Holiday at home this festive season

Published 4:00pm 1 December 2020

Holiday at home this festive season
Words by Jodie Powell

Summer means longer, warmer days and the chance to hit the coast or seek refuge in the hinterland – just like a tourist.

There’s no need to travel, with so much to explore right here at home.

To get you started, we’ve found some great places to visit by the bay, indoor activities to beat the heat, outdoor attractions to enjoy - and even some inspiration for couples!

By the Bay

Bribie BBQ Boat Hire

Take the family – and maybe some friends - out on the bay for a barbecue and a spot of fishing.

With room for up to 12 people, gas barbecues, tables, comfy seating, plenty of shade and a toilet, Bribie Island Boat Hire’s boats are available for half-day or full-day hire. Fishing boats for four or six people are also available to hire by the hour, for a half-day or a full day.

Book boat hire here - bribieboats.com.au

Bribie Island Hire Hut

If boating’s not your thing, there are still plenty of ways to have fun on the water with a swag of craft to choose from at the Bribie Island Hire Hut. Try a Hobie Eclipse stand-up pedal board or combine cycling and aquatic fun on a water bike. For a more traditional on-water experience, there are also stand-up paddle boards and kayaks.

Prefer to stay on land? Hire a DC-Tri for an electric tricycling experience, a four-person off-road pedal go-kart for family fun, or an electric bike to explore the waterfront.

Hire Equipment here - bribiehirehut.com.au

Dolphin Wild Island Cruises

Discover the hidden treasures of Moreton Island with a Dolphin Wild day cruise and marine safari. Safaris allow visitors to be as relaxed or as active as they choose, with optional guided snorkelling and fish-feeding tours to take in the wrecks. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, turtles or dugongs. For the more adventurous, there’s Boom Netting - described as water-skiing, but lying face-down on a giant net. Lunch is included, with chicken, ham-off the bone and prawns, as well as salad and fresh rolls. Snacks and alcoholic beverages are available for purchase.

Book a day cruise here - dolphinwild.com.au

Holiday at home this festive season

AquaSplash Redcliffe

The world’s tallest on-water waterslide is among this year’s attractions at AquaSplash Redcliffe. At six metres tall, the slide is a drawcard for thrill-seekers. Along with the giant waterslide, the Witbit action tower, with a vertical rock-climbing wall and an overhang at the top, challenges visitors. Sessions are 50 minutes, with induction training beforehand. AquaSplash is for kids big and small, aged over 5.

Book a session here - aquasplash.com.au/redcliffe

Holiday at home this festive season

Settlement Cove

This 95m-long lagoon beside the sea at Redcliffe is perfect for a fun day out. It has several sections to suit swimmers of all ages. For younger children, there is a fenced pool area with mushroom fountains and squirting lizards. Sandy bays lie along the edges of the main lagoon and as you go further into the lagoon, it gradually becomes deeper for more competent swimmers. Settlement Cove has barbecue areas, toilets and showers, picnic shelters and a playground and is staffed by lifeguards.

Settlement Cove, Redcliffe Parade, near Anzac Ave

G’Day Adventures

Take an overnight 4WD camping trip to Moreton or Bribie islands or a two-night stay on Fraser Island with G’Day Adventures. The Bribie adventure includes kayaking, lagoon swims, exploring World War II forts and beach swims, as well as overnight camping with breakfast, dinner and two lunches included. On Moreton Island, the journey begins with a cruise across Moreton Bay and includes swimming at Blue Lagoon, exploring Queensland’s oldest lighthouse, sightseeing at the highest coastal sand dune in the world, sandboarding and snorkelling the wrecks.

Short on time? G’Day Adventures do day trips too.

Find out more here - gdayadventuretours.com

Holiday at home this festive season

Beat the heat

Undersea Putt & Play

The region’s newest entertainment centre, at Redcliffe’s Bluewater Square, features an 18-hole putt putt course, gaming arcade, café and bar. Visitors enter the multi-million dollar venue through the jaws of a Dunkleosteus, a fierce fish of the Devonian era – about 350 million years ago. Golfers can conquer a course lined with sharks, giant squid, sperm whales, mermaids and pirates, discovering fossilised fish, crocodiles and whirlpools. Undersea Putt & Play is also home to the ‘wreck’ of Captain Cook’s HMS Bark Endeavour with a black light cave and 3D murals.

Book a session here - underseaputtandplay.com.au

Laserzone

Offering a multi-level laser tag arena, an exhilarating bumper car track, Australia’s first jungle safari laser train and an enormous video arcade and prize redemption, Laserzone is an action-packed day out. The jungle safari train has 60 targets that can be tagged with high-tech light up phasers, while the bumper cars are the perfect chance to even the score.

Find out more here - brisbane.laserzone.com.au

Holiday at home this festive season

Flip Out

Challenge yourself or friends to greater leaps and bounds with a fun-filled session at Flip Out Strathpine. With a main arena, mini arena for under 10s, wall runners and Olympic trampolines, the indoor trampolining venue is a great way to burn off some energy. There’s also Slam Time Basketball, a foam pit, mini foam put, party rooms and a café.

Find out more - flipout.net.au

Holiday at home this festive season

Caboolture Bowl and Laser Tag

Home to Clutch Bowling – where projected games and effects interact with objects on the lanes, Caboolture Bowl also offers 10-pin bowling, laser tag, glow in the dark mini golf and a game zone with 14 machines. The indoor laser tag arena is temperature-controlled – perfect for avoiding the heat or staying dry from the rain. The venue is wheelchair accessible and has lighter bowls available so everyone can enjoy the game.

Learn more here - caboolturebowl.com

Outdoor Fun 

Lyell Deer Sanctuary

Get up close and personal with the friendly residents of Lyell Deer Sanctuary at Mount Samson. Home to a small herd of rescued deer; a motley crew of red, Rusa and fallow deer, the sanctuary has been caring for the beautiful creatures for more than 30 years. Visitors can hand-feed, cuddle or just sit quietly with the deer. Bring you own picnic to enjoy in the grounds of the 16ha property, with complimentary tea and coffee available. Entry is $10 per family (up to six people), with bags of deer food $1.

Learn more - lyelldeersanctuary.com.au

Holiday at home this festive season

Bray Farm Park

Dubbed Harry Potter Park by locals, Bray Farm Park at Griffin combines art, culture and nature to create a unique experience. Tucked away in Griffin's Riverbreeze Estate it features two main structures that have a bridge, climbing net, fireman's pole, slide, turrets and windows. There’s a larger climbing net separate from the structures that some people think looks a bit like Hermione’s time-turner. Once you’ve finished exploring, go for a wander in nearby bushland in search of birds and koalas.

Bray Farm Park is in Rivermint St, Griffin

Samford Conservation Park

Pull on your walking shoes or riding boots and head for a day of bushwalking, horse riding, or mountain biking at Samford Conservation Park. There are shorter walking and riding tracks, and longer ones if you’re up for a challenge. Refuel at Ironbark Gully picnic area, which has plenty of space for a picnic blanket, wood-fired barbecues, wheelchair-accessible toilets and picnic tables. Ironbark Gully is just off Samford Rd near Patricks Rd at Ferny Hills.

White Ridge Farm

Interact with friendly animals including goats, sheep, ducks and chickens, alpacas, a camel and even miniature horses and pigs. Bring your little ones for a foray into the animal kingdom at White Ridge Farm at Elimbah. The animals roam free across 8ha of lush green lawns and paddocks. Hand-raised and accustomed to human interaction, they welcome affection in the form of pats, cuddles, chin scratches and belly rubs. There’s also an adventure playground and trampoline, putt putt and pony rides.

Find out more - whiteridgefarm.com.au

Holiday at home this festive season

For grown ups

Ocean View Estates

Daily Behind the Scenes tours show visitors the operations of the working winery, with wine tasting and grazing from the kitchen as you go. The Unwind in Luxury tour takes a look at the history and heritage of Ocean View Estates, with a wine in one hand and a fork in the other. Guests are then seated in the award-winning restaurant overlooking the lake to feast on succulent whole duck or whole fish to share, followed by a signature desert. Accommodation is also available.

Find out more - oceanviewestates.com.au

Mercure Clear Mountain Lodge

Rooms and suites with private balconies offer spectacular views, from the Glasshouse Mountains to the natural Australian bush and the city lights of Brisbane beyond. Enjoy modern Australian cuisine in the Lakeview Restaurant and Mandy's on the Mountain, with seasonal ingredients from the chef's kitchen garden. Take advantage of the outdoor swimming pool, gym and tennis court or wander the vineyard and resort grounds. No stay is complete without a pampering treatment at Stephanies Mountain Spa.

clearmountainlodge.com.au

Dayboro Cottages

Combining warm hospitality and luxurious Mt Mee accommodation, Dayboro Cottages exude peace and quiet and feature views over the valley. Five cottages are each home to large, comfortable beds with doonas and European cushions, bathrobes for your comfort and modern bathrooms. Self- catering kitchens, a spacious living area with a lounge and dining table built for two overlooking bushland and mountains add to the indulgent experience.

dayborocottages.com.au

You don’t need to travel far these holidays to make some magical memories. Now is the best time to start exploring our own backyard!

Still need more inspiration for the summer holidays find more things to do in Moreton Bay Region here

Share you Moreton Bay Region holiday adventures with us on Facebook @MoretonDaily or Instagram #MoretonDaily

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