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Family Friendly Activities in the Sandstone Wonders Region

If you are a family that loves exploring the road less travelled, then get out your notebook ready as we take you through a perfectly planned family escape that is guaranteed to make some memories!

Banana Shire is an incredibly diverse region which has something for everyone. It is the perfect place to get ‘off the beaten track’ and indulge in the space and rich history that throughout it’s surroundings. In Banana Shire there are opportunities to relax, indulge, learn and explore.

Exploring the National Parks

THE LOCALS TAKE

As is often the case, there is no better information station than a local! For this article, we chatted to born and bred locals and asked them for the scoop on what their favourite family activities are during the school holidays and on weekends. They came up with some absolute gems, here are the top 5!

Get off the beaten track at Kroombit Tops National Park

1. Get Off The Beaten Track In Kroombit Tops National Park

If you love exploring, look no further than Kroombit Tops National Park. Your adventure will begin once you say goodbye to the town of Biloela and head east. This stunning and diverse park has a little something for everyone, fun 4WD tracks, incredible history with the site of a WWII bomber, lush rainforest, scenic lookouts and an abundance of wildlife. The park is rugged, adventurous and a perfect family escape for an adventure filled with exploration and education.

For the residents of the Sandstone Wonders, Kroombit Tops National Park is the pick of the parks for the adventurous families, providing some of the best camping spots of the Sandstone Wonders. Get the kids off the gadgets and outdoors to see what the locals are talking about. Love 4WD’ing? Explore the best 4WD spots in the Banana Shire.

Overlooking Theodore

2. Explore The Friendly Town Of Theodore

If you’ve visited the town of Theodore, chances are you wouldn’t have forgotten it! Nestled between the Dawson River and Castle Creek, the palm-lined main street (the Boulevard) gives the locals and visitors a warm welcome. Not only does the town of Theodore present itself aesthetically, but it also is renowned for its friendly hospitality with an active and engaged community. Locals and visitors alike rave about the great little cafes with delicious food as well as the legendary community-owned pub which produces a great feed too! A popular local spot to set up camp or even just for a BBQ lunch is Junction Park. There’s also river cruises for further exploration if you wish. If you love a bit of history, check out this great self-drive tour from Theodore. This friendly little town has something for everyone!

Fishing Lake Callide

3. Relax At Lake Callide

Camping, fishing, relaxing, kayaking, boating, sleeping, eating, adventuring, swimming, waterskiing, stand-up paddle boarding.… if any of these activities appeal to you or your family then a trip to Lake Callide is an absolute must! Located just a short drive from Biloela, Lake Callide is a recreation hot spot for locals and visitors.

Try your luck fishing for Barra, Golden Perch (yellowbelly) or a Red Claw Crayfish. Set up camp at the Lake Callide Retreat and stay a few days! The lake is a popular spot as almost all activities can be done from the lake’s shoreline, making it the perfect family getaway that guarantees hours of outdoor adventure for the kids and adults.

Experience a true country race day at Thangool or Taroom

4. Experience One Of The Many Events Held In The Sandstone Wonders

The best way to immerse yourself in the local culture is to experience one of the many events held throughout the year in the Banana Shire. The Sandstone Wonders region is host to a wide variety of events, so you are pretty much guaranteed that, whatever your interests are, the locals will have an event for it! From fishing competitions to local town shows, to campdraftsclassic cars, horse racing, rodeos, and motorcross trail rides, the list goes on!

With so much to choose from it can be hard to keep track of it all. Use the events calendar to help plan your trip to an unforgettable event of your choice. You are guaranteed a lifetime of memories from experiencing one or more events of the Sandstone Wonders.

Camp out under the stars

5. Have A Camp Out Under The Stars

Experiencing the endlessness of the unpolluted night sky is an absolute must for any child or adult. One of the thrills of heading west from the eastern seaboard is the undeniable open spaces, big blue skies and the famous star-filled night skies. The best way to experience this is to set up camp for a few nights. One of the best things about camping is you can choose your own adventure – from camping with full facilities or ‘going bush’ with the most basic camp setup. Either way, disconnecting from the norm can reset us and our kids, allowing us to connect back to the simple pleasures in life like having a campfire, toasting marshmallows and if you’re lucky, wishing on a falling star! If you are super keen, read our post about how to take night sky photos.

Check out the camping options for the region, from glamping under the stars to bush camps, there is a camp for everyone!

Beat the crowds and step outside the norm for your next holiday – come and visit some of the local’s favourites in the Banana Shire. There are more than a dozen self-drive tour itineraries on the Sandstone Wonders website that helps you to plan your next adventure in the region.

For more…
For more details download the Sandstone Wonders regional brochure or pop into one of the local Sandstone Wonders Visitor Information Centres to get up-to-date visitor tips, brochures and maps.
Or check out some of the suggested self-drive tours.
Extra resources to find camping spots: Caravanning Queensland  , Find a Campsite  or the Camp Australia App

Book your camping spot
If you are planning to camp in a designated camp ground or National Park ensure you book and obtain the necessary permit.
Book online at  www.qld.gov.au/camping or phone 13QGOV (13 74 68). Charges may apply.
For more on camping in the Sandstone Wonders read here. 

And please help to care for our precious places and leave them as clean as you found them. Remember: take only photographs, leave only footprints.