Our first family trip to Australia! As the kids are starting to get older and more flexible with nap times, we took them on their longest ever flight (8h) to Brisbane. That said, we chose to veer off the typical itinerary of the Gold Coast theme parks, and focused on giving them a countryside experience in the Scenic Rim and Lost World region. The great thing about the area is its varied micro-climates, with every 45 minute drive you can experience a brand new landscape. For animal lovers, this is also the perfect itinerary with a wide selection of child-friendly farms and farm stays. We loved staying in various cottages – all well appointed and managed, making home cooked meals, enjoying the amazing sunsets and star-gazing outdoors at night. Easter is a fabulous time to go, temperatures between 16 and 21 degrees Celsius, sunny in the day and cool in the evenings.

Kids Friendly?  Understatement! Plenty of outdoor activities, playgrounds and accommodating restaurants. Not once did we go somewhere without a children’s menu option, even when dining at a highly-rated vineyard bistro. Just be sure to rent a car-seat or come prepared with a booster, given the strict traffic rules and roads in the Scenic Rim are not always well-paved. Bathrooms might be a rarer find while out in the wild – but as the locals say, you can always take a “bush wee”!

Cash or Card? I was half expecting to need to use some cash in the countryside, but even the smallest farms were ready to accept credit cards. Extremely convenient – we just exchanged AUD onto our debit card and tapped away.

Transportation: Car rental is a must. Ubers are easy within Brisbane city, but this is a road-trip itinerary and we got a heavy duty V6 7 seater which was fun driving through the dirt roads and farms. Rentals are easy to pick up at Brisbane airport, we made sure to go with a company (Budget) which had cars directly in the lot without needing to take an additional airport shuttle.

Do-overs? Agri-tourism in the area has been growing, but it is predominantly serving weekenders from Brisbane and Gold Coast as the farmers focus on their core business (animals and crops) for half the week. Be sure to check operating hours; many farms and restaurants are only open Wed-Sun or close early. We felt quite rushed packing things on the weekend, and spent Mon-Wed mostly doing free play outdoors or you could also pop back into the city during that time. 

Recommended Route:

Scenic Rim (2 days) > Lost World (2 days) > Tamborine Mountain (1 day) > Gold Coast (1-2 days) > Brisbane (1-2 days)

This route takes you in a nice circle starting in Brisbane, moving inland and taking you up the coast and back to the city. The route is peppered with hidden gems along the way, bringing much needed respite from city life. For those of you extroverts who need buzz and nightlife, skip the Lost World and potentially do farms as day trips instead.

<Scenic Rim> 

Sights: Starting in the Southwest of Brisbane, Ipswich offers an interesting perspective into the lives of the Pioneers through the story of the railroad. We missed the operating hours (oops) but were very keen to buy tickets for the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway, which remains operational at very specific times for nostalgia. For train fans, you can then go on to visit the Queensland Museum Rail Workshop which is a museum with interactive displays and explanation of the local rail history. We were more focused on farms; driving South and loved Summer Land Camels (be sure to book the tour and camel ride online ahead of time), and wish we could have fit in Naughty Little Kids (goat farm, tours only available Sunday afternoons) and Kooroomba Lavender Farm (can book a nice meal or picnic basket to dine amongst the lavender fields). 

Stay: We stayed outside the town of Boonah, in an Airbnb cottage Croftby Hills set amongst Angus cow farms. I fell in love with the listing – although it is very rural and far from the nearest town, the grounds were huge and kids had fun playing in our own creek, backyard treehouse and outdoor swing. The big and well equipped kitchen was perfect for making home cooked dinners as the kids played outside in the sunset. Other nice options in the area include Lumiere Farmhouse and Mount French Lodge depending on the size of your group.

Food, Drink and Shopping: We were more interested in cooking at home, shopped for groceries at Coles Supermarket in Ipswich before heading South as the local grocers were smaller and more limited in selection. Depending on your flexibility with kids; there were a few places we considered trying including Blume Restaurant, The Vue Restaurant (although reviews suggested standards have dropped) and a meal at Kooroomba (only lunch available). Was planning to drop by Scenic Rim Farm Shop but it was closed the days we were there. 

<Lost World>

Sights: This brings you deeper into the wilderness, and a chance to experience the quiet beauty of Lamington National Park. As a non-local I was suggested to not go too deep into the bush without the necessary First Aid equipment (snakes and insects), but we still very much enjoyed local farm life and visiting the local campsites. Expect a slower pace, warm hospitality and open space. We scheduled a day visit to Ceder Glen Farms (wide range of animals you can feed and play with in close proximity), try to see if Tommerup’s Dairy Farm has any market days or special activities or in the least schedule to make a larder visit to buy fresh ice-cream and beautiful cuts of meat. At 4pm every day, there is free wild bird feeding at the Darlington Park kiosk. We loved this campsite which was very well visited by locals on weekends, joining them to jump into the Albert River that runs through the area. 

Stay: Could not rave more about Worendo Cottages. Nathan is an amazing host, and the houses were well kept and modern. We had the best time feeding his animals at sunset, letting the kids raid the hen house for eggs, assisting us city folk in setting up our nightly bonfire and teaching us how to use the barbeque. The view is unrivalled, lying on our hammock and looking out into the expansive, uninhabited national parkland. If you are looking for peace and solace, this is the place for you. Done again I would probably self-cater (instead of arranging for their prepared hampers) given Beaudesert and Tommerup’s larder is on the way and easy to shop at. Other modern accomodation in the area include O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, Beechmont Estate, Eagle’s Nest Scenic Rim.

Food: Not many options here, would suggest buying local produce and cooking at home or we did end up heading to Beaudesert Fair for some supplies and had a hearty lunch at Cafe 63. We made the mistake of trying to get food in Christmas Creek / Rathdowney – much better off packing your own picnic baskets or doing some “barbie” on the grill while you are here. 

<Tamborine Mountain>

Sights: Never thought that we could experience such lush rainforest only 40 minutes from the Gold Coast. An entirely different landscape from the open fields with roaming livestock we saw over the previous days, we moved up the mountains and into the woods. Even though our children are young, the rainforest walk is very manageable. The Glow Worm Caves Tour is another must do, but tickets are extremely sought after (book ahead online). We loved just walking around the mountain village town; on Gallery Walk you will find a German Cuckoo clock shop, fudge shops, Jasmine Organics. Be sure to find a morning to drive out to Mountview Alpaca Farm which has a stunning river view where you can also grab a nice lunch at the adjacent winery.

Food and Drink: This is an exciting area to be for cafe lovers, we really enjoyed Cinnamon Cafe for fresh churros and The Treehouse, Wild Plum, Willow and Sage, Picnic Real Food Bar, Franquette are all very well reviewed options (just note inconsistent opening times). Even though we had kids in tow, everything was so accommodating of children which easily allowed us to enjoy a winery visit (Mason Winery) and gourmet lunch, Fortitude Brewery and Tamborine Cheese Shop which are next together for some ale and brie, as well as Cauldron Distillery for refreshing gin cocktails. 

Stay: The rainforest area is very special, but most properties are dated to be honest. We picked Pethers Rainforest Retreat – this is typically a honeymoon location, set uniquely in avocado groves with wallabys jumping around in the wild. The floor to ceiling windows really makes you feel like you are staying in a treehouse, location in the middle of everything but hardware is a bit older for those who care. A newer option is O’Reilly Rainforest Retreat (between Tambourine/Lost World). I also considered Verandah House Country Estate but that is a bit further away. 

<Gold Coast>

Sights: I was determined to stay off the beaten track this trip and tried to avoid the theme parks at all costs. The kids are still a bit young to appreciate, and the ticket packages honestly were a bit expensive for properties that I remember going to over 20 years ago. We did make an exception and brought the kids to Paradise Country. I am glad we gave them the authentic farm experience before coming, but it was still good to come for their shows (albeit short) and they enjoyed the tractor and pony rides. Another part of the theme park franchise, we booked the dinner show Australia Outback Spectacular. I struggled whether to bring the kids to this one, as dinner does not start until 7:30pm but it was beyond our wildest expectations and an incredible family outing. They suggest you arrive 1h ahead of time (30min probably enough) and you are welcomed into an immersive cowboy world. The show storyline is wholesome and educational, a must visit. We did not spend too much time at Surfers Paradise which is overcrowded and commercial, but enjoyed heading out to more local parts along the coast including Mermaid Beach and Broadbeach. 

Stay: We made the untraditional choice of staying at Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove. Only 15 minutes from the theme parks, the property is a haven with its own artificial beach lagoon and is set next to a luxury marina and golf course. If I were to do it again, I would pay a premium to book a lagoon or marina view room and have spent a bit more time enjoying the beach club and kids facilities. Others I know who have stayed at the Sea World hotel found it underwhelming, another top choice in the area is the JW Marriott. 

Food and Shopping: Seafood is a must along the coast; we had a blast going to Miami Fish Market off hours to enjoy fresh oysters and fish and chips. We also did a vegan boho brunch at Milkman’s Daughter. Could not leave Australia without buying UGGs and surfwear – Pacific Fair Shopping Center is a great one-stop venue to cover all your needs with many food options as well.

<Brisbane>

Sights: As the city prepares itself for the 2032 Olympics, it is expanding infrastructure by the minute and getting more exciting – recently adding Bluey’s World (book in advance) which was a big hit with our kids. Our time in the city was rushed, but a great way to explore Brisbane would be by ferry as the waterways are well connected. It’s also a very walkable city; we spent a relaxing afternoon in the South Shore, going through the Parklands which has alfresco eateries, a public pool and beach overlooking the CBD. Wish we had more time to spend an afternoon in Fortitude Valley to people watch, cafe hop and enjoy more upscale dining options. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was a great introduction to Aussie local animals for the kids, the Steve Irwin family still run Australia Zoo slightly north of the city which is another option. 

Food and Drink: Waterfront dining is popular, Fortitude Valley as mentioned has also emerged as a top dining destination. On the way to the airport for our red-eye we also stopped by Eat Street Northshore, which replicates the night market concept with a variety of street food and live entertainment.