Out & About with Kids #68, Summer 21/22

SUMMER 2021/22

with kids

BEST OF THE BEST!

Annual Readers’ Choice Awards winners revealed

SPLASH OUT!

Luxury post-lockdown Australian experiences LIBBY TRICKETT’S FAMILY TRAVEL TRICKS 2022 HOLIDAY TRENDS

Issue 68 • RRP $7.95 68 9 771832 331006 >

DAINTREE • FIJI • GIPPSLAND • GOLD COAST • HERVEY BAY • HUNTER VALLEY MANLY • PORT STEPHENS • SINGAPORE • TWEED • WHITSUNDAYS

Image: Destination Port Stephens

contents UPFRONT 6 Reader Instagram photos

Our readers share their travel adventures

7 Editor’s letter 8 Moments 10 What’s on

Upcoming events and festivals for your diary

14 What’s new

The latest attractions, experiences, accommodation and sustainability developments

25 Special offers

Save on your next getaway with these great deals

31 Family travel trends

From revenge travel to the safest destinations worldwide, ANGELA SAURINE reveals how Australian families will travel as the world begins to “live with COVID”

35 Readers’ Choice Awards

Discover the hottest destinations, attractions, experiences, hotels, resorts and holiday parks around the world for families, as voted by our readers

54 Best children’s books to inspire a love of travel

ANGELA SAURINE reveals some of the top travel books to read to your kids

58 Frugal and fun at home activities

JODY ALLEN, from parenting website Stay at Home Mum, shares boredom busting ideas for the next rainy day

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Children playing at the beach in Port Stephens

AUSTRALIA 60 Splash out!

Consider using the money you’ve saved on international flights to indulge in one of these incredible experiences Down Under, ANGELA SAURINE writes

75 Reunite & reconnect

Get the extended family together for an escape at BIG 4 Gold Coast Holiday Park in 2022

77 Eco Warrior Adventure

Kids can learn about the Great Barrier Reef during a stay at BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort

78 Father and son Hunter Valley getaway

BEN GROUNDWATER learns from his mistakes and heads straight to the most family-friendly resort he can find for a mini-break with his toddler

82 Farming & seafaring

MEG LAW and her family explore Victoria’s Gippsland region in their 1973 kombi

88 Wildlife wonderland

DANIELLE LUCAS and her children explore the Port Stephens region in NSW

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Children performing in a concert at Castaway Island Resort in Fiji

WORLD

92 Return to paradise

EVIE FARRELL and her daughter Emmie were among the first families to return to Fiji after the country reopened to Australian travellers.

She has the lowdown on what to expect when you visit

96 Singapore in three days

MARIANNE ROGERSON reveals the best ways to spend three days in Singapore

EXTRAS 100 Celebrity Q&A

Olympian Libby Trickett shares her family travel tricks

102 Reviews

The Out & About with Kids team reviews North Star Holiday Resort in the Tweed, Q Station Manly and Oaks Hervey Bay Resort & Spa

108 How to stay safe when travelling with kids The well-travelled EVIE FARRELL shares her advice for ensuring a hassle-free family holiday

112 Must haves

The latest products travelling families need to know about

114 Insider Interview

East Hotel Canberra owner Dion Bisa’s favourite family holidays

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Discover the Great Barrier Reef with Ocean Rafting

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READER INSTAGRAM PICS Our readers have shared some awesome photos of their adventures on social media.

Tag your family holiday snaps #oawk for the chance to see them republished here.

1. @wanderlustwithlittleones Cape Horn Lookout, Victoria 2. @arigilby Cedar Creek, Samford, Queensland 3. @thepikeycaravan Darling Downs Zoo, Queensland 4. @catherine_best_ Cradle MountainLake St Clair National Park, Tasmania 5. @kb4travel Mallacoota, Victoria

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Angela and her son Oliver at North Star Holiday Resort at Hastings Point in NSW

EDITOR’S LETTER

Can you believe it’s been two years since COVID-19 hit Aussie shores and changed our lives forever? Early in the pandemic I googled the Spanish flu and read that it lasted around the same length of time. I didn’t want to believe it, and many others seemed to think the current pandemic would be over in months. But in the back of my mind, I knew that, realistically, that’s what we were looking at. Of course, the world is a very different place than it was 100 years ago, and while we are definitely not out of the woods yet, it really feels like we are finally learning to live with COVID. Two years on, most of us are at least double vaxxed, if not boosted. Borders are reopening, we are armed with good quality face masks, and rapid antigen tests are readily available – hurrah! (Don’t get me started on the time before an interstate trip when I was confronted with three “sold out” signs at pharmacies I’d been reliably informed had received RAT supplies just that morning!). All these factors combined are giving us the confidence to book holidays again.

I’m extremely fortunate to have travelled extensively preparenthood and, over the past couple of years, I’ve been that annoying person who’s been banging on about how I don’t mind sticking in Australia for a while as there’s so many awesome experiences to be had in our own backyard. But as soon as Fiji reopened to Aussie travellers, I was itching to travel somewhere exotic. I can’t wait to enjoy a lovo feast and hear the enthusiastic chorus of “bula” ring out at the ShangriLa Yanuca Island in a couple of months! You can read Evie Farrell’s story about what it’s like returning to Fiji in this issue.

Unsurprisingly, the Pacific Island nation was also voted best international destination in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards, which provides lots of great ideas for experiences validated by other families. If you’re not quite ready to brave an overseas holiday just yet, consider using the money you’ve saved on flights to splash out on one of the suggestions in our feature about luxury family travel experiences Down Under.

At Out & About with Kids, we are feeling excited — not just about the world reopening, but also about some changes we have afoot. In the coming months, we plan to launch a monthly digital magazine. Using an innovative new platform, the e-mag will offer millennial mums and dads a more interactive, dynamic, and timely format to discover the fantastic content we offer. Readers will be able to instantly book experiences or buy products they read about, and easily share stories with friends and family. Much as I love our print magazine, there’s no denying that this move will also be better for the planet.

The pandemic has changed many things, and after the trials and tribulations we’ve all been through over the past couple of years, we are re-emerging transformed and reinvigorated!

Angela Saurine, editor

Out & About with Kids Print & Digital outandaboutwithkids.com.au

Print Spotpress +61 430 060 700

Publisher Elisa Elwin elisa@oawk.com.au +61 413 770 550

Published by Elwin Media Pty Ltd ABN: 22 159 093 606 PO Box 4148, Balgowlah Heights, NSW 2093

Editor Angela Saurine angela.saurine@oawk.com.au Advertising Enquiries: advertising@oawk.com.au

Cover image Fun times in the Z4K water park at Paradise Resort Gold Coast

Art Director Jon Wolfgang MIller Copyright © Out & About with Kids 2022 Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission isstrictly 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 sent to the magazine they will be returned.

Disclaimer The opinions expressed in the editorials are those of the writers and do not necessarily refl ect the views of the Publisher and Out & About with Kids.

Information provided was believed to be correct at the time of publication.

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Moments

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DAINTREE DRIFTING

Image: TTNQ

During a drift snorkelling tour through Queensland’s Daintree Rainforest, children sit on a river sled admiring their surroundings. Operated by Back Country Bliss Adventures, the experience offers children a calm and easy introduction to snorkelling before heading out on a boat to explore the Great Barrier Reef. For most of the year, the Mossman River runs at a slow and steady pace, meaning you’ll float gently down the river current, taking in the underwater sights. Watch fish dart in and around the river stones and keep your eyes out for the occasional turtle. You may also spot water dragons, colourful birds, electric blue butterflies and – if you’re really lucky – the elusive platypus. At any time while snorkelling, you can take a break and float on your river sled. The tour takes around 3.5 hours return from Port Douglas, including transfers, with up to two hours spent in the river. When the river level is low, the experience is generally suitable for anyone aged three and over. The Daintree Rainforest is a part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, which is recognised around the world as the oldest tropical rainforest on Earth.

River guides will explain the 130-million-year evolution of the rainforest and point out ancient plant species along the way. backcountrybliss.com.au/tours/riverdrift-snorkelling

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AUSTRALIA

WHAT’S On ENLIGHTEN FESTIVAL, ACT

Image: Greg Twemlow

MARCH 4-20 The Enlighten Festival will once again shine a spotlight on the nation’s capital over 17 days of culture and creativity.

A packed programme with exciting events and entertainment for the whole family. enlightencanberra.com

KISS ARTS FESTIVAL, NSW

APRIL 23-24 This seaside celebration of the spectacular, the silly and the sublime takes place on the fringes of Kiama’s Black Beach, on the NSW South Coast. There will be circus troupes and hula hoops, music, mirth, mischief and mayhem for a multigenerational audience. kissartsfest.com.au 10

AUSTRALIA

PARRTJIMA – A FESTIVAL IN LIGHT, NORTHERN TERRITORY

APRIL 8-17 First Nations people have long looked to the skies to understand their place on Country and, in the heart of Australia, the behaviour of the seasons, the sky, the wind and the nature of flight all provide the knowledge needed for desert survival. This 10-night festival keeps the flame of story and authentic Aboriginal culture alive by using the newest technology to tell ancient stories, all set against the 300-million-year-old natural canvas of the MacDonnell Ranges. The program includes light shows, installations, art, music, talks, films, workshops and performance. parrtjima.com.au

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AUSTRALIA

ROMA’S EASTER IN THE COUNTRY, QUEENSLAND

MONSTER TRUCK MANIA, NSW, VICTORIA AND QUEENSLAND

Image: Dave Baldwin

APRIL 2 AND 3 (MELBOURNE), MAY 21 AND 22 (SYDNEY) AND JUNE 18 AND 19 (MELBOURNE) See big-wheel, big-horsepower ground pounders roaring across the arena at these large scale events being held at Qudos Bank Arena Sydney, Rod Laver Arena Melbourne and Brisbane Entertainment Centre. But it’s not just monster trucks – the show also includes back-flippin’ Freestyle Motocross, a thundering Jet Car, and a laser show. monstertruckmania.com.au

ANTARCTICA FESTIVAL, TASMANIA

AUGUST 24-28 Give your kids a taste of adventure at this biennial festival, which celebrates the city of Hobart as Australia’s gateway to Antarctica. Run by the Mawson’s Hut Foundation, it offers the rare chance to board research and supply vessels, meet scientists who conduct research in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and learn what Australians do in the driest, windiest and coldest place on earth. The program includes a huskies’ picnic outside Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum (a recreated version of a hut that explorer Sir Douglas Mawson and his men built on their 1912 expedition), art and photographic exhibitions, film screenings, and exhibitions of sledges, boats and helicopters used in Antarctica. mawsons-huts.org.au/antarctic-festival

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APRIL 14-18 Celebrate all things country at this five-day festival, which showcases the history and lifestyle of regional Queensland. You’ll find everything from miniature train rides, camel rides and scenic helicopter flights to billy cart races, goat races and drag racing, as well as Outback tucker under the stars and country music concerts. easterinthecountryroma.com.au

Kids Eat Free!

at The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium

KIDS STAY, PLAY & EAT FREE! Rarotonga’s most family-friendly beach resort, the much-loved Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium, now offers KIDS STAY, PLAY & EAT FREE! And the border with the Cook Islands is now open for two-way quarantine-free travel with New Zealand!

Children aged 11 and under PLAY FREE in The Rarotongan’s famous Moko Kids Club, STAY FREE when sharing room with parents, and now also EAT FREE, adding up to incredible holiday savings.

The Rarotongan is set directly on Aroa Beach, Rarotonga’s best white sandy beach, right beside the clear blue waters of Aroa Lagoonarium with the best family snorkeling in the South Pacific. Delight in seeing your kids get up close and personal with Aroa Lagoonarium’s friendly tropical fishes in our sheltered, all-tide underwater playground.

Come discover for yourself why The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium has been voted Best Family Resort year after year by readers of popular OUT & ABOUT WITH KIDS. Make wonderful new family holiday memories in our beautiful South Pacific island paradise – all while you save, save, save!

For more info on KIDS EAT FREE + t&cs, plus other Special Offers for VIP Members, Family Celebration, Conference Package, Spa Wellness + Romance visit www.TheRarotongan.com To secure your family’s stay at best rates & deals book online at www.TheRarotongan.com email us at info@rarotongan.co.ck freecall from Australia 1800 272 768 or +682-25800 or Live Chat

ATTRACTIONS

WHAT’S New HEIGHTENED EXPERIENCE IN MELBOURNE Melbourne’s Eureka Skydeck has reopened after a multimillion-dollar redevelopment, with a new name – the Melbourne Skydeck. The iconic attraction in the city centre now has the largest virtual reality theatre of its kind in the world, and the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Melbourne Skydeck Voyager Theatre has 24 Positron chairs showing a bespoke film that takes guests through 16 iconic Melbourne and Victorian experiences. The film features stunning scenery shot in high definition, complemented by sounds, scent and movement and accompanied by a score by local music legends Felix Riebl and Ollie McGill of Cat Empire.

Participants will ride Luna Park’s historic wooden rollercoaster, smell freshly roasted coffee as they explore Melbourne’s laneways, enjoy the action of the Australian Open from a courtside seat at Rod Laver Arena and feel crisp ocean air on their face as they swoop over the Great Ocean Road. For an

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even closer look at the city, there is also an augmented reality 1:1100 3D scale model of Melbourne showcasing eight periods of its development, from pre-settlement through to the future. The model comes alive via a new Melbourne Skydeck app, which also includes a virtual treasure hunt of 31 hidden markers. Guests will be able to view the city from its highest observation deck, test their nerve on the Edge, a worldfirst transparent cube suspended almost 300 metres above Melbourne’s streets, and walk THE PLANK, a virtual reality experience that ends with a thrilling virtual plunge and zipline ride. The new experiences are an additional cost and can be added when purchasing tickets. melbourneskydeck.com.au

ATTRACTIONS

The Blue Mountains Adventure Company has expanded its range of introductory abseiling, canyoning and rock-climbing adventures, specially crafted for families. They have flexible itineraries incorporating custom start and finish times and extra breaks through the day if needed. Its half-day Introductory Abseiling tour is suitable for children aged from six years, while its full day canyoning and abseiling tour is suitable for adventurous beginners, aged from 12.

There are also a range of walks for families with children, from a two-hour hike to a three-day pack-free guided exploration of the best day walks in the upper Blue Mountains, ideal for families with older children ready to embark on a multi-day trek. bmac.com.au

Visitors to Perth's Rottnest Island can now discover its underwater wonders on a new snorkelling tour experience. Rottnest Snorkel tours operates the three-hour tour, led by highly experienced snorkelling guides. Guests will step onboard a custom-built 10-metre boat to cruise the island's shallow bays and clear waters, providing the opportunity to discover more than 400 species of fish, 20 types of coral, and multiple shipwrecks.

The tours depart twice a day from Rottnest Island, located just 19km off the coast of Perth. The island can be easily accessed by ferry from Fremantle, Hillarys and the Perth CBD. rottnestsnorkel.com.au

Image: Joshua Sudock-Disneyland Resort

BLUE MOUNTAINS ADVENTURE

SNORKEL ROTTNEST ISLAND

DISNEYLAND COMEBACK CONTINUES

Disneyland Resort in California has a range of exciting experiences in store throughout 2022, including the return of the evening spectaculars Fantasmic!, the World of Color laser and music show, and the Disneyland Forever fireworks extravaganza. In the US spring, the Main Street Electrical Parade will light up Disneyland Park for the iconic parade’s 50th anniversary year, while the Fantasyland Theater will be home to Tale of the Lion King, an imaginative adaptation of the much-loved Disney animation. A range of new shops are also opening in the Downtown Disney District, including sports store Pelé Soccer and Lovepop, which sells 3D pop-up cards and paper art gifts. Work will also begin at Mickey’s Toontown, with new play experiences and open, grassy spaces expected to open in 2023, along with Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

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ATTRACTIONS

ZIP ACROSS PERTH

The highly anticipated Matagarup Bridge zipline has opened in Perth. Similar to the Matagarup Bridge Climb, the zipline adventure experience takes around 90 minutes, with guests having to climb around 150 steps up the bridge to the launch platform, sitting over 35 metres above the city’s iconic Swan River. Zippers reach speeds of up to 75 kilometres an hour as they ride over the waterway before landing on Burswood Park foreshore. The zipline was constructed with dual cable lines catering for two riders at a time, whilst also allowing riders as young as eight, who are over 30kg, to participate with an adult guardian. Evening zipline rides are also available. zipclimb.com.au

WE'RE ALL TOURING IN A YELLOW SUBMARINE Visitors to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast can dive to depths of up to 30 metres below the ocean’s surface on board a fully submersible tourist submarine. Down Under Submarines is offering the tours from Mooloolaba in the hybrid SUBCAT-30 vessel, which can also travel on the water’s surface like a catamaran. Down Under Submarine director, Andrey Alexeenko, said participants are taken below the surface 1.5 nautical miles out from Point Cartwright. “As well as the marine life you can spot out the window, travelling in the nearly 20 metre-long submarine is an experience in itself,” he said. “It’s a one-of-a-kind submarine which has a special hull above the water so passengers can get that experience of both submersion and refloating. That’s the difference, and it really gives you that adrenalin rush when you’re starting to submerge.” The experience is available for families with kids aged over two and above 90cm tall. The yellow submarine is also sustainable as it is powered by six battery operated electric thrusters that produce zero emissions while

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submerged. The interior design is similar to that of a plane cabin, with 14 circular windows offering visibility of up to 30 metres underwater and video monitors providing real-time footage of the ocean around you from the four cameras located on the sub’s exterior. During the dive experience an onboard guide provides commentary about the submarine and surrounding marine life. The vessel also has an external deck, and on the Yellow Submarine Cruise guests will be able to walk between the submarine’s exterior and interior cabin. Underwater the SUBCAT-30 travels at around two kilometres per hour and is manoeuvrable to ensure it never comes into contact with coral reefs or marine life. The Submarine Dive Experience has a dive time of around 30 minutes plus 20 minutes surface travel, while the Yellow Submarine Cruise lasts for an hour at sunset, just outside Mooloolaba’s main beach or along sheltered canals, depending on the weather conditions. downundersubmarines.com

ATTRACTIONS

LEGO FERRARI COMING TO CALIFORNIA The world’s first LEGO® Ferrari Build and Race interactive attraction is coming to LEGOLAND® California Resort later this year. Featuring a life-sized Ferrari F40 model developed by the LEGO® Group, Build and Race puts guests in the driver’s seat as they make their way through the “garage” to the “racetrack” using their creativity and imagination to build, test and race their own LEGO Ferrari.

A LEGO pit crew member will greet guests as they enter the attraction, sharing fun Ferrari facts, race history, and showcasing themed LEGO race gear and awards. Once inside the garage, guests can sit in a Ferrari F40 model developed by the LEGO Group and have their photo taken. They then build their own LEGO Ferrari car to race at one of three racetracks, including the test zone, steering test track and speed test track. Each track

offers guests different obstacles, challenges and a chance to clock in the fastest time.

A DUPLO® build zone also offers younger children the opportunity to design their own creations out of bigger bricks.

Finally, once guests have customised their vehicles and raced them through the obstacles, they will be able to create a custom digital Ferrari race car. Guests can digitally scan their vehicle and further customise their Ferrari along with their minifigure racing driver. Once complete, the cars are digitally projected on a LEGO racetrack based on Pista di Fiorano (a private racetrack owned

by Ferrari mainly for development and testing purposes). Guests can compete with other cars digitally for the fastest race lap.

Build and Race will be included in the price of admission to LEGOLAND California Resort.

LEGOLAND.com

OPERA HOUSE A CENTRE FOR CREATIVITY

A state-of-the-art Centre for Creativity offering workshops, installations and experiences based around design, engineering, dance, singing, storytelling and drawing has opened at the Sydney Opera House. The Centre’s inaugural program, which runs until March, features a mix of free and paid activities, including a sensory experience called Rain for babies and their carers, and a series of free creative experiences on Sunday mornings for seven-to-11-yearolds and their families, including making masks and wigs. sydneyoperahouse.com/learn

SOARING IN SYDNEY

A Treetops Adventure park has opened at St Ives on Sydney’s north shore. There are various courses that cater to all ages and physical abilities, and specially designed activities for visitors from three to seven-years-old. It includes 15 ziplines, 95 aerial obstacles, tight ropes and nets. The attraction is part of the multi-million-dollar redesign of St Ives Showground being undertaken by Ku-ringgai Council, which will turn the area into an environmental hub, with walking tracks, community gardens, a café, playground and workshops to educate visitors on environmental issues. treetopsadventure.com.au/ location/st-ives/

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HOTELS, RESORTS & HOLIDAY PARKS

CONNECTION CONFIRMED Families staying at Hilton hotels can easily book and confirm at least two connecting rooms with the help of innovative new technology. Confirmed Connecting Rooms

by Hilton is available when booking on Hilton.com or through the Hilton Honors app at participating hotels within any of the portfolio’s 18 brands, including Doubletree

by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton and Conrad Hotels and Resorts.

Hilton.com/ConnectingRooms

HOLIDAY INN QUEENSTOWN Holidaymakers heading to New Zealand have a new accommodation option with the opening of Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park. The property has an open lobby, which offers a casual and flexible space to eat, drink, meet, relax, and socialise.

Guests can move seamlessly between the fireplace, Giants Restaurant and Bar, media lounge, cosy seating areas, and E-Bar with plug-in power, Wi-

Fi, and wireless printing. The new multimillion-dollar hotel has 182 rooms and suites — many with mountain views. It is the first full-service hotel to open within the new Remarkables Park lifestyle development in Frankton, just five minutes’ drive from Queenstown Airport and 30 minutes to The Remarkables ski area. Twin, king and accessible rooms all include Vittoria pod coffee machines, robes, slippers,

smart TVs with SONIFI STAYCAST™ for personal app streaming and free Wi-Fi. Natural tones such as eucalyptus and paprika feature in the soft furnishings, while bathrooms are bright and roomy. Families with children aged 12 years and under stay and eat free in Giants restaurant when sharing a room with their parents. ihg.com

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HOTELS, RESORTS & HOLIDAY PARKS

LEARN TO SCUBA DIVE AT FITZROY ISLAND RESORT!

Kids can learn to scuba dive in a safe and fun environment with the new Bubblemaker program at Fitzroy Island Resort in Queensland. Children aged eight to 12 get the chance to use scuba gear to breathe and explore underwater in the pool, blow bubbles and play games under the direct supervision of a PADI professional. All children take home a PADI activity pack, which includes a beach towel, logbook, toy, certificate and registration card, decals, a tattoo and emblem. And if they really love the experience, they can do it all again for a discounted fee with the resort’s ‘Bubblemaker Repeat’ offer.

The 1.5-hour Bubblemaker program is held every Tuesday and Saturday from 9.30am, with other days possible on request. It costs $125, and a medical declaration must be provided.

Just a 45-minute boat ride from Marlin Marina in Cairns, the affordable resort is also home to a Turtle Rehabilitation Centre that guests can visit during their stay. The resort’s main restaurant, Zephyr, is open for breakfast and dinner, while the beachfront Foxy’s Bar & Grill is a more casual option, ideal for families, with bingo nights, trivia and live music throughout the week. Other activities available at the resort include guided bushwalks, children’s arts and crafts, and educational talks about the Great Barrier Reef. Guests can also explore the beauty of Fitzroy Island and the Reef with glass bottom boat tours and snorkelling, hire kayaks and stand-up paddleboards from the Dive and Adventure Centre, and enjoy cruises to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. fitzroyisland.com/scuba-diving

Fitzroy Island Resort is a family friendly resort just 45 minutes from Cairns, nestled on a slice of tropical island paradise and home to Australia’s #1 rated beach.

We’ve introduced lots of NEW Kids Activities including a Junior Marine Biologist program! Find out more at fitzroyisland.com/jmb

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BOOK ONLINE NOW

Ph: 07 4044 6700 E: stay@fitzroyisland.com fitzroyisland.com

@fitzroyisland #fitzroyisland

HOTELS, RESORTS & HOLIDAY PARKS

TAKE A PEAKAH AT NEW WEBSITE

A new accommodation booking website that offers both hotels and holiday homes is now available in Australia.

As well as searching platforms such as Expedia, Agoda, VRBO and Booking.com, Peakah also includes independent online travel agencies, such as HomeAway and Stayz. All your accommodation options appear on a single page, and you can search by the desired distance from the centre of town, number of bedrooms and price per night, so you don’t need to jump between websites to check if a hotel room is as conveniently located or as keenly priced as an apartment. peakah.com

BYRON BAY ECO PODS

Families looking for an environmentally responsible holiday experience can now choose from one of five eco pods at Ingenia Holidays Byron Bay. Built by Gold Coast-based modular home builder ModnPods, each has two bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and a deck.

Ingenia Holiday Parks general manager tourism, Matthew Young, said the company is the first holiday park group to launch ModnPods on a commercial level, further expanding its offering for the growing number of environmentally conscious travellers. “Our Byron Bay Eco Pavilion Pods are the first of their kind, designed to the highest standards of Passive House Design, with reduced noise levels and thermal efficiency,” he said. “Made with 90 per cent Australian premium materials – 70 per cent of which are fully recyclable – the Pods have been designed to complement the natural landscape of Byron Bay and offer an immersive experience with natural materials and finishes. With quality glazing, filtered fresh air and continuous insulation, the Eco Pavilion Pods provide a quiet haven for those looking to minimise their carbon footprint without forgoing the luxuries. Low energy consumption, emissions and waste enable guests to greatly reduce the environmental footprint of their stay.” ingeniaholidays.com.au/ourparks/newsouth-wales/north-coast/byron-bay/ accommodation/eco-pavilion-pod 21

SUSTAINABILITY

GLASGOW DECLARATION

Intrepid Travel, World Expeditions and Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours are among the companies to have signed up to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism – a sector-wide movement to reduce emissions by at least 50 per cent over the next decade. Each signatory must deliver a “climate action plan” within 12 months and publicly report on its progress. Plans need to include five components: measuring and disclosing all travel-related emissions, decarbonisation (without relying on carbon offsets), regeneration, collaboration, and ensuring they have the financial means to implement their plans. World Expeditions CEO Sue Badyari said sustainable travel has been central to the company’s active travel philosophy since it operated its first trek in Nepal in 1975. She said regenerative travel goes beyond sustainable travel, which seeks to leave a place in the same way you found it and aims, instead, to leave a place improved or restored. “We’re proud of our long list of firsts in this space but, as tourism has evolved, so has our commitment to responsible and sustainable travel and it’s time to step it up,” she said. “It's about actively improving the social or environmental conditions of the destinations we visit, integrating sustainable practices and offering purpose programs that leave the places better than we found them.” oneplanetnetwork.org/programmes/sustainable-tourism/glasgow-declaration/signatories

HILTON REGENERATING HABITATS

A father and son carry their 10 Pieces yellow bags, which they use to collect rubbish, as they trek in Nepal's Annapurna region with World Expeditions

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Hilton Brisbane staff have helped plant 300 trees in local parkland, honouring a commitment the hotel made in early 2019 to plant 100 trees each year as part of the hotel group’s 100th anniversary. Having missed the last two years due to COVID-19 restrictions, the hotel arranged to plant 300 trees at this event. A group of 20 volunteers gathered at Kate St Park in Carina to put shovel to soil to help regenerate local habitats with native flora and fauna. The initiative is part of Hilton Brisbane's commitment to halve its environmental footprint through responsible hospitality as part of Hilton's Travel with Purpose 2030 goals. The hotel also recycles soap through a partnership with Soap Aid Australia, oral care items and other single-use plastics through TerraCycle, single-use coffee cups through Closed Loop and single-use containers through Envirobank. It is also home to five beehives that produce 500 kilograms of honey per year, which is used in the hotel's kitchens and as gifts to guests and clients. hilton.com/en/hotels/bsbhitwhilton-brisbane

SUSTAINABILITY

GREAT NEW TRAIL

A new walking trail that provides information about marine life conservation has opened on Great Keppel Island, on Queensland’s Capricorn Coast. The volunteer-run Keppel Turtle Fund unveiled the GKI Sea Way Trail, which begins near Fisherman's Beach and follows a boardwalk throughout Great Keppel Island Hideaway's grounds. Along the way, visitors will find sculptured information panels in the shape of marine life, including a starfish, dugong, jellyfish, turtles, butterflyfish, coral cod, a giant clam, shark, whale, dolphin, and a seahorse. QR codes provide links to further information and ways for people to get involved to help protect the marine environment. Great Keppel Island is a 30-minute ferry ride from the mainland, near Rockhampton. visitcapricorn.com.au

RESPONSIBLE LUXURY AT CRYSTALBROOK

Luxury hotel group Crystalbrook Collection has partnered with EarthCheck to help offer guests more sustainable stays. EarthCheck, one of the world's leading scientific benchmarking, certification, and advisory groups, will work with Crystalbrook to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, minimise waste, and enhance ecosystem conservation. Crystalbrook, which has hotels in Brisbane, Byron Bay, Cairns, Newcastle and Sydney, already has a range of sustainability initiatives. They include operating a singleuse plastic-free environment, sourcing at least 80 per cent of restaurant produce from within a three-hour drive of each hotel, implementing technology to create paperless user experiences, and using recycled upcycled materials. crystalbrookcollection.com/responsible-luxury 23

SPECIAL IN PARTNERSHIP OFFERS WITH BIG4 EASTS BEACH KIAMA

THE HOLIDAY PARK THAT HAS IT ALL Looking for a family holiday destination?

Look no further than BIG4 Easts Beach at Kiama on the NSW South Coast, where there really is something for the whole family.

Bar balls, Crunchie slice and Malteser fudge plus cupcake decorating, as well as craft activities such as slime making, sand art, foil art and scratch art.

1. SUNNY’S AQUAVENTURE PARK

Whether you enjoy swimming, diving, fishing, body-boarding or just splashing about, you can do it all at Easts Beach, where the sapphire-blue ocean waves lap onto golden sands. This 400m-long beach offers a chance to relax, unwind and bask in the sun while your children build sandcastles. Easts Beach offers the complete package, from dancing waves at sunrise to a moonlit evening stroll.

Our water park features multi-level platforms with two water slides and a giant tipping bucket, an ocean-themed splash pad with interactive features, plus a shaded water journey for babies and toddlers. There is also a partiallyshaded sunlounge area for parents to relax while children enjoy the time of their lives.

2. POOL COMPLEX

The pool complex has two pool areas: a heated lounge pool with children’s play area, plus a large main pool with two lap lanes and a disability ramp.

3. KRAZY KIDZ CLUB

A range of super fun activities are available at the Krazy Kidz Club on weekends and during the NSW school holidays. They include cooking classes to learn to make such things as Mars 24

2021 FAMILY FAVOURITE

1

4. THE BEACH

2

3

4

5

5. JUMPING PILLOW

There's no better way for the kids to have hours of uncomplicated fun and burn off energy than bouncing and jumping on our Jumping Pillow. It has a shade structure, is surrounded by soft white sand, and is fully fenced so everyone can safely enjoy themselves.

It's loads of fun for the young and young-at-heart, so mum and dad are encouraged to join in the fun too!

MORE INFORMATION: eastsbeach.com.au

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG4 EASTS BEACH HOLIDAY PARK

Big Savings

AT BIG4 EASTS BEACH KIAMA The jumping pillow at BIG4 Easts Beach in Kiama

Save 15 per cent when you stay seven nights or more in the same cabin or site at BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park in Kiama, on the NSW south coast. The offer is valid until April 30, 2022 (subject to availability) and must be mentioned at the time of booking. The awardwinning holiday park has a range of great features, including a waterpark with two water slides and a giant tipping bucket, a pool complex with a children’s play area, and a jumping pillow. On weekends and during school holidays, the Krazy Kidz Club offers fun activities, including cooking classes and craft activities such as slime making, sand art, foil art and scratch art. eastsbeach.com.au/specials/weeklyreservations

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Voted Australia’s best family resort, 10 years in a row Paradise Resort on the Gold Coast is like a cruise ship on land! There is a giant Waterpark, ice-skating rink, the best kids club you’ve ever seen, miniature train, a daily activity program the whole family can enjoy and coming later this year is a brand new adults only pool and lounge bar. Complete with a lagoon pool and spa, on-site cardio gym, 24 hour customer service, plus a range of dining outlets, Paradise Resort is the perfect choice for your next family holiday.

Where every day is a Heaven for Kids…

Paradise for Parents!

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARADISE RESORT GOLD COAST

STAY IN PARADISE

& Save

Families can save up to 30 per cent when they stay four nights or more at Paradise Resort Gold Coast Australia’s most family-friendly resort, Paradise Resort Gold Coast, is offering savings of up to 30 per cent off its best available rate when you stay four nights or more. Available for a limited time, the package also includes one complimentary kids’ club session per child (aged up to 12), and unlimited use of the Zone 4 Kids waterpark, lagoon pool and spa. The Resort also offers a range of daily activities and entertainment, from Fancy Dress Fridays to movie nights and performances from the Resort’s most unforgettable staff members – its mascots, including swashbuckling pirate Captain , princess Cleo and adventureloving Outback character, Dusty.

Check the weekly ‘what’s on’ guide for appearance times.

Older kids will love the Teen Club, which offers kids aged 13 to 17 the chance to try ice-skating in the Resort’s own rink, Planet Chill; bingo and board

games, and even the opportunity to win prizes. There’s also laser tag, rock climbing and a virtual reality experience.

Paradise Resort has a bevy of family dining options, whether you want to eat out or enjoy some poolside take-away.

Deb’s Pizza Shack serves up delicious pizza, pasta and family-friendly meal deals, while Jerry’s Burgers offers a mouth-watering menu of burgers, roast chicken, delicious fish options and tasty wraps. Penguin-themed dine-in restaurant, Penguins, comes complete with a jungle gym. And if you do feel like cooking, there’s a barbecue area in Dusty’s Adventureland.

Mum and dad haven’t been forgotten – the ‘Just for the Adults’ program activities include live music, wine tasting, trivia and a cocktail gameshow.

An adults only lounge, featuring a pool, a funky bar and plenty of space, is set to open by the end of 2022. paradiseresort.com.au/special-offers

Planet Chill

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS Ramada Suites by Wyndham Wailoaloa Beach, Fiji

e r o M e v a S r, e g n o L y ta S

WITH WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific is celebrating the return of travel with a special regional sale, offering savings of up to 20 per cent on stays of three nights or more After a challenging couple of years, there’s no doubt Australian families deserve a break! Whether it’s a road trip to visit family and friends you haven’t seen for a while or reconnecting with loved ones on that big once-a-year holiday, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has you covered. For a limited time only, Wyndham is offering discounts on the best available rate at participating properties 28

throughout Asia Pacific. Get 10 per cent off when you stay one night, 15 per cent off for two consecutive nights, or 20 per cent off when you stay three or more nights in a row.

You’ll also earn Wyndham Rewards points when you book direct by February 28, 2022, and complete your stay by March 1, 2022.

The hotel group knows safety is at the front of people’s minds right now and has implemented new measures to give holidaymakers peace of mind. They include more frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch areas, hygiene training for hotel staff, and enhanced social distancing measures in common areas.

Here are some of the fantastic hotels by Wyndham participating in the deal…

RAMADA ENCORE

BY WYNDHAM WHALE COVE HERVEY BAY

Surrounded by restaurants, this resort is just six kilometres from Hervey Bay Airport and offers apartment-style guest rooms, an outdoor pool and hot tub, a recreation room, and two barbecue areas. It is within walking distance of Whale Bay Marina, where you can climb aboard the Spirit of Hervey Bay for a day of whale watching. You can also go swimming at Torquay Beach, or take the ferry to Fraser Island to discover its beautiful beaches, rainforests, and the S.S. Maheno shipwreck.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS Ramada Encore by Wyndham Whale Cove Hervey Bay

RAMADA HOTEL AND SUITES BY WYNDHAM BALLINA BYRON

Enjoy spectacular sunsets from your balcony or the courtyard of this hotel, located within walking distance of Ballina’s CBD, a short drive from the airport, and just 20 minutes’ drive from Byron Bay. It has a heated outdoor pool, a shaded children’s pool, sundeck, 24-hour reception, guest laundry facilities, covered parking (subject to availability), and a gym with river views.

There are three onsite restaurants that offer both al fresco and indoor dining, as well as room service.

RAMADA BY WYNDHAM DIPLOMAT CANBERRA

This boutique hotel in Griffith is close to Canberra’s CBD and parliamentary triangle, and minutes from attractions including the Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia, and Questacon Science and Technology Museum. Surrounded by shops, restaurants, and bars, it offers free Wi-Fi and parking, as well as an outdoor pool.

WYNDHAM HOTEL SURFERS PARADISE

This contemporary hotel is located in the heart of the Gold Coast’s tourist hub, a short stroll from world-class shopping, sensational food and wine precincts, and picturesque beaches. Its spacious, stylish, and self-contained accommodations combine contemporary décor and practical holiday living. Facilities include a pool, restaurant, wine bar, café, spa and gym.

RAMADA SUITES BY WYNDHAM WAILOALOA BEACH FIJI

Craving an exotic tropical getaway? Look no further than this resort at Nadi Bay on Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu. It has an onsite restaurant, outdoor pool, gym, and spa, with free limited space parking and an airport shuttle to the nearby Nadi International Airport. Each non-smoking suite has a balcony, flat-screen HDTV, fridge, microwave, coffee and tea making facilities, ironing amenities, and free Wi-Fi.

Ramada Hotel & Suites

by Wyndham Ballina Byron

WYNDHAM GARDEN CHRISTCHURCH KILMORE STREET

Surrounded by bars and restaurants just 10km from Christchurch International Airport, Wyndham Garden Christchurch Kilmore Street offers amenities including a gym, café, and free Wi-Fi. The hotel is walking distance from attractions including Quake City, the Bridge of Remembrance, and Cathedral Square. Each non-smoking guest room has a flat-screen satellite TV, ironing amenities, coffee and tea making facilities, a mini-fridge, hair dryer, bath products, and a window that opens. Some rooms also have a kitchenette with a fridge, toaster, microwave, and dishwasher. Onsite parking is available for a daily fee.

RAMADA BY WYNDHAM WELLINGTON TARANAKI STREET Stay in the heart of Wellington’s CBD and enjoy free Wi-Fi, a gym, and well-appointed guest rooms at Ramada by Wyndham Wellington Taranaki Street. Just 8km from Wellington International Airport and 2km from Wellington Station, the modern, nonsmoking hotel is walking distance from the

Wyndham Garden Christchurch Kilmore Street

Wellington Waterfront Walk, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and the restaurants, cafés, bars, and shops of Cuba Street. Rooms and apartments feature a kitchenette, flat-screen TV with satellite channels, washer/dryer, ironing amenities, a hair dryer, and shower products.

RAMADA BY WYNDHAM NEWMARKET AUCKLAND

Opposite Westfield Newmarket, a short train ride from the city centre and 17km from Auckland Airport, Ramada by Wyndham Newmarket Auckland offers onsite parking, free Wi-Fi, and a courtyard.

Head to Auckland Domain to learn about New Zealand history at the Auckland War Memorial Museum or admire tropical flowers in the Wintergardens. Each non-smoking apartment has a flat-screen HDTV, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, a sitting area, coffee table, ironing amenities, hair dryer, and bath products. Some apartments also have a full kitchen and washer/dryer. Onsite parking is available for an extra fee. wyndhamhotels.com/hotel-deals/staylonger-save-more 29

SPECIAL OFFERS

Go Greek

IN CANBERRA The ultra family-friendly East Hotel in Canberra has a range of great packages on offer, including one to the exhibition of ancient Greek artefacts at the National Museum of Australia. Available for all room types, the Ancient Greeks Package includes two tickets to the exhibition, one night’s accommodation, Greek treats, and parking. Priced from $269 per night, it is valid until May 1, 2022, when the exhibition ends. Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes showcases more than 170 objects on loan from the British Museum. The beautiful and engaging objects tell a story of the competitive spirit and intense rivalry of the Ancient Greeks, which flourished in sporting and battle arenas and inspired excellence in music and drama. easthotel.com.au/packages

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UPFRONT

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2022 FAMILY TRAVEL TRENDS

Image: Tourism Western Australia

From revenge travel to the safest destinations worldwide, ANGELA SAURINE reveals how Australian families will holiday in 2022 as the world begins to “live with COVID”

It’s been dubbed the year of ‘revenge travel’, with pent-up demand for holidays after two years of lockdowns and border closures brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic set to see families keener than ever to hit the road and win their lives back from the virus. But the emergence of a new variant, which led to record infections worldwide and disrupted many Australians’ summer holiday plans yet again, means the trend may be a bit more tentative than originally anticipated. Futurist Carolyn Childs, from My Travel Research, says the Omicron wave may mean things don’t really pick up until mid-year. “We should be through the worst peak of the Omicron variant by then, so it depends if we get another variant,” she says.

She believes Australian families will be more likely than ever to book trips at very short notice in 2022 and spend a lot of time reading terms and conditions.

“Undeniably, the desire to travel is still there,” she says. “Last year, when things calmed down, travel came roaring back.”

Ms Childs believes families – particularly mums – are more likely than other demographics to shun businesses who accept customers who aren’t vaccinated. Fearing having their holiday cancelled at the last minute or getting stuck somewhere are big barriers for parents, with travel companies being forced to adapt to offer greater flexibility and refunds.

“There’s a significant investment if there’s more than two of you,” Ms Childs says. 

BEACHCOMBING ON MUNGLINUP BEACH, LOCATED EAST OF HOPETOUN, IN THE LAKE SHASTER NATURE RESERVE IN

WESTERN AUSTRALIA. TOURISM WESTERN AUSTRALIA Beachcombing on IMAGE Munglinup Beach, located east of Hopetoun, in the Lake Shaster Nature Reserve in Western Australia

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2022 UPFRONT

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

TRAVELLING IN AUSTRALIA

The Big Pineapple on the Sunshine Coast

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

Kids having a bath at Julia Creek Caravan Park in Outback Queensland

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The Australian Domestic Holidays Survey 2022, conducted in December by online financial broker Savvy, found 77 per cent of respondents were likely to travel in 2022, despite new COVID-19 variants. Road trips were set to remain popular throughout the year, with 43 per cent of people preferring to travel by car compared to 34 per cent choosing to fly. With many people separated by border closures for much of the pandemic, visiting family and friends was the number one reason to travel for 45 per cent of respondents. But 29 per cent also wanted to discover parts of the country. “With the numbers of COVID-19 cases changing daily, it’s understandable that some Australians are hesitant to leave the safety of home,” Savvy’s managing director Bill Tsouvalas says. “However, it is encouraging that three-quarters of us wish to holiday in Australia – indicating that we are familiar with living and travelling with the virus. COVID-19 is no longer the new normal, it’s just everyday life.”

NSW and Queensland remain the most popular destinations for domestic holidays, according to consumer research company Glow Australia. And despite the state’s tough stance on borders, interest in travelling to Western Australia has barely waned.

OUTBACK IS IN

While favourite coastal destinations including the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast in Queensland and NSW’s north and south coast were booked out over summer, more Australians are heading inland for their holidays. Wotif managing director Daniel Finch says the company is seeing increasing interest for regional destinations, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. “Destinations like the Hunter Valley, Snowy Mountains, and Blue Mountains in NSW; and Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges in Victoria, offer some of the most breathtaking scenery in Australia,” he says.

“Victoria is seeing the most popularity when it comes to inland holidays, with destinations such as Ballarat, Bendigo, Mildura and Wangaratta trending on Wotif. com when compared to previous years.”

022 UPFRONT

Families are embracing kids stay and eat free offers at resorts such as Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa

Many family-friendly resorts in Hawai’i and Fiji are enticing families

HOTTEST OVERSEAS TRAVEL DESTINATIONS FOR 2022

While New Zealand was the most desired international destination earlier in the pandemic, countries such as Fiji have soared in popularity since reopening, thanks largely to the impressive COVID-19 protocols they have put in place, including high vaccination of those who work in the tourism industry and testing at resorts. Flight Centre general manager Australia Kelly Spencer says Fiji and Bali were the most enquired about overseas travel destinations. “Many family-friendly resorts in Hawai’i and Fiji are enticing families with bonus offerings such as kids staying, playing and eating free,” she says. “Different countries are issuing ever-changing rules about such things as vaccine certification, PCR testing, and mandatory health insurance, making travel planning a minefield for people to navigate. We’re meeting customers every day who’ve hardly ever used a travel agent to help plan their trips and holidays but have come to us because all the new post-COVID travel rules and requirements are so daunting. We’re experts with this stuff, and we go to great lengths to stay up-to-date so we can decipher it all for you.”

A family at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay

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COUNTRIES WITH RECIPROCAL HEALTH CARE AGREEMENTS

Countries with reciprocal health care agreements that cover urgent medical care, and a percentage of medical costs, are also becoming more attractive in the new world – and, aside from New Zealand and the UK, they aren’t necessarily those you would expect. Despite also being part of the Commonwealth, Canada, for example, doesn’t have an agreement with Australia.

If you need medical assistance there, you or your travel insurance company must pay the full cost of treatment. Many hospitals won’t treat you until you, your family or travel insurer pay upfront. All the other nations with a reciprocal health agreement with Australia are in Europe, including Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia and Sweden. But you still need travel insurance that includes cover for medical evacuations when travelling to 34

A family on a horse riding tour with Snowy Wilderness at Ingebirah in the Snowy Mountains

these countries as they aren’t covered by reciprocal health care agreements. Some travel insurance policies now provide limited cover if you or someone you’re travelling with gets COVID-19, or if the accommodation or tour operator you’ve booked has to shut down due to the virus. According to consumer advocacy group CHOICE, it’s likely to be limited to medical, quarantine and sometimes cancellation costs if you contract COVID-19. But it’s unlikely to cover you for cancellation due to government travel bans.

COUNTRIES WITH HIGH VACCINATION RATES

Nations with high vaccination rates are also becoming increasingly popular.

According to the New York Times World Vaccination Tracker, the United Arab Emirates (which includes Dubai and Abu Dhabi) is the most vaccinated country in the world, with 94 per cent of the

population fully vaccinated. It’s followed

by Brunei, Portugal, Chile, Malta, mainland China, Cuba, South Korea, Cambodia and Singapore. New Zealand is 14th on the list and Australia 17th.

SLOW TRAVEL

The way families travel is also set to be different in 2022, with a move towards nature and the great outdoors, sustainability, off-grid and remote travel, wellness and transformation. “We are re-emerging from the pandemic with a desire to explore the world differently,” Slow Travel author Penny Watson says.

“After months of lockdowns, selfisolation and home schooling, we are now dreaming of places where we can physically distance on walks, hikes and adventures amid the fresh air in a natural landscape … we’re researching ways to connect with local people and culture in place of now-taboo tick-box destinations with big crowds. Slow travel is the opportunity to scratch that itch.”

Image: Destination NSW

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi

Image: Flip Byrnes

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UPFRONT

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

The most popular destinations, attractions, tours, airlines, hotels, resorts and holiday parks for Australian families have been unveiled in the annual Out & About with Kids Readers’ Choice Awards!

Clockwise from top right: A nanny with a baby at Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort, The pool at Mandalay Holiday Resort in Margaret River, Rhinos at Australia Zoo, A family at The Rarotongan Beach Resort and Lagoonarium in the Cook Islands, A girl on the swing at the kids club at Malolo Island Resort

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Image: Visit Victoria

Discover history at Sovereign Hill near Ballarat

BEST DESTINATIONS BEST CITY IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

1. Brisbane, Queensland 2. Melbourne, Victoria 3. Sydney, NSW 4. Gold Coast, Queensland 5. Perth, Western Australia

BEST REGIONAL DESTINATION IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES 1. Ballarat, Victoria 2. Dubbo, NSW 3. Cairns, Queensland 4. Gold Coast, Queensland 5. Sunshine Coast, Queensland

A family at Curiocity Brisbane 2021

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Image: Visit Anaheim

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Image: Peter Amend-Getty Ima

ges

A family in Anaheim Packing District

BEST FAMILY DESTINATION IN NORTH AMERICA LAND’S A FAMILY HIKING ON NEWDZEA SOUTH ISLAN

1. Anaheim, California, United States 2. Canada 3. New York, United States 4. Florida, United States 5. Hawai‘i

BEST HOLIDAY DESTINATION FOR ADVENTUROUS FAMILIES 1. New Zealand 2. Northern Territory, Australia 3. Tasmania, Australia 4. Grampians, Victoria 5. Switzerland

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Boys in grass skirts with their buddy in Fiji

Image: Tourism Fiji

Image: Tourism Whistler-Justa Jeskova

A family ice skating in Whistler Village

BEST INTERNATIONAL SKI RESORT

A child with their instructor at Thredbo

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1. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada 2. Sun Peaks, British Columbia, Canada 3. Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU, Japan 4. SilverStar Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Canada 5. Aspen Snowmass, Colorado, United States

BEST AUSTRALIAN SKI RESORT 1. Thredbo, NSW 2. Perisher, NSW 3. Mt Buller, Victoria 4. Corin Forest, ACT 5. Falls Creek, Victoria

Image: InsideJapan

Dani Rourke from Lord Howe Island’s Pinetrees Lodge and her children hiking in the Dolomites in Italy

WOMEN WEARING KIMONOS IN JAPAN

1. Fiji 2. Bali, Indonesia 3. The Hawaiian Islands 4. Phuket, Thailand 5. Singapore

BEST FAMILY DESTINATION IN EUROPE 1. Italy 2. London 3. Finnish Lapland 4. Paris, France 5. Greece

BEST FAMILY DESTINATION IN ASIA 1. Thailand 2. Singapore 3. Japan 4. Bali 5. Vietnam

thorit y of Thailand

BEST INTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY DESTINATION FOR FAMILIES

Image: Tourism Au

Image: Luke Hanson

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

BEST DESTINATION FOR IMMERSING IN CULTURE 1. Japan 2. Northern Territory, Australia 3. Thailand 4. Bali, Indonesia 5. New Zealand

KATA BEACH IN PHUKET

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Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Image: VisitCanberra

Meet Spongebob Squarepants at Sea World

BEST ATTRACTIONS & EXPERIENCES BEST THEME PARK IN AUSTRALIA L SCIENCE AND QUESTACON — THE NATIOE,NACA NBERRA TR CEN TECHNOLOGY

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1. Sea World, Queensland 2. Warner Bros. Movie World, Queensland 3. Dreamworld, Queensland 4. Aussie World, Queensland 5. Adventure World, Western Australia

BEST EDUCATIONAL ATTRACTION FOR FAMILIES IN AUSTRALIA

1. Questacon, Canberra, ACT 2. Scienceworks, Melbourne, Victoria 3. Melbourne Museum, Victoria 4. Scitech, Perth, Western Australia 5. Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, Victoria

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Image: Visit Victoria

TOP: A platypus at Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital BOTTOM: Learn about Indigenous culture at Melbourne Museum

Explore the Great Barrier Reef with Frankland Islands Cruises

BEST ANIMAL ATTRACTION IN AUSTRALIA 1. Australia Zoo, Sunshine Coast, Queensland 2. Taronga Zoo Sydney, NSW 3. Melbourne Zoo, Victoria 4. Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, NSW 5. Werribee Open Range Zoo, Victoria

BEST MUSEUM OR ART GALLERY FOR FAMILIES IN AUSTRALIA

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

1. Melbourne Museum, Victoria 2. GOMA, Brisbane, Queensland 3. Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, NSW 4. Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW 5. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia

BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION IN AUSTRALIA 1. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland 2. Australia Zoo, Queensland 3. Uluru, Northern Territory 4. Warner Bros. Movie World, Queensland 5. Sea World, Queensland

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

A Morocco Family Adventure with Intrepid Travel

BEST TOUR COMPANY FOR FAMILIES 1. Intrepid Travel 2. AAT Kings 3. Trafalgar 4. World Expeditions 5. SeaLink

BEST FAMILY EVENT IN AUSTRALIA

1. AFL grand final 2. Vivid Sydney, NSW 3. Moomba Festival, Melbourne, Victoria 4. Ekka, Brisbane, Queensland 5. Woodford Folk Festival, Queensland

The AFL grand final at the MCG

Explore the Great Ocean Road

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1. Great Ocean Road, Victoria 2. East Coast Australia 3. Tasmania 4. Cairns to the Daintree, Queensland 5. The Big Lap (around Australia)

Image: Visit Victoria

Image: Visit Victoria

BEST FAMILY ROAD TRIP IN AUSTRALIA

Image: Tourism NT-Salty Aura

Image: Joshua Sudock-Disneyland Resort

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Cars Land in Disney California Adventure Park

Australian families love Qantas

A Maruku dot painting workshop at Uluru

BEST INTERNATIONAL FAMILY ATTRACTION

1. Disneyland Resort, California 2. Walt Disney World Resort Orlando, Florida 3. Singapore Zoo 4. Universal Studios Hollywood 5. LEGOLAND California Resort

BEST AIRLINE FOR FAMILIES 1. Qantas 2. Scoot 3. Virgin Australia 4. Singapore Airlines 5. Emirates

BEST INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCE FOR FAMILIES IN AUSTRALIA 1. Uluru, Northern Territory 2. Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory 3. NAIDOC Week 4. AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Round 5. Walkabout Cultural Adventures

BEST CRUISE LINE FOR FAMILIES 1. Carnival Cruise Line 2. P&O 3. Royal Caribbean 4. Princess Cruises 5. Disney Cruise Line

KIDS ENJOYING A DR SE USS BREAKFAST ON CARNIVAL SPLEND OR

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

BEST ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA

BEST CAMPING SPOT IN AUSTRALIA

1. Fraser Island, Queensland 2. Murray River, Victoria 3. Wilsons Promontory, Victoria 4. Green Patch, Jervis Bay, NSW 5. Grampians, Victoria

BEST APARTMENT OR SERVICED APARTMENT BRAND IN AUSTRALIA 1. Oaks 2. Quest 3. Fraser Suites 4. Mantra 5. Meriton

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

BEST FAMILY HOTEL OR RESORT IN AUSTRALIA

1. Paradise Resort Gold Coast, Queensland 2. Sea World Resort, Queensland 3. Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains, NSW 4. Oaks Sunshine Coast Oasis Resort, Queensland 5. East Hotel Canberra, ACT

A family dining at Oaks Melbourne on Market Hotel

Cathedrals on Fraser campground on Fraser Island

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

An aerial view of Paradise Resort Gold Coast

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

BIG4 Bellarine Holiday Park

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Y RESORT IN MANDALAY HOLIDA VER RI T RE MARGA

A family at the water park at BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park

BIG4 INGENIA HOLIDAYS QUEENSCLIFF BEACON

BEST HOLIDAY PARKS BEST HOLIDAY PARK GROUP IN AUSTRALIA

1. BIG4 Holiday Parks 2. Discovery Parks 3. NRMA Parks and Resorts 4. G’day Parks 5. Ingenia Holidays

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

1. Mandalay Holiday Resort & Tourist Park, Busselton 2. RAC Exmouth Cape Holiday Park 3. BIG4 Taunton Farm Margaret River 4. RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort 5. BIG4 Denmark Ocean Beach Holiday Park

QUEENSLAND

1. BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park, Helensvale 2. BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, Airlie Beach 3. NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort, Gold Coast 4. BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Cairns Coconut Resort 5. BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort

VICTORIA

1. BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Beacon Resort, Queenscliff 2. Anglesea Family Caravan Park 3. BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Phillip Island 4. BIG4 NRMA Ballarat Holiday Park 5. BIG4 Bellarine Holiday Park 47

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Kids on the jumping pillow at BIG4 Easts Beach Kiama

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Jumping pillow fun at Discovery Parks Alice Springs

NSW

1. BIG4 Easts Beach Kiama 2. NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort, Umina Beach 3. North Star Holiday Resort, Hastings Point 4. Blue Dolphin Holiday Resort, Yamba 5. BIG4 NRMA South West Rocks Holiday Resort

NORTHERN TERRITORY

1. Discovery Parks – Alice Springs 2. Darwin FreeSpirit Resort 3. Nitmiluk Gorge Caravan Park 4. BIG4 Howard Springs Holiday Park 5. Cooinda Campground and Caravan Park

BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park

TASMANIA

1. BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park 2. NRMA Port Arthur Holiday Park 3. BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park 4. Captain Cook Holiday Park, Adventure Bay, Bruny Island 5. Discovery Parks – Hobart

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

1. Marion Holiday Park, Bedford Park 2. BIG4 Renmark Riverfront Holiday Park 3. NRMA Victor Harbor Beachfront Holiday Park 4. BIG4 West Beach Parks 5. Discovery Parks – Lake Bonney

MARION HOLIDAY PARK SOUTH AUSTRALIA ,

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

ORT THE POOL AT LAKE TAUPOD RES IN NEW ZEALAN

Kids blowing conch shells at The Rarotongan Beach Resort and Lagoonarium in the Cook Islands

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READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

A girl discovering marine life with a nanny from Malolo Island Resort

BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AND RESORTS NEW ZEALAND

1. Lake Taupo Holiday Resort 2. Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa 3. Rainforest Retreat 4. Kaikoura Top Ten Holiday Park 5. Paihia Beach Resort & Spa

PACIFIC ISLANDS

1. The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium, Cook Islands 2. Warwick Le Lagon Resort & Spa, Vanuatu 3. Iririki Island Resort & Spa, Vanuatu 4. Holiday Inn Resort, Vanuatu 5. Pacific Resort Rarotonga, Cook Islands

FIJI (MAINLAND)

A Fijian warrior at Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort

1. Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort 2. Shangri-La Yanuca Island 3. Radisson Blu Resort Resort Fiji Denarau Island 4. InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa 5. Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay

FIJI (OTHER ISLANDS)

1. Castaway Island Resort 2. Malolo Island Resort 3. Plantation Island Resort 4. Treasure Island Resort 5. Mana Island Resort & Spa

BEST KIDS’ CLUB OR NANNIES IN FIJI

Girls having their hair braided at Castaway Island in Fiji

1. Tia’s Treehouse, Malolo Island Resort 2. Little Chiefs Kids Club, Shangri-La Yanuca Island, Fiji 3. Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort 4. InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa 5. The Bula Club, Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort 51

Image: Hilton Hotels and Resorts

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

The kids club at Bali Dynasty Resort

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort

Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket

BALI

1. Bali Dynasty Resort, Kuta 2. The Westin Resort Nusa Dua 3. Holiday Inn Resort Bali Benoa 4. Club Med Bali 5. Hard Rock Hotel Bali

Image: Disneyland Resort

ASIA Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa

1. Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort 2. Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa 3. Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel, Maui 4. Turtle Bay Resort 5. Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk

1. Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, Thailand 2. JEN Singapore Tanglin by Shangri-La 3. Club Med Cherating Beach, Malaysia 4. LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort 5. Sunway Resort, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

THAILAND

MAINLAND USA

BEST LUXURY HOTEL OR RESORT

1. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa 2. LEGOLAND California Hotel 3. Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim 4. Brush Creek Ranch, Wyoming 5. Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground 52

HAWAI‘I

1. Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket 2. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui 3. Angsana Laguna Phuket 4. Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach 5. Katathani Phuket Beach Resort

1. Kokomo Private Island Resort, Fiji 2. Vomo Island Resort, Fiji 3. Nanuku, Auberge Resorts Collection, Fiji 4. Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Resort 5. Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, Malaysia

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

KOKOMO PRIVATE ISLAND RESORT IN FIJI

A FAMILY AT FOUR SEASONS RES KOH SAMUI IN THAILAND ORT

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UPFRONT

20 BEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS TO INSPIRE A LOVE OF TRAVEL Reading to your children about the wonderful world we live in is a sure way to get them interested in exploring it. ANGELA SAURINE reveals some of the top book choices to add to your list.

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1. THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE

This tale of a snail with an itchy foot that hitches a lift on the tail of a whale, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (creators of The Gruffalo), is pure delight. Together, snail and whale go on an amazing adventure – past icebergs and volcanoes, sharks and penguins – and the little snail feels so small in the vastness of the world. But when disaster strikes and the whale is beached in a bay, it’s the tiny snail’s big plan that saves the day.

2. PEPPA GOES ON HOLIDAY

Beloved pig Peppa and her family pack their suitcases and fly all to Italy for their first overseas adventure, where they eat pizza and go sightseeing. But there’s so much to see and do that Peppa keeps leaving poor Teddy behind! Will he make it home in the end? This first experience story is perfect for pre-schoolers who are fans of the longrunning British TV show, which can be seen locally on ABC Kids. The book is based on an episode in the fourth series.

5. THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

This classic series of 24 stories, created by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, was one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century.

Its hero is Tintin, a courageous young reporter and adventurer, who travels to destinations including South America, Egypt and Tibet, with his faithful dog Snowy.

6. LET’S GO FOR A DRIVE

Told entirely in speech bubbles, this entertaining book about best friends Gerald and Piggie, by Mo Willems, will have kids itching to do a road trip.

7. PADDINGTON ABROAD

When the Browns go on holiday to France, the world’s favourite bear is put in charge of the ‘eyetinnery’.

But even with the whole trip planned down to the last marmalade sandwich, somehow Paddington takes the family off the beaten path on a voyage no one could forget, even becoming the only bear ever to ride in the famous Tour de France bicycle race.

3. MADELINE

This book series follows the adventures of a seven-year-old girl attending a boarding school in Paris with eleven other students, under the care of their teacher, Miss Clavel.

Madeline runs away to join a group of travelling gypsies, visits a friend in London and travels to Rome, Texas and the White House in Washington DC.

4. WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Join Ratty, Badger, Toad and Mole on an adventure in this classic novel

by Scottish author Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. Suitable for kids aged nine to 12, it is set by the River Thames in England.

8. OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO

In the last book published during his lifetime, Dr Seuss writes about the journey of life and its challenges.

After leaving town, the protagonist travels through several geometrical and polychromatic landscapes and places.

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9. ARE WE THERE YET?

Join Grace and her family on their adventures around Australia in this warm, heartfelt story based on an actual journey taken by awardwinning author and illustrator Alison Lester. Lester’s other books include Magic Beach, which celebrates an Aussie summer as kids make sandcastles, explore rock pools, fish from the jetty, and make a bonfire.

10. JOURNEY

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall, and escapes through it into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound in this book from author-illustrator Aaron Becker. Red crayon in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. It is the first of a trilogy, which also includes Quest and Return. It’s suitable for kids aged six to eight.

11. LITTLE NIC’S BIG WORLD

AFL star Nic Naitanui, who was born in Sydney to Fijian parents, celebrates the diversity of different cultures when it comes to art, music, sport and more in his new book, Little Nic’s Big World, which is a follow up to his previous children’s book, Little Nic’s Big Day. It’s supported with beautiful images by Fatima Anaya, who grew up in Central America.

12. ADVENTURES AROUND THE GLOBE

Explore the ruins of Machu Picchu, the canals of Venice and the bright lights of New York with this book from Lonely Planet Kids. Designed for children aged six to eight, it encourages little ones to discover each of the continents with fun facts, maps, sticker scenes and puzzles. They can also decorate real-life locations, like the sacred river Ganges in India or the mosaics of Park Guell in Spain.

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13. SPOT GOES ON HOLIDAY

Much-loved dog Spot and his parents go to the seaside and discover all the fun that can be had in the water and on the beach.

From the pen of the famous illustrator Eric Hill, this is a charming story of fun and mischief, with simple text and lots of surprises behind the lift-up flaps.

UPFRONT

14. RESPECT

Evocative images of red earth, a sky full of stars, and Aboriginal people gathered around a campfire will help motivate a trip to Australia’s Outback, with the accompanying words also providing a greater understanding of Indigenous culture before you get there, in this offering from Magabala Books.

17. WHERE’S WALLY?

Search for the distinctive character, identified by his redand-white-striped shirt, bobble hat, and glasses, on the ski slopes, in a museum, on the beach and at an airport, campsite and safari park.

19. RUBY RED SHOES GOES TO PARIS

Ruby and her grandmother Babushka are off to Paris for a holiday. When they arrive, they go to meet Babushka’s brother, Monsieur Gaspar Galushka, who loves hats as much as Ruby loves red shoes. And

15. PIG THE TOURIST

When Pig, the world’s greediest Pug, ventures off on holiday, he causes chaos wherever he goes.

This is the latest in a series of books from New York Times best-selling author Aaron Blabey, whose other titles include Pig the Pug, Pig the Elf and Pig the Grub.

with Monsieur is his grandson, Felix, who becomes Ruby’s guide.

Together, the two young hares zip around Paris on Felix’s racy red scooter, taking in all the beautiful sights that the French capital has to offer.

valet, Passepartout, rescue a Rajah’s widow, and across the Pacific to the American frontier, where they brave a bison stampede and an attack by Sioux Indians.

18. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

A lovely prelude to a trip to England’s Lake District, Beatrix Potter’s story of a mischievous rabbit and the trouble he encounters in Mr McGregor’s vegetable garden is a classic. The famous author often holidayed in the region and developed a love of its landscape and animals, which she closely observed and painted.

The classic 1873 adventure tale of gentleman Phileas Fogg and his quest to travel around the world in just eighty days by train and ship.

The travelogue sweeps through many exotic settings, including the jungles of India, where Fogg and his French

16. THE SNOW WOMBAT This beautifully illustrated book, set in Australia’s high country, is guaranteed to give kids an interest in the snow (and instil a sense of longing in their parents!) It perfectly captures the alpine region with pictures of stockmen’s huts, native wildlife and snow gums.

20. THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT

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1. BACKYARD GAMES

Backyard games or a simple obstacle course are super fun and a great way to drain the kids’ energy.

2. LEARN HOW TO PLAY MUSIC VIA YOUTUBE

8 FRUGAL & FUN AT HOME ACTIVITIES

JODY ALLEN, from parenting website Stay at Home Mum, shares some boredom busting ideas for the next rainy day 58

The kids might reject the idea at first, but they may also end up being a maestro at playing the guitar or drums!

YouTube is a great start for them to learn how to play instruments. Even if they just want to learn the most famous ‘riffs’, there are YouTube videos on how to do just that!

3. PRETEND TO WORK LIKE MUM OR DAD FOR A DAY

Not all workplaces let you bring your kids.

But, if you can, create a space in your home to be your home office and bring the kids to ‘work’ with you. Mentally prepare them and give out rules as to what they should or shouldn’t do. To make it more fun, let them wear office attire!

UPFRONT

THERE ARE LOTS OF REALLY GREAT MOVIES TO WATCH

6. HAVE A MOVIE MARATHON

This one’s probably my go-to when the kids are bored. There are lots of really great movies to watch. But before that, I always give conditions, such as making sure all the chores are done, etc. It always works!

7. GO CAMPING IN THE BACKYARD

Pitch the tents, build a small fire, let the kids sleep in sleeping bags and try cooking a meal over the coals! It’s a lovely activity on Friday or Saturday nights for the whole family!

4. LEARN HOW TO COOK

If your kids are getting older and more mature, it’s about time to teach them how to work around the kitchen. Cooking is a life skill, and it’s better to teach them slowly as they grow up. They can be in charge of washing fruit and veggies, cleaning up and measuring ingredients.

Older kids can also learn how to peel veggies and cook eggs.

5. LEARN NEW JOBS AROUND THE HOUSE

Each year, I try my best to teach my kids to do something new. Just basic tasks like raking leaves, cleaning their rooms, folding clothes, for example. Moreover, it’s important to teach the kids to pick up their toys while they’re young. It’s also a great way to discipline your kids when they fight. Most house chores consist of working together, so they won’t have a choice.

8. WRITE A LETTER

Get your kids to write a letter to grandparents or a friend and encourage them to say something nice or talk about their day. You can mail it, or kids can give them out to their friends at school. It will give children a feeling of excitement, and it’s nice to remember our loved ones as well. Plus, they’ll be able to practise their writing.

This is an edited extract of a story originally published on stayathomemum.com.au 59

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S H A L P

S OUT!

If you’re not quite ready to brave international travel just yet, consider using the money you’ve saved on flights to treat the family to one of these incredible experiences Down Under instead, ANGELA SAURINE writes

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"IMAGINE STAYING OVERNIGHT IN A HOTEL UNDER THE WATER"

1

Sleep underwater at Reefsuites in The Whitsundays QUEENSLAND Imagine staying overnight in a hotel under the water, with colourful tropical fish darting back and forth outside your window! That’s the kind of experience you will get at Reefsuites, which is located on a permanently moored pontoon at Hardy Reef, around 40 nautical miles from Airlie Beach in The Whitsundays. The trip begins with a cruise through the Whitsunday Islands aboard a high-speed vessel, arriving at the reef around 11am. After lunch, you can snorkel, dive, swim or take a scenic helicopter flight to see famous Heart Reef (for an additional cost). Day visitors depart mid-afternoon and then overnight guests have Hardy Reef and Reefworld all to themselves. Watch the sunset before enjoying dinner under the stars on the pontoon’s upper deck.

After dinner, you can retreat to the privacy of your undersea accommodation. cruisewhitsundays.com/experiences/reefsuites

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2. Sounds of Silence dinner, Uluru

Sleep under water with ReefSuites on the Great Barrier Reef

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

NORTHERN TERRITORY With a million stars overhead, the drone of a didgeridoo in the background and a bush tucker meal, the Sounds of Silence dinner is without doubt one of the most magical travel experiences in Australia. Families with children aged ten and over can book the four-hour tour, which begins with canapes and drinks on top of a dune overlooking UluruKata Tjuta National Park. As the sun sets and darkness falls, listen to the sound of a didgeridoo and join your table of fellow travellers for an unforgettable evening. Listen as an astronomer decodes the southern night sky, locate the Southern Cross, the signs of the zodiac, the Milky Way, and planets and galaxies that are visible due to the exceptional clarity of the atmosphere. If you want to go all out on your Red Centre adventure, the luxury wilderness camp Longitude 131 also welcomes children aged 10 and over. ayersrockresort.com.au/experiences/sounds-of-silence 63

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3. Swim with dolphins off Kangaroo Island SOUTH AUSTRALIA

"ONE OF THE MOST SOUL ENRICHING EXPERIENCES ON THE PLANET" 64

Swimming alongside playful dolphins and seals has to be one of the most soul enriching experiences on the planet – and it makes for great family dinner conversation for years to come. Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures offers the experience in crystal clear waters off South Australia.

If you'd rather stay dry, then book the 75-minute coastal cruise and soak it all in from the comfort of the boat. kimarineadventures.com.au

AUSTRALIA

See Cape Leveque from above on a scenic flight

4. Scenic flight over the Kimberley WESTERN AUSTRALIA Image: Tourism Western Australia

The Kimberley is one of the most spectacular parts of the country, but its sheer size (three times as big as England) and rough roads may be daunting for a lot of families.

One solution is to book a holiday in Broome and explore this remote region from the air via a scenic flight. KAS Helicopters offers a flight over Cygnet Bay, Cape Leveque and One Arm Point, taking in the turquoise waters and stunning red cliffs of the coastline. Land on the northern tip of the Dampier Peninsula to spend a few hours exploring, and enjoy an optional lunch, before returning to Broome. kashelicopters.com.au 65

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Swim with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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Glide beside the ocean’s gentle giants on a tour off Australia’s Coral Coast at Ningaloo Reef. Whale sharks – the biggest fish in the world – visit between March and July, and you can swim with humpback whales from late June to mid-October. Tours operate from both Coral Bay and Exmouth. You can also explore the reef on a glass-bottom boat tour, and see rare turtles, pods of dolphins and vibrant tropical fish. australiascoralcoast.com/region/ningaloo

AUSTRALIA

Image: Tourism Western Australia

"GLIDE BESIDE THE OCEAN’S GENTLE GIANTS"

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6

Sailing on Sydney Harbour NSW

Image: Destination NSW

It may seem like a pursuit just for the rich and famous, but a day boating on Sydney Harbour doesn’t have to be! Get a group of friends and family together and charter a boat to spend a day exploring the Harbour’s hidden coves.

Karisma Cruises is particularly fun for kids, with a selection of inflatables to play on, including an island raft, a lily pad, and a floating dock. Sydney Harbour Luxe Charters also has a range of water toys and can tailor a day out to suit the family’s brief. sydney.com

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Image: Tourism NT-Shaana McNaught

AUSTRALIA

7. Fly over Kakadu NORTHERN TERRITORY

"SPEND A DAY EXPLORING THE HARBOUR’S HIDDEN COVES"

There’s no better way to take in Kakadu’s dramatic scenery than from above, so make sure you include a tour with Kakadu Air Services in your Top End itinerary!

They offer charter flights, 30-minute flights and 60-minute flights. Sunset is a particularly beautiful time to see the spectacular gorges and waterfalls – with the latter even more impressive during the wet season, from November to April. kakaduair.com.au 69

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Book a tour with Wineglass Bay Cruises

"SOAK IN THE STUNNING GRANITE CLIFFS, SEA CAVES AND BLOWHOLE"

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Cruise to Wineglass Bay TA S M A N I A

Image: Tourism Tasmania

It consistently appears on lists of the world’s best beaches, so a visit to Wineglass Bay is a must. Wineglass Bay Cruises offers a 4½ hour tour of the waterways surrounding Freycinet National Park, from Coles Bay to Wineglass Bay, on the state’s east coast. Soak in the stunning granite cliffs, sea caves and blowholes, and see lesser-known white sand beaches, including Cooks and Bryans beaches, which are only accessible by water or a full-day bushwalk. Spot little penguins and short tailed shearwaters whilst exploring the inner passage of remote Schouten Island, before heading into the Tasman Sea towards Wineglass Bay. It’s also an educational experience, learning about the area’s Indigenous history and tales of early explorers and entrepreneurs. wineglassbaycruises.com.au

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Image: Tourism Tasmania-John L Coombes Photography

AUSTRALIA

Adventurous families can go hiking at Cradle Mountain

9. Hiking at Cradle Mountain TA S M A N I A Karst National Park. Then it’s on to the Cradle Mountain National Park high country, where you'll have a number of walks to choose from over the next two days.

Before heading back to Launceston, visit Tasmazia, which is home to eight fun mazes. tasmanianexpeditions.com.au/Walking/Cradle-MountainFamily-Adventure Image: Village Roadshow Theme Parks

Intrepid families can have a bonding experience like no other, trekking through the Tasmanian wilderness to the summit of one of the state’s tallest mountains. The three-day Cradle Mountain Family Adventure, for families with children aged eight and older, begins with a visit to the Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary to see Tasmanian devils and other native animals, followed by a trip to see the limestone caves of the Mole Creek

10. Scenic flight over the Gold Coast QUEENSLAND Fly over the Gold Coast’s famous beaches on a scenic helicopter flight with Sea World Helicopters. There are several packages to choose from, ranging from a 10-minute coastal city experience to the 20-minute Family Package – Southern Gold Coast to Stradbroke Island. The latter begins by climbing over the Broadwater before crossing over the golden sands of Main Beach. Once the helicopter reaches the coastline, you will begin your journey south, flying over towering high-rises. You will then fly inland and see Mt Tamborine, Springbrook National Park and the rest of the Gold Coast hinterland in the distance. Then head further south before turning around over Gold Coast Airport, taking in views of Point Danger and Coolangatta. The journey back will showcase Currumbin Creek, Elephant Rocks, Tallebudgera Creek, Burleigh Heads National Park, the Q1 and Porpoise Point. For the final leg, you will fly over South Stradbroke Island and descend over the Broadwater. seaworldhelicopters.com.au/sea-world-tours

Enjoy a scenic flight over the Gold Coast with Sea World Helicopters

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Images: VisitCanberra

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11. Hot air balloon ride over Canberra ACT Soar over Parliament House and Lake Burley Griffin on a magnificent sunrise hot air balloon ride with Balloons Aloft. All flights are conducted

by CASA-approved pilots, and last between 45 minutes and an hour. The experience is available for families with kids aged six and over. The Canberra Balloon Spectacular, which will be held from 12-20 March in 2022, is a great time to do it, with balloonists from around Australia flying over the nation’s capital each morning. balloonaloftcanberra.com.au 72

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The family tent at Tanja Lagoon Camp

NSW Hidden within the ancient forests of Mimosa Rocks National Park just north of Tathra, Tanja Lagoon Camp's luxury safari tent accommodation provides an amazing nature stay for families with children aged three and over. The family tent, Buru, is located away from the other tents and the layout inside allows for up to three bush swags to be rolled out on the floor – or even on the deck under the stars! All tents offer views across a private coastal lagoon, with canoes available for guest use. There is also a private walking track to the nearby beach. tanjalagooncamp.com.au

"ALL TENTS OFFER VIEWS ACROSS A PRIVATE COASTAL LAGOON"

Images: Kit Goldsworthy

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Stay at Tanja Lagoon Camp on the Sapphire Coast

MORE INFORMATION: australia.com

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Theme Park packages available

•

Self contained 2 and 3 bedroom Villas, Cabins, Terraces or Bungalows.

Plenty of indoors and outdoors activities to keep the kids entertained.

Monster Waterpark—now heated

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Heated Pool with wading pool, and Spa

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Jumping Pillow

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Nibbles Café and Nibbles Terrace

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Separate dog parks for small and large dogs

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1/2 size basketball court

•

•

MAGIC IN EVERY STAY

Set on 32 acres, with a range of accommodation options 2021 FAMILY FAVOURITE

and activities, there is plenty of fun for the whole family.

And we are located next door to all major theme parks.

P: (07) 5514 4400 | E: stay@gcpark.com.au | W: goldcoastholidaypark.com.au BIG4GoldCoastHolidayPark

big4goldcoast

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG4 GOLD COAST HOLIDAY PARK

&

REUNITE RECONNECT

Get the extended family together for a Gold Coast getaway in 2022 After another year of being separated by lockdowns and border closures, families will be keener than ever before to catch up and spend quality time together in 2022. BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park is the ideal destination for a family reunion holiday. The closest holiday park to Dreamworld, it offers three-bedroom cabins that sleep up to 10 people. With a fully-equipped kitchen, spacious dining area, and lounge areas for entertaining, there’s plenty of room for everyone. For a more relaxed outdoors feel, there are lots of spots to park your caravan, or pitch a tent on a patch of grass. You can set up down near the river or choose from a range of other sites located around the park.

The communal camp kitchen is a fantastic area to enjoy mealtimes together. Equipped with cooktops, ovens, toasters, kettles, fridges, freezers, three barbecue hotplates and plenty of

seating, it’s a great place for the clan to get together and share stories. There’s also a communal bathroom and a commercial size laundry room onsite.

The outdoor games area at the back of the park is another great location for family bonding. Challenge each other to a game of frisbee golf, foot pool or bocce, or relax and enjoy a spot of fishing in Saltwater Creek, which runs through the park. There’s also a jumping pillow and a kids’ club, and even a few evening activities for the adults to enjoy.

Spend the days splashing around in the pool and monster waterpark or chill out in one of the cabanas, where you can order food and drinks using QR codes from Nibbles Café. The café is open all day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

So, what are you waiting for? Book your family in for a magical stay!

MORE INFORMATION: goldcoastholidaypark.com.au

A room in a threebedroom cabin at BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park

KIDS CAN LEARN A BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORLD THEY LIVE IN

The kitchen of a threebedroom cabin at BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG4 ADVENTURE WHITSUNDAY RESORT Ocean Rafting adventure in the Whitsundays

ECO-WARRIOR ADVENTURE

Kids can learn about the Great Barrier Reef during a stay at BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort Looking for a school excursion with a difference this year? With accommodation ranging from camping to cabins — and dorms coming soon — BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort makes an ideal “base camp” for educational experiences on the Great Barrier Reef. The resort offers a safe, self-contained environment for school groups, with an extensive range of onsite activities, including a huge waterslide park, Airlie Beach’s largest resort pool, an 18-hole mini golf course and an outdoor cinema.

School groups can also take advantage of the Queensland Government’s subsidy for eligible students to visit the Great Barrier Reef under the GBR Education Experience Program. Aligning with the Australian school curriculum and operating until June 2024, the program provides up to $150 per student towards travel, accommodation and experiences on the participating reef excursion.

BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort

can offer a variety of options, including multi award-winning Ocean Rafting’s Reef Seeker educational adventure. It includes personalised guided snorkelling tours and education about key species, reef threats and the diversity of the Great Barrier Reef, with the opportunity to collect data to contribute to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park authority’s monitoring program, ‘Eye on the Reef’. With visits to the magnificent Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, Reef Seeker provides a focus on education and learning, making this inspiring and hands-on tour the perfect way to experience a real taste of being a marine biologist and eco-warrior for the day.

BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort is proudly accredited as a COVID Clean Practicing Business. Special school group rates start from $15 per student per night for camping and $30 per student for cabins.

MORE INFORMATION: adventurewhitsunday.com.au/ groups/school-groups

Condo bunk beds at BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort

An aerial view of BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort at Airlie Beach

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NSW

Ben and Angus by the pool at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley

FATHER AND SON HUNTER VALLEY GETAWAY

BEN GROUNDWATER learns from his mistakes and heads straight to the most familyfriendly resort he can find for a mini-break with his son

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Angus in the waterpark at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley

“This is how you do family holidays; this is how to make things fun and relaxed” It’s the tractor. After all this work, after all this careful planning and the perfect execution of the mini-break of a lifetime for a three-year-old boy, a holiday that features the ideal combination of crocodiles and dinosaurs and waterslides and Frozen on an iPad, it turns out the highlight of the journey is… the tractor. In the hotel carpark.

Let’s go back a bit, to the beginning of the trip. I’m desperate to make this experience a better one than the last family holiday, the time my partner and I decided that nothing had really changed in our lives since having kids and we could take our children on a long road trip to the Victorian wine country and everything would be OK. Of course, everything was not OK. Because everything in our lives has changed.

But this time is going to be different. This time, it’s just me and my eldest son, Angus.

This time I’m keeping the driving minimal, with plenty of breaks along the way. I’m planning things for him, just for him. In fact,

I’m making the whole trip about him. We’ve got one night away from Sydney, a whirlwind getaway, and I’m going to make this thing fun, or I’m going to collapse in a heap trying.

And so we head north from Sydney, and it feels like we’ve barely even started on the highway before it’s time to pull over for one of the guaranteed highlights: the Australian Reptile Park. A few days ago, I had been pumping this place up for Angus.

“Do you know what we’re going to see on Wednesday? A CROCODILE.” “Whoa,” he replied. “But… it’s not a real one, is it Dada?”

“It’s a real one buddy.”

His eyes shone. “Whoa.”

And so here we are, ready to see a real, live crocodile. Angus is wearing his favourite T-Rex T-shirt, to make sure, he tells me, “we can scare the crocodile if he tries to roar at us”.

The reptile park is pretty old-school, without too many bells and whistles, and

it’s also absolute paradise for a toddler.

There are kangaroos loping around a central clearing, echidnas snuffling about in a pen, koalas asleep in trees, snakes slithering around in glass cases, tarantulas teetering on hairy legs, statues of dinosaurs, and there’s Elvis, a 500kg, 4.5-metre-long saltwater crocodile. A real crocodile.

You should see Angus’s little face. He’s mesmerised. He’s overjoyed. He lets out a roar of excitement – he’s three, it’s what he does – and Elvis, scaly and huge, responds by snapping his gigantic jaws. You couldn’t ask for anything more.

Then, all of a sudden, we do find something more. Angus spots, far off in the distance, something even more exciting: a playground. Elvis is no match for a swing and a slide.

Back we go onto the highway, to drive another hour up to the Hunter Valley. Angus spends this time watching Frozen for about the 56,000th time on our iPad. I spend it  79

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listening to the radio, and before too long we’re pulling into the long driveway at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley.

My partner and I have previously chosen some wild, wild accommodation for two people with young children in tow. And by that, I mean wildly inappropriate: the apartment in Bologna with the collection of cacti at toddler-eye-height; the place in the kasbah in Tangier with a million stairwells and steep drops; a houseboat in Venice with no railings. Terrible, terrible decisions.

And now here I find myself at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley. This isn’t just good accommodation, I quickly realise. It isn’t just nice. It’s appropriate. It’s made for families.

It’s designed for people who are travelling with children. And that’s just about the best thing you could ask for.

Angus and I check in, change into our swimmers and head to the pool deck, where there are yet more things designed just for Angus. There’s the Splash Park, a series of waterslides and fountains and buckets of water that tip onto your head. It’s a bit hectic for a three-year-old, but there’s also a jacuzzi and a small paddling pool which is absolutely all you require to keep a small kid having the time of his little life for hours on end.

We have dinner at the poolside bistro.

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ABOVE: The merry go round at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley BELOW: Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley

They have meals designed for children.

Suddenly, this is all falling into place for me.

This is how you do family holidays; this is how to make things fun and relaxed. There are wineries around here to visit, a golf course on site, plenty of other adult-friendly activities on offer that I can, and probably will, enjoy some other time.

But there are also things for kids. Just for kids. The penny is dropping. Angels are chorusing. I understand.

After dinner Angus and I make our slow way back to our one-bedroom villa, exploring the resort grounds, checking out the putting green, wandering past the onsite brewery, passing a carpark where Angus suddenly stops dead and points with excitement.

“Dada!” He starts sprinting off. “It’s a TRACTOR!” Indeed, a tractor is parked over near a shed.

Something like an hour later we manage to head back to the villa and get Angus ready for bed. As I’m tucking him up, I ask about his favourite part of what has been a huge and successful day. “Was it the crocodile? The waterslide?”

Angus pauses, thinking. “Hey Dada,” he eventually says. “Do you think, tomorrow day, we can look at the tractor again?”

The writer was a guest of Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley.

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GETTING THERE

Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley is located at Lovedale, a two-hour drive north of Sydney and one-hour from Newcastle.

STAYING THERE

The luxury resort has a variety of accommodation options, from standard hotel rooms to threebedroom villas. It has the Water Dragon Kids Club, for children aged three to 12, Splash Park, games room and a teen lounge. Miniature trains and a carousel operate at set times during the school holidays.

MORE INFORMATION:

Ben and Angus at the entrance to the Australian Reptile Park on the NSW Central Coast

crowneplazahuntervalley. com.au

THREE OTHER THINGS TO DO IN THE HUNTER VALLEY WITH KIDS

HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS

This popular attraction has ten internationallythemed gardens to explore, including the magical Storybook Garden. There are also five rides open during school holidays and event periods, including a carousel, swing chair, giant ferris wheel, 35m-long super slide and teacup ride.

Its Christmas Lights Spectacular, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest lights display of over three million lights, is on until January 26, 2022. huntervalleygardens.com.au

HUNTER VALLEY WILDLIFE PARK

See animals including African white lions, cheetahs and lemurs, kangaroos, koalas and Tasmanian devils at Hunter Valley Wildlife Park.

You can also get up close with meerkats, tamarins and marmosets by booking an encounter. Parking is free and there are several picnic areas with barbecues. It’s a great place to use your Service NSW Dine and Discover vouchers huntervalleyzoo.com.au

WINERIES

There are several wineries catering to families. At Tulloch Wines, children aged four to 12 can enjoy a special Junior Tasting Experience which consists of three snacks paired with three non-alcoholic drinks.

There’s also a dedicated kids’ zone at Misty Glen Wines, indoor and outdoor games at Scarborough Wine Co., a cubby house at Whispering Brook, and play equipment at Gemelli Estate.

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VICTORIA

MEG LAW and her family explore Victoria’s Gippsland region in their 1973 kombi “Ship ahoy!” The wind fills our giant white sails as we charge through the water, the waves lapping in fury as they try to keep up with the white gulls circling above. The sunshine warms my feet as I sprawl lazily out on the hot fibreglass deck, the taste of salt on my lips and the wind lashing my damp hair across my cheeks.

I glance behind at my husband busy tacking away, pulling the jib and hoisting the mainsail. He is happily playing skipper for the next few days as we charter our own yacht, his face tanned, a big grin, and floppy blonde hair falling over his eyes – quite possibly the most relaxed version of him that I have seen, since pre-kids at least! The water splashes across the bow of the boat spraying the kids, and they squeal and giggle in unison, both aptly decked out in their bright yellow and red ‘buoyancy’ vests — certainly a fitting word for their current disposition.

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SAILING A YACHT ON GIPPSLAND LAKES FROM METUNG

Blue sky, sunshine, aqua coloured water and a 32-foot yacht, Catalina 320. Does life get much better?

Learning my sea terms, I quickly test myself. Helm, port, stern, jib, bow. Our Gippsland adventure has begun, sailing our own vessel on the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria – sleeping onboard for the week, navigating the waters on our own and being our very own skippers.

Seeing this immaculate, shiny white vessel with navy blue trimming tied up to the jetty at Metung, suitable for an A-list celebrity and their entourage, I could not believe we were allowed to charter this on our own for a few days. Surely you need a licence to drive something as big as this? But after a comprehensive safety briefing and a few 

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Daisy and Jasper enjoying the sailing life

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“Ship ahoy!”

Dad and Daisy aboard Pennicott Wilderness Journeys

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reassuring glances from my husband, all my doubts were squashed… we have totally got this!

Loading our bags onboard it was clearly apparent that we had yet again overpacked and underestimated the amount of ‘stuff’ we had with us. So, here’s a tip for those of you heading on a private chartered yacht – space means everything!

The sleeping arrangements provided many a giggle. “Look at our cubby house, we even have peep holes!” our excited four-year-old said as he and his elder sister clambered into their tiny berth, opening every compartment with curiosity and pure glee.

Surrounded by nothing but national parks and farmland, each day onboard rolled into the next as we explored different bays and inlets, deserted white sandy beaches and peaceful coves, fished off the jetty (with our youngest catching his first fish!), built sandcastles, swam and laid on the deck eating freshly grilled flathead and watching bright orange hued sunsets together.

Sailing is a hands-on activity that the whole family can join in, and our two kids loved helping us steer the yacht and drop anchor at all our favourite mooring spots, including Bancroft Bay, Duck Arm and Barrier Landing. We were even lucky to catch a glimpse of some amazing wildlife along the way, including dolphins, kangaroos, marine and birdlife.

Falling asleep each night to the gentle rhythmic sway of the yacht and peeping out the cabin porthole to the stars above certainly made for a memorable family adventure.

EIGHT ACRES FARMSTAY AT LAKES ENTRANCE

Daisy and Jasper in their sleeping quarters below deck

After reaching dry land again and exploring the nearby towns of Metung, Lake Tyers and Lakes Entrance, it was time for a farmstay with a twist. Run by an entrepreneurial young couple, Ellis Klok and Pete Jenkins, and their two cute little farmhands, Eight Acres offers different styles of accommodation including family cottages and large glamping tents, creating a unique experience that has a coastal, boho vibe with a relaxed and rustic edge.

Only a short drive to the pristine Ninety

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Farm life at Eight Acres

Mile Beach and situated in a stunning bush setting with plenty of space to roam, this East Gippsland venue makes for a laidback location for a few nights.

As our 1973 white kombi van made its way loudly along the winding gravel driveway to this hidden oasis, with towering eucalypts, we caught glimpses of cute white bell tents dotted on the green lawn, palm trees swaying over the outdoor pool and native bushland as far as the eye could see. It was hard to believe we were only five minutes from a major town – it felt like we had escaped to a property miles off the grid.

On arrival, Pete and Ellis greeted us with a warm welcome and made sure the kids

found the farm animals, introducing each of the chickens by name.

Eight Acres combines the fun of a farmstay with the modern and luxe trimmings of a coastal getaway. We stayed in a two-bedroom cottage, complete with our own firepit to toast marshmallows on each night, with twinkling fairy lights overhanging the front porch and the smell of the salty ocean air, overlooking acres of natural, quiet bushland.

Each morning the kids would wake at dawn, jump on their bikes and rush down in their gumboots and overalls to help feed the farm animals and collect eggs. They just needed a straw hat and checked shirts to  85

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A family paddle on the Gippsland Lake, Jasper loved the yacht life, Daisy at Sandy Point, Gippsland, Jasper meeting the birdlife at Eight Acres

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VICTORIA

Wilsons Prom frisbee time

complete the picture!

We would fill each day with a visit to the ‘Giant Games Garden’ onsite for some competitive family bocce, or sit in one of the sun lounges beside the pool house, tastefully decorated with its fresh white tropical chic vibes, while the kids ran amok with their newfound farm animal friends.

And of course, you can’t stay near Lakes Entrance, home of quality Australian seafood, without buying a kilo of fresh prawns from one of the many colourful fishing boats which sell the day’s catch from the jetties.

KAYAKING FROM PAYNESVILLE TO RAYMOND ISLAND

The next stop on our Gippsland adventure was Paynesville, a hotspot for yachties, fishermen, sailors and seadogs. It’s a relaxed village on the edge of the Gippsland waterways with canals and inlets providing plenty of space for large fishing boats, yachts and, in our case, kayaks and SUPs. Decked out in his life vest, boardies and hat, our youngest excitedly ran along the jetty itching to paddle for the day and show off his newfound knowledge of the Gippsland Lakes, which is ten times the size of Sydney Harbour!

Setting off from our own private jetty at our waterfront apartment at Captains Cove, we spent the day weaving in and out of the largest network of inland waterways in Australia, paddling our hearts out in our kayaks and on SUPs, waving to pelicans and ducking for cover when the horns bellowed from a passing ferry.

Pulling up at a public jetty in the main street of Paynesville, we rested our weary arms and demolished some fresh fish and chips on the shoreline before paddling over to the much-anticipated Raymond Island, known as one of the best places for spotting koalas in Victoria. The kids loved looking through the binoculars as we paddled the kayaks and SUP around the outskirts of the island searching for grey furry Blinky Bills hidden in the eucalypts.

The writer was a guest of Riviera Nautic, Captains Cove and Eight Acres

STAYING THERE

Eight Acres Farmstay at Lakes Entrance offers accommodation in glamping bell tents and cottages eightacreslakesentrance.com Captains Cove at Paynesville offers waterfront apartments with their own private jetty captainscove. com.au

SAILING THERE

Based in Metung at the eastern end of the Gippsland Lakes, a 3.5-hour drive from Melbourne, Riviera Nautic offers a range of yachts and motor cruisers rivieranautic.com.au

MORE INFORMATION

Captains Cove, Paynesville

visitgippsland.com.au/ explorethelakes visiteastgippsland.com.au/ regions/gippsland-lakes

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NSW

DANIELLE LUCAS and her children discover a nature lover’s paradise in Port Stephens

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WONDERLAND

I gaze up into lush greenery, the sun gently filtering through the treetops high above us. It’s blissfully quiet, bar the melodic chirping of the native birds flitting about. “Oh, it’s so cute!” exclaims my daughter, Brooke, pointing to the fork of a nearby eucalypt. We’re on Worimi Country, at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, and she’s just spotted one of the local residents. “That’s Maree, she’s very sweet,” says Lois, one of the volunteers. Maree, we learn, is a small, blind koala who ended up here following a car accident.

We’re on the Newcastle Airport SKYwalk, an elevated pathway and viewing platform that gives us the sense

A sleepy koala at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary 88

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that we’re in the wild with the koalas. My children are captivated. They move along the path, excitedly chatting about koalas they spot, with names like Solstice and Galloping Jax. I’m equally impressed by the educational offerings. Signs inform us about the lives, habitat and threats to this iconic native animal. “We’re very much

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about conservation by education,” says the sanctuary’s manager, Zahee Girjes.

“By 2050 they won’t be in the wild if we don’t intervene.” It’s a sobering thought.

An onsite Koala Hospital treats the injured, and visitors can watch clinics via a viewing window. Fully rehabilitated koalas are returned to the wild and those with ongoing issues make the sanctuary home. A percentage from every experience here, including tickets, sales at the Fat Possum Cafe, koala adoptions and accommodation, goes to the hospital. As we wander back past the impressive glamping tents and resort-style pool, each embracing the natural surrounds, I recall a comment

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Image: Destination Port Stephens

Connor and Brooke boomnetting on the Splash & Slide Dolphin Cruise

Dolphins in Port Stephens

disappears into the blue. Pure joy is spread across his face.

Around 160 bottlenose dolphins live in Port Stephens and, over the course of the next hour, we see many. Sometimes it’s just a fin gliding gracefully out of the water, while some come close, playfully bowsurfing alongside the catamaran. The kids move back and forth between decks to get the ultimate vantage point. “Look mum!” squeals Brooke with delight, pointing as Image: Destination Port Stephens

Lois made: “It’s such a calm, tranquil place.”

She isn’t wrong.

We head to d’Albora Marina at Nelson Bay for the next part of our adventure with Moonshadow-TQC Cruises. It’s slightly overcast as we board the MV Spirit, but the stunning turquoise water beckons and we set sail on our Splash & Slide Dolphin Cruise. Skipper Rob is midway through his introductory spiel when a call goes out.

The popular aquatic mammals have been spotted already! My son, Connor, jumps from his seat and rushes to the railing. “Wow, there’s one right there,” he says, pointing, as a tail near us

Moonshadow TQC’s Splash & Slide Dolphin Cruise

a baby dolphin leaps in the air repeatedly, showing off. We cruise to different parts of the bay as the skipper points out distinctive landmarks and tells us about the dolphins and other wildlife often spotted, including seals and penguins.

We soon pull up in a sheltered bay and a large boom net is lowered from the side – it’s time for some fun! The kids climb down, tentative at first as they dip into the cool water, but they’re not letting this opportunity pass by. A short time later the crew set up the waterslide – a thrilling drop straight from the top deck into the bay. This time I can’t resist, and we have a blast.

We’ve worked up an appetite, so back on shore we head to Shoal Bay Country Club. The Kitchen Bar & Patio has received a lockdown revamp and is looking divine.

Gazing out at the water, we devour delicious woodfired pizzas – what a location! Brooke, who considers herself a pizza connoisseur, declares this is one of the best she’s had, and I declare that we’ll be back – I need to sample more from the extensive menu, and some of those cocktails too!

The wildlife theme of our day continues with a visit to Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters at Anna Bay. We’re only ankledeep in the lagoon when we’re greeted by the curious and playful rays. One of them is Frizzle, a 180kg smooth stingray. We’re blown away to learn that females can grow to 400kg – the size of a queen bed. In our  89

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Brooke and Connor feeding stingrays at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters in Port Stephens

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shallow encounter we feed and pat the rays – some are slimy, some coarse. Other experiences on offer include snorkelling with the rays and sharks, and a zebra shark encounter.

Senior keeper, Bronte, slaps the water calling out “Mungo, Jessica, Aerial, Houdini” – summoning the resident tawny nurse sharks who live in the lagoon along with other sharks, rays and a variety of fish. We watch as one effortlessly floats against a jet of water.

The kids check out the shark nursery while I learn about the mini marine biologist program, exciting development plans (including a big new lagoon), and about Sea Shelter, the conservation organisation involving the rescue and rehabilitation of marine animals. It’s definitely an educational experience, and topics like sustainable fish farming and shark myths form part of the visit.

Our final day begins with an invigorating walk. A short but steep hike to Tomaree Head rewards us with panoramic views. I

gaze south towards a strip of land, framed by the calm waters of Shoal Bay on one side and the stunning coast on the other. Our biggest decision today is which of the 26 beautiful beaches we will cool off at after our descent. With so much on offer for families here in Port Stephens, one decision I’ve already made is that we will definitely be back.

The writer was a guest of Destination Port Stephens.

GETTING THERE

Port Stephens is a 2.5-hour drive north from Sydney and just 30 minutes’ drive from Newcastle Airport, which has flights from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Dubbo, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Ballina (Byron Bay) and Lord Howe Island. It will also begin flying to and from Adelaide in March 2022.

MORE INFORMATION portstephens.org.au

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5 OTHER THINGS TO DO IN PORT STEPHENS WITH KIDS

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1. SANDBOARDING, QUAD BIKING AND 4WD TOURS AT STOCKTON BIGHT

Port Stephens is home to the largest coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere, some reaching heights of over 30 metres with slopes of up to 60 degrees. A range of fun tours is available. portstephens.org.au/seeand-do/the-dunes/4wd-sanddune-tours/

2. TOBOGGAN HILL PARK

Set amongst natural bush just off Salamander Way at Nelson

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Bay, Toboggan Hill Park features a 1 kilometre toboggan run, indoor rock climbing, roller skating, and a tractor train. tobogganhillpark.com

3. FISHING

Port Stephens has one of the largest estuary systems in NSW. Depending on the time of year, you might catch bream, flathead, whiting, kingfish, salmon, or even a blue swimmer or mud crab. Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters, owned and operated by local Paul Lennon, is Port Stephens’ only dedicated estuary fishing charter boat. fishportstephens estuarycharters.com

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4. OAKVALE WILDLIFE PARK

This Australian-owned and operated park has Australian native, domestic farm, and exotic animals including koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, goats, sheep, rabbits, alligators and ostriches. oakvalewildlife.com.au

5. SAILING

Blue Water sailing offers exquisite private cruises of Port Stephens and the surrounds in luxury yachts. bluewatersailing.com.au

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RETURN TO PARADISE EVIE FARRELL and her daughter Emmie were among the first families to return to Fiji after the country reopened to Australian travellers. She has the lowdown on what to expect when you visit

Making a fish house at ShangriLa Yanuca Island, Fiji 92

As my daughter Emmie and I approached the Virgin Australia check-in desk at Sydney Airport my nerves started kicking in. We’d been desperate to return overseas since we boarded the last flight out of Japan back in March 2020, cutting our travels short by more than 18 months and changing the course of our lives. Finally, we were able to leave Australia again – if only for a short trip. This time, I carried a little folder of test results, bookings and insurance – all now requirements for international travel. I was terrified I’d missed something, and our holiday would end before it began, but I had it all. We checked in and the tears flowed as we were handed our boarding passes.

We were going to Fiji.

This collection of tiny islands is east coast’s Australia’s favourite overseas tropical getaway, where generations return to the same resorts year after year, and new families start holiday traditions. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, more than 365,000 of us visited, contributing $600 million to Fiji’s economy. Fiji travel stopped

FIJI

in March 2020 and, while it’s exciting to be able to visit again, the reopening of its border is so much more than a chance for us to holiday. It’s a celebration of the resurgence of an industry that employs more than 150,000 people and contributes 40 per cent of Fiji’s GDP. The Fijian Government and tourism industry has been working hard to bring us back. The country is highly vaccinated, and it has implemented a domestic bubble for tourists, which means no inroom quarantine on arrival, and some of the best protocols in the world to keep visitors and locals safe while we enjoy that Fijian hospitality we’ve all come to love.

WHAT YOU NEED TO TRAVEL TO FIJI

To travel to Fiji, you need to have a copy of your international vaccination certificate, evidence of travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage, and have taken a negative RAT test within 24 hours of departure for those aged 12 and over. For the first three days, accommodation and transfers must be with Care Fiji Commitment (CFC) accredited providers.

Make sure you download the Care Fiji app, which you’ll use to check in and out of locations in Fiji, and the Australian Travel Declaration app to use when returning to Australia. Forty-eight hours after arriving in Fiji, everyone over 12 needs a Rapid Antigen Test which takes 15 minutes at your resort and costs around AU$17. When we travelled, everyone aged five and over also needed to take a RT-PCR in Fiji before returning to Australia. The test had to be taken within 96 hours of departure from Fiji, and could also be done at the resort – we had ours en route to pink lemonade and pina coladas by the pool. Since we travelled, the Australian Government has changed the rules so you can get a Rapid Antigen Test within 24 hours of departure instead. It must be undertaken by or under the supervision of a medical practitioner, such as a pharmacist, GP or trained personnel at airport-based testing stations.

ARRIVING IN FIJI

You’ll receive an immigration card and a COVID-19 declaration to complete during your flight. I also had all my documents ready to show, and while I expected a long arrival process, we were through immigration and off to our island helicopter transfer within minutes. 

Emmie at Shangri-La Yanuca Island, Fiji

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Walking along the beach at Castaway Island Resort

CASTAWAY ISLAND RESORT AND SHANGRI-LA YANUCA ISLAND, FIJI

Upon arrival at Castaway Island, after our incredible 15-minute flight over the water, we were escorted by warriors sounding a welcome through a giant conch shell. We received a full Fijian greeting from staff, who told us how happy they were to be back at work and able to support their families again. The staff here, and at resorts all across Fiji, are all double vaccinated, as are most of their families and villages. They are also tested frequently. Resorts strictly follow the CFC protocols.

We stayed at Castaway Island and Shangri-La Yanuca Island, Fiji and felt completely safe (at the time there were no COVID-19 cases in Fiji), plus there was just a huge buzz of excitement in the air from tourists and staff. It was that feeling of optimism and relief that Fiji was back, and that this was the start of a recovery. Swimming, snorkelling, swim-up bar drinks, kids’ club and activities were the same — it’s the paradise we’ve been holding in our memories for the past two years.

It was very emotional being back after so long, and the good news is that Fiji still has those beautiful comforting holiday vibes, all within a framework of protection, which is very reassuring.

Knowing there are strict protocols makes it so much easier to relax and feel safe — it was inspiring to see how it has all come together.

Day-to-day changes to protect locals and tourists include masks being worn indoors in places like gift shops, frequent use of hand sanitiser, and electronic menus to reduce handto-hand contact. Common areas are constantly cleaned and sanitised, and there are onsite nurses and testing teams at resorts, and dedicated rooms prepared for guests to isolate in if they test positive.

LATEST INFORMATION

Before travelling to Fiji check the Tourism Fiji and Smartraveller websites for the most up to date requirements. fiji.travel/covid-19/ travelling-to-fiji smartraveller.gov.au/ destinations/pacific/ fiji

CFC-ACCREDITED FIJI TOURS

Evie and Emmie at Castaway Island Resort 94

You can do any tour or activity outside the resort, as long as it is CFC accredited – this includes everything from rafting to cruising, exploring waterfalls, island visits, thermal mud pools and hot springs. The popular Ecotrax is booking out quickly, so if you’re keen to ride the old sugar cane railway past rainforest, beaches and villages, make sure to book ahead.

Port Denarau Marina is busy with fishing charters and boat trips – check out Captain Cook Cruises Fiji for day trips to Tivua Island, and four and seven-day trips to the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands.

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Emmie being welcomed on arrival at Castaway Island Resort

As always with Fiji, resorts have fabulous environmental programs for children and families, so make sure to check what is available. At the Shangri-La, Emmie and I made a fish house with Ranger Moses and decorated it with shells. We placed it in the bay where fish and marine life will make it their home, and we can check on it when we return. We kayaked around the resort to see its mangrove rehabilitation projects, paddling past villages and schools, and Emmie got her biggest entertainment from me trying to navigate the in-house aqua park in the lagoon, which is a must for families.

WAS IT WORTH IT?

Our holiday to Fiji was a solid 10 out of 10. Being mask-free and feeling an overwhelming confidence in the resorts, transport and activities and in the Fijian Government’s protocols meant we had not only the best holiday, but a great mental break too.

The writer travelled with assistance from Virgin Australia, Castaway Island Resort and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.

Follow Evie and Emmie’s adventures at mumpacktravel.com or on Instagram @mumpacktravel

The inflatable water park at Shangri La Yanuca Island, Fiji

FIJI TRAVEL CHECKLIST Print the below documents before you leave as you’ll need them to travel and will have to show them at check-in.

• International vaccination certificate for everyone aged 12 and over • Travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage • Accommodation and transfers for the first three days with Care Fiji Commitment (CFC) accredited providers If you have had COVID in Australia up to 90 days prior to travel to Fiji, you do not need to have a negative test prior to travel, be tested in Fiji or upon return. But you do need to provide an acceptable fit to fly certificate or letter

from your medical practitioner which should be typed and on an official letterhead. It should include the following information: • date of onset symptoms • date tested positive • date of cessation of symptoms • release date from isolation • a date range of your full stay For return to Australia a PCR test is no longer required. You must provide proof that you have tested negative on a RAT test 24 hours before your scheduled flight time. This test must be taken under the supervision of trained personnel.

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SINGAPORE IN THREE DAYS MARIANNE ROGERSON reveals the best ways to spend three days in Singapore

The Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay

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There is so much to do in Singapore with kids that trying to narrow it down into three days can be tricky. If you have small kids, you might need to slow it down a little, and if you have the time you could easily (and should) stretch this into a four or even five-day itinerary, and allow yourselves some downtime at your hotel pool, because as we all know Singapore is hot, hot, hot!

ASIA Image: Afur Wong

Orangutans at Singapore Zoo

Visit the Singapore Zoo in the morning, and take in a bit of culture by visiting Chinatown and the Colonial District.

MORNING: SINGAPORE ZOO

Forget another boring hotel breakfast buffet – this morning have breakfast with the orangutans at Singapore Zoo! Singapore Zoo is awesome, and highly regarded as one of the best zoos in the world.

There is an enormous amount to take in here – 2,530 animals from 315 species are housed within the 28 hectares. However, if you get to the zoo for opening time and have breakfast with the orangutans, you should still have time to see most of the animals, and even have a quick cool-off play in the Rainforest Kidzworld water park before heading back to town for lunch.

LUNCHTIME: DIM SUM

Grab a taxi from the zoo and get them to drop you in Chinatown for lunch. Chinatown is a bustling and fun part of town, and Yum Cha is a great choice for a kid-friendly restaurant here, to enjoy a dim sum feast in an authentic setting. Tucked away at the top of a hidden staircase, this popular restaurant packs in local families and passing tourists, creating a buzzing and convivial atmosphere.

AFTERNOON: CHINATOWN AND A RIVER CRUISE You are now ideally located to explore Chinatown and introduce

your kids to a bit of Singapore culture. Wander the streets to admire the beautifully preserved heritage shophouses (see the Chinatown walking tour), and shop for souvenirs amongst the street stalls and tiny boutiques on Pagoda St. Call in at the Chinatown Heritage Centre to take a journey through the lives of the Chinese immigrants who flooded into Singapore throughout the 19th century, or visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum to learn about the life and teachings of Buddha.

Don’t miss a visit to the wet market in the basement of the Chinatown Complex to see where the locals shop for their fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, spices and seafood. Keep an eye out for the buckets of live frogs, eels and turtles for sale!

You should now have time to squeeze in a quick river cruise. The best place to pick up the boat is Merlion Park, and over a relaxing 40-minutes you will get to take in the sights of Singapore’s Colonial District, Marina Bay and Central Business District.

Image: Afur Wong

Day One

Eat dim sum in Chinatown Chinatown shophouses and city skyscrapers

DINNER: LOCAL STREET FOOD

You can’t visit Singapore without enjoying a meal in a hawker centre – the city’s version of street food.

There are hawker centres all over Singapore, but two of our favourites are Lau Pa Sat and Makansutra Gluttons Bay – both are within easy reach of Singapore River.

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Day Two Singapore noodles Meet Sesame St characters at Universal Studios Singapore

Tanjong Beach Club

The second day of our itinerary is all about Sentosa Island – Singapore’s ‘playground’ and home to many of Singapore’s best family-friendly attractions.

MORNING: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Southeast Asia’s only Universal Studios theme park, at Resorts World Sentosa, is a super fun family day out with movie-themed rollercoasters, rides and attractions.

Highlights include the Shrek 4-D Adventure, Madagascar: a Crate Adventure, Transformers The Ride – a hyper-realistic 3D thrill ride, and Battlestar Galactica – the world’s tallest duelling roller coaster ride.

Book your tickets online, arrive early and make sure you get the Universal Express Pass, and you can be done by lunchtime.

LUNCHTIME: NOODLES AND DUMPLINGS

There are plenty of eating options inside Universal Studios – but why settle for a lacklustre burger when you can indulge in some fabulous noodles and dumplings and one of Singapore’s best loved restaurants, Din Tai Fung?

Handily located between Universal Studios and the Southeast Asia Aquarium, Din Tai Fung dishes up a wide range of soups, appetisers, dumplings and rice dishes, but the restaurant is most famous for its Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai pork dumplings).

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AFTERNOON: SOUTHEAST ASIA AQUARIUM OR ADVENTURE COVE WATERPARK

With more than 100,000 marine creatures from over 800 species spanning 49 different habitats, it is hard not to be impressed by the SEA Aquarium. There’s a shipwreck to marvel at, tunnels to walk through and gaze at the sharks, touch pools for discovering knobbly sea stars, and then the grand finale: the Open Ocean – a panoramic marine vista complete with manta rays, sharks, and goliath grouper. If you prefer to get wet and wild, then right next door to the SEA Aquarium is Adventure Cove Waterpark. The kids will love all the waterslides here, including Riptide Rocket, Southeast Asia’s first hydro-magnetic roller coaster (a slide that takes riders upwards). There’s also a wave pool and a 620m-long Adventure River inner tube ride, and even a small reef for snorkelling on.

Note that many of the rides at Adventure Cove Waterpark have a minimum height restriction of 122cm, so with small kids the Aquarium is a better option.

DINNER: AT THE BEACH

End your day at the beach! There are lots of child-friendly eating options down at the beach on Sentosa, where the kids can play in the sand and even swim in the pool at some beach bars. Popular options include Tanjong Beach Club, FOC Sentosa, Coastes and Ola Beach Club.

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Day Three

Chilli crab is a popular local dish

Visit one of Singapore’s most colourful districts, Little India, before heading to the Gardens by the Bay to admire those famous super trees.

MORNING: LITTLE INDIA

Little India is the most vibrant and colourful part of Singapore, and home to several spectacular temples and bustling shops selling everything from gold jewellery, to Hindi music CDs, cheap clothing and souvenirs. Don’t miss the fabulous wet market in the Tekka Centre.

LUNCH: MASALA DOSA OR A FISH HEAD CURRY

The restaurants in Little India attract locals and visitors alike who flock here in search of a good quality curry. For a light lunch, track down Komala Vilas at number 12/14 Buffalo Rd and order the Masala Dosa with a ginger tea to wash it down. For something more substantial, don’t miss out on one of Singapore’s most famous dishes: fish head curry. Both Banana Leaf Apolo (54 Race Course Rd) and Muthu’s

The Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay

Curry (138 Race Course Rd) are renowned for their cuisine. If you can’t face the thought of eating a fish head, there are plenty of other delicious options on the menu too!

AFTERNOON: GARDENS BY THE BAY

The 100ha Gardens by the Bay is a beautiful park to explore and is home to over a quarter of a million rare plants. The most famous attraction in Gardens by the Bay is the super trees, which have achieved iconic status since they were introduced in 2012. An elevated walkway connects two of the larger super trees (not for those with a fear of heights!), giving panoramic aerial views over the gardens. Be sure to check out the two climate-controlled conservatories: The Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. Both are fun to explore and make for a welcome break from Singapore’s heat and humidity. Finish your visit at the water play area, where the kids can cool off. Don’t forget to pack their swimmers! Note that the water play area is closed on Mondays.

DINNER: CHILLI CRAB It’s time for another iconic Singapore dish – chilli crab, the country’s unofficial national dish. The most popular place to enjoy this spicy tangy dish is at the East Coast Seafood Centre, where you’ll find a cluster of open-air seafood restaurants facing out to sea. If you are staying in the city and don’t fancy the trek out east, then Jumbo Seafood at Clarke Quay is a popular in-town choice.

This is an edited extract from Singapore with Kids – The Ultimate Travel Guide for Families, available in paperback and as an e-book on Amazon amazon.com.au Singapore is a city, a country and a state. It’s population of five million people come from four major communities — Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian.

GETTING THERE

Singapore’s national carrier, Singapore Airlines, flies from Australia singaporeair.com

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CELEBRITY Q&A

LIBBY TRICKETT’S FAMILY TRAVEL TRICKS Four-time gold Olympic medallist, Poolwerx ambassador and mother-of-three, Libby Trickett, loves travelling with her husband Luke and daughters Bronte, 2, Edwina, 3, and Poppy, 6.

She shares some of her favourite family holiday experiences – and what she’s learned along the way WE KNOW YOU’VE TRAVELLED ALL OVER THE WORLD SWIMMING, HAVE YOU TRAVELLED MUCH WITH YOUR KIDS? I have – but we haven’t travelled much since the pandemic. We did travel to Melbourne early last year in between lockdowns as a family, so that was lovely.

We haven’t really had a chance to travel internationally since the kids were born, aside from the US for a very quick trip with Poppy and Eddie, who was four months old at the time.

WHAT DID YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR US TRIP? We went to Disneyland Resort in California, and it was just magic. Even though Poppy was three and Eddie wasn’t able to fully enjoy it at her age, it was truly the happiest place on earth. Poppy still talks about it to this day! The girls love also being in the water, and the opportunity to share a love of swimming with them in new places is so wonderful, no matter where we are.

Libby with her eldest daughter Poppy

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WHERE ARE YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO GO FOR A FAMILY HOLIDAY IN AUSTRALIA?

One of my favourite places to travel in Australia with the girls is Hamilton Island. It’s such a great family-friendly place and so easy to get to from Brisbane, where we live. Before having the girls, Luke and I spent time in regional Western Australia with some work we were doing, and one of our favourite holiday destinations was Broome, so we’d love to go back with the girls. And, of course, all the coastlines are beautiful. With the pandemic and border crossing restrictions, we’ve been spending time on the Sunshine Coast, in the hinterland and at Noosa. They both have beautiful family-friendly areas, and we usually take our dogs along as well – it’s great to be able to find places that are dog friendly.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT TRAVELLING WITH YOUR FAMILY? I think the reality of travelling with a family is chaos! There is, of course, lots of logistical planning and distractions while managing kids while travelling, which can be tiring and difficult. However, the beauty of travelling with kids is the experiences we get to keep together, and what I love

CELEBRITY Q&A

Libby and her family at Disneyland Resort in California

most about travelling with the girls is that we get to take them out of their comfort zones and introduce them to new worlds and experiences.

WHAT’S BEEN THE WORST THING THAT’S HAPPENED ON A FAMILY HOLIDAY? Probably the funniest and most terrible thing was when we were flying back from America with Poppy and Eddie, who was still breastfeeding. She has a dairy intolerance, so I hadn’t been having any dairy, but in my exhausted jet lag state, I had a premixed coffee on the plane with milk. I was talking about how the coffee tasted so good, because I’d only been having black coffee at the time, and within an hour after having fed her, she had the worst explosive poo and vomit – it went all over her outfit and me! Luckily she had fresh clothes, but I wasn’t so fortunate. It was the start of our journey home, so I sat in those clothes for another 18 hours.

One of Libby’s favourite family travel moments with Poppy in Santa Monica

We got through it though, and definitely learnt a few things for future trips!

AND THE BEST MOMENT? On the same trip, we stopped for a couple of nights in Santa Monica, and there are two moments I distinctly remember. One was when we touched down in LA and Poppy announced to the entire plane “WE’RE IN AMERICA!”. She was so excited about the adventure, and it was really special to witness. The second was when we went to Santa Monica Pier; she was running in and out of the water, and everything was so new and exciting for her to be in a different place.

WHY DO YOU THINK TRAVELLING WITH KIDS IS IMPORTANT? I’m a routine-based person who loves having rhythm within our week, but I know I grow and develop more when I’m out of my comfort zone. I

Libby and Luke Trickett at the airport before boarding their flight to LA with Poppy and Edwina

know how important that is for kids as well, so I always want to challenge us all and take us out of our comfort zones and routines. We haven’t done as much in terms of experiencing different cultures, but I believe it’s so important navigating the world in that way too. Travelling outside of Australia you realise how big, incredible and special the world can be, and it gives you that deeper perspective of the world.

WHAT’S YOUR BEST PACKING TIP? You will never read five books on the trip, so stop packing all of them! You will also never wear everything you think you will, and it’s better if you can preplan outfits rather than taking too many options and seeing how you feel on the day. I find that if I’m structured in that way, I pack more efficiently .

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FOR YOUR NEXT

FAMILY HOLIDAY AND WHY? I’d really like to go over to the Western Australian coast.

It would be really cool to experience it with the girls. I’d also love to go down to South Australia and see the sea lions.

In terms of overseas travel, it would be great to go to New Zealand with them. I’m thinking about easier places for now while they’re still so young.

I’d also love to go to Asia to experience all the different cultures and food, America again, Canada, Europe… I kinda want to go everywhere!

As a Poolwerx ambassador, Libby is encouraging Aussie families and friends to pledge to have a Responsible Pool Person at every poolside event, to supervise the water fun with no distractions whether you’re holidaying at home or away. Take the pledge to be a Responsible Pool Person at Poolwerx.com. au/responsible-pool-person 101

NORTH STAR HOLIDAY RESORT

Image: Gold Hat Photography

REVIEWS

ANGELA SAURINE and her toddler are blown away by the kid-friendly features at this Tweed Coast holiday park THE LOWDOWN

“It’s amazing” is one of my three-year-old son’s new favourite sayings, and it’s fair to say it gets a good workout during our weekend stay at North Star Holiday Resort at Hastings Point. From the water park to the life-sized shark jaws on display at the marine centre, there is certainly plenty to impress little ones – and their parents.

LOCATION

The resort stretches over 10 hectares at Hastings Point, on the Tweed Coast of northern NSW, between Maggies Beach and a tidal estuary. It’s around 50 minutes’ drive north of Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, 30 minutes’ from Byron Bay and 30 minutes south of Gold Coast Airport. And for those concerned about the possibility of further border closures, the Tweed region is as close as you can get to Queensland without crossing the border!

ACCOMMODATION

Choose from everything from powered and ensuite campsites to apartments, cottages and villas. We stayed in a recently refurbished Tuscany Villa, which overlooks the waterpark. We loved sitting on the balcony watching kids getting splashed by the huge tipping buckets and dads racing their offspring down the dual slides and, after a swim, it’s a short walk back to jump straight in the warm 102

spa bath! The two-storey villa has three bedrooms, with a king bed in the main room, queen bed and single bunks in the second bedroom, and two sets of single bunks in the third bedroom. Decorated with pictures of the Italian countryside on the walls, the villa has three bathrooms, four TVs, a DVD player, airconditioning, upstairs and downstairs living areas and a kitchen with a dishwasher, a barbecue, washing machine and a dryer. Wi-Fi is included, but some limits apply.

ACTIVITIES

The water park, Sammy’s Adventure Lagoon, has two 8 metre-high waterslides and dozens of interactive water features, including a 600 litre bucket that dumps water every six minutes, and water cannons.

There’s also a seasonally heated pool and wading pool.

Neptune’s Castle Kids’ Club, for kids aged three to 12, is supervised on weekends and during school holidays (make sure you pack socks!). Then there’s a shaded outdoor playground, a tennis court, and a games room with pool tables for older kids, an air hockey table, table tennis, pinball machines, arcade games and a television. The games room also has a toddler corner with a mural of the ocean, toys and climbing equipment. It’s great to give kids an educational experience on holidays, and the

NORTH STAR HOLIDAY RESORT

1 Tweed Coast Rd, Hastings Point, NSW 1800 645 790 northstar.com.au

REVIEWS A girl sampling a dragon fruit from Tropical Fruit World

The Marine Discovery Centre at North Star Holiday Resort

Image: Destination NSW

The view from the top of the super slides

Marine Discovery Centre ticks that box. Head eco-guide Rhett Brambleby’s father founded the centre, and his passion for the marine world is infectious.

Learn about the critters that live in the ecosystems around Hastings Point and fascinating facts, like how hermit crabs have to find bigger shells as they grow, and that violet sea snails float on the surface of the ocean and eat bluebottles.

There are lots of buttons to push to hear seabird noises and colourful lights in displays of jellyfish, seahorses, octopus, starfish, giant shells and coral reefs. But my son’s highlight is definitely driving the replica submarine! Rhett also runs activities such as a rocky shoreline excursion during school holidays. Mum and dad can take turns visiting the adults-only retreat, Seascape, which has a day spa, hairdresser, heated lap pool, gym, spa and sauna.

Meals from Ripples Cafe

FOOD AND DRINK North Star’s onsite restaurant, Ripples Licensed Café, is right

next to the pool. The menu includes Thai beef salad, Wagyu burgers and crumbed calamari, while kids under 12 can choose fish and chips or chicken nuggets with chips, which are served with raw carrot and cucumber sticks and cubed cheese – a nice touch.

The water dragons that roam around are an added attraction!

The café is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8am to 8pm. Takeaway is also available (but not for alcohol!). North Star also has an outdoor barbecue area and a camp kitchen, and the onsite service station and convenience store offers basic groceries, gas bottle refills, newspapers, bait and tackle.

EXPLORE

As well as the area’s beautiful beaches, there are loads of other fun things to do in the area. Head to Tropical Fruit World, which grows more than 500 species of fruit.

More importantly for many kids… it has tractors! As well as discovering that there’s a

fruit that tastes like chocolate and that avocado is the most nutritious fruit in the world, we love riding the tractor around the plantation on a guided tour, crushing macadamia nuts and feeding farm animals at stops along the way. There’s also a café to have lunch afterwards and a shop and market where you can buy local products and produce. You can cruise the Tweed River on a Catch a Crab Tour and haul in crabs which are cooked on board, hand-feed pelicans, pump for yabbies, try your hand at fishing, and visit a working oyster farm. Watersports Guru offers a two-hour program including stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and snorkelling with local guides.

Or book a Day Visit Pass to Hosanna Farmstay in the hinterland and enjoy a hay bale ride around the property, feed the animals and swim in the dam before a picnic lunch under the trees.

The writer was a guest of North Star Holiday Resort and Tropical Fruit World.

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REVIEWS

Q STATION

1 North Head Scenic Drive, Manly, NSW 02 9466 1500 qstation.com.au

Q STATION MANLY

The COVID-19 pandemic has made a stay at this former quarantine station even more relevant, ANGELA SAURINE writes THE LOWDOWN

There’s no denying that getting kids interested in history can be a challenge.

But staying somewhere where you are absolutely immersed in it, we find it’s impossible not to pique their curiosity.

Sydney’s Q Station retreat was formerly a quarantine station, where passengers from ships arriving in the city between 1828 and 1984 stayed while they were assessed for contagious diseases, including the Bubonic plague, Smallpox and Spanish influenza. Given recent events, a stay here feels particularly pertinent. The site’s transformation into a tourist destination that embraces its heritage is nothing short of impressive.

LOCATION

Q Station is located on a peninsula at the northern entrance to Sydney Harbour 104

in Manly (known as North Head). It’s around 30 minutes’ drive from the Sydney CBD. Guests can park their cars at the entrance and catch a shuttle bus to their accommodation – an experience my threeyear-old loves. It is hoped that the ferry service that operated pre-Covid will also be back up and running in early 2022.

​ACCOMMODATION

Various repurposed rooms, suites and cottages are dotted throughout the 33 hectare site. They range from Q Rooms with separate bathrooms (as all rooms had originally), through to the former doctors’ and nurses’ quarters, with beautiful harbour views, that sleep up to six guests.

The former officers’ cottages, such as the one in which we stay (S12), are ideal for families. They have one king room and two queen rooms, a living room, bathroom

and kitchen. The kids love seeing the old fuel stove, historic books on the shelves (which quickly answer the question of what those quarantining would have done for entertainment before iPads), and chimneys that Santa can slide down. During our stay we see cockatoos grazing on the lawn, and even spot a bandicoot scurrying around as we snack on cookies on the verandah one evening. Being away from the hustle and bustle, it feels extremely peaceful, and it’s easy to get a good night’s sleep.

ACTIVITIES

One of the biggest drawcards of the Q Station is the delightful Quarantine Beach, which is perhaps better described as a calm bay. It’s a lovely place to go kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding – or just to hang out building sandcastles and splashing about in the shallows. The museum at

Images: Sue Stubbs

REVIEWS

Images: Sue Stubbs

the visitor centre at the wharf showcases fascinating artifacts telling the stories of the quarantine station’s former inhabitants and their journeys. We find reading the preserved gravestones from the first burial ground particularly interesting. One-hour history tours leave from here at 11am daily, while EcoWalks Tours also offers a wildlife tour. The site is also reputed to be one of the most haunted in the country, and you can hear terrifying tales during the popular ghost tour. (During a previous stay for a pre-parenthood yoga retreat, the TV in my room turned on by itself. Fortunately, the scariest moment of my most recent stay comes when we are swooped by a magpie!)

FOOD AND DRINK

We relish the return of the buffet at Views Restaurant where, if you are lucky, you can nab a table outside on the grass and watch the ferries chugging back and forth across the harbour. The Boilerhouse Kitchen & Bar serves modern Australian cuisine. The walls of the eatery are lined with large pipes and valves that previously sent boiling water to the showers and laundry. The restaurant’s Outdoor Terrace, overlooking the beach, offers a casual menu for lunch and dinner. Room service is also available for dinner from Sunday to Thursday, and there is a café at the visitor centre.

Images: Sue Stubbs

Checking out the rooms in a cottage

EXPLORE

There’s no shortage of things to do around here. Hiring bikes is a wonderful way to explore the site and the adjoining North Head Sanctuary. The latter has several walking and cycling routes to choose from. The 1.5-two-hour Sanctuary Loop passes by former School of Artillery buildings and takes in much of the headland, offering spectacular views, while Australia’s Memorial Walk honours those who have served and supported the defence of the country. You can also book a surf lesson in Manly, go snorkelling at Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, or stroll along the walkway from Manly Corso to Shelly Beach.

S12 cottage

The writer was a guest of Q Station.

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REVIEWS

The view from a twobedroom Ocean View Balcony

Inside a three-bedroom penthouse

OAKS HERVEY BAY RESORT & SPA

FIONA HARPER discovers a modern apartment-style hotel overlooking Hervey Bay’s beaches and pier THE LOWDOWN

Oaks Hervey Bay Resort & Spa occupies an enviable location on the waterfront esplanade in the heart of Hervey Bay. The modern, apartment-style, U-shaped hotel is centred around two pools, with many rooms enjoying ocean views.

LOCATION

With nothing more than a quiet road between the resort’s front steps and the sheltered waters of Hervey Bay, Oaks is in prime position to access the best of town. It’s a short walk from the historic Urangan Pier, which is one of Australia’s longest, stretching for almost 1km over the ocean. The wide pier is popular with fishermen, walkers and joggers, and its surface has recently been updated, making it suitable for prams and strollers. A waterfront pathway branches off in either direction from the resort, winding through parklands 106

and fitness stations, past beaches bookended by rock walls and small timber piers, along with cafes, restaurants and shops.

ACCOMMODATION

One, two and three-bedroom air conditioned suites come fully equipped with kitchen and laundry facilities along with balconies or patios. One and two-bedroom ground floor Pool View Suites have easy access to a heated pool with a child-friendly water play area and a separate lap pool.

Suites on upper levels, including the threebedroom Penthouse, have expansive ocean views.

ACTIVITIES

The resort is centred around two pools surrounded by market umbrellas, sun lounges and tropical gardens.

Multi-award-winning Spa Botanica specialises in therapeutic relaxion and

holistic health and is a must visit for weary parents. Across the road, you’ll find a long, calm bay with a white sand beach that is great for kids. Hire a scooter to explore the waterfront parklands or drop a fishing line from historic Urangan Pier to see what’s biting. Keep an eye out for birds of prey perched atop the light poles, before they swoop into the sea to pluck unsuspecting fish with their talons.

FOOD AND DRINK

In-house restaurant Bayswater Bar and Grill occupies an elevated waterfront position overlooking the bay.

With an alfresco deck and an indoor air-conditioned option, it’s a restaurant that is equally popular with locals and visitors. It has a bistro-style menu featuring burgers, salads and favourites from the grill. Kids meals include a child-sized 150gm steak along with perennial favourite, the cheeseburger.

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

REVIEWS

See humpbacks on a whale watching tour in Hervey Bay

Uranga Pier

You can walk to Hervey Bay Botanic Gardens, which is spread over 10 hectares and includes formal gardens, rainforest, an orchid conservatory and wetlands inhabited by ducks, with plenty of shady grass areas to spread out a picnic blanket.

Located on the foreshore, WetSide Water Park has waterslides and water play areas for young kids. Entry is free, however, there is a cost for the waterslides. There’s a coffee shop and fish and chip shop on site and a colourful Water Fountain Show each Saturday night. Boat cruises depart from the marina, with day trips to Fraser Island or to the smaller uninhabited islands of the Great Sandy Straits. Pelicans, birdlife and marine life is plentiful, with dolphin sightings common. Hervey Bay is known as the whale watching capital of Australia and a cruise during whale watching season (July to October) should not be missed.

The writer was a guest of Oaks Hervey Bay Resort & Spa

OAKS HERVEY BAY RESORT & SPA

569 – 571 Charlton Esplanade, Urangan QLD 07 2102 1130 oakshotels.com/en/oaks-hervey-bayresort-and-spa/spa

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

EXPLORE

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EXTRAS

Evie Farrell and Emmie walking along a beach at Cape Tribulation in Queensland

HOW TO…

STAY SAFE WHEN TRAVELLING WITH KIDS The well-travelled EVIE FARRELL shares her advice for ensuring a hassle-free family holiday

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Exploring the Great Wall of China

Being robbed of everything in Spain, ripped off by taxi drivers in China, leaving our passports in the plane’s seat pocket in Thailand and having my credit card details stolen in Indonesia – these are just a few of the mistakes I made as I bumbled my way around the world with my 11-year-old daughter.

We ran the gamut of travel scams, medical dramas and dodgy deals and, while researching for my book Holiday Safe: The Complete Guide to Staying Safe When Travelling with Kids, I realised there are probably more cons I’ve fallen for and simply had no idea (although I don’t mind being somewhat oblivious to being ripped off).

Travelling with kids means parents – especially those travelling solo with kids – have to be a little more prepared than back in the day when we were trotting around Asia as carefree 20-something backpackers. And that’s okay, because all it takes is a little bit of planning and awareness to keep the family safe and happy on that big trip overseas, or even a domestic holiday. These tips for staying safe when travelling with kids are a good place to start:

1. DO A DESTINATION RISK ASSESSMENT

Checking your destination has never been so important. As well as its COVID-19 status, checking for possible disruptions or impacts – like your destination’s political climate, the weather (for example, Irukandji and stingers over summer in north Queensland, or cyclone season in many destinations around the world), major events and elections – is essential. It’s best to find out that a popular local celebration will overcrowd famous sites, or a major election will shut down a city, before you book your trip. The Australian government website smartraveller.gov.au is an excellent resource, and you can sign up for travel advisories and alerts too.

2. ALWAYS HAVE TRAVEL INSURANCE Excellent insurance cover for your health, your flights, accommodation,

and gear should be a non-negotiable – and insurance for COVID-19-related medical expenses and delays/cancellation/ accommodation is a must for overseas travel. Make sure to buy your insurance as soon as you book, otherwise you won’t be covered if, say, a child breaks a bone before you start your trip and you can’t fly. This happened to us, and I lost money because I’d put off buying our insurance. Always read the product disclosure statement to check for any sneaky exemptions, and as the saying goes, if you can’t afford travel insurance you can’t afford to travel.

3. HAVE A FAMILY SAFETY PLAN

Make sure you have a family safety plan that covers what to do when things go a bit off track – like getting lost or separated, if you’re in an accident or someone is sick or injured – and practice it before you go.

We always take a hotel business card (it has the hotel details in English and the local language) out with us, and we have a small safety bag that we keep in my daughter Emmie’s backpack with the hotel card, money and my phone number.

Leave your room key at the front desk when you head out (better than it being lost or stolen), and if you’re in an area you’re unsure about, let them know where you are going and when you should be back. Always use the hotel safe to store your passports, money and valuables.

Most importantly, I think, is to always listen to your gut when you’re exploring.

If you have bad vibes, feel unsafe or something doesn’t seem right – then leave.

4. PHOTOGRAPH IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

Take photos of your passports, travel insurance and any other important documents, such as children’s birth certificates. Store them in Google Docs or another document-sharing platform, and email them to your parents/friends too.

When we were robbed in Spain, we lost all our luggage and documents, and having a photo of our passports on my phone helped us get home (with just a letter from the Australian Embassy and the clothes on our backs).

5. PROTECTING YOUR MONEY

Never give out your credit card details, even when dealing with what seems to be a reputable hotel. One common scam at hotels is for guests to receive a phone call in their room, purportedly from the front desk, asking them to confirm their credit card number. It’s not the front desk – it’s a scammer. Never give out credit card details over the phone.

Don’t carry too much cash or be flashy with how much you have. Split your money  109

EXTRAS

Evie and Emmie in Spain

into different compartments around your bag, and – as daggy as it sounds – carry it in a bum-bag under your clothes when you’re out exploring. I always try to have small notes because I don’t want thieves to see how much money I have, nor do I want to be ripped off when paying with a large note.

6. MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Having immunisations before travelling doesn’t just protect your family, it protects the vulnerable communities you may visit in your travels. Pack a medical kit with bandages, saline, band aids, hydration tablets and any other medicine you need – take a letter from the doctor with the prescription. We also pack antibiotics, just in case. Dehydration can sneak up very quickly in children, so make sure to drink lots of water and give them hydration liquid if you see any signs, including dry skin, fever or chills, dizziness, or dark or infrequent urine. Research your destination’s medical and hospital facilities.

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7. PROTECTING YOUR GEAR

When robbers broke into our hire car and wheeled off with all our bags in Spain it was awful, but it could have been worse.

When hiring a car don’t get the fanciest – as tempting as it may be. Be inconspicuous and ask for a car without hire car stickers and signage. Don’t leave your bags in the car when you’re away – we only left ours for 30 minutes and, in that short time, it was all taken. Keep your valuables with you and, most importantly, don’t challenge robbers. It’s just not worth the risk.

8. BEWARE OF SCAMS

Some of the most common scams are the old “the taxi metre isn’t working” to make you pay a huge sum instead. Tell the driver you’ll find another taxi, and it will magically fix itself. There’s also the “your hotel closed/ burnt down/is overbooked” scam – the driver just wants to take you to his mate’s place where you’ll be charged a fortune and he’ll get a kickback. Always use the official taxi queue, make sure the metre is on and

never listen when the taxi driver conveniently knows another hotel for you to stay at.

9. DON’T FORGET YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Travelling with kids can be tough, and it can be hard to get time to yourself. Sometimes you’ll need a rest, so make sure to look after yourself by having downtime. Stay in a resort for a few days and put the kids into kids’ club so you can have some alone time and a wine, and don’t be afraid to change plans if you need a break. Mental health while travelling is important to nurture and manage so everyone has a fabulous time together.

EXTRAS

Evie and Emmie in Tokyo

Evie Farrell’s 100-page e-book Holiday Safe: The Complete Guide to Staying Safe When Travelling with Kids is available for $20 via mumpacktravel.com

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MUST HAVES

The latest products travelling families need to know about 1. ANCHOR AND ARROW SWIM NAPPY

This reusable swim nappy is made in playful and vibrant hand-painted prints, with a strong polyester cloth fabric on the exterior and a soft mesh on the lining. It also features adjustable snaps on the outside, so they grow with your baby, from newborn to toddler.

Available in sizes 0 to 18 months (0-14kg) and 18 to 36 months (up to 18kg). You can also buy matching wet bags and swim hats.

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4. TIVOLI AUDIO PORTABLE BLUETOOTH RADIO

This vintage-inspired portable radio has a weather-resistant cabinet ideal for the beach, picnics and camping. Stream via Bluetooth, or fine-tune to your favourite AM

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or FM station with the prominent analoguestyle tuning knob. The simple hands-on controls are the antithesis of today's over-complicated speakers, staying true to the original design of Tivoli Audio's original portable radio. Available in red, yellow/black, chrome, black, blue, pink, and white.

RRP $369 for chrome finish; $299 for all other colours tivoliaudio.com.au

Indigenous owned and operated business Emro Designs, they have a unique print on each side. When they arrive, a laminated card tells a story about the artwork. Profit from each item sold goes directly back to the artists, which allows them to continue to share their culture through artwork.

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5. COASTAL PEOPLE RECYCLED OUTDOOR MAT

6. GOING PLACES LUGGAGE TAG

Made from recycled plastic, these reversable outdoor mats are great for picnics and the beach. Produced by

Made from silicone, this easy-to-spot bright yellow luggage tag is waterproof and easy to clean. It has an insertable card to include your contact information and a strong

strap to ensure your tag is well secured.

RRP $9.99 allkinds.com/products/going-placesluggage-tag-yellow-2304003

7. PIPING HOT BLOOM & RECYCLED EVA THONGS

With the soles of these thongs made from repurposed algae, this sustainable footwear solution will improve your carbon footprint as well. The material sequesters CO2 and helps clean polluted water and air. Available from Junior size nine to adults from Target stores Australia-wide.

RRP $12-$15 target.com.au 113

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Luca, Gianni, Dion and Cath at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe

Insider Interview

DION BISA

BRAND DIRECTOR & OWNER OF EAST HOTEL CANBERRA Over the last ten years, Dion Bisa has created a familyfriendly paradise at East Hotel in Canberra, with everything from free lollies in the lobby to kids’ mini bars, cubbies with bunk beds, Xbox One consoles, and dress-up clothes. When it comes to her own holidays, she loves heading overseas with her partner Cath and their sons Gianni, 14, and Luca, 17, as often as she can.

MY IDEAL FAMILY HOLIDAY IS… A mix of new and engaging surroundings, great food opportunities, nature, shops and cool hotels!

MY FONDEST FAMILY HOLIDAY MEMORY IS… Probably our last holiday before COVID hit. We headed to Africa for the second time!

Previously we had explored South Africa together and were totally captured by the people, the landscape, and the remarkable wildlife. So, we went back, but this time we headed east and started our adventure at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. It was beyond breathtaking. From there, we cruised along the Chobe River in Northern Botswana for three nights, waking every morning to the most stunning birdlife, elephants bathing by the riverbank, hippos yawning and rolling in the mud, and monkeys 114

playing. From there we headed to a game reserve in Sable Alley for days and nights of animal safaris, which we couldn’t get enough of! Then we jumped into a light plane to arrive at a completely different landscape of salt plains, Baobab trees and the migration of the dazzling zebra at Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in Botswana… did I also mention it’s a breeding ground for meerkats? Camp Kalahari was so unique, special and memorable. We stayed in large nomadic tents and dined on one long table at night, sharing tales of our day with people from all over the world. The boys absolutely loved it. The epic trip ended in the magical waters of Mozambique, at the White Pearl Resort, Ponta Mamoli where we rode horses across the island, had cooking lessons, met the local tribespeople, ate enormous Mozambique prawns and relaxed! The entire time we were on this incredible adventure, we were so remote and so off the grid that it gave us time to completely disconnect from the internet and share experiences as a family that were extraordinary, to say the least. We all also became very savvy 500 card game players!

FAMILY TRAVELLERS MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT… Every time you take your kids

Dion’s sons Gianni and Luca on safari

somewhere new and different, they grow and mature. They must talk to people they would not normally engage with, whether it be other adults they sit with over dinner, tour guides, locals, non-English speaking people… all of which can be challenging and fun. I guess travel puts kids into unfamiliar situations and this builds creativity, resilience, and great social skills.

EVERY FAMILY SHOULD EXPERIENCE… Dare I say… an African adventure!

MY TOP TIP FOR TRAVELLING WITH KIDS IS …

Be prepared for things not to go to plan! Something will go wrong at some stage and those are the days that make the best memories.