Melbourne is one of Australia’s major cities and the country’s centre of art and culture. Fortunately, this city does not only just cater to adults.
From cafes to gardens and playgrounds, Melbourne is also a family-friendly city where even kids can enjoy and have fun.
Here are the top 7 family-friendly attractions in Melbourne that you and your kids should visit.
Animal Land Children’s Farm
The Animal Land Children’s Farm is a one-of-a-kind hands-on farm for kids. Penny the sheep and Maggie the cow are the superstars, but you can also interact with the ducks, sheep, pigs, and goats.
Families are free to join the farm tours on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (except public holidays). There is an inhouse cafe inside Animal land, but you can have a picnic or barbeque near the playground or on the deck.
A family pass is available, and the price ranges from $60 to $75 for about four to five people.
Gumbuya World
Do you want to try something exciting for the kids? Check out Melbourne’s Gumbuya World. It is a mix of four worlds: the Oasis Spring, the Oz Adventure, the Outback Explorers, and the Wildlife Trail.
The Oasis Spring is where the family can either enjoy heart-pounding water slides or can relax along a 300-meter Lazy River and rock pools. But if your kids prefer a drier experience, you can take a ride in the park’s Oz Adventure, where you can get to fly and spin in their Mining Race Coaster and Tree Swing rides.
Luna Park
Luna Park completes every childhood dream from over 100 years ago. In 2012, it celebrated its centennial year with exciting fun rides and festivities. The most loved attraction is the Great Scenic Railway, an iconic roller coaster that surrounds the whole park. Once you are on this ride, you can enjoy the scenic view of Port Phillip Bay.
Aside from the roller coaster, you can also try other amazing rides such as the Moon Balloons, Speedy Beetle, Power Surge, and the Silly Serpent. Families can also rent the theme park’s function halls for kids birthday parties and Christmas celebrations.
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
If you want to enjoy the water and its aquatic creatures without getting wet, head to the SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium. It has 11 themed zones including the Penguin Playground, Coral Caves, Bay of Rays, and the famous Crocodile Lair.
If you want to get up close and personal with the majestic sharks, you can visit the Mermaid Garden and watch them swim along with hundreds of colourful reef fish. Recently, SEA LIFE opened its Interactive Wonder Wall where you can dance to the groove with the bubbles, clownfish, and seahorses.
This massive aquatic exhibit is open seven days a week, from 10am to 5:30pm. However, take note that the entrance of new guests to SEA LIFE is only until 4:30pm.
Enchanted Adventure Garden
Enchanted Adventure Garden is Melbourne’s giant maze land full of flowers and plants; located in Australia’s Mornington Peninsula. The attraction offers various exciting adventures to kids of all ages; such as the Tree Surfing Courses, Bushland Obstacles, Tube Slide, and the famous 3D Indoor Maze. Children can also widen their imagination with its giant plant sculptures.
You can enjoy this garden theme park for about 2 to 3 hours every day – including school holidays. Tickets are available at $30 for adults and $20 for children and seniors.
Melbourne Zoo
Melbourne Zoo is a wildlife rescue sanctuary in the centre of Victoria. Parents and children can join in on the interactive animal activities; such as the Roar ‘n’ Snore Overnight Camp, Gorilla Behind the Scenes, and Tiger Behind the Scenes. You can also choose the Close Encounters activity where you can get to feed kangaroos, lemurs, giraffe, seals, meerkats, and a giant tortoise.
If you want your children to learn more about their favourite animals, you can attend one of the animal keeper talks, which they conduct daily from 10:30am to 3:45pm.
Another good thing about the Melbourne Zoo is its initiative to fight animal extinction. They launch different campaigns and programs yearly to make people aware and be conscious about wildlife and how to preserve it.
State Library Victoria
The State Library of Victoria in Melbourne is the state’s official library. For starters, your family can join a guided library tour, which happens every day from 10:45am to 11:30am in the morning. You can also visit the World of the Book exhibition. It showcases unique book designs and drawings from the Middle Ages to the present day. Children can enjoy Australian classics, graphic novels, comics, and children’s classic tales.
The State Library holds several courses and lectures for both adults and children. Student programs from primary to tertiary levels are open for enrolment, while librarian, research, and entrepreneurship courses are available for adults.
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