Australia expert David Whitley shares his tips on helping a family’s budget go further on a trip Down Under
With its abundant wildlife, top-draw beaches and outdoor lifestyle, Australia is one of the greatest destinations in the world for families with young children. Yes it has a reputation for being expensive, but while a trip Down Under is never going to be cheap, it can be made more affordable. Here’s how…
Getting There
Flights to Australia are a significant part of the holiday cost, but lots of competition keeps prices down, with economy return fares even on top airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines sometimes coming in at about £800 – although post-Covid the baseline seems to be about £1,000.
Historically, the cheapest airfares to Australia come between Easter and June, and again in October and November. Also, it’s usually cheaper to fly to Perth in Western Australia than the other big cities, while internal flights can often be packaged in with the international tickets for very little extra.
Accommodation
Australia does a very strong line in family-friendly accommodation. First up are the apartments, serviced apartments and aparthotels, which regularly offer two-bedroom properties for about the £100 to £150 per night mark.
Most come with kitchens – facilitating cost-saving self-catering – and many have washing machines and tumble driers within the apartment. Reliable – and commissionable – chain names to look out for include Quest, Adina and Mantra. However, the best value comes in the holiday parks.
These are primarily aimed at campers and caravanners, but most have cabins, bungalows or villas with full kitchens too. They usually have pools, playgrounds and free-to-use barbecues, while some, such as the NRMA Murramarang Beachfront Holiday Resort on the New South Wales South Coast, have kangaroos bouncing about the grounds.
Reliable – and commissionable – chain names to look out for include Quest, Adina and Mantra
Reliable holiday park chains bookable through Expedia’s agent programme include NRMA, Big4 and Discovery Parks. Per night prices for cabins generally start at about £70, although they ramp up during the Australian school holidays.
Handily, these only loosely overlap with the UK school holidays. If customers have some flexibility with dates, they can save a fortune by going when the Aussie kids are at school.
Activities and tours
An itinerary full of iconic Australian tours and activities, such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb or a Great Barrier Reef cruise, can get very expensive. However, several kid-friendly options are remarkably good value. Viator sells dolphin-watching cruises in Jervis Bay, New South Wales, at about £70 for a family of four.
Alternatively, Aboriginal cultural tours in Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens cost about £60 for four people. These cheaper experiences are still highly memorable, so mix some of them in to save money for the big-ticket activities.
Aim for the penguins of Phillip Island, wombats and seals on Wilsons Promontory
To create room in the budget for sellable tours, it’s worth emphasising how many of Australia’s best child-friendly experiences are free. Young kids will be happy hopping between hundreds of world-class beaches, swimming in ocean pools built into the cliffs and spotting wildlife.
The trick for animal lovers is researching reliable spots along the route. So, on a Melbourne to Sydney self-drive holiday, aim for the penguins of Phillip Island, wombats and seals on Wilsons Promontory and kangaroos hopping along the sand at Pebbly Beach.
Australia has hundreds of national parks too, with entry that’s either cheap or free. Pick up the national park information sheets from nearby visitor centres or online for guidance on the best walks, waterfalls and wildlife hangouts.
Most popular parks have at least one relatively short walk lined with child-friendly interpretive signs about the flora, fauna and local indigenous culture.
Attractions
Australia’s theme parks tend to be mediocre and overpriced. They’re not what visitors come for either, so divert the money elsewhere. Wildlife parks tend to be better value – the Healesville Sanctuary near Melbourne costs about £47 for a family of four – and usually allow kids to hand-feed free-roaming ’roos. .
Several sell through Viator. In the big cities, some museums are free and make excellent day-padders. In Sydney, the Australian Museum and Rocks Discovery Centre are good bets. In Melbourne, try the Australian Centre for the Moving Image or Australian Music Vault.
Eating and drinking
Self-catering obviously slashes most eating and drinking costs. And it doesn’t have to be restricted to accommodation – many parks in Australia have picnic tables and free-to-use public barbecues.
Otherwise, the cash-conscious can look towards food courts in the cities, or pubs and clubs elsewhere. Surfing, sailing and bowling clubs get tax breaks that enable them to serve hefty portions of favourites such as chicken parmigiana and steaks relatively cheaply.
Keeping it simple helps, too – kids are far more likely to remember fresh fish and chips by the beach than a meal in a posh restaurant.
Ask the expert
Tom Kendall product manager, Audley Travel
“Australia is a brilliant holiday destination for families – it’s safe, offers a warm climate year-round and plenty for young explorers and adventure-seeking grown-ups alike. It can be a very affordable destination for families, particularly when you consider that private tours are often the same price as their shared alternatives once there are four or more people. Most city hotels offer interconnecting rooms, and in the regions, you can often find great value apartments and holiday homes, suitable for multi-generational groups.”
Jen Snow Australia product manager, Freedom Destinations
“Immersive wildlife encounters, beautiful beaches, high accommodation standards and a family-friendly food and drink scene, coupled with well-organised and memorable excursions, make Australia the best investment for families looking to make the most of their time together. The diversity of Australia’s states means that families can create a multi-centre itinerary that suits everyone’s needs, and the length of school holidays allows for some fantastic two- to three-week options… or longer.”
Sally Cope regional general manager, UK & Northern Europe, Tourism Australia
“Australia’s well maintained roads are perfect for a family road trip. The Aussie Specialist Program is available to help agents best sell Australia. Agents sell 35% higher value bookings after becoming an Aussie Specialist, so I encourage those who haven’t yet, to sign up to help families plan their next adventure Down Under, and in doing so help them create memories that will last a lifetime.”
Book it
Audley Travel sells a 17-day family Australia package focusing on Sydney, southeast Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef. It includes all flights, accommodation in two-bedroom apartments and several excursions, and costs from £4,745 per person.
audleytravel.com
Gold Medal offers a 16-night family self-drive holiday from Brisbane to Cairns, with accommodation at three and four-star hotels, plus return flights from Heathrow, and Avis car hire. Prices start at £9,499 for the whole family, based on two adults and two under-12s. goldmedal.co.uk
PICTURES: Shutterstock/Stephen Bridger, Dennis Moskinov, Robyn Butler, dancar, Neek89; Oliver McGivern
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