Australia’s Gold Coast boasts an endless playground for families and has become a mecca for theme park addicts. Whether you’re looking to challenge some of the tallest and fastest rides in the world, interact with nature’s best animals, or simply seek an aquatic adventure, you won’t be disappointed.
The theme park capital of Australia boasts the largest and most diverse selection of theme parks in the southern hemisphere. Walk with a Bengal tiger, defy the laws of gravity or swim with dolphins. The Gold Coast’s array of fun and adventure options is endless and promises to leave you with unforgettable memories and even bigger smiles. Here’s my rundown of what’s on offer.
World of dreams
Preserve your breakfast while you tackle the “big 7.” You’ll need nerves of steel and overcome your fear to take on Australia’s tallest and fastest thrill rides. To earn your rite of passage, you will scream louder than ever and you will need the courage of an astronaut on a mission to the moon. You’ll defy gravity while hanging upside down, propelled faster than a bullet and falling from the sky at breakneck speeds.
If carnival rides aren’t your cup of tea, head over to the new DreamWorks Experience for as many themed rides, live shows and attractions as your excited little ones can handle. Meet Shrek, Princess Fiona and Puss in Boots at Shrek’s Faire Faire Away. Join the fun as King Julien rules his kingdom in Madagascar Madness or trap the legendary Po in Po’s Garden.
Animal lovers can watch a Bengal tiger climb 20-foot-tall trees or catapult 10 feet into the air as they demonstrate their remarkable agility. With 2 daily performances on Tiger Island, you’ll get to watch tigers up close as they swim, play and fight with their keepers.
Location: 17 km north of Surfers Paradise; Admission: Adults – AUD 79.99 Children – AUD 49.99
sea World
Discover an aquatic world of fun and fun at Sea World. Dare to swim with sharks in Shark Bay, in the world’s largest artificial lagoon system for sharks. Take a photo with sea lions Buddy and Clawde, the mischievous stars of “Fish Detectives.” Witness the grace and agility of dolphins as they playfully interact with the public, or get up close to the world’s largest land-based carnivores at Polar Bear Shores. There’s also Penguin Encounter, Ray Reef and much more to ensure you have an action packed day of watching our ocean friends!
Location: 2.8 km north of Surfers Paradise; Admission: Adults – AUD 79.99 Children – AUD 49.99
white water world
Pack your Speedos, Boardies or Swimmers and get ready for a day of meat and fiberglass at White Water World. Join the long line of teenage lemmings when the trapdoor in White Water World’s latest ride, “The Wedgie”, opens sending bodies plummeting 5 stores vertically.
Expect a bit of “Irish luck” as your 4-leaf clover tube propels you into an oversized funnel in “The Green Room” or get caught up in the tentacles of the world’s only eight-lane Octopus Racer. The blue-ringed octopus (or more affectionately known as BRO to the locals) will transform you and your friends into frantic competitors as you race your way to glory. If you’re afraid of the dark, save your best high-pitched screams for The Little Rippers. Close your eyes and feel the force of a water-propelled spin before diving into the pool that awaits you.
White Water World also caters to the less adventurous and budding water stunt performers. Wiggle Bay provides a safe, wet haven for sheltered youngsters to let off steam on the water cannons and mini water slides as they splash and play under the watchful eye of lifeguards. .
Location: 17 km north of Surfers Paradise; Admission: Adults – AUD 49.99 Children – AUD 29.99
Warner Bros. Movie World
Meet your favorite superheroes and movie stars in a world of fun and fantasy. Buckle up and hold on to your hats as Warner Bros. Movie World defies the faintest of hearts. Battle your darkest fears and prepare for a stomach-turning journey as you meet The Joker in Arkham Asylum. Experience the steepest drop in the southern hemisphere in The Green Lantern or accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour in less than 2 seconds in Superman Escape.
Mingle with Bugs Bunny and other Loony Tunes characters as you tour Movie World’s Kids’ WB Fun Zone. Hop in a Tijuana cab, ride Yosemite Sam, or ride Australia’s only family-friendly roller coaster. Don’t miss the smell of burning rubber or the sound of screeching brakes on Hollywood Stunt Drive as you join the Hollywood movie production set. danger and sense of adventure while taking a 4D journey to the center of the Earth.
Location: 13 km north of Surfers Paradise; Admission: Adults – AUD 79.99 Children – AUD 49.99
wet and wild
Begin your adventure in a rubber tube on a slowly flowing river as you lazily circumnavigate your way around the park’s subtropical gardens. Then kick off your shoes at Calypso Beach before racing over to the Aqua Loop to experience a thrilling vertical descent on clear slides. .
Take on the Rocky Mountains as you glide down The River Rapids or experience an annihilation on the Surfrider, or if you need a bigger adrenaline rush, plunge 35 feet at 30 mph on the Kamikaze. Fly 40 meters in The Tornado as you battle in the eye of a storm or brave 200 meters of twists and turns in Mach 5 sidewinders.
Little pirates can hoist their sails in Buccaneer Bay. Based on a pirate theme, children enter their own aquatic world of imagination and excitement. Parents beware: keep an eye out for the giant bucket that frequently spills its load onto the dozens of mischievous and giggling children below.
Location: 13 km north of Surfers Paradise; Admission: Adults – AUD 59.99 Children – AUD 34.99
It’s easy to see why the Gold Coast is a popular choice for families and thrill seekers. It challenges you to have fun. It invites you to interact with its wildlife and encourages you to face your fears. Discover its charm for yourself.