or grab fish ’n’ chips!). Also nearby is The Australian Reptile Park, and Treetops Adventure Park. norahheadhp.com.au

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Macleay Valley Coastal Holiday Parks Location: A sensational part of the NSW mid-north coast, the Macleay Valley coastal regions boasts some of the most iconic, and much-frequented, natural holiday destinations including Crescent Head and Stuarts Point.

Each of these holiday parks – Hat Head, Horseshoe Bay, Grassy Head, Crescent Head and Stuarts Point – are in locations where beaches, rivers and forests abound, for the ultimate nature-and-adventurelovers’ holiday – all you have to do is choose!

Accommodation: All parks have camping and caravan sites, and a choice of onsite accommodation including Villas, Cabins and Bungalows Activities for kids: > Each unique park offers something different – from onsite funky family kiosks and playgrounds, to bike tracks and BBQs. > Beaches, beaches, beaches! > Go fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, body boarding, play golf and tennis > Spot wildlife – on land and in the ocean > Explore rare rainforests Something Special: The breathtaking stretch of the Pacific Ocean, amazing beaches, beautiful National Park settings, mountains, rainforests, coastal towns, tranquility, outdoor adventure, relaxation, sunshine! mvcholidayparks.com.au

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NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Park Location: Just 25 minutes’ drive from Coffs Harbour, the Park is nestled on a 6km beachfront, surrounded by subtropical palms and the Wedding Bells State Forest.

Accommodation: Villas, brand new Lagoon Safari Tents, powered and unpowered caravan and camp sites Activities for kids:

> Playground > Two heated tropical pools with water slides plus wading pool

> Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Golf and Archery > Bike Hire and BMX Track > Games Area > Jumping pillows Something Special: Settle into one of the newer Plantation Villas, just a short stroll to the beach, with 2 bedrooms, kitchen, air-conditioning, spacious lounge/dining and extensive verandah. Or, for something different, experience one of the new Lagoon Safari Tents for a taste of camping, but with added luxury! Sleeping up to 4 people, these eco-glamping tents include ensuite bathroom, living area with lounge, LCD TV/DVD, fridge, microwave and food preparation area, plus an undercover verandah with your own BBQ. big4.com.au/darlington-beach

Blue Dolphin Holiday Resort Location: Situated in 6ha of lush, landscaped gardens on the sandy shores of the Clarence River in Yamba, the area boasts nine pristine beaches and Yuraygir National Park. Yamba is 1.5 hours’ drive north of Coffs Harbour.

Accommodation: Villas (plus Waterfront Villas and Units), Cabins and sites for campers and caravanners Activities for kids:

> New waterpark featuring billabong slide, giant bucket and water toys

> Playground > 300m of river frontage for fishing, crabbing, kayaking, feeding pelicans

> Soft play room for kids 5 years and under > Games Room > Go Karts > School holidays activities program Something Special: Furry friends can holiday here within designated areas, and outside of school holiday and peak periods. You and your buddy can enjoy Pippi Beach, the dog friendly beach in the middle of town, or take a stroll together to explore Yamba’s many walking tracks. bluedolphin.com.au

Above from top left: White Albatross Nambucca Heads © Active Holiday Parks

NRMA Darlington Beach Family relaxing © Macleay Valley Holiday Parks

Pool fun © Central Coast Holiday Parks

Crescent Head © Macleay Valley Holiday Parks

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New South Wales

North Coast Holiday Parks Evans Head Location: Situated in the Richmond Valley Shire in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, the Park sits on the edge of Evans River and is only a short walk from Main Beach. Just an hours’ drive from Byron Bay, and 2 hours from Brisbane, the Park changed its name from Silver Sands to North Coast Holiday Parks Evans Head to better reflect its fabulous location.

Accommodation: Family and Deluxe Cabins, powered and unpowered sites for campers and caravanners.

Activities for kids: > Playground > Walking and bike trails > Tennis Courts > 40km of pristine beaches for swimming, and fishing > Aquatic centre is only a five-minute walk from the park and has heated pools, a water park and café breakout area.

Something Special: Holiday in this stunning part of the NSW North Coast, and you’ll be treated to amazing scenery, and plenty of park activities for families including BBQs and FREE Wi-Fi, and you will be within easy walking distance of everything Evans Head has to offer - the famous F-111 Museum, featuring a range of cool aircraft, is close by, as are the spectacular Bundjalung and Broadwater National Parks. The park is also pet-friendly so you can bring the ‘whole family’ on holiday. Four-legged friends are welcome on camping and caravan sites in the River Reserve area during off peak and shoulder seasons. northcoastholidayparks.com.au/park/info/ evans-head

BIG4 North Star Holiday Resort Location: Located on the beautiful Tweed Coast, at Hastings Point, North Star is an idyllic 10ha Park just 30 minutes’ drive south of Gold Coast Airport. Nestled between the pristine Hastings Point beach and safe tidal estuary of Cudgera Creek, North Star’s lush, manicured gardens provide a relaxing, sub-tropical holiday ambience.

Accommodation: Villas, Lodges, Chalets and sites for campers and caravanners Activities for kids:

> Neptune’s FREE Kids Club (every weekend and > > > > >

daily during school holidays) includes a three level spiral slide, ball pit, mirror maze, flying fox and themed activities New Sammy’s Adventure Lagoon with Australia’s first water piano, waterslides, canons and dump bucket Three swimming pools Indoor recreation centres Internet and AUSTAR TV Tennis

Something Special: Stay in one of the brand new, self-contained, 4.5- star Luxury Villas with 2 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a spa bath, and spacious living area. The new 5-star two-storey Tuscany Villas sleep up to 10 people and feature 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (plus corner spa in master bedroom) full kitchen and outdoor patio with BBQ. big4.com.au/north-star

Above from left: North Coast Holiday Parks Evans Head BIG4 North Star

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THE PERFECT BEACH HOLIDAY DESTINATION! Our family friendly park has an array of accommodation to suit everyone’s needs from waterfront Beach Retreats and Villas to our Ensuite and Powered Sites. Relax and enjoy a swim or a game of beach cricket on our beautiful Easts Beach. Have a hit of tennis or catch a fish or two. The kids will love our 25m resort pool,

toddlers wading pool and children’s playgrounds. Kids activities and movies in our holiday periods will keep the kids busy. Our holiday park is the ideal location from which to explore the south coast, with popular tourist attractions such as Jamberoo Action Park and the Minnamurra Rainforest just minutes away.

For further information please contact: BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park 30 Ocean Street (PO Box 10) Kiama NSW 2533 Freecall: 1800 674 444 P: 02 4232 2124 F: 02 4233 1009 E: holiday@eastsbeach.com.au www.eastsbeach.com.au

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New South Wales

SOUTH BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park Location: In the popular tourist town of Kiama (home of the famous Kiama Blowhole) on the stunning NSW south coast, just an hours’ drive from Sydney, the 12ha BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park has a beautiful beachfront location amid serene national park landscapes. Munna Munnora creek flows through the park.

Accommodation: Retreats, Villas, Cabins, Lofts, caravan sites and campsites Activities for kids: > Resort pool with waterfall > Children’s fun pool and Toddlers Pool > Jumping pillow > Playground and Toddlers Playground > Movies > Tennis Court Something Special: Congratulations BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park – 80 years under the one family ownership makes you officially the oldest park in the state! Bring the family to this beautiful and iconic destination and settle into the two-storey Ocean View Loft with its sensational view of the beach. Sleeping up to six people, the loft has a modern self-contained kitchen and air-conditioning, topped off with a large outdoor deck and great ocean views. big4.com.au/easts-beach-kiama

Active Holidays BIG4 Lake Conjola Location: Resting on the shores of Lake Conjola on the beautiful south coast of NSW and surrounded by Lake Conjola National Park, Sydney and Canberra are only a 2.5 hour drive away. Green Island surfing beach is a mere 1km from the Park, and the lush countryside of the charming Southern Highlands is reached in a 40 minute drive from the Park.

Accommodation: Retreats, Villas, Cabins, Lofts, caravan sites and campsites Activities for kids: > Mini Golf, Basketball, Tennis > Swimming Pool and Toddlers Pool > Water Playground > Playground > Giant Jumping Pillow > Games Room Something Special: Go fishing on the lake, soak up the sun on one of the area’s many beautiful beaches, head into Milton or Ulladulla and explore these lovely towns, climb Pigeon House Mountain, wander through the Morton National Park or take a gentle coastal walk. big4.com.au/caravan-parks/nsw/southcoast/active-holidays-lake-conjola

Above: BIG4 Easts Beach

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Start your summer story with our brand new summer fleet From the high cliffs and large swells of Bells beach to the best waves at Bryon, Australia is renowned for its beaches. It isn’t hard to see why, thanks to some of the longest stretches of sand covered coastline in the world. Australian beaches pack as much clean water and breathtaking landscapes, as they do creative adjectives.

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With summer so close you can almost smell it, booking your next campervan adventure with the family is a must. With our new summer fleet ready, we have vehicles write home about. It’s time to get the sand between your toes and book your next adventure!

SPRING 2016 www.britz.com.au/summer-ready or call 1800 331 454 68 outandaboutwithkids.com.au

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H O LI D AY PA R K S

New South Wales

BIG4 Batemans Bay Beach Resort Location: Batemans Bay is within the Eurobodalla region of southern coastal NSW, two hours’ drive from Canberra and four hours from Sydney. With the Clyde River, picturesque beaches and bush all within reach, Batemans Bay is surrounded by natural beauty.

Accommodation: Cabins (including Deluxe), Studio Rooms, caravan sites and campsites Activities for kids: > Swimming pool > Kids playground and Toddlers playground > Jumping pillow > Games Room > Bike/trike hire > Tennis Court > Seasonal Kids Club Something Special: Book the family into a two-storey Deluxe Cabin that sleeps five people, with 2 bedrooms. An open plan living/dining area upstairs, opens onto a deck with BBQ and great views of the beach. You also get Foxtel in the cabin! big4.com.au/batemans-bay-resort

Above: Merimbula Beach Holiday Park © Supplied by ATPM

Right from top: The famous Kiama Blowhole © iStock

Birdland © BIG4 Batemans Bay Beach Resort

Discovery Holiday Parks Pambula Beach

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KI DS IN A MER ICA

West Coast, USA GUY DUNDAS and his wife had planned to cram in as many family-friendly activities as they could with their two young daughters aged 9 and 6, on a nine-day adventure to the US during the April school holidays. Their road trip took the family from California to Nevada and Arizona, and back to California for the ultimate destination, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.

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fter a flight of around 15 hours from Australia to Los Angeles, with virtually no sleep, I wasn’t surprised to catch sight of the kids in the rear vision mirror of our rental car, awkwardly curled over each other catching some shut-eye, as we navigated the scenic coastal suburbs of Marina Del Rey and Santa Monica, the iconic Sunset Boulevard and Beverley Hills, passing the time between flight arrival and check-in at what would be our home for the next two nights. visitcalifornia.com

Great Wolf Lodge Great Wolf Lodge in Southern California is part of a chain of massive indoor waterparks scattered across North America, and this one, in Garden Grove, had only recently opened. Located on Harbour Boulevard (the same road that Disneyland Resort backs onto), the resort is chock-a-block full of waterbased activities for kids of all ages.

The 105,000 sq ft fun factory, with its multitude of waterslides, a wave pool, lazy river and a surf-rider, beckon our girls, AE and PK, who don their swim gear mere moments after checking into our themed, cave-like Wolf Den Suite (complete with bunks!). The youngest stepped up first and shared a two-seat raft with dad on one of the many tube rides, twisting, turning and screaming her way to the pool below, before it was open slather for all. greatwolf.com/southern-california

PK and AE with LEGO Friends LEGOLAND California Resort LEGOLAND Just 90 minutes’ drive south from Garden Grove is the city of Carlsbad, on the outskirts of San Diego, home to the famed LEGOLAND Resort. I admit I had underestimated the sheer size and scale of the place, which, as the name suggests, is inspired by the iconic Danish building blocks.

LEGOLAND has over 60 themed rides and countless statues, structures and models of all types – and most are enormous. My once timid eldest insists on multiple rides on the fastpaced LEGO TECHNIC Coaster in Imagination Zone, while her sister is more content on the subdued ‘The Dragon’ coaster in Castle Hill.

Both obtain their driving credentials behind the wheel of a LEGO car at the Junior Driving School in Fun Town.

Tight for time, we forgo the attached water parks entirely. legoland.com/california/legolandhotel

Las Vegas, Nevada The following day’s five-hour drive to Las Vegas, Nevada, took us over the San Gabriel Mountains, and touched the Mojave National Preserve. In Vegas, we navigated the crowded ‘Strip’ first by car, but at sunset we stretched our legs, and walked its length from Excalibur Resort to the Bellagio Fountains. After the mesmerising dance of the fountains, to the theme tune of The Pink Panther, we stopped at the Rainforest Café for dinner. The accompanying roaring thunderstorms and gorilla

and elephant calls during service, plus pizza on the menu, proved to be the highlight of our visit to Las Vegas. lasvegas.com

Grand Canyon I had considered bypassing Hoover Dam, as we left Las Vegas and headed toward the Grand Canyon, but I’m glad I didn’t. The sheer magnitude of the 85-year old manmade structure, bordering Nevada and Arizona, left us all dumbfounded, and the pit stop provided a muchappreciated break on what would be a long day of driving.

Our destination was one of Mother Nature’s most impressive geographical marvels – the Grand Canyon. Even in mid-April it gets bitterly cold here, and beanies and scarves were essential. I replicated my first encounter with the Grand Canyon 15 years earlier, this time with my family, getting the kids to cover their eyes, with me guiding them to the protective railing of the South Rim lookout. Once there, eye masks were removed and the girls were flabbergasted at the enormity of the sight before them. No, it’s no roller coaster ride, but it is nature at its unbridled best, and the kids loved it – as much as the snow that started to fall from the sky as if right on cue! grandcanyon.com

PK, Dad and Riley at Great Wolf Lodge

Opposite: The girls on the Grand Canyon South Rim. Hogwarts @ Universal Studios Hollywood.

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KI DS IN A MER ICA

girls lapping up Goofy’s Kitchen - om cuddles fr Pluto The 800km road trip to Anaheim ahead of us called for an early start the next morning, and we travelled through landscapes that were many and varied, but predominantly flat, with a few out-of-state Texas tumbleweeds blown across our path. Despite the miles, the drive was easy, with dual lanes a minimum most of the way.

Bright lights of the Strip in Las Vegas

Disneyland Resort

Top: Las Vegas Strip at sunset with Bellagio fountains dancing in the centre. © Stock

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“Are we there yet?”

Even in the sixth hour of a sevenhour journey travelling the I15, half way across Arizona and the entire width of California, it would have been an acceptable question from my two young daughters. But, surprisingly, it never came. They had been prepared for the long day’s drive back to California, to a destination that was the real reason for our holiday – Disneyland Resort!

Arriving late in the afternoon the kids, understandably, wasted no time jumping into the Redwood Pool at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa to enjoy the last few lashes of sunlight. Our room backed directly

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onto California Adventure Park, and when we opened the balcony door we were enveloped in the screams of joy and excitement of the Park’s guests.

With two Parks to discover, and armed with our 3-Day Park Hopper Ticket, we set off early the next day to explore Disney California Adventure Park. “That was AWESOME!” was the reaction from the eldest, jumping around with excitement after we piled out of the fast-paced Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land.

After breakfast at the adjacent Flo’s V8 Café (which was reasonably priced), we tackled the tamer (and retro) Golden Zephyr spaceship ride and Goofy’s Sky School coaster. The hilarious and interactive Monsters Inc: Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, and Toy Story Midway Mania!, along with Soarin’ Over California are all worth the wait in the queue, but if you take advantage of the Disney FASTPASS you will maximise your time at the Parks.

Dinner was booked for 6pm at Ariel’s Grotto (make your resevation once you have your tickets). The three-course meal wasn’t for the budget conscious – there is lobster tail on the menu after all – however diners obtain priority positioning for the spectacular World of Color nighttime water show, so don’t think twice about the expense! It’s worth every dime to be ushered to the

front of the already gathered crowd.

The frivolity of a Character Dining experience, over breakfast at the Disneyland Hotel, was not to be missed, and then it was time for another day of excitement at Disneyland Park. The girls loved the shoot ‘em up Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and had their first ever taste of ‘the Force’ on the Star Wars themed Star Tours – The Adventure Continues. With a bumper crowd and temperatures rising, Splash Mountain log ride in Critter Country offered welcome relief, and our day was rounded out in Fantasyland, experiencing the nostalgia of Mr Toad’s Wild Ride and Peter Pan’s Flight (both are outstanding) and the quintessential ‘it’s a small world’. Make sure you stop at Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street – the choice is diverse with generous servings. disneyland.disney.go.com

Universal Studios Hollywood On our second last day we drove to Universal Studios Hollywood. The ‘Front of Line’ pass ensured we had time to experience every attraction with virtually no queuing, including the new rides at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. universalstudioshollywood.com We spent our final day back at the Disney Parks, to repeat a few favourite rides, shop for souvenirs and begin planning our next US West Coast adventure.

“FOR GREAT VALUE

PARKING AT SYDNEY AIRPORT, PARK AT BLU EMU CAR PARK!”

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GATEWAY TO TEXAS AND THE SOUTH - RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE USA

Experience Texas hospitality, great food and music plus some of the best museums and galleries in America.

VisitDallas.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.visitdallas.com www.fortworth.com

FortWorth.com

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Welcome to Dallas, Texas ‘#bigthingshappenhere’ for the whole family!

With an easy direct flight from Australia to Dallas there are more reasons than ever to stop and stay in the Lone Star State. Here are our top family picks for your stay.

Dallas Cattle Drive sculptures at Downtown Pioneer Plaza

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science Spend a day exploring this phenomenal museum in the Dallas Arts District, with 11 permanent exhibit halls and many travelling exhibitions throughout the year.

We recommend tackling the museum by catching the glass elevators to the top floor, checking out the view to downtown Dallas on the way, then making sure to stop by the earthquake stimulator, and challenging a virtual Olympic athlete in a race, on the way back down. perotmuseum.org

Reunion Tower GeO-Deck Check out a 360-degree breathtaking view of Dallas from this 143m high tower. The indoor/outdoor observation deck provides plenty of hands on fun with ‘Halo’, the deck’s digital information system. Kids will have a blast, using Halo to discover Dallas, city landmarks, Reunion Tower’s light shows, milestone events in the city and more. Open every day of the year except 25 December, see the website for current hours.

Reunion Tower is included in the Dallas CityPASS. reuniontower.com

The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden Set in the beautiful Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden is a 3ha interactive children’s learning garden with more

than 150 fun exhibits designed to connect children with nature. A dedicated toddler play space, water fun and so much to see and do for those eager to learn, make this glorious garden the perfect place to entice and stimulate everyone in the family. Included in the Dallas CityPASS. dallasarboretum.org

From left: Reunion Tower GeO-Deck The Perot Museum of Nature and Science © Mark Knight Photography

Klyde Warren Park Opened in 2012, Klyde Warren Park is the central green space in the middle of busy Dallas downtown. There are hundreds of FREE activities for you and the kids across a hectare of green city space. Visit the children’s centre, and enjoy live music and games. Open daily from 6am to 11pm, check out the website ‘activities calendar’ to see what’s on. klydewarrenpark.org

The Dallas Arts District This is America’s largest suburban arts district and it’s not just for art lovers! Hosting a variety of festivals, performances, museums and local arts organisations, your family can spend several days here exploring, including The Dallas Museum of Art, currently offering FREE general admission. There are many performances in the Dallas Arts District. Visit the website for a full listing of performances and other events. dallasartsdistrict.org

More info Dallas CVB visitdallas.com Save over 40% on the best attractions in Dallas with Dallas CityPASS citypass.com/dallas

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MISSOURI The US state of Missouri has heart and warmth, and an abundance of rollicking fun for the whole family. We visited the two fabulous cities of St Louis, with 75 free family fun attractions, and Branson, with over 100 shows on at any time. Here are a few reasons why Missouri is a top choice on the OAWK American family travel list!

St Louis Gateway Arch Officially titled the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the Arch is the USA’s tallest, man-made monument, honouring third U.S. president Thomas Jefferson, his Louisiana Purchase and the history of the American West. A tram ride to the towering top provides panoramic views across the city. gatewayarch.com The underground Museum of Westerward Expansion, beneath the Arch, will be re-imagined in 2017 with new interactive exhibits and pedestrian walkways leading to Lewis & Clark Explorers Garden and a children’s play area. Bike paths will connect to St. Louis’ network of trails and outdoor entertainment venues. cityarchriver.org

City Museum This ain’t your grandma’s museum!

Step into the anything-but-ordinary world of City Museum, made entirely from recycled pieces. Items that would have become landfill make up the floors, old heating coils from local breweries provide access to ceiling-high trails for kids and adults, an in-house circus troupe performs beneath a Big Top, festooned with old neckties and CDs. The rooftop – complete with access to a 10-storey slide through the building – includes a Ferris Wheel and a gravity-defying school bus that appears to teeter over the roof’s edge. citymuseum.org

St. Louis Zoo Widely recognised as one of the finest zoos in the world (and admission is free!), the Saint Louis Zoo is home to more than 5,000 exotic animals.

The most recent addition is Polar Bear Point, where young polar bear Kali (pronounced Cully) has a tun-dra of fun in his $15 million digs. Visit Sea Lion Sound, Penguin and Puffin Coast, and the River’s Edge home of African creatures. Stop into the Children’s Zoo and say hi to shy little Australian Tasmanian Devil sisters - Yindi and Jannali - who arrived in March 2016 from Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. stlzoo.org

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St. Louis Science Center Curiosity is king at the St. Louis Science Center, where general admission is always free. More than 600 hands-on science exhibits are spread across two buildings, including the McDonnell Planetarium with its Boeing Space Station. Explore galleries of ecology and environment, aviation, architecture, information technology, space sciences and medicine and see movies about the natural world, outer space, and even the new Star Wars film, on a giant OMNIMAX screen. slsc.org

National Blues Museum Opened in April 2016, the museum stands just a few blocks from the Mississippi riverbank where W.C. Handy composed the most recorded Blues musical composition in history, the “St. Louis Blues March”.

Interactive technology enhances exhibits that tell the story of the Blues as the foundation of American music, and the artists who created it. nationalbluesmuseum.org

The Loop ‘The Loop’ neighbourhood bursts with an eclectic assortment of used book and record stores, galleries and vintage clothing. Stroll the St Louis Walk of Fame and dine out on flavours of the world – Persia,

Mexico, Greece, Lebanon, Thailand, India, USA – at restaurants and sidewalk cafés. The Loop Trolley, linking the neighborhood with a Metrolink light rail system, opens in 2017. visittheloop.com

Branson Titanic Branson This unique museum takes visitors on an interactive voyage on the ‘unsinkable’ mega liner, ‘The Titanic’, beginning with your own boarding pass that features the name of a real passenger of the ill-fated ship. Learn more about that passenger as you move through different sections of the ship, including many that are built to the actual scale of the original — like the dramatic Grand Staircase. From the engine room to cramped lower-class quarters and then up to more spacious first-class cabins, the museum mixes detailed reproductions with artifacts and ephemera related to the ship. Sit in an actual-sized lifeboat from the ship and dip your hand in icy water at 28°F (-2°C), and attempt to keep your balance on deck as the ship lists at sharp angles, just like it did when it sank, on 15 April 1912. titanicbranson.com

Silver Dollar City Branson’s #1 attraction for over 50 years, this internationally awarded 1880s-style theme park is nestled in

From left:

the Ozark Mountains and features six world-class festivals, great restaurants, 40 live shows daily and 60 unique shops. silverdollarcity.com

Chateau on the Lake Resort Spa & Convention Center The Titanic Museum Going fishing at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park Images © Branson/Lakes Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

Dogwood Canyon Nature Park Tram tours and Old West cattle drives meander through hilltop prairies across 4,000ha of rugged unspoiled Ozarks landscape.

Experience trout fishing, biking on the canyon floor and horse – and you can also rent a cabin! dogwoodcanyon.org

Opposite page from top: Gateway Arch © Missouri Division of Tourism

City Museum, St. Louis © Missouri Division of Tourism

City Museum

Top of the Rock Lost Canyon Cave & Nature Trail Hop aboard an electric cart for an exhilarating nature trail journey, overlooking Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks. Pass through covered Amish bridges, and marvel at dramatic natural rock formations, waterfalls and caves, including the jaw dropping, four-storey, TOP OF THE ROCK LOST CANYON CAVE™. topoftherock.com

Chateau on the Lake Stay at the Chateau on the Lake in Branson, Missouri’s only AAA FourDiamond resort. Enjoy luxurious guestrooms, award-winning dining, and breathtaking views. The outdoor pool is fantastic! chateauonthelake.com

Make the most of Missouri Visit Missouri VisitMO.com St Louis explorestlouis.com Branson explorebranson.com

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H

is for Hawaii

The number of Australians visiting Hawaii has been steadily growing in the past few years, leading to a record in 2015 of 334,000 Aussie arrivals in ‘The Aloha State’, each spending an average of 9.5 days on the islands.

O

ur ‘A-Z ‘ is by no means comprehensive, but it’s a great starting point to help your family plan your own unique Hawaiian holiday highlights.

Ala Moana – spend a whole day at the biggest shopping mall in Hawaii, and the largest open-air shopping centre in the world, located in Honolulu.

Big Island aka Hawaii Island – the largest of all the Hawaiian islands and home to Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes on the planet!

Chinatown – markets, shops, temples, art, entertainment, and everything from delicious dim sum to Vietnamese, Malaysian, Cuban and French food outlets! Located in Honolulu.

Diamond Head – one of Oahu’s most famous landmarks

– a 230m high volcanic tuff cone towering over Waikiki.

Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline) – most of the world’s best professional and amateur surfers have tested their skills on this world famous surf reef break on Oahu’s North Shore.

Fire twirling – learn about Hawaiian culture and the art of fire twirling, hula, preparing a luau and other traditions at the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu.

Garden Isle aka Kauai – the oldest and most northern of the Hawaiian islands, families love its relaxed pace, and 80km of beautiful beaches – Princeville and Poipu are popular holiday spots.

Honolulu – is Hawaii’s capital, on the island of Oahu. The neighbourhood of Waikiki boasts one of the world’s most iconic beaches, and is the centre of Honolulu

accommodation, attractions, shopping and fun!

Hula dancers

Islands – Hawaii is the 50th state of the USA but, unlike its counterparts, this state is comprised entirely of islands – thousands of volcanic islands – with Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii, Lanai and Molokai the most popular with holidaymakers.

Japanese food – there are more Japanese food outlets in Honolulu than you will find almost anywhere outside Japan! Take your pick from Izakayas, ramen bars and sushi bars, takeaways and traditional Japanese restaurants.

Kahanamoku – feted as the father of modern surfing, and a six-times Olympic medallist, Duke Kahanamoku, who was born in 1890, is a Hawaiian hero, immortalised in bronze at Oahu’s Kuhio Beach Park.

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WELCOME TO ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMILY-FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS! With family (‘ohana’) at the very heart of Hawaiian culture, it’s not surprising that ‘destination Hawai‘i’ understands how to make families happy. From a world-class range of accommodation options perfectly designed for family groups, to an exhaustive list of family-friendly activities to suit all ages, Hawai‘i makes it easy.

TO DOWNLOAD A SOFT COPY OF THE FAMILY HAWAII GUIDE GO TO:

https://familyhawaii.partica.online

gohawaii.com/au info@hawaiitourism.com.au facebook.com/gohawaiiau instagram.com/gohawaiiau twitter.com/gohawaiiau

PUB: Out and About With Kids Property: AST Issue: Jan 29, 2016 Client: Aston AD: AST Size: 1/2PH non blee (177mm x 110mm) Colors: Full DUE: 1/18

Collect stories, not selfies.

You won’t remember the time you spent staring at your screen, but you’ll never forget your time with us in Hawaii. +1·808·924·2924 | astonhotels.com

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From left: Duke Kahanamoku statue at Oahu’s Kuhio Beach Park Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle © iStock

STAY OAHU The contemporary and colourful Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel is located directly across Kalakaua Avenue from a prime stretch of Waikiki Beach, and has suite and room options. astonwaikikibeach.com The spacious all-suite Embassy Suites hotel on Waikiki Beach Walk includes complimentary, made-toorder breakfast daily. embassysuiteswaikiki.com

Lahaina – a short stroll from Maui’s famous Ka’anapali Beach, this former whaling town still retains much of its 1800s charm, with contemporary shops, dining and entertainment and, yes, whale watching!

Moana (moh-ah-nah) – means ‘ocean’ in Hawaiian, and is also the title of Disney’s much-anticipated new animated feature (due for release December 2016). Moana is a Polynesian girl who embarks on an oceanic adventure, accompanied by the once-mighty demi-god Maui.

North Shore – a one-hour drive from Waikiki, the North Shore is famous for its surf beaches (including Waimea) and world-class surfing competitions, beautiful scenery and laid back lifestyle.

Ocean Joy Cruises – take a family day trip to Oahu’s Waianae coastline where dolphins, turtles and other Hawaiian sea life play.

Pearl Harbour – commemorating the WW2 attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941, visit the USS Arizona Memorial and the Battleship Missouri Memorial, or book one of the guided tours.

Qantas, Hawaiian Airlines and

Jetstar all fly from Sydney to Honolulu. Check airlines for flights from other capital cities.

Royalty – the Kingdom of Hawaii began in 1795 when Kamehameha I became monarch, and lasted until 1893 when Hawaii was proclaimed a protectorate of the USA. Visit Iolani Palace in Honolulu, now a grand museum.

Shrimp trucks and Shave Ice – head to Oahu’s North Shore for a fabulous feed from one of these iconic shrimp vendors, and treat the kids to a yummy taste of Shave Ice. Turtles – Hawaii Turtle Tours invite you to swim and snorkel with green sea turtles on a familyfriendly eco adventure.

Ukulele – holiday to the melodic, island-paced, strumming of the ukulele – a quintessential Hawaiian experience.

Volcanoes – the island of Hawaii is made up of five volcanoes including, the earth’s largest subaerial volcano, Mauna Loa.

Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach and Outrigger Waikiki Beach are just two of the Outrigger hotels and resorts in Hawaii that also include the OHANA brand. outrigger.com/hotels-resorts/ Hawaiian-islands

Try stand-up paddleboarding Waikiki Beach Walk – shop, dine, stay and play across this 3ha hub in the heart of Waikiki.

X-treme Watersports – parasail, flyboard or jet-ski with Hawaii’s largest water sport adventure centre, in Honolulu.

Yokohama Bay – discover this pristine, untouched part of Oahu on the Westside of the island, with a beautiful and extensive beach, and the Waianae Mountain Range as the backdrop!

Zoo – Honolulu Zoo covers 17ha between Diamond Head and Waikiki and is home to over 900 different animals from the tropics, including Komodo Dragons, orangutans, elephants, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina combines Hawaiian holiday happiness with everything Disney! resorts.disney.go.com/aulanihawaii-resort

MAUI ‘Hawaii’s most Hawaiian Hotel’, the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel, sits on Maui’s most famous beachfront.

Connecting rooms for families available. kbhmaui.com Aston Ka’anapali Shores offers hotel rooms and large condominium suites, and a year-round fun, educational kids program, with Hawaiian cultural activities, for children from 5 years to 12 years. astonkaanapalishores

KAUAI Catering for all types of holidays and budgets, Aston Hotels provides a range of accommodation on the Garden Isle including the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai, Wailua Bay, the Aston Islander on the Beach and the Aston at Poipu Kai. AstonHotels.com

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Where The White House is …

Washington DC

… and much more, besides! But ask most children the first thing that springs to mind in reference to Washington DC, (if they know anything about history or pay attention to the news) and they’re likely to tell you it is the place where you’ll find The White House, residence and office of the President of the United States of America. They might also know that DC is the country’s capital.

I

n fact, Washington DC is a great place for the whole family to discover together – and here are just a few good reasons why …

Much of the action in the movie ‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’ takes place in Washington DC The Smithsonian Institute is the world’s largest museum – comprised of 17 museums and galleries plus the National Zoo – and the second instalment in the ‘Night at the Museum’ trilogy takes Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) and his cohorts to Washington DC and the National Air and Space Museum and the National Gallery of Art. Follow in Larry’s footsteps through these incredible places, and explore other fascinating exhibits and interactive spaces at the National Museum of Natural History (witness a tarantula feeding!), the National Museum of the American Indian, the new National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Museum of American History.

Yes! The White House is here!

One of the world’s most famous addresses – 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC – home to every US President except the first, George Washington, who selected the site for The White

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House in 1791, but never lived there (it took eight years to build). Call into The White House Visitor Center and learn more about its history, the Presidents and their families, world leaders and events, architecture and more.

The National Mall is a National Park … millions of people come to DC’s National Mall every year, making it America’s most visited national park.

Unlike most national parks, the 3km stretch houses multiple man-made monuments and memorials and museums. The wide, pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined boulevards let visitors absorb the history and scenery of ‘America’s front yard’. An instantly recognisable part of the US landscape – you’ve probably seen some of The Mall featured in a whole host of movies and TV shows – from the towering Washington Monument obelisk (and its 152m high Observation Deck), the Smithsonian Museums, the US Capitol Building and the Lincoln Memorial, to the roaming Park Rangers ready to impress your kids with true tales of America, the Mall is a DC drawcard for the whole family.

Visitors love Georgetown, DC’s most historic neighbourhood Tourists love ambling around Georgetown, on the Potomac River, for its cobblestoned charm, 18th

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and 19th Century architecture and for the fabulous, family-friendly Washington Harbour precinct on the Georgetown Waterfront. Take a stroll along the boardwalk, watch the boats, see the views of the Kennedy Center, Watergate, Key Bridge, and across the water to Virginia. Eat, shop, play and enjoy live entertainment and outdoor fun all throughout the year. In November, the fountain transforms into the massive Washington Harbour Ice Rink, and is open every day through to March.

Rock Creek National Park is an urban park that includes the 65ha National Zoo and a Planetarium – and admission to both is FREE! Part of the National Parks Service, this unique ‘urban park’ sprawls across over 700ha and was the third declared national park in the US. Within the Park, the National Zoo (part of the Smithsonian) is home to over 400 different species of animals. If that’s not enough to make you want to visit, admission to the National Zoo is FREE! Seethe Giant Panda Habitat and Asian Trail and the Elephant Trails, and look out for Andean bears, tigers, lions, cheetahs and zoo babies! Pop into the only planetarium in any US national park, located within the Nature Center. Special shows and show times cater for children as young as 4 years, and are suitable for the whole family.

The Rock Creek Park Planetarium uses high-tech Spitz software to project the image of the night sky onto a large, dome-shaped ceiling. Rangers lead children on a journey of exploration into our solar system, galaxy, and beyond. Free tickets to planetarium shows can be collected from the Nature Center front desk up to half an hour before each show.

From left: The White House, Lincoln Memorial, Cherry Blossoms, Skyline at Sunset © iStock

Madame Tussauds has wax figures of all 44 US Presidents Pose for a selfie with historical figures – or opt to get up-close with 21st Century heroes including Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Beyonce, Zac Efron, or sports stars and talkshow hosts!

Don’t miss a thing on a hop-on-hop-off double-decker DC bus tour Not sure where to start exploring this fun destination?

Big Bus Tours cater for the whole family, with pre-booked e-tickets sent straight to your smartphone, and, with over 50 stops, you can hop-on and hop-off as many times as your ticket allows and discover DC at your leisure. Regular loops and plenty of stops make it easy to sightsee in your own time, or book a guided tour, with a choice of times, routes and landmarks and learn more about wonderful Washington DC from the comfort of an open-top double decker bus. bigbustours.com/washington

More info Everything you need to know about Washington DC for families can be found by visiting washington.org. #MYDCCOOL

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New York C State Heading to the Big Apple? There’s so much more to New York than Manhattan and Brooklyn, says KRISTIE KELLAHAN.

onsider combining your visit to the vibrant concrete jungle, where dreams are made, with a trip upstate. New York State stretches for hundreds of kilometres north and west to the border with Canada and, within its villages, cities and National Parks you’ll find family-friendly museums, Halloween legends, all-American festivals and the grandest waterworks of them all, Niagara Falls. iloveny.com

5 New York State trips your family will love:

1

The Strong

Named the #1 museum for families in the US, this fabulous 280,000sq ft educational institution in Rochester, New York, is really many museums under one not-forprofit umbrella. There’s the National Museum of Play, the National Toy Hall of Fame and a division devoted entirely to the history of

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electronic games. You’ll find a working carousel, a 1950s diner and a butterfly garden filled with hundreds of exotic flapping creatures.

Younger children (and let’s be honest, many adults) will love the kidsize replica Wegman’s supermarket, where they can play at being cashier, deli manager, trolley collector or customer in a ‘store’ full of replica cereal boxes, milk cartons, fruit, meat and more. museumofplay.org

2

Halloween Ghouls

Head to New York City at the end of October each year for guaranteed Halloween fun (and sugar!). If you really want to scare yourself silly, plan a side trip to Tarrytown. Just 30 minutes by express train from Grand Central station, the Hudson Valley town is home to Sleepy Hollow and the spooky legend of the headless horseman. The community gets right behind the Halloween scarefest, with cemetery tours, costume parades and Blaze, one of the biggest jack-

o’-lantern displays in the world.

Take the time to visit the former home of Washington Irving, the author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Hailed as the father of American literature, his 1835 home is preserved as a museum, and a fitting tribute to his literary contributions. New York Water Taxi operates a seasonal Sleepy Hollow Ferry, departing from Manhattan on select Saturdays in October; a great way to combine a day trip with a scenic ferry ride. visitsleepyhollow.com nywatertaxi.com

3

Niagara Falls

Add this one to your North American bucket list. Niagara Falls, the spectacular trio of waterfalls at the border of New York State and Ontario, Canada, is one of the most popular natural attractions in the US. Kids will be impressed by the deafening roar of the water as it drops from a height of more than 50m. Watch their mouths gape in

awe from the deck of the Maid of the Mist boat cruise; all aboard for an exciting ride into the fast-moving rapids immediately below the falls.

The Niagara Scenic Trolley offers a more relaxed guided trip along the American side of the Falls, and is suitable for kids of all ages. niagara-usa.com

4

Crystal City

Hands up if you have a Corningware product in your kitchen cupboard? Who knew the glass and ceramics products were designed and produced in the city of Corning in New York State?

Also known as the Crystal City, the beautiful riverside community is home to the Corning Museum of Glass (CMOG). Housing one of the most comprehensive collections of glass objects in the world, CMOG offers a fascinating hands-on experience, with glassblowing demonstrations and the opportunity for visitors to make their own glass ornaments. At

the family-friendly, interactive museum, kids and teens enter for free. cmog.org

From left:

5

Shopping at The Strong

Ferry on the Hudson River © iStock

Kids looking at Niagara Falls © iStock

Hudson Day Tripping

For an easy, fun, family day trip out of Manhattan, hop on a train at Grand Central Station and head north to Poughkeepsie. There you’ll find the new Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park.

The longest footbridge in the world spans the mighty Hudson River and is a popular spot for pedestrians to stroll, jog or cycle as they breathe in the fresh upstate air. During September and October, farmers’ market stalls and apple cider doughnut stands pop up in Poughkeepsie.

Refuel at Shadows on the Hudson, a premier waterfront restaurant serving delicious American classics including crab cakes, shrimp cocktail and sweet potato fries. walkway.org shadowonthehudson.com

© Courtesy of The Strong, Rochester, New York

Tour boat at Niagara Falls © iStock

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© iStock

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© iStock

© iStock

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Family Diving in Indonesia

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Kingscliff, on the NSW North Coast, may be just a hop-skip-and-jump from the bright lights and action of Queensland’s Gold Coast, but this pristine beachside town has a charm and calm that makes it an ideal place to relax with the family, says ANNE MAJUMDAR.

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JULIE JONES and her family love travelling, and the Northern Territory provided ample opportunities for everyone to pursue their own interests on a recent holiday. For her 13-yearold daughter, in particular, a well-planned visit to a remote Indigenous community outside of Yulara in Central Australia, was the highlight.

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Taking part in a unique fishing practice, gently swinging to sleep in a hammock, uncovering WW2 artefacts, and marvelling at the unspoiled beauty of the Solomon Islands has BARRY STONE declaring this Pacific gem just the spot for families to get back to nature, on an ‘off the grid’ adventure.

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CRAIG SHEATHER and his young family love living in southern NSW on the banks of the Murray River … but every so often the coast calls. Seeking out sun, sand and surf - and family-friendly attractions - they head north to Nambucca Heads to explore the popular Coffs Coast region, and to treat new baby Morrison to his first beach holiday!

Solomon Islands page 100

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Diving with your kids (as young as eight years) is a fantastic experience for the whole family, says SIMON MALLENDER, and Indonesia has some of the best familyfriendly dive sites and resorts around. Once you and your children have completed certified dive courses, you’ll be ready to explore an exquisite and colourful world below the surface of the sea, together!

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Kicking back in

Kingscliff, NSW Just 20 minutes from Queensland’s Gold Coast, but a world away in lifestyle, ANNE MAJUMDAR and family take heed of a priceless insider tip, and relish the relaxing pace of a winter warm-up escape in picturesque, coastal Kingscliff.

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A

seawater-sodden Labrador bounds along the beach, kicking up a trail of sand in his wake. Hot on his heels is a little girl, no older than two – still a little unsteady on her feet. She catches him between small pudgy fists and the pair flop face first into the rippling dunes as her puffed parents follow in chase. Besides us, these are the only people on this vast sweeping beach as dusk casts a rosy glow across the squeaky sand.

It’s easy to forget that just on the other side of the boardwalk and shrubbery that fringes the beach is our resort – an enclave packed with restaurants, cafes and bars. It’s certainly harder to think that just 20 minutes down the road, the glittering lights of the Gold Coast are just flickering on as the bars and restaurants get ready for the nightly action.

We might as well be on another planet here in the sleepy northern New South Wales coastal town of Kingscliff, which offers the perfect getaway for families. Having arrived earlier that day, we came armed with big plans for the weekend. Maybe we would take our sea-creature obsessed, almost-two-year-old

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tyke to visit Sea World, or one of the drawcard Gold Coast theme parks. We mention the plan to Norm, the chap who greets us and lets us into our Balé apartment at Peppers Salt Resort & Spa. But Norm smiles knowingly, and suggests we might be better off staying put and just enjoying our immediate surroundings. He’s so adamant, we don’t push the point. Without a rental car, we are put off our amusement escapade by the one-hour taxi ride so we decide to take Norm’s advice.

It doesn’t take long for us to realise how right he was.

The $1 billion Salt complex has everything required for a top notch family holiday. As the sky deepens into twilight’s pastel hues, we wander down to the ocean for our first glimpse of the beach. Wow. The long stretch of sand is almost surreally pristine.

While the sun sets, we run in and out of the shallows, trousers rolled up to our calves dodging the still icy froth that tickles the shore. The Labrador scrambles over to join in our game with relish – it’s clear he’s played it a few times before. But when the family lead him off reluctantly home for his dinner, we

“ … Wow. The long stretch of sand is almost surreally pristine …” realise how hungry we are too.

Fins is probably the fanciest dining spot on the small strip, but it’s still early so the dining room is deserted, aside from the giant fish hanging out in the tank. Our almost-two-year-old is transfixed by his new gilled friend and, when the novelty wears off, staff swiftly provide a stash of crayons and colouring sheets. I devour a bowl of crab saffron broth, followed by a spiced lamb rump served with smoked eggplant and lemon labna while my other half tucked into a plate of yellowfin tuna tartare and then a juicy pasture-fed eye fillet steak. Mr nearly-two dabbles messily in a plate of aglio e olio spaghetti.

Back in our gigantic apartment, our small human enjoys a sploshy splash in the giant spa bath before bed, and we kick back with wine and a movie.

Even though we’re smack bang in the middle of winter, the temperature the next morning is hovering around a very pleasant 29 degrees Celsius. A friendly focal point of the village is the village green, so we head down for a lap of the playground. But tackling the tube slide 30 plus times can be sweaty work, and this is definitely swimming weather. After months of hiding pasty flesh away under layers of itchy woollen clothes, it doesn’t take much to persuade us to strip off and don swimwear.

Kitted out, we were faced with an array of options.

There’s the sea, of course, but the water’s still a little on the cold side, and warning signs inform us of currents and the possibility of stingers and sharks at Salt Beach, so we opt for a tour of the resort’s many swimming pools – four to be precise. First up, we try

Opposite: Peppers Lagoon Pool © Mantra Hotels

From far Left: Kids on the beach © iStock

Kingscliff Beach © Tweed Heads Holiday Park

Sunset at Salt Beach

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Above: Surfers on Salt Beach

Plan your trip Destination NSW – Kingscliff visitnsw.com/destinations/ north-coast/the-tweed-area/ kingscliff Peppers Salt Resort & Spa peppers.com.au/salt The Legendary Pacific Coast pacificcoast.com.au

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the heated spa pool and then the gorgeous lagoon pool, complete with a sandy beach and warm enough for a good splash in the shallows, and a proper dunk under the blazing sun.

We spread our towels on the loungers and settle in for the day, pretending we are on a tropical island, and grateful that the café at Peppers is within splashing distance so we don’t need to move. For lunch we snack on coconut prawns before reclaiming our spot on the sand.

There are many eateries in this tiny village.

As well as Fins, there’s another fine diner, a Thai restaurant, a pizza joint, a café and a big pub complete with kaleidoscope slides and, a stroll along the coastline to the town of Kingscliff proper, offers even more options. This is also the site of a popular market on the last Sunday of every month.

Venture even further afield and you will discover the new hip hotel, Halcyon House, with its much- lauded restaurant Paper Daisy, or, take a 45-minute drive to explore Byron Bay. We, of course, did none of these things. We didn’t budge from our special little spot, and we loved every minute. Norm is a very wise man.

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Amuse-bouche @ Fins

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Making new friends and memories – the riches of the

Northern Territory Uluru and Kata Tjuta may be the headline attractions for visitors to Central Australia, but JULIE JONES uncovered many bonus surprises when she and her family delved a little deeper, making meaningful connections with an Indigenous community.

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Uluru Arriving at Ayers Rock airport in the pouring rain, we were told by enthusiastic locals that we were ‘lucky to arrive to rain as only 1% of visitors see Uluru with waterfalls.’ Tip-toeing through muddy puddles, and getting drenched loading suitcases and the wheelchair into the back of the car, didn’t feel particularly lucky.

But, undeterred, we took the local advice onboard, and set out to see the waterfalls on Uluru, reminding the kids, as the wipers furiously cleared our view, that we were lucky to see such a sight.

The following day presented us with clear blue skies and Uluru dazzling in the sunlight, the water stains the only sign of the previous day’s rain. Exploring the base of ‘The Rock’ we were amazed at how easily accessible it is to everyone, with lovely level paths and ramp access to the rock paintings making it doable for families with prams or those using a wheelchair.

Like many visitors, one visit wasn’t enough for our family, so we returned at sunset to see a different Uluru, joining the throng of other tourists, and sipping champagne as the sun went down.

TIP:

Walking around the baseess of Uluru - wheelchair acc

Books, warm clothing and donations can be left at the Voyages Resort for the Mutitjulu Foundation.

Family-friendly activities On holidays, we always try to include an activity that caters to each of our kids’ individual interests, and our motorbike-enthusiast son loved seeing Uluru from the back of a trike. The kids and hubby had a blast donning helmets and leather jackets for the ride.

In contrast, my 13-year-old daughter loves animals, so she and I went on a mother/daughter early morning sunrise camel ride. “Who gets up so early on holiday in the middle of winter to ride a camel?” I thought, when the alarm went off. But, once I was sitting high on the camel watching the sun rise behind Uluru I knew it was an experience neither of us would forget.

On the trek back, we could see a pink halo surrounding Kata Tjuta, as the sunrise ripple reached across the horizon.

Despite being rugged up against the winter chill my toes were stiff with the cold, and I feared bending them in case they snapped. Back at the camel farm we were soon warmed with the fresh damper, mugs of tea and hot chocolate.

Meaningful connections While visiting the Northern Territory we decided to take the opportunity to give our kids a meaningful connection with Indigenous Australians, by undertaking a project to give back to a community - an experience our 13-year-old daughter cites as one of the highlights of her time in the region, proving that the rewards of travel can come from unexpected places.

And while our children do learn about Australia’s Indigenous culture and the difficulties faced by many Indigenous people, we live in the big smoke and are fairly removed from their plight. Since my daughter had expressed a desire to work with children, I thought it would be a great experience for her to help a

community, and find out first hand the challenges faced by children growing up in Central Australia.

Before we left home, we made contact with the Mutitjulu Foundation and explained how we would like to help. My daughter’s school offered wonderful support, asking students to donate books, stationery and warm clothing that we could take with us, and Parragon Books generously couriered two boxes of books to the resort for us.

From Uluru, we had a three-hour drive on unsealed roads, with our car loaded for the trip. It was the most energising drive, with ever-changing scenery, rich red soil and water crossings that left me holding my breath or squealing with delight.

When we arrived at the community, the children and staff were initially shy with us, and understandably wary of our family. A friend had suggested we take an Instax camera with us so we could take photos of the children to give to them. It proved the ice-breaker we needed. The kids were keen to have their photo taken and walked around marvelling as the image appeared on the paper.

They welcomed the books, clothing and puzzles and we blew up some balloons, everyone laughing as we batted them back and forward between us. We had fun drawing on the blackboard together, and the kids were keen to copy what we drew.

The Mutitjulu Foundation’s mantra is “Considering the riches you take away, why not leave a little

Drawing with the kids at the indigenous community

Opposite page: Uluru Cycles tour to Uluru

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TIP:

Book tours and experiences prior to arriving at Uluru.

Particularly during school holiday periods, popular tours like the camels book out well in advance.

The Kangaroo Sanctuary tour numbers are strictly limited so booking ahead is advisable.

Right: Ormiston Gorge Opposite from top: Uluru Camel Tour Viewing at Uluru AJ with Brolga holding donation cheque

More info Travel NT northernterritory.com Uluru Cycles ulurucycles.com Uluru Camel Tours ulurucameltours.com.au Mutitjulu Foundation mutitjulufoundation.org.au Kangaroo Sanctuary kangaroosanctuary.com Royal Flying Doctor Service Tourist Facility rfdsalicesprings.com.au Alice Springs School of the Air assoa.nt.edu.au/visitors-centre Voyages Ayers Rock Resort voyages.com.au

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something behind” and, as a family, we are definitely richer for the experience, and hope the resources we left will help in some small way.

As wonderful as all of our other activities were, the whole family agreed that visiting a remote Indigenous community was the most special and rewarding of our trip.

Alice Springs It was hard to move on from Uluru after such a wonderful time but Alice Springs promised great experiences too.

We loved exploring Ormiston Gorge, Ellery Creek Big Hole and the other wonders of the West MacDonnell Ranges. Only a little over an hour from Alice Springs we found stunning swimming holes and beautiful accessible walks.

The highlight of Alice Springs, for us, was a visit to The Kangaroo Wildlife Sanctuary. As fans of the TV series ‘Kangaroo Dundee’, which documents the story of Brolga and the orphan kangaroos that he rescues, we were keen to see the joeys in person. My daughter was so inspired by Brolga’s work with the kangaroos

she fundraised just over $1000 to help with the building of a wildlife hospital at the sanctuary.

Not only did we get to meet Brolga, and tour the sanctuary, but we also had the opportunity to cuddle two adorable joeys, Madeleine and Sebastian. Both mothers were hit by cars, and the little joeys were rescued after being found in their mums’ pouches, still alive. Every visitor to the Sanctuary gets to cuddle a joey and I defy anyone not to fall in love immediately!

Alice Springs also offers families the opportunity to learn more about living in a remote area of Australia, with both the School of the Air and the Flying Doctor Service giving kids an insight into the challenges of schooling and the provision of medical services for people living in the outback.

Teenagers often get a bad rap for being selfabsorbed and constantly attached to technology. We found that our daughter revelled in giving back and came away from the trip with a much greater reward than a regular tourist. This was an unforgettable experience and we all returned home with a special place in our hearts for Central Australia.

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Fatboys Resort

Solomon ISLANDS His introduction to the ‘hands-on, not hands free’ treasures of the Solomon Islands has made BARRY STONE grateful - for the existence of this unspoiled Pacific paradise, and for the opportunity the Solomons provides to parents and kids alike to experience a wholesome and natural, ‘off the grid’ holiday adventure together.

“Who is this Baby Ruth? And what does she do?”

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW, 1921

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hen the great English playwright posed that question about legendary US baseball player, Babe Ruth, he did more than display his ignorance of America’s ‘Sultan of Swat’. He showed how anyone can live in ignorance of things that are, by any standard, phenomenal. So don’t feel bad if you can’t place the Solomon Islands on a map to save your life.

Rather just be grateful there’s still a jewel like this left in the world so untamed and so replete with ironies: a place that has to be looked for, yet has always been there; a place that mixes ‘PNG Wild’ with ‘Fiji Familiar’; a place that’s Wi-Fi connected, yet remains refreshingly ‘off the grid’.

If you’ve visited all the usual South Pacific destinations, chances are you’ve still missed this 1,500km wide archipelago of 900 plus, mostly uninhabited, islands. And you need to do something about that! Why choose a Pacific holiday just because the children fly free,

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Langa Langa Lagoon on the west coast of Malaita Island © iStock

or stay free, or eat free, or because there’s a ubiquitous Kids Club to take them off your hands? In the Solomons it’s hands-on, not hands free. Especially the fishing . . .

OK, imagine this: you’re in waist-deep, 29 °C water, 200m off the beach of some perfect, nameless island. Around you stand thirty or so Solomon Islanders, waiting for a tiny boat to reach you, that’s chugging along, almost capsizing under the weight of a heavily plaited, leafy jungle vine that’s been cut from the island’s interior and stacked in its stern.

The boat arrives, a man begins unloading the vine and we all join in dragging its considerable weight through the water, eventually bringing it around on itself to create a leafy, floating circle of green about 100m across. Then, with all of us ‘on our marks’, around its heaving circumference, we begin slowly reducing its diameter.

Imperceptibly to us, but more importantly to the fish, the circle

© Fatboys Resort

starts shrinking. The whole process took hours. And there wasn’t a single moment when it wasn’t exhilarating.

I ducked down, peered through the tangle of leaves, and saw an astonishing sight - trout and parrot fish and barracuda and all manner of marine life circling about, maybe 900 someone said, none of them willing to chance the gauntlet of the vine and swim to freedom. Finally, with the vine maybe 12-15m across, a ‘magic powder’ – the precise composition of which has eluded me – is tossed into the water. “What will that do?” I ask.

“It knocks them out”, someone says. Knocks them out? Are you kidding??

And then it happened – hundreds of fish float to the surface, suffocating, flipping themselves into the air. So we scooped them up and tossed them into dugout canoes; a week’s worth of fish for dozens of local families.

The capital, Honiara, on the main island of Guadalcanal is the gateway to all this, and the scene of the very first World War II Allied land offensive against the Japanese. There is a bevy of unique attractions here,

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Above from left: Catch of the day Boys on a pier at Munda A traditional welcome in a village that once practised headhunting

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including an American Grumman F4F Wildcat carrierbased fighter aircraft with wings that still fold back at the Vilu War Museum. Off the beaches, sunken wrecks of dozens of US planes and warships lie on aptly named Ironbottom Sound while, elsewhere, fig trees grow through the rusting hulks of US landing craft.

Almost all of the Solomon’s eco-lodges and guesthouses, however, are off Guadalcanal in its outlying provinces such as here, in Western Province, just over an hour’s flying time away. And twenty minutes further by boat is Mbabanga Island, home to one of the most laid-back retreats you’ll ever see Fatboys.

Fatboys got under my skin because it achieves, naturally, what properties around the globe spend truckloads artificially creating: utter contentment.

Its over-the-water bar/restaurant/idyllic haven is connected to spacious beachfront bungalows by a narrow, beautifully-weathered 75 metre-long pier.

Walking it is like crossing a bridge between Middle Earth and Asgard. Giant clams, the largest I’ve ever seen, sit on the rippled, sandy bottom beneath it, and

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almost outnumber the guests. There’s a pool table and library, and crayfish delivered daily by locals, to be picked over by the resort’s chef.

Travel is still an adventure in the Solomons. There are banana boats, grass airstrips, and a place called Skull Island. And there are mangroves and estuaries and lagoons and creeks everywhere. I’ve never seen a country so defined by water.

Yet there is so much I didn’t see. Like Marovo Lagoon, the world’s longest saltwater lagoon, and the 120 sq km Tetepare Island, the largest uninhabited tropical island in the entire Southern Hemisphere, with hornbills and pygmy parrots in its trees and dolphins and dugongs in its reef-fringed waters. Reached via banana boat from Munda, the largest settlement on Western Province’s New Georgia Island, Tetepare’s rainforest-draped mountains looked from a distance to be some Arthur Conan Doyle-like Lost World. Staring at it on the way to somewhere else was like dangling a carrot in front of a horse. There’s no electricity there, no hot water or flush toilets either, and you sleep in traditional “leaf houses” - a perfect place for

Why I’ll Go Back: To hike the primitive trails of Tetepare Island! visitsolomons.com.sb

screen-addicted children, and adventure-starved parents.

At Fatboys my most favourite spot was my verandah hammock. Each night I’d look across the waters of Blackett Strait to tiny, uninhabited, Kennedy Island, named for US President John F Kennedy, who swam there in August 1943, after his patrol torpedo boat was rammed, in the night, by a Japanese destroyer. So much conflict, and now so quiet. More irony.

On my last night I sprayed on another cloud of mosquito repellant, pushed hard against my verandah post which I estimated would give me 5 to 7 minutes of gentle swaying, buried my head in the pillow I had taken from my four poster bed, and stared at Kennedy Island, its silhouette rising out of a moonlit sea, an ocean of ethereal blues and silvery, gossamer tints.

I don’t remember anything after that.

More info

Dinner at Fatboys Resort

Solomon Airlines flies to Honiara four times a week from Brisbane and seasonally ex Sydney, from November to 31 January. flysolomons.com

Where to stay In Honiara, stay at the Heritage Park Hotel heritageparkhotel.com.sb In Munda, stay at the delightful Agnes Gateway Hotel agneshotelsolomon.com

Skull Island

On Mbabanga Island, stay at Fatboys solomonislandsfatboys.com.au visitsolomons.com.sb

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Coffs Coast, NSW The Coffs Coast region of New South Wales is teeming with great familyfriendly attractions and plenty to explore. CRAIG SHEATHER, his wife Carly, and daughter Lyra (3), took baby Morrison (6 months) to Nambucca Heads on a special trip … his first beach holiday.

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hen you live as far inland in Australia as we do, a trip to the beach for the family is a real treat. We love our home in Albury (southern NSW), on the banks of the Murray River, but if there’s one thing we crave, it’s a quick trip to the beach. Unfortunately, the nearest coastline is about 4-5 hours away!

Above: Family fun at the beach Opposite page: Waterfall Way has some stunning lookouts

Nine nights in Nambucca My wife Carly and I had taken our daughter Lyra on a couple of seaside holidays before, but this was the first time she was old enough to really enjoy it. As for young Morrison, it would be his first trip to the coast (even though he won’t remember it.)

Our destination for nine nights was Nambucca Heads, which is the perfect base from which to explore the Coffs Coast. We endured a couple of long days in the car with the usual road trip shenanigans from Lyra - “Are we there yet”/“I’m hungry”/“I need to pee”/“Can I watch the Wiggles now” – it was a relief to finally arrive.

Our holiday accommodation was a comfortable two-bedroom cabin, perfectly situated on the edge of a lagoon with a fantastic waterfront view, at White Albatross Holiday Park. Lyra became particularly fond of a friendly local pelican that she affectionately named ‘Penny’. Every day at sunset Lyra played at the waters edge and Penny would paddle over to say hello.

Nambucca Heads is a relatively quiet and unspoilt coastal holiday town on the mid North Coast of NSW. On a headland at the mouth of the Nambucca River, the area is naturally stunning with a winding river, white sandy beaches and national park wilderness.

Captain Cook and Rotary Lookouts were a good starting point for us to scope out the area from breathtaking viewpoints, highlighting beaches and SPRING 2016 outandaboutwithkids.com.au

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Nambucca’s gorgeous coastal scenery.

The name Nambucca is derived from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘entrance to waters’, and the area is known for its pleasant weather, and riverside cafes and restaurants that offer delicious local produce.

Head to the beach Lyra quickly became absolutely obsessed with the beach. She spent hours building sandcastles, swimming, running from the waves, exploring rock pools and collecting sea shells. On our second day at Wellington beach we were lucky to catch sight of a pod of dolphins surfing in the waves within metres of the shoreline.

Morrison also enjoyed his first beach experience, dipping his feet in the cool ocean water and running his fingers through the grainy sand, although most of the time he was content to watch his big sister run around like a lunatic.

A different kind of rock art Adjacent to our accommodation at White Albatross Holiday Park, the V-Wall outdoor art gallery runs about 500m along the Nambucca River. Over the years, visitors, locals, artists, and graffiti experts have transformed this rock wall into a colourful and intriguing exhibition of paintings, mosaics and sculptures.

Lyra loved exploring the wall and identifying her favourite cartoon characters including Nemo, Dory

and Where’s Wally. Anyone can leave a message or create their own artwork on the V-Wall, however, a couple of basic rules apply – use long-lasting materials, don’t spoil someone else’s work and wear shoes when climbing over the rocks and boulders.

Chasing waterfalls After a few days of beach action we decided to take a road trip along the Waterfall Way. This scenic touring route winds inland from the Pacific Highway, through the quirky village of Bellingen, up to Dorrigo and further to Armidale.

Along the way we stopped and enjoyed a number of natural attractions. Spectacular waterfalls tumbled from the cliff tops in the tablelands at various high spots at Dorrigo, Ebor, Bellingen and Wollombi.

There are also numerous dramatic waterfall views, scenic lookouts and tranquil picnic areas.

The Dorrigo National Park Rainforest Centre has an interesting educational area where we learned about the region’s flora and fauna. An interactive display guides visitors of all ages through different aspects of this World Heritage-listed rainforest.

The centre also has a series of elevated boardwalks that allow visitors to experience the beauty and wildlife of a subtropical rainforest. We took a stroll on

A different kind of rock art

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Dorrigo Rainforest Skywalk

the popular skywalk that leads to a lookout platform over the escarpment edge. The boardwalk led us over the top of the rainforest canopy, providing magnificent views across the rainforest, down to the Bellinger River and as far as the Pacific Ocean.

Fun at The Big Banana

A whole ‘bunch’ of family fun

More info The Legendary Pacific Coast pacificcoast.com.au Destination NSW visitnsw.com/destinations/ north-coast/coffs-harbourarea/nambucca-heads coffscoast.com.au nambuccatourism.com.au

A whale of a time

northcoastholidayparks.com.au

Coffs Harbour is situated on the southern edge of the Solitary Islands Marine Park, a meeting place of tropical waters and southern currents, making for a superb combination of corals, reef and seaweeds. It’s also a haven for whales, turtles and grey nurse sharks.

Every year between June and October, countless

bigbanana.com jettydive.com.au whitealbatross.ahp.com.au

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Coffs Harbour (45km north of Nambucca Heads) is the main hub of the Coffs Coast region and is home to the Big Banana. Established in 1964, the Big Banana started the fad for ‘Big Things’ in Australia. Admission is free, however prices apply for various attractions including ice-skating, toboggan rides, minigolf, waterpark, plantation tours and the ‘World of Bananas’ educational experience. The grounds are set amongst a banana plantation, featuring the famous giant walkthrough banana. Lyra quickly figured out that mum was “too slow” on the toboggan, so dad was happy to do most of the rides with her. I’m not sure who had more fun!

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pods of humpback whales cruise along the coast on their way north in early winter and, after giving birth, the whales and their calves make their way back south in spring.

Jetty Dive Centre operates daily whale watching trips during the migration season so I jumped at the chance to have a special daddy/daughter date with Lyra. She was thrilled to see the whales launch themselves out of the water, spurt water into the air and slap their giant tails down on the surface.

Goodbye Penny Pelican from Nambucca The daily ritual greeting between new friends, Lyra, and Penny the Pelican, was a highlight, until it came time for us to say farewell. “Goodbye Penny Pelican from Nambucca” said a somewhat sad Lyra. “See you soon,” she added wistfully, “… and next time you can stay at my house!”

We all can’t wait for that!

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Exploring Indonesia’s underwater world – beyond Bali

SIMON MALLENDER says there’s nothing quite like tickling clownfish and rubbing a turtle’s shell, while experiencing the ‘closest thing to flying’ in the warm waters of Indonesia, together, on a fabulous family diving holiday.

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S

© Diveplanit

TIP: xxx

©iStock

ome might consider it a tad ambitious to take your kids on a diving holiday to Indonesia, especially beyond the confines of the well-travelled, well-known, path to Bali.

Others might notice the obvious ‘holiday’ oxymoron, whilst most would simply consider you certifiably insane. But, actually, it’s not such a bad idea. Why? Two good reasons: One: Indonesia is the epicentre of marine biodiversity on planet Earth: thousands of species of fish, hundreds of species of corals, plus the sea stars, crabs and other crazy undefinable critters just waiting to be discovered by you and your family, either diving or snorkelling – and the water is blissfully warm and clear, making it a great place to learn.

Two: There are only so many years you get to holiday with your kids, as many tend to start pulling away around the age of 14 – parents are confined to the ‘boring’ basket, devices take over and, even if you go to the slopes, they’ll be off to the terrain park or be half way down the mountain while you’re still tightening your bindings. Diving and snorkelling allow you to explore and discover together. You get to show them cool stuff, and you’ll still be the more experienced (and in charge), however quickly they take to it. And if they’re tweens or teens, even if they won’t admit it to you, they’ll think you’re pretty cool.

There really is nothing like taking that first dip with your kids on a coral reef – you won’t be able to wipe the grins off your faces.

Diving and snorkelling also helps kids develop selfconfidence, and fosters their inquisitiveness about the natural world. Kids as young as 8 years can learn to scuba dive and, even if they don’t want to learn to dive, they can still see so much just snorkelling.

Not every region of

Indonesia is suitable for kids: many areas are accessible only by liveaboard. Others, particularly around Bali, have raging currents and choppy seas and some are muck dive sites, with critters so tiny you need a magnifying glass to see them.

We selected five Indonesian destinations that tick both boxes: great diving and family friendly, with creatures that kids would want to see.

Wakatobi, South Sulawesi This five-star luxury resort in southern Sulawesi was established after an extensive search to locate the perfect spot, in terms of ocean topography, marine biodiversity and climate. It’s a short hop from Bali via private charter plane, and the resort sits on the edge of a pristine continuous reef. Snorkellers can explore it from the beach, and divers are dropped at the most impressive spots, just a few minutes by boat.

Wakatobi epitomises easy diving on colourful coral reefs – which makes it so suitable for all the family. The full gamut of childcare is available here, from nannies for the toddlers to bubble-maker courses for younger kids, and junior open water courses for the bigger kids.

Certified junior divers can dive with their parents.

Thalassa, Manado, North Sulawesi

Anemone Fish, Gili Islands

Thalassa Five-star PADI Resort is in North Sulawesi, accessible via Denpasar or Jakarta, and although it doesn’t have a house reef, the resort offers a greater variety of terrain. The marine park around nearby Bunaken Island offers points, shallow coral reefs, and walls on whose ledges you often find resting turtles.

Kids can learn to dive, as well as dive with their parents,

Opposite page: Diver pair diving Cape Kri at Raja Ampat Dampier Strait, West Papua Indonesia © Pete McGee/Diveplanit

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© Diveplanit

s at Swim up close with turtle en nak Bu at g Muka Kampun

or go out in the boat and snorkel while parents dive.

Topside activities include volcano craters and waterfalls, and the tarsier – the world’s smallest halfmonkey – along with lots of other jungle critters. The resort also boasts a big swimming pool.

Raja Ampat, West Papua

Raja Ampat, means Four Kings, and is named for the four large islands that make up the area. It takes a little longer to get here but, again, flights to the nearest airport in Sorong are available from either Jakarta or Denpasar.

Raja Ampat is considered the crown of the biodiversity epicentre, the very ‘best of the best’ marine life that Indonesia has to offer. As well as the little colourful reef fish, bigger marine creatures are encountered on every dive: reef and wobbegong sharks, oceanic and reef mantas, schools of barracuda, jacks and bump-head parrotfish. This will definitely impress your teenagers. (They’ll be trumping any other stories back at school with tales of sharks, rays and turtles.)

Non-divers can still enjoy the marine life; it’s

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possible to snorkel with the mantas and watch baby sharks from the boardwalk.

Topside activities include kayaking, and day trips to other islands where you might trek to one of many amazing viewpoints, meet the very friendly local villagers, snorkel under the jetty, or just enjoy the beach.

Gili Islands The Gili Islands are a two-hour boat ride from Bali close to Lombok, and suit older kids (up to backpacker age). Experience exhilarating, but completely safe, drift dives where the current slows after you have passed thru the gap between the islands – and meet friendly turtles.

All three of the Gili islands have resorts, from luxury to backpacker – Gili Meno is described as the island for honeymooners, Gili Trewangan as partycentral, and Gili Air as somewhere in between, the sort of place where you can play beach volleyball in the late afternoon, before drifting to the bar for happy hour.

Bali Of course, we all like Bali and, let’s face it, why wouldn’t you? With its delicious food, rich culture,

PADI Courses for young aquanauts!

Bubble-maker: This course is designed for 8 or 9 year olds. Basic theory and safety are taught in a fun environment, followed by a pool session to learn how to use scuba equipment.

Once they are comfortable they can enjoy an ocean dive to a depth of 2m.

Junior Open Water: This certification level is designed for 10 to 14 years (though the minimum age in Australia is 12). Again there is a theory component, and lots of practice in the safety of the pool, before venturing out to the ‘open water’ of the ocean.

Maximum depth is 12m, although depths are usually 6-9m, where the most interesting marine life is to be found.

beautiful sandy beaches and great surf, yet, on the whole eastern coast of Bali, there are just two spots where reefs have managed to grow and, fortunately, both are reachable as day trips from Sanur, Nusa Dua, Seminyak or even Kuta.

The closest is Gili Selang (accessible from Padang Bai), literally a meadow of Staghorn and home to all the usual brightly coloured angel and butterflyfish.

The other, the most impressive dive in all of Bali, is the USAT Liberty, a 120m long wreck that lies in just 20m of water, accessible as a shore dive. The 50-year-old wreck is now an artificial reef with resident turtles and metre-long potato cods.

Across the Lombok Strait from Padang Bai, in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida, you will discover incredibly pretty coral reefs, including Crystal Bay, famous for its seasonal population of giant sunfish, or Mola Mola, as well as Manta Point, where you are guaranteed to see manta rays. Be warned though, the diving here can be challenging, with ever-changing currents, so it’s not suitable for beginners.

So taking the kids on a diving holiday to Indonesia is not such a crazy idea after all. It might be the start of a regular holiday activity, where you come back together as a family over the years as the kids get older, and actually enjoy spending time with each other.

From far left: Flying over Wakatobi Island © Didi Lotze

Raja Ampat © Diveplanit

More info diveplanit.com South Sulawesi wakatobi.com North Sulawesi thalassamanado.com Bali aquamarinediving.com Gili Islands 7seasdivegili.com

Discover Scuba Diving (DSD): for ages 10 and up, i.e., for those who want to try out scuba diving to see if it’s for them. The emphasis is getting people into the water and actually going diving: tickling the clownfish, rubbing the turtle’s shell, and experiencing the weightlessness of diving, which is the nearest thing to flying you can get. This is often the trigger for individuals to go for their first real certification: PADI Open Water.

PADI Open Water: for ages 15 and up, and for those who want to feel confident and self-reliant in the open water environment to depths of 18m.

Includes lessons on the physiology of diving, the equipment and techniques for safe, comfortable and enjoyable diving – online, in the classroom, in the pool and finally in the ocean.

One of the great advantages of starting your diving journey in a place like Indonesia is that you spend less time in a pool, moving quickly to diving off the beach where there is so much more to see, in clear, warm water.

A diver, videographer, writer, dad, and passionate eco-warrior, Simon shares his 30 years of experience, tips and practical information on diving around the world at diveplanit.com

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The World’s Best Kept Secret PACIFIC RESORT RAROTONGA Muri Beach, Rarotonga, 4 Star With daily scheduled activities, Pacific Resort Rarotonga’s Beach Hut & complimentary Kids Club has everything you need to entertain the little ones. Children aged 6-12 can join in the fun, learning traditional dances, basket weaving, exploring the lagoon’s hidden secrets and discovering the nearby Motus (islets). All the while leaving you to lounge on the beach to soak up the sun.

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BABY & TODDLER

Travel

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Kings of the sandcastles At Noosa, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, toddlers can be kings of the sand.

O

Our Toddler Travel columnist, Sue White, is a journalist, travel writer, founder of babieswhotravel.com and mum to an energetic, well travelled, toddler. She’s also the moderator of a Facebook community where travelkeen parents talk tips and tricks for family travel: facebook.com/groups/ KidsWhoTravel (all welcome).

n the surface, beaches and toddlers seem a perfect holiday mix – what’s not to love? But like everything toddler-travel related, parents need to choose wisely: the right distance from civilisation, the right weather, the right size waves – it’s a surprisingly long list. When I recently decided on Noosa, just 90 minutes north of Brisbane, for a beach holiday with my two year old, I lucked out: this is the perfect destination for toddlers and their gear-luggingstill-slightly-sleep-deprived plus ones, otherwise known as parents.

So why does Noosa work so well for a beach holiday with a toddler?

First: it’s beautiful. Lush greenery dots the whole region, meaning that even if you’re not out enjoying the area’s many walks, adults still feel they are somewhere tropical and relaxing.

Second: it’s easy to get to – the 90-minute drive from Brisbane airport (or fly direct into Sunshine Coast airport) is short enough that we don’t need breaks: a bonus, given I rarely drive more than two hours without needing to provide my son with food or a playground stop.

Third: the weather. Sure, Noosa doesn’t replicate the warmer winter temperatures of Far North Queensland, but it’s still warm enough for an easy escape from the cold down south.

Fourth: the beach. I am the first to admit, Noosa’s Main Beach is busy, especially between the flags, which, if you’re travelling with toddlers, is where you’ll spend your time. To be fair, walk 500m away from the flags and serenity abounds, but so do bigger waves. Given that toddlers need to be watched continually near the ocean, the calm, clear (fish-filled) waters of Noosa’s Main Beach make for a stress-free holiday experience (complete with good coffee just metres away).

Tricks and tips for a Noosa holiday Food forage: For adults visiting without kids – or enjoying a date night – there are plenty of restaurants to choose from (try Wasabi for Japanese by the river, or Sails back at Main Beach).

But if you’re travelling with a toddler, pack a picnic lunch and eat it on the boardwalk overlooking the water before heading home for a midday nap: remember too, it’s a holiday, naps aren’t just for kids! If you don’t get to the supermarket, Noosa’s main shopping thoroughfare, upmarket Hastings

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Excitement @ Australia Zoo Street, is just metres from the sand and has endless café options. There’s also a small food court if you’re after a cheap, quick bite.

My kingdom for a park: Parking is famously tricky in Noosa – partly due to the town’s popularity, but also partly due to the peninsula layout of the beach area. The best idea is to forget fantasies of parking at the Noosa National Park end of Main Beach and, instead, drive slowly along to the far end of Hastings Street and park for free under the shade of the trees bordering Claude Batten Drive. From there it’s a peaceful ten-minute walk through trees, along a pramfriendly boardwalk (kids will love the resident bush turkeys), to arrive between the flags.

Activities off the beach Even on a beach holiday, there are times when you hanker for some time off the sand. While there are plenty of options for sand-free outings, our favourites were the following four: Eumundi Markets. Just 15 minutes drive from Noosa, this cutesy village bustles on Saturdays (and to a lesser extent, Wednesdays).

Go early: there’s plenty of food for breakfast or

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New to the beach with a toddler?

A FEW TIPS: Good news! Unlike many activities, beach outings can be timed to work in with a toddler’s lunchtime nap, keeping you out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.

• Toddler hats need toggles or you’ll be constantly battling ‘noooo’. Even with a toggle, toddlers may still complain, but only until they are distracted.

• Sunscreen applied before arrival on sand: a no brainer, right? (I learned this the hard way – twice.)

• Beach toys are excellent but don’t think you can’t organise something makeshift: on ‘organised’ days we used buckets, spades and tip trucks (the bigger the better), while on the ‘looser’ occasions a Tupperware container and large serving spoon borrowed from our holiday home’s kitchen did just as good a job. (Those days also provided a great excuse to get an extra coffee: we filled the empty takeaway cup with sand.)

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an early lunch, and the shady playground is a hit with kids of all ages.

The Ginger Factory. While there are

playgrounds and other activities on offer at this Yandina attraction, toddlers will love the historic steam train that makes a slow loop around the expansive, tree-filled grounds. Where else can you find a train ride where the driver throws food for the local chickens en route?

Kids $7 gingerfactory.com.au

Australia Zoo. This big-ticket attraction is about an hour’s drive from Noosa. It’s a full day outing, so take the pram for your toddler’s nap, and plan your day well. For slightly older kids (say 4+ years) Australia Zoo’s free shows are well worth scheduling around, but toddlers will mostly be happy to wander the grounds, feed the kangaroos and point at the numerous residents being taken for walks (we saw wombats and tiger cubs out for strolls with zoo staff on our day here). A hit!

From $172 for a family of four australiazoo.com.au The Noosa River. Back in town, there’s a second spot that’s fabulous for toddlers: the Noosa River,

All aboard The Ginger Factory train just next to the Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club on Gympie Terrace. The generous (but often packed) playground has slides, sand and action for all ages although, be warned, there’s no fence and, given the location 20m from the riverfront, you may need to plan for water play. (We enjoyed the ducks and pelicans that gather here, and spent as much time on the sand by the river as in the playground itself.)

T O D D LER TR AV EL

Playing dress-ups in the water!

Inspired by her two young girls who love to swim, Sydney mum, Heidi Wallis, who has over 20 years experience designing swimwear for Italian and Australian companies, launched Bluesalt Beachwear last year, featuring eye-catching Mermaid and Pirate prints for kids in fine, chlorine-resistant, SPF50+ UV-rated fabric.

Heidi says her Bluesalt designs let children enjoy the fun of ‘dress-ups’ for swimming, in beachwear that’s not only colourful and cute, but also safe. The quickdry fabric is perfect for all ages of water babies, protecting delicate skin while also retaining vibrant colours and shape.

The range includes rashies and wetsuits, and Bluesalt’s float suits, with special buoyancy panels, designed to help little ones learn to swim, with full Australian Standards® accreditation.

Bluesalt’s new season range for the coming summer includes new styles and an expanded choice of sun protective swimwear and towelling cover-ups – and don’t forget to grab a matching swim cap! bluesaltbeachwear.com.au

Tot-al travel comfort!

The brainchild of two Californian mums, who had both flown extensively with their small children, the Fly-Tot evolved out of a desire to create a portable, easy-to-use solution that would help to make inflight travel a little more comfortable for tots. The Fly-Tot is an inflatable cushion that allows your little ones to lay down flat on a regular, economy seat.

Inflatable in less than three minutes, the cushion is made from highly durable material that squeezes down to fit in snug spaces, including when the passenger in front reclines their seat back!

RRP: $120.00 flytot.com.au

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Curious George turns 75!

Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Curious George with two new-release DVDs guaranteed to delight little fans of this lovable, cheeky monkey! Curious George: The Complete 8th Season and Curious George: Fun with Friends showcase the fun antics of George, whether he’s flying high above the clouds, splashing into his next unknown escapade or landing in another sticky situation. His inquisitiveness never fails to lead him, and young viewers, on many fun and curious learning adventures.

Live – Giggle and Hoot’s Magical Christmas!

Jimmy Giggle and Hoot, from the much loved ABC4Kids preschool program, are coming to a stage near you this December, in a musical spectacular that sees the lovable duo enlist the assistance of their Owl Pal friends to help save Christmas.

In the land of GIGGLE AND HOOT everybody is busy getting ready for the arrival of Hootoclaws, for his special Christmas Night Watch. Trees are being decorated, presents are being wrapped, and all that is left to be done is to ‘twinklify’ the very dark night sky… but what happens when all the stars suddenly disappear?

Join Jimmy Giggle, Hoot, Hootabelle, Gigglefangs, Pirate Hootbeard and, of course, Hootoclaws and his dancing Elves, for this fun, festive frolic live on stage!

For complete tour and ticketing details, visit: abc.net.au/abcevents and livenation.com.au.

Sleepy-byes for babies in the skies How do you get a baby to sleep on an airplane? Having to make multiple long haul trips between Australia and the UK with her baby prompted Fly Babee’s creator to practically address the issues – overhead lights and assorted cabin distractions – that make it hard to get bubs off to sleep on flights. Fly Babee Sleep Easy cover is a 100% breathable blackout pop-up canopy that simply clips onto any airline bassinet and blocks out 97% of light and movement, for a cosy, distraction-free environment when it’s baby’s much-needed sleep time.

RRP: $99.95 flybabee.com.au

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Photographers: Joann oa e Buck + Paul Osta l www w.TheRaro rotong tongan.c n om

PLAY FREE IN PARADISE!

Now your family can feel the freedom of Paradise with the NEW DIRECT FLIGHT from Australia to the heart of the South Pacific, Rarotonga! At the 4-star Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa your family can enjoy the island’s best beach and lagoon, including ALL-TIDE safe swimming in the Aroa Lagoon Marine Reserve, the island’s best snorkelling lagoon protected by a natural coral reef from the open ocean (no stingers or sharks to worry about!). KIDS STAY FREE! KIDS PLAY FREE @ the amazing Moko’s Kids Club – includes KIDS NATURE & CULTURE DISCOVERY PROGRAMME! FREE Snacks & Drinks at Kids Club sessions! FREE Kids Welcome Pack! NEW Banana Beach Playland crèche (0-3 years; charges apply). NEW Teen Zone!

Extensive FREE Activities Programme for all the family with snorkelling, kayaking, tennis, beach sports, games room, learn to dance the hula, play the ukulele & log drums, make a lei, husk a coconut + much more. Around Rarotonga enjoy 4WD Safari Tour, Glass-Bottom Boat Lagoon Cruise, rainforest trek to see one of the world’s rarest birds, Saturday Market, cafes & restaurants – all minutes away! The tropical island family holiday of your dreams awaits you at The Rarotongan!

Aroa Beach + Lagoon Marine Reserve l Rarotonga l COOK ISLANDS P (+682) 25800 l F 25799 info@rarotongan.co.ck | www.TheRarotongan.com S I S T E R

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Now open PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre King Edward Terrace, Canberra Phone 02 6270 2800 Open 9 am – 5 pm every day.

Closed 25 December. Admission fees apply.

www.questacon.edu.au

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