Cairns is great for families - with a mix of nature, wildlife, water & adventure. A little planning goes a long way on family holidays when you have kids. We know all too well it can be tricky keeping every member of the clan happy while away from the routine and creature comforts of home. Fortunately, Cairns and Tropical North Queensland is home to two World Heritage-listed sites of the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef which offers a great range of activities to keep the kids happy.
As Cairns local experts, we’ve pulled together our top 10 things to do in Cairns with kids. Read on and hopefully you’ll find some inspiration for your Cairns family holiday.
1. Great Barrier Reef with Kids
A visit to Cairns wouldn’t be complete without a day tour to the Great Barrier Reef. Teeming with vibrant coral and marine life, including some well-known characters such as Wally the friendly Maori Wrasse, the reef is a great day trip for kids of all ages. Check out for our family reef deal with 2nd Child FREE on most family reef tours.
Whether you’re staying in Cairns or Port Douglas, there are plenty of tour options, but our hot tip is to book this as soon as you’ve locked in your accommodation. Spots on the reef trips can be busy during school holidays. Depending on the age and swimming abilitiy of your kids, depends on which reef trip would be suitable for your family.
- Cairns Island Day Trips with Kids: If you have young children you may prefer an Island day trip to places like Green Island, Fitzroy Island, Frankland Island, Low Isles and Frankland Island.
- Cairns Pontoon Reef Trips with Kids: A pontoon reef trip caters to a wide range of abilities and kids of all ages which also include activites like glass bottom boat, sem-submarine tour, underwater observatory plus the Sunlover Pontoon even has a waterslide.
- Cairns Snorkel & Dive Trips with Kids: For more experienced swimmers a snorkel or dive boat is great for those with older kids with good swimming ability and you can visit up to 3 reef sites within the one day.
- Intro Scuba Dive - For families with kids over 12 years, you may want to book an Intro Scuba Dive which can be booked on most day trip options.
- Heli & Reef Combo - Another great option is a heli & reef combo where you combine your reef tour with a heli flight - or even a Cruise/Fly option with a helicopter scenic flight back to Cairns.
2. Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
This 4800sq m saltwater lagoon located in the heart of the Cairns CBD, right on the Esplanade, is hard to miss, just look out for the five, stainless steel woven fish sculptures. Offering visitors a year-round swimming option, free from stingers that arrive during the summer months, it’s a place to soak up the sun with the Trinity Inlet and coastal mountains providing a stunning backdrop. A lifeguard monitors the area – this, coupled with plentiful shallow spots, makes it a safe space to swim and perfect for the younger ones to splash about. The Cairns lagoon is filled with water from the Trinity Inlet via a filtration system. So, if you can’t swim in the ocean, this is pretty close!
Muddy’s Playground, located approx 600m North of the lagoon, is a popular waterfront park for younger kids. There’s a rope bridge, flying fox, play houses, slides, a see-saw, and a splash water play area plus a cafe - great for a coffee and icecream! To the south of the Lagoon past the waterfront restaurants is the Fig Tree Playround, which has been built around an giant fig tree. Kids big and small will love the bridges, tunnels and slides.
3. Mossman Gorge, Daintree National Park
Mossman Gorge is where both locals and visitors descend during the hot, summer days for a refreshing swim. Located in the southern part of the Daintree, this popular swimming hole is set against a backdrop of steep, rainforest-clad mountains, while cool waters feeding the spot cascade over smooth, gigantic boulders. Note - swimming is subject to current conditions. A popular family family activity is the half day drift snorkel tour.
The Dreamtime Walk is well worth it. The Kuku Yalangi Indigenous people have a deep connection to the land and your guide will share the stories that have been passed down over generations as you explore the rainforest on foot. You’ll be welcomed with a cleansing smoking ceremony, learn about the medicinal and culinary qualities of plants, and visit a sacred ceremony site. Your guide will also point out wildlife and vegetation that you otherwise would have walked straight past.
This activity is recommended for children 5 years and above. The guides are great with young children, but if you do find your little ones are getting restless, the popular water hole and gorge itself is only a five-minute bus ride away. And you can reward yourself, and the kids, with a coffee and ice-creams afterwards. You may also consider a private charter if travelling with younger kids, or larger families as it's a great option to tailor your day to suit the needs of your family and kids.
4. Kuranda, Atherton Tablelands
Known as the ‘Village in the Rainforest’ Kuranda is enveloped in World Heritage rainforest. Enjoy a day trip to Kuranda on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, where your gondola will glide just metres above the rainforest canopy, or hop aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway. As you make your way past thick rainforest, waterfalls, deep ravines, and jaw-dropping views, you’ll understand how lives were lost during its construction between 1886 – 1891; considered an extraordinary engineering feat even by today’s standards. You’ll receive a commentary along the way that’ll delve deeper into the history of the railway and the area.
Once in Kuranda are plenty of family-friendly activities to choose from, including Birdworld Kuranda, home to more than 60 species of tropical birds; Australia’s largest butterfly sanctuary, with over 1500 butterflies; and the Koala Gardens where you can pat a koala and hand feed wallabies. The river cruise is where you’ll spot crocodiles, turtles, and water dragons. You may also want to consider Rainforestation Day Trip with includes time at Rainforestion with an Army Duck tour, Pamagirre Aboriginal Experience and wildlife park.
The Kuranda markets are a big drawcard too, with an array of arts and crafts, plus delicious, homemade sweet treats.
5. Waterfall Circuit, Atherton Tablelands
This little adventure is guaranteed fun for the whole family. Make a day of chasing waterfalls by breaking up the circuit with visits to a few of the other key attractions found in the rolling hills of the Atherton Tablelands. Malanda Falls, for example, is located only nine minutes away from the Curtain Fig Tree in Yungaburra. Estimated to be more than 500 years old, you’ll feel tiny against this towering natural structure. The crater lakes of Lake Eacham is a lovely spot for a swim, and Lake Barrine offers a wildlife cruise for spotting local animals.
Only a 20-minute drive away, be sure to include Millaa Millaa on your list of falls to visit. At 18-metres tall, it’s probably the most photographed of all the waterfalls. The ample grassy area also makes it a good spot to stop for a picnic too, before kicking on to more swimming holes. Or you could visit the Mungalli Creek Dairy, only 12 minutes away, for a bite to eat – how does a cheese platter, Ploughman’s Lunch, or a chicken pot pie sound? – on your way to Mungalli Falls. You could book an adventure based day trip including Babinda Boulders and Josephine falls, do a self drive or arrange a private charter with professional guide. Keep in mind, there is alot of driving so if travelling with young kids a private charter maybe the best option.
6. Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures
With origins dating back as far as 1933, this award-winning outfit sure knows a thing or two about crocs. It was the first place in Australia to breed crocs in captivity, committed to the conservation of the species as numbers started to dwindle in the 60s after years of hunting. Now Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures is one of the oldest, most visited attractions in Tropical North Queensland.
A cruise around Hartley’s Lagoon is certainly one of the highlights. Their custom-built boats have been designed so every seat has a view of a croc leaping into the air to secure its snack. But it’s not just about the crocs. You’ll learn about other revered animals, such as the endangered Cassowary. Stick around for the 4.30pm feed of the koalas, when they eventually wake up! There is so much for the kids to absorb, they’ll be fast asleep on the drive home.
7. Fitzroy Island and Green Island
Both Green Island and Fitzroy Island are popular day trips with families. Adorned with lush rainforest, open woodland, and coral beaches, they area apart of the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and only a 45-minute ride from Cairns. Can't decide? There is a new two island day trip with includes time at both islands. Both islands offer half day options or full day options to suit your family schedule.
Enjoy some optional snorkelling, island walks, beach activities, resort cafes and more. If you have time, squeeze in a visit to the island’s Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre at Fitzroy island. Run completely by volunteers, it’s a non-profit organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation of sick and injured turtles. Places on the tours are limited though, so book as soon as you arrive on the island.
Tip - You may want to take reef shoes for Fitzroy Island, as the only sandy beach is Nudey Beach, which is a walk from the jetty.
9. Cairns Adventure for Kids
For some adventure take the kids river tubing (5+ yrs) on the Mulgrave River or white water rafting (12+ yrs) down the Barron River or Tully River where you can enjoy the rainforest scenery and adventure on the freshwater. Of course it's recommended to ensure your kids are excited for the adventure and have good swimming ability, and double check the suitable ages for the kids.
If it's freshwater creeks you want - you can also check out further Cairns family rainforest tours and adventure day trips to Behana Gorge (8+yrs) and for the older kids (12+ yrs) is River Tubing or Cairns Canyoning at Crystal Cascades.
8. Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas
No matter what your age, hand-feeding a wallaby or patting a koala is downright heart-warming. And what better place to do it than at an immersion exhibit at in Port Douglas.
Wildlife Habitat has a whole range of family-friendly activities to choose from, including Breakfast with the Birds, Picnic with the Parrots, and the WildNIGHT Nocturnal Tour, where you can get to know the Lesser Sooty Owl, the endangered Mahogany Glider, and many more characters from the night shift. Or perhaps your 8 – 14-year-old has shown a keen interest in the life of a zoo keeper, or simply can’t get enough of cuddly little critters of any sort. Enrol your child in the Junior Keepers program and they’ll get hands-on experience and an insight into the life of a wildlife keeper. The four-hour session runs during school holidays from 11.00am – 3.00pm, includes lunch and afternoon tea, and is limited to 15 kids per session. You can now also even swim with a Crocodile (kids 12+ yrs).
10. Sugarworld Waterpark, Cairns
Ask a local what their favourite thing was to do as a kid and you’ll receive, “Sugarworld!” as a response, without hesitation.
With a tropical climate, waterpark action, that’s fun for the whole family, really is a no-brainer. Set on 17 hectares of land, among tropical gardens and fruit orchards, with peacocks elegantly roaming freely, Sugarworld has been entertaining generations of kids for nearly 30 years. There are also plenty of shaded areas that you can watch the kids from if you’ve had your fill of waterslide action. The kiosk serves up burgers, hot chips, salad sandwiches, and cold drinks and ice creams. But if you’d prefer to bring your own, there are also BBQ facilities and picnic areas. Located on the south side of Cairns - a hire car is needed (Ensure to check opening hours as it can be seasonal).
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