Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has more than 70 years of history on the Gold Coast and, still today, it draws an enthusiastic family crowd. Originally set up as a bird sanctuary in the 1940s, the twice daily (8am and 4pm) lorikeet feeding harks back to the park’s roots and is still a firm favourite with visitors. But nowadays, there’s so much more to experience than just bird feeding. The train alone is worth going for! The kangaroos are also a huge hit and the staff love helping the little ones feed them. Plan your day around the many scheduled shows and if you’re planning to go more than twice in one year, grab a membership as it’ll offer you some great savings and special offers.
Families with Under 5s cannot go past Palm Beach Parklands and its affectionately named (and award-winning) “Pirate Park”. A pirate ship is central to the appeal of this ridiculously picturesque playground, along with the giant man-made rock cave. For parents, the on-site Dune Café offers takeaway beverages so you can be at the park watching over your little ones while caffeinating. Otherwise, if you can drag them away from their pirate play, enjoy the family-friendly nature of this café by refuelling with some brunch/lunch (make sure you try the amazing organic spelt pancakes – there’s even a kid-version for smaller pancake eaters!). This playground precinct is right alongside the picture-perfect Currumbin Creek so you’ve got sand play, calm-water swimming and that incredible playground all in the one stop. Tick. And the park precinct offers great toilets. Double tick.
While on the topic of perfect Under 5s playgrounds on the coast, the little ones will love Kirra Beach Playground just as much as their parents will. Not only is it situated alongside one of the Gold Coast’s best strips of sand, the playground itself is built with Under 5s front of mind. All the equipment is low to the ground, which keeps little climbers safe. There’s a great net swing, stairs (not a ladder) up to the slide, puzzles, music games and great shade. All the little things that mean a lot to parents of little ones. And with their safety sorted, there’s a chance to enjoy that takeaway coffee you should pick-up on the way to the playground from nearby Mervyn Roy’s café – an awesome place to find a suitable caffeine hit.
Under 5s are sponges for new experiences and interesting sights and if there’s one holiday location that offers loads to see, it’s the Gold Coast. Pop your little one in their pram or stroller and hit the footpaths of our city to take in some fresh air, sunshine and general excitement. From the sand and surf to the skyscrapers, you’ll find brilliant wide concrete pathways weaving their way all over Surfers Paradise providing you with endless walk options. Simply strap on your comfy shoes and let your intuition lead you to adventure. Head towards the sound of the ocean (the beachside esplanade path really is where you want to end up) and you can’t go wrong.
Did you know that one of the coast’s best water play parks for Under 5s is right here within the grounds of Paradise Resort?! Our Zone4Kids (or “Z4K” as it’s known around the resort grounds) Water Park offers three storeys (yep, you read right!) of splashtacular fun. While you’ll be having as much fun as your Under 5, make sure you keep your eyes on the sky. There’s a giant bucket at the top of the water park that fills and spills 600 litres of water right over everything, every few minutes! We also offer a smaller water park for the really little ones, with just as much splashy fun as the main park. Check out more information here.
For Kids
19/09/2023
