It’s never too chilly here on the Sunshine Coast, making winter the perfect time to take a break. You can get out in nature, enjoy a bushwalk and cuddle up in front of the fire with the kids. Marshmallows and board games are a must!
Here are our favourite places for a winter break on the Sunshine Coast with kids.
Barambah Bush Caravan & Camping
Two hours north-west of the Sunshine Coast near the town of Murgon lies a country camping experience on 200 acres of natural bushland. Guests can opt for cabin accommodation or camp sites and there are designated fire pit areas around the property. On Friday nights, the camp hosts live entertainment and a meal around the campfire. Guests also have use of the camp kitchen and pizza oven. Kids will love the resident free-range hens, ducks, peacocks, and Barambah’s pet kangaroo that are often seen wandering the property. Bird Feeding is between 4pm and 4.15pm every day. To warm up, try a round of the nine-hole bush golf course. Or take a walk on one of the five bush walking tracks. At night, a drop of red from one of the four wineries on the Barambah Wine Trail is a perfect end to the day.
Charlie Moreland Camping Ground
Located in the Imbil State Forest, this is a central spot to explore the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Campfire rings are dotted around the campsite and are a great way for kids to meet new friends. The property is a mix of open parklands and bush, as well as granite rock formations that are a playground for energetic junior climbers. There are walking tracks suitable for biking, one just 1.5 kilometres long, making it ideal for little ones.
Kookaburra Park
Having opened in 2020 just before the pandemic lockdowns, this park is still a hidden treasure located just 10 minutes from the quaint country town of Kenilworth. The 75-hectare campground offers campsites as well as self-contained cabins, each equipped with their own fire pit. There may also be a Vintage Glampervan or two parked there for hire, which sleep up to four people. This place is all about getting back to nature, so there’s no internet or phone reception here. Kids will love the animal feeding, with an array of pigs, geese, deer and ducks pottering around.
Noosa Avalon Farm Cottages
This award-winning property is set on 30 acres in the Noosa hinterland and has cottages of all sizes – one can even sleep 23 guests – each with its own firepit. There’s animal feeding on the farm and plenty of nearby bush walks and lakes to explore. It’s just a few minutes’ drive to the Eumundi markets and the quaint town of Pomona. Pets are welcome.
Kondalilla Eco Resort
Previously known as Treehouses of Montville, Kondalilla Eco Resort sprawls across 20 acres, with 21 different places to sleep spread across its leafy Sunshine Coast hinterland grounds. Its cosy family rooms cater for up to four people and are fully contained with a wood-burner. If relaxation is the order of the weekend, take a meal or two at the on-site restaurant and indulge in a treatment at the spa. There is no shortage of day trips from this central hinterland location, with the picturesque towns of Montville, Maleny and Mapleton just a stone’s throw away.
Wittacork Dairy Cottages
Just 10 minutes from Maleny is a cosy farmstay the whole family will love. Wittacork is a modern working dairy farm on 700 acres with more than 150 acres of pristine rainforest. Its four self-contained cottages – each with its own wood heater – are set on a ridge overlooking Lake Baroon and Kondalilla National Park. There are five kilometres of walking tracks with bridges across creeks and waterfall viewing areas. Guests can collect eggs from the chicken coop, tour the dairy, feed the goats and pigs, and bottle-feed calves.The owners also offer rides in a six-wheeler farm vehicle and pony rides – all included in the tariff. Bring along a bike helmet for the kids for the pony rides.
By Josephine Agostino
Related Stories:
Sunshine Coast’s best bike rides for families
Bundle Up in Style: The Coolest Winter Clothes for Kids
21 unmissable winter school holiday activities on the Sunshine Coast