LAZY DAYS ON THE EAST COAST

From village-sized zoos and aquariums to sandy beaches and parks, Sydney is a great city for families. After flying into this harbour-orientated metropolis, pile the kids into a Sydney ferry and cross the Circular Quay, spotting the iconic Opera House from the water and chugging under the Harbour Bridge. Make Taronga Zoo your first port of call and become acquainted with the native wildlife you might spot later on in your travels. For frameable family snapshots, consider joining the koala or penguin encounter at the zoo, where kids can get close to these adorable creatures, or walking through the aquarium tunnels in Darling Harbour with sharks, dugongs and rays circling overhead. Slathering on the sun cream, build a sand castle, learn to surf or cycle along Manly Beach enjoying the balmy weather before returning to your waterfront hotel, the Park Hyatt, to swim in the rooftop pool and dine overlooking the harbour.

Next, you’ll head to Port Douglas, using Thala Beach Lodge as your tether for exploring the small coastal town. Port Douglas started out as a sleepy fishing village in the 1960s but thanks to its almost-perfect temperatures and its location near the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, it has since become an international holiday mecca. Go bird watching surrounded by the ancient forests, take a nature walk through the World Heritage-listed landscape or head to the main drag, Four Mile Beach, to spend the day swimming, eating and shopping with views towards the Coral Sea. Thala Beach is free from light pollution and therefore provides superb star gazing evenings accompanied by a passionate and knowledgeable guide. The lodge also offers a coconut tour, where you can eat and drink from the giant seed and learn about its health benefits, and hosts talks with the Kuku Yalangi people, the local aboriginal community who’ll happily share their stories with you, which have been passed down for generations.

This is the part of the holiday where your family adventure shifts from an active city break to an island paradise escape. Taking a scenic flight to Hamilton Island, you and the children will spend four nights diving between the watery highlights of the glorious Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef. With direct access to the incredible reefs, make like a water baby and spend the majority of your time in the water: snorkel to see the thousands of exotically coloured fish, kayak with inquisitive dolphins, learn to balance on a paddle board or try your hand at water-skiing. The Reef View Hotel, where you'll be staying for the duration, faces the Coral Sea and is located a 10-minute stroll to the bars and restaurants of Hamilton's harbour. Get active out on the water with complimentary catamaran, paddle skiing, snorkelling and windsurfing activities, or head out to Reefworld for submarine rides, snorkelling safaris to the enchanting coral gardens and PADI scuba diving adventures.