Family mountain holidays

Mountain activities

The rugged mountain terrain of NSW offers opportunities to get the kids outdoors to enjoy plenty of fresh air, space and plenty of things to see and do. 

In the Snowy Mountains, take the kids horse riding, fly fishing, quad biking and trekking at Snowy Wilderness, set in this pristine mountain region 29km south of Jindabyne.  At Reynella Rides, families are welcome to stay and ride at the Homestead, while teenagers can take on the six-day horseback safari. Swim in the warm waters of the natural thermal pool at Yarrangobilly Caves, 63 km from Tumut, where the constant temperature is around 27°C; go mountain biking at Thredbo where you can hire bikes and equipment that's suitable for fast runs such as the legendary Cannonball Run. There are plenty of family-friendly bike trails in the Snowies such as the Cascade Fire Trail or the ride to Tom Groggin in the heart of the Kosciuszko National Park.

The Blue Mountains has an excellent choice of family-friendly activities. Don’t miss a visit to the spectacular Jenolan Caves for a ghost tour or a ‘Stones and Bones’ tour for families and fossil freaks. The kids will love getting an inspiring introduction to the area on the big screen at The Edge cinema before heading out to see the real thing. At Katoomba, head to the Scenic Skyway that glides 270m above the valley or make your way to the famous Three Sisters rock formation from where there are several easy walks. Find out about tours in the Blue Mountains National Park that may suit the kids.

Barrington Tops National Park, in the Hunter region, has many campsites, picnic spots, lookouts and easy walks that are suitable for kids. One of the best is the Polblue campground, set high up in subalpine woodland. The spacious site is centred around a grassy picnic area, and set away from the main road so it’s perfect for camping with children. The easy Polblue Swamp walking track is a short one that the kids will enjoy -you’re likely to see a kangaroo or wombat on the track especially early in the morning. Riverwood Downs Resort, located in the foothills of Barrington Tops, has lots of activities for kids. Bring your own bikes, go horse riding, canoeing, swimming, and bushwalking.