Family Friendly Holiday
Escape the everyday and reconnect with family. Whether its bushwalks, beaches, water adventures or just taking time out at the property, you will be spoilt for choice in the surrounding Great Lakes region.
Best Beaches With Kids
Boat Beach
Boat Beach is the second beach along in Seal Rocks. Its stunning crystal waters are usually calm as the beach is quite sheltered. It has some great snorkelling spots and rockpools to explore. Grab a light lunch from Single Fin Coffee or the General Store, or pack a picnic and sit on the headland overlooking the beach.
Elizabeth Beach
Lizzie Beach is located in Booti Booti National Park in Pacific Palms about 18 minutes from the property. It is ideal for families with children as the waves are usually smaller than the neighbouring beaches. Its patrolled in summer, there is plenty of parking and amenities like public toilets. Pack a picnic or grab lunch from the nearby Recky, Pacific Palms Rec Club.
Burgess Beach
Burgess Beach offers a unique opportunity to swim in and explore the fascinating rock pools. These shallow, natural pools provide a habitat for a diverse range of marine life, such as crabs, starfish, and small fish. Make sure you go at low or mid tide to make the most of the rock pools. Its well worth the half an hour drive on a sunny day.
Exploring The Lakes
Swim At Neranie
Taking the kids for a swim at Neranie on Myall Lakes is a must-do. The calm and clear waters of the lake provide a safe environment for children to splash around and enjoy the outdoors. With its picturesque surroundings, it’s the perfect spot for a family day out. If you take a picnic, pack it in an esky as there are goannas there that expect a good feed.
Hire A Boat Or Kayak
Hire a kayak or paddleboard from Adacou or a boat from Frothy Coffee Boatshed to explore the pristine waters of Smiths Lake and Myall Lakes. Tony from Adacou will meet you at either Smiths or Myall Lake where you can either start your own self-guided experience or take a guided tour of your lake of choice with Tony.
Fishing
The Great Lakes region offers some of the best fishing spots in NSW. Myall Lake, Smiths Lake, and Wallis Lake are all excellent choices for anglers looking to catch a variety of species, including bream, flathead, and whiting. These lakes provide a peaceful and scenic setting for a great day of fishing. Fish from the shore or a jetty or hire a boat or kayak.
Child Friendly Dining
Family Time At The Property
With two young daughters of our own, we know there are endless ways to keep them busy, or for them to keep themselves busy while you take some time out for yourself.
Discover The Stars
On a clear night you’ll see millions of stars. Point out the southern cross and the saucepan. Look out for the red star which is our neighbour, Mars. We have a children’s book in the cupboard near the dining table to further explain to them about stars.
Spotlighting
Explore the property after dark to discover a number of native nocturnal species like ringtail and brushtail possums, sugar, squirrel and feathertail gliders and lots more. We also have 6 nesting boxes around the property that might also attract some action.
Swings
Who doesn’t love the freedom of a swing. We have a large swing set near the Harvest Garden to keep the kids busy for a bit.
Scavenger Hunt
Write a list for the kids and send them out with a camera to take photos of natural objects around the property like mushrooms, wildlflowers or fallen bark from the scribbly gum. Taking photos is great way to explore nature without disturbing it.
Collecting Firewood
Collecting firewood can be fun and rewarding for kids. It allows them to spend time outdoors exploring the property, develop their physical strength and coordination and learn about nature. Kids can feel a sense of pride and accomplishment as they contribute to your family’s ‘daily needs’.
Fairy Garden
The magic of childhood is brought to life as kids interact with our fairy garden up in the Harvest Garden. They’ll discover tiny homes and intricate shelly and pebbly landscapes. Their imaginations run wild as they play and explore in a world where anything is possible.
Build A Gunyah
Get the kids busy by collecting sticks and bark to make a gunyah for their outdoor cubby house. Gunyahs are a type of semi-permanent shelter used by Australian aboriginals out in the wilderness.
Frogging
Taking the kids frogging is a great way to explore nature and learn about different species of frogs. As the sun sets, you can hear the calls of frogs echoing across the dams. Download the FrogID app and take a seat down by the dam recording the sounds of the frogs and finding out which species they are.
Easy Walks With The Kids
Sugarloaf Lighthouse
Its an easy 20 minute walk from the carpark up to the lighthouse and the kids will be thanking you at the top. Spectacular panoramic views aplenty from different vantage points. Walk around the lighthouse to the grassy knoll and look below for grey nurse sharks, dolphins or whales.
Cabbage Palm Loop
Cabbage Palm Loop is one of the first walks you come across once entering Wallingat National Park on Sugar Creek Rd. Its an easy 1.7km track full of bridges, gullies, palm fronds and tree hollows for the kids to explore. Just watch out for leaches. They’re relatively easy to pull off but take some salt just in case.
