As COVID-19 restrictions on travel are eased, many Kiwi families will be looking at taking their first international holiday in more than two years.
Australia is a popular destination country for families from Aotearoa and the upcoming school holidays coincides with as two-way quarantine-free travel resuming between the two nations.
To help inspire school holiday trips across the Tasman, Tourism Australia has provided Newshub with 10 of its most highly recommended family-friendly attractions in the country.
Sydney, New South Wales
Sydney attraction Taronga Zoo boasts great views of Sydney Harbour and offers up-close encounters with a wide range of native Australian wildlife as well as creatures from across the world. During the school holidays between 10:30am-2:30pm, kids can have their face painted, sing and dance with DJ KitKat and take part in other fun games and activities. The bird and seal shows are always big hits, running multiple times throughout the day all week, and for the next few weeks newborn red panda cubs are on site and ready to meet the world.
Located a 30 minute drive from the city centre, the Sydney Royal Easter Show runs Friday 8 to Tuesday 19 April. With a huge range of rides and food stalls offering treats from around the globe, it should be easy to find something to love at this annual event. There are plenty of educational workshops for kids too, as well as animal meet and greets including the farmyard nursery.
Brisbane and Gold Coast, Queensland
In the Sunshine State's capital of Brisbane, Riverlife's Guided Kayak Tour and Bike Hire is a wonderful way to see the city, from both land and river. The Story Bridge, Wheel of Brisbane, Kangaroo Point Cliffs, the Brisbane Sign and Howard Smith Wharves are all landmarks seen best from the water, and kayaking is a fantastic form of exercise and adventure for all the family. Children aged eight and up are welcome to participate. To complete the adventure, one could hop on a bike and take to the city's many bike paths.
An EGG-cellent Easter is on offer at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary - the first 100 children to visit each day over the Easter weekend will receive a free Chocolate bilby. The attractions features include the Extinction Trail, which has special effects and lifelike models that promise to transport you to a time when dinosaurs ruled the earth. There's also up-close animal encounters and behind the scenes tours, or the chance to learn how to be a vet or a zookeeper during the school holidays.
Adelaide, South Australia
Adelaide's TreeClimb is Australia's first inner-city aerial adventure park, promising an adrenaline rush for the whole family with over 70 obstacles across eight courses. Customers can get harnessed up and impress the rest of their family with skills of agility. The kids course runs every 40 minutes from 9am to 5pm, and is ideal for any children over 100cm tall, whilst the grand course requires a minimum height of 135cm.
For those that love a spook, a tour of Adelaide Gaol might be just the thing to get the heart pounding. Guided ghost and history tours are available, or customers can simply take a stroll through in their own time to appreciate and marvel at the way things once were. The tour is recommended for kids of primary school age and up, and bookings are not required so you can pop down any day between 10am - 4pm (last entry 3pm).
Melbourne, Victoria
The SeaLife Melbourne Aquarium offers underwater fun for everyone with a range of passes and exhibitions to expand the family's knowledge and fascination for creatures of the deep. Until Friday May 20, little ones can meet Peppa Pig in Peppa Pig's Aquarium Adventure, and bigger kids could try the Shark Dive Xtreme experience, which is likely to get the adrenaline pumping.
If you're looking for a laugh, you could try the Melbourne International Comedy Festival's The (Very) Big Laugh Out. This family-friendly, free comedy festival runs throughout April. Located in Federation Square and offering multiple showtimes.
Perth, Western Australia
Kids who dream of flying could try IFly Indoor Skydiving. Children aged three and up or adults can soar like a bird at the attraction, which is 10 minutes from the Perth CBD, taking part in a realistic skydiving experience in a 3m wind tunnel. With multiple family packages and options for people of all abilities, this could be the perfect way to shed comfort zones and make memories that last.
Located in the heart of Perth, Elizabeth Quay Fun Fair combines Easter activities with an array of rides, food stalls and show bags. Running from Saturday, April 9 to Monday, April 25, this fair offers fun for the whole family, at prices of $12 - 19 per person.
