Life’s a classroom: Your ultimate North Queensland family road trip

The classroom might be where formal curriculum is taught, but there’s nothing like the education travel can provide to kids.

The natural environment becomes the whiteboard, locals your classmates and tour guides your teachers as Australia’s story dances off the page and into real life.

If you’re looking for an adventure that’s equal parts history, geography and physical education for the whole family to soak in, buckle up for this educational family road trip through North Queensland.

Day 1: Orientation day in Cairns

To cover maximum ground on this family-friendly itinerary, kickstart your adventure in Cairns.

Swap the vacation care for a lesson in geography with Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, ascending to the leafy heights of the rainforest village Kuranda. Over 90 minutes you’ll see the magic of the Wet Tropics Rainforest from its canopy-heights, as you glide in an air-conditioned gondola over a section of the rainforest.

Pram-friendly and small-attention-span-approved, you can break up the journey with a detour at the two station stops along the way to see the rainforest at ground-level.

The cherry on top for little travellers? From Kuranda, it’s just a short bus transfer to Rainforestation Nature Park (where you’ll find the award-winning Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience) and the Kuranda Butterfly House for the little ones to get their nature fix.

Return to your Cairns-hotel base via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway or swap it for the Kuranda Scenic Railway, one of the most scenic rail-routes in Queensland.

Day 2: Dive into the Great Barrier Reef 

If you thought 8D videos on YouTube were good, wait until you get your head underwater for the colour, shapes and textures of the Great Barrier Reef.

There's seemingly endless boats to choose from when departing either Cairns or Port Douglas, with tours that range from half-day adventures to longer liveaboards, with the option of pontoon, boat or island-based discovery.

Save the luxury island way of experiencing the reef for later in life, and book with Sunlover Reef Cruises who offer a ‘marine biologist for a day’ program. Suitable for school-aged children, you’ll learn about reef ecology from the people who know the reef best, Master Reef Guides.

If you’re looking for a more spiritual reef discovery, enjoy a cultural connection with the World Heritage-listed treasure with Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel, the only Indigenous tour of the reef. Blending science with timeless wisdom, you’ll hear stories of the reef told by the people who’ve been custodians for tens of thousands of years.

Tip: If you’re travelling with small children and worried about the prospect of spending a whole day on a boat, you can still get your Great Barrier Reef fix on dry land at the Cairns Aquarium. With no risk of falling in, prepare to be mesmerised by 16,000 animals on show. For bigger kids, there’s also hands-on learning experiences and behind-the-scenes tours.

Day 3: Get up close and personal with native animals

If the closest the kids have ever come to native wildlife is a Netflix documentary, walk on the wild side with a visit to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures.

Blending entertainment and education, spend the day exploring the melaleuca wetland, eucalypt woodland and riverine rainforest environments that play home to a variety of native and exotic animals including cassowaries, koalas, emus and kangaroos.

The star animal attraction is Hartley’s crocodiles, which you can see at the daily crocodile farm tour, boat tour or crocodile show.

Set halfway between Cairns and Port Douglas, you can top and tail this day out with these things to do in Port Douglas.

Day 4: Hit the road connecting Cairns and Townsville

Four hours of scenic driving separates Cairns from its southern sister city, Townsville, where your family road trip continues.

Break up the journey with a tour of Paronella Park, where little imaginations can run wild, exploring the towering trees and ruins of the Spanish-style castle built by cane farmer Jose Paronella in the early 1930s.

You’ll want at least half a day here to do it justice (use this guide), so if you’re short on time, keep pushing onto your pitstop, Ingham. With a rich Italian population (and the delis to prove it), detour off the Bruce Highway at Ingham to pick up picnic supplies to enjoy in the scenic Tyto Wetlands.

Make the sunny city of Townsville your base for tonight, checking into one of these accommodation providers.

Day 5: Go deeper into the tropics

There’ll be no shortage of stories to share at the next ‘show and tell’ after a visit to Queensland Museum Tropics. 

Located in the heart of Townsville, a morning at the museum is a welcome change of pace: sleep a little later, refuel at a local cafe, then get to exploring the natural history, archaeology and history of Queensland's tropics.

Learn more about the two World Heritage sites you've explored so far on the trip - the Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef - then fire up the kids' imaginations while discovering the tragic ale of HMS Pandora, the ship sent to capture the Bounty mutineers.

Minds blown, spend your afternoon taking in the sights of Townsville - either by the water along The Strand, or from the top of iconic Castle Hill. You'll be able to see all the way to tomorrow's destination. 

Day 6: Ditch the mainland for Maggie

Swap science class for the 20-minute ferry ride to Magnetic Island and you’ll quickly disprove Captain James Cook’s theory that the isle had a magnetic force, as picturesque and popular as it may be.

Maggie, as she’s affectionately known, is made up of 78% national park or conservation area, a smattering of bays and beaches, and is consistently rated as one of the best holidays with kids.

What is there to do? Where do we begin? Nature is your biggest adventure out here, with hiking trails and snorkelling trails to explore, both revealing WWII history and unique island fauna, from tropical fish and giant clams to koalas and rock wallabies. 

A guided boat tour with Aquascene is the best way to explore the island's most magnificent reaches. Discover secluded beaches and bays, snorkel fringing coral reefs and meet some local wildlife, above and below the water - with Master Reef Guides on hand to impart their local knowledge. 

Day 7: Go totally wild on Magnetic Island

Unless you’re wanting to subscribe to a slow-style of Magnetic Island family holiday with no formal holiday plans, double your wildlife experiences at Roamer Magnetic Island.

If your brood are early risers, join the signature ‘Breakfast with the Koalas’ experience where you’ll have a private encounter with some of the park’s most popular furry friends. There’s still plenty of opportunity for interaction later in the day, with twice-daily wildlife tours where you’ll have the chance to interact with turtles, pythons, wombats, lizards, crocodiles and of course, koalas.

If you’re sticking around for a second week of school holidays, keep the experiences flowing with these itinerary and holiday ideas:

• Try these waterholes and waterfalls to cool off near Townsville
• Work your way through these cafes and restaurants turning diner’s heads in Townsville
• Check out the Great Barrier Reef from Townsville