Family holidays can be some of the best times of your life, and if you choose the right destination, they’re likely to create incredible experiences and unforgettable memories for your children (and you!). So, you want to make sure you choose a location that offers a family-friendly holiday experience, while also providing entertainment and activities for the adults in the party. One destination in beautiful Queensland which caters to both ends of the family spectrum is the stunning Bunya Mountains – and there’s plenty of ways to enjoy a family holiday in this mountaintop paradise.
Go camping
Kids love camping adventures, and the Bunya Mountains is a great place to start them off on their journey towards a lifelong love of camping! Pitch your tent in one of the three camping areas at the Bunya Mountains, and get the family back to nature in a scenic camping area surrounded by bunya pines emerging from the rainforest. Try:
- Dandabah Camping Area
- Westcott Camping Area
- Burtons Well Camping Area
Here you’ll enjoy visits from the friendly local wildlife, stunning scenery and views over the distant plains, a peaceful and serene location where the most noise you’ll likely hear is the birds chattering in the trees, and plenty of wide-open spaces to run, play games and enjoy some freedom. Keep in mind that camping permits are required before setting up camp, and fees apply. Bookings can be made online: https://book.parks.qld.gov.au/camping
There’s plenty for the kids to do once you leave the tent for the day, and you can choose to do as much or as little as you like:
- Buy some bird seed from Poppies on the Hill Café and feed the friendly local king parrots and crimson rosellas. These cheerful, colourful birds will happily perch on your head, shoulders and hands while eating the specialised seed mix provided by the Café.
- Go spotlighting in the rainforest at night to find nocturnal animals such as sugar gliders, possums and frogs.
- Catch the magical fireflies twinkling in the rainforest in spring.
- Hike one of the many scenic routes through the National Park, taking in rock pools, waterfalls and scenic valley views as you go.
- Try the newly-built mountain bike trails that snake around the mountain.
- Take a horse and cart ride around the mountain behind a pair of friendly draught horses.
- Walk through the middle of a tree – the popular giant strangler fig that you’ll pass through on the Scenic Circuit.
- Watch the Chocolate Wattled Bats fly out at night from their roost in the old timber schoolhouse.
- Get in a spot of tennis on the tennis court available for hire.
- Go stargazing in a certified dark sky area and see how many constellations you can spot.
And parents, you’ll probably enjoy all these activities too, but you may also enjoy some more peaceful ones as well:
- Go for a coffee and sweet treat at the fresh, local Poppies on the Hill Café, where you can enjoy some tasty bunya nut delicacies.
- Enjoy a drink at the Bunyas Whisky Bar – the highest whisky bar in Australia.
- Go birdwatching in the rainforest.
- Spot the Timber Chutes in Russell Park – an interesting part of the timber cutting history of the Bunya Mountains.
- Visit the Cedarvale History Museum, or the Visitor Information Centre, where you can pick up all kinds of interesting information.
Stroll around the local markets, which are held in the grounds of Poppies on the Hill Café on the last Sunday of every month.
- Discover the hundreds of different types of local birds, animals, trees and plants.
- Curl up with a good book and enjoy the serenity.
- Watch the sunset from Fisher’s Lookout.
Whatever you choose to do, it’s sure to be fun, so relax and enjoy the adventure!
Book a holiday home for your family
If roughing it in a tent is not your style, there’s plenty of other options for a family stay – and booking your own holiday home is one of the best choices. The Bunya Mountains Accommodation Centre offers more than 110 cosy, comfortable and well fitted out holiday homes for you to enjoy a holiday in, and there are some absolute gems to choose from. Booking your own holiday property offers your family a home-away-from-home experience, where you can settle in, get comfortable and not worry about being disturbed by, or disturbing, anyone else.
If you’ve stayed in a hotel, campground or caravan park with young children, you know how challenging it can be to ensure they don’t wreak havoc and disturb the holiday-makers around you. When you’re staying in your own property, you don’t have the stress of trying to keep small children quiet and out of people’s way; instead you’re free to relax, unwind and chill out in your own home. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a stress-free holiday and keep everyone happy.
Book a chalet for a big group
But what if you have a big extended family group to accommodate? No problem at the Bunya Mountains! The Bunya Mountains Accommodation Centre offers four large chalets and a number of other properties that can accommodate up to 16 guests, to make a large family stay achievable. For a very big group, you can book all the chalets (which are located in close proximity to each other) and enjoy a big community holiday in delightful comfort.
Discover them here: https://bunyamountains.com.au/accommodation-search/
Pop up for a day trip
And if you just want to have a day out, the Bunya Mountains is ideal for that too. Set off in the morning and enjoy participating in any of the activities on offer, then head on home when you’ve had your fill. Market day is a great day to come up for a day trip – although it can be busy. If you’d prefer a quieter day with fewer tourists, pop up on a weekday or a weekend during low season (November to February).
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