The Gold Coast is widely celebrated for its sun-soaked beaches and thrilling theme parks, but did you know it’s also a haven for incredible animal encounters?
Start with the classic koala photos and lorikeet-feeding experience, but don’t stop there. Whether you’re planning a school holiday trip or a weekend adventure, this guide will introduce you to the top wildlife experiences on offer.
Thanks to our friends at BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park, we’ve included five FREE activity books to download below — plus some amazing ticket deals right at the end!
Opening image: A close up of a tiger in the water at Dreamworld © Experience Gold Coast
Dreamworld’s daily croc show is a jaw-some deep dive into how these modern-day dinos have survived for 240 million years (and counting!). Mum or dad can even try feeding the 600kg Goliath — Currumbin Wildlife’s Sanctuary’s tortoise-feeding experience is a less hair-raising alternative suitable for kids aged six and up. Afterwards, drop in to meet Boss Hogg, the enormous saltie relocated from FNQ after snatching a Brahman stud bull worth over $10,000. Now that’s an expensive snack!
Stroll along the wetlands boardwalk at David Fleay Wildlife Park to safely observe freshwater and estuarine (ie. saltwater) crocs in their element. Reptile-loving youngsters can learn more about them in daily ranger talks, or catch one of the Wildlife Encounters at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat to get cosy with a carpet python.
Images: An open-mouthed crocodile showing off its teeth, Young girl playing with a tortoise at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary © Experience Gold Coast
Koala Krafting sessions at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary are an absolute steal! At just $19 per child, they’ll enjoy an educational talk and sustainable crafting activity, then meet a koala and have a special photo taken. Early birds can enjoy a gourmet Breakfast with Koalas, which also includes photos — never fear, there’s a Grazy Arvo alternative with antipasto and cheese (for you, not the koalas) if you’d rather sleep in.
Prefer to see koalas in the wild? Brush up on your spotting skills with a free NaturallyGC Koala Count Spotting Walk (best for ages eight and up) and head to the Gold Coast’s nature reserves and national parks, like the Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area. BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park is also home to several rehabilitated koalas like Mac, a female originally rescued by Wildcare Australia near McDonald’s just up the road.
Images: A family patting a koala at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary © Experience Gold Coast, Koala at Dreamworld © Tourism and Events Queensland
Feeding the colourful (and noisy) rainbow lorikeets at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has been a must-do family experience for generations. Be ready to snap a photo when the birds land right on the kids’ shoulders! Thunderbird Park also has daily lorikeet-feeding at 2 pm, plus the chance to spot bowerbirds, butcher birds, Albert’s Lyrebirds and wedge-tailed eagles.
Snag some seed at the O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat gift shop to feed native birds like crimson rosellas and king parrots. The Brazilian macaws at Ecopark Luscombe adore visiting children (and snacking on the nuts and fruit they offer), while the property’s resident sulphur-crested cockatoos are always ready for a chat.
The free-flight bird shows at both O’Reilly’s and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary include the chance for kids to have their photo taken with a bird of prey. For something different, drop by Ian Dipple Lagoon just before 1.30 pm to see hundreds of pelicans gather for their lunch. Staff from nearby Charis Seafoods put on quite the free show tossing leftover fish to the hungry birds.
Image: Birds of Prey Show at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat © Experience Gold Coast
Fun viewing tunnels bring kids hair-raisingly close to Sumatran and Bengal tigers at Dreamworld’s Tiger Island. Teens can even tong-feed one of the big cats (while staying safely behind glass), and all ages will love watching them frolic, swim and play together.
Take your pick of weird and wonderful monkey encounters: play with marmosets at Paradise Country and meet cotton-top tamarin brothers Arami and Pablo at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Kids can even party with their Madagascar faves when meeting the sanctuary’s troop of ring-tailed lemurs.
Keep the fun going with the Gold Coast’s most unique animal experiences: families can visit the quirky binturong, which smells like buttered popcorn, and feed a capybara — these South American critters are the world’s largest rodent and look just like giant guinea pigs.
Images: Two tigers posing at Dreamworld © Experience Gold Coast, Family enjoys a Marmoset Monkey Encounter at Paradise Country © Tourism and Events Queensland
The Gold Coast is so appealing that even whales and polar bears holiday here! Around 35,000 whales migrate up from Antarctica each year to breed and give birth in warmer waters, then return along with their adorable calves. Between late May to early November, you can get up close on a whale-watching cruise or spot them from on-shore vantage points like Point Danger Lookout at Coolangatta and Tumgun Lookout in Burleigh Head National Park.
Meet more Antarctic VIPs (Very Important Penguins) at Sea World, where you can enter the frosty world of Gentoo and King Penguins and watch adorable Little Penguins swim, splash and play. Chill with the only polar bears Down Under as they enjoy a vacation of their own — the Polar Bear Shores exhibit recreates an ‘Arctic summer’ vibe all year round.
Images: Two kids watching a polar bear, penguins interacting at Sea World Gold Coast © Experience Gold Coast
Kids can feel the tickle of kangaroo noses as the gentle marsupials eat right out of their palms at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Paradise Country or Dreamworld. You may notice that the Eastern grey ‘roos at Paradise Country have their toenails painted — helping keepers and guests tell them apart!
In the morning and evening, guests at BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park can see the resident family of kangaroos tucking into their meal. These ‘roos are wild, so kids shouldn’t approach or touch them, but it’s fascinating to watch them go about their day.
If you can’t spot the shy platypus at Cedar Creek, try David Fleay Wildlife Park instead, where the playful Waddirrang loves to turn her enclosure’s waterfall into a water slide! Rarer residents include the Greater Bilby, Lumholtz’s tree kangaroo, bridled nailtail wallabies and mahogany gliders.
Images: A girl hand-feeding a kangaroo at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary © Experience Gold Coast, Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo © Rolf Lawrenz licensed under CC BY 4.0
Kids will be dazzled by the canine and equine stars of the Outback Spectacular, so be sure to snap a photo with them during the pre-show. Learn more about the lives of sheepdogs and stockhorses at homestead-themed Paradise Country, where kids can interact with all the animals you’d find on a working farm. Be warned, they’ll be begging to take home one of the adorable baby lambs!
Up at Canungra Valley Vineyards, score an introduction to the ultra-fluffy residents of Mountview Alpaca Farm. A bag of food means you’ll quickly be besties with Ed Sheeran, Pancake, Chico, Timtam and Macca – so why not take your favourite for a walk or picnic on the estate? Another inland gem is Luscombe’s Ecopark, where littlies will love cuddling with bunnies, petting Sandy the Camel, hand-feeding the park’s resident deer and meeting Dorothy, a playful pig who loves tummy tickles!
Image: Children touching an alpaca at O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards © Tourism and Events Queensland
If it swims and has fins, you’ll probably find it at Sea World — starting with Shark Bay, the world’s largest artificial shark lagoon. Kids can touch and feed the ‘sea pancakes’ at Ray Reef or even swim alongside them with a family-friendly Tropical Reef Snorkel experience, suitable for kids aged eight and up. The water is heated to a balmy 22 to 24 degrees, so it’s a great snorkelling experience for first-timers.
If you’re ready to brave the big blue sea, book a kayak-and-snorkel tour with Australian Kayak Adventures. You’re likely to end up paddling with dolphins, plus the chance to snorkel with turtles, rays and tropical fish (and enjoy a continental breakfast on the beach afterwards). Littlies who’d like to stay dry and cosy will be enchanted by the enormous tropical fish tank at BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park. See if you can spot Nemo and Dory!
Images: Family visits the Shark Bay Lagoon Exhibit at Sea World Marine Park © Tourism and Events Queensland, The aquarium at BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park
It’s well worth exploring one of the Gold Coast’s two magical glow worm caves: the Natural Bridge Circuit in Springbrook National Park and the Tamborine Mountain Glow Worm Caves at Cedar Creek Estate. The latter is far more family-friendly: you can visit during daylight hours, there’s minimal walking, and bookings include entry to the Frog Hollow insect and amphibian exhibit.
Follow your kids’ interests to choose your level of ‘wild’ — a tranquil visit to the botanical gardens’ Native Butterfly Garden? Or a NaturallyGC Kids Bugs Gone Wild workshop featuring stick insects, centipedes, scorpions, spiders and giant burrowing cockroaches. Eek! After that one, Honeyworld is the perfect palate-cleanser with free honey tasting and an educational beekeeping tour. The ultimate souvenir is a Bug B&B so kids can learn about beneficial insects in their own backyard.
Images: A Cairns birdwing butterfly resting on a leaf. © Kevin Wells Photography/Shutterstock, A honeycomb full of bees © Sergey Kolesnikov/Shutterstock
Whether you’re teaching little ones to cast out or reeling in a trophy together, fishing is a great way for parents (and grandparents) to connect with kids. The saltwater creek that runs through BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park is a laid-back spot for first-timers to toss in a line (access for park guests only).
Families can try their luck for bream or flathead off The Spit or try the shaded fishing platforms at Labrador. More serious anglers will be in heaven when booking a Gold Coast fishing charter to plumb the region’s deeper waters.
Prefer to play on easy mode? Ecopark Fishing World is a kid-friendly catch-and-release attraction using special hooks and environets to minimise harm to the fish. If you’re still unlucky, head to the Gold Coast Fishermen’s Co-Op at The Spit to see what the locals are reeling in.
Images: Father and daughter fishing on the pier, Fishing at Currumbin © Tourism and Events Queensland
Imagine stepping aboard the BIG4 Express for the ultimate tour of BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park: the kids laughing as you cruise through the 32-acre grounds, past the lagoon pool and monster water park, waving to kangaroos and koalas along the way. From the saltwater creek to the amazing eco-friendly playground, all of this is yours to explore — and there’s always something new to discover.
When you’re waking to the sound of native birds, this leafy holiday oasis feels worlds away from the Glitter Strip — but in reality, it’s just up the road from the Gold Coast’s famous theme parks. BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park offers the perfect blend of resort-style comforts—like a monster water park and poolside café—all while immersed in the Great Aussie Outdoors.
Why not enjoy the ultimate sustainable stay in a Safari Tent? Sleeping up to six guests, each has a kitchenette and verandah with a stunning claw bath and sunken lounge, perfect for relaxing and watching the local wildlife.
Nothings brings families together like a wood-fired pizza feast! Recently renovated just in time for winter, The Fireplace now features new seating and a cosy drop-down fireplace to keep you feeling toasty. Pizzas are made fresh to order with that authentic smoky, crispy crust you’re craving, alongside the full all-day dining menu at Nibbles Cafe.
Enjoy fab dog-friendly accommodation including cabins, caravan sites and camping spots. Handy amenities include an off-leash dog park, ‘Pamper Palace’ dog wash and new Goober’s Doggy Daycare. While families hit the theme parks, Fido can enjoy his own vacation in air-conditioned comfort — relaxing on faux grass in a comfy kennel, getting pats from the experienced staff and watching every dog’s favourite TV shows (that’s Paw Patrol and Bluey, FYI!)
Want to score the best ticket deals for your family? BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park shared these booking links with us — so of course, we’re passing them onto you!
Enjoy the cheapest entry tickets online with this unbeatable deal! Plus, you’ll get an EXCLUSIVE 10% off food and beverage discount voucher and EXCLUSIVE 10% off retail purchases discount voucher to use on the day.
T&Cs apply, add-on animal encounters sold separately.
Experience everything Dreamworld has to offer cheaper than gate prices with this one-day admission ticket deal. Enjoy daily wildlife shows, Kenny and Belinda’s Dreamland, the immersive SkyVoyager and the one-of-a kind Jungle Rush triple switch turntable ‘coaster.
T&Cs apply, add-on animal encounters sold separately.
Save up to $49 with a SeaWorld Whale Watch Cruise + 1-day Sea World ticket! Join marine experts aboard Australia’s newest whale watching vessel with a 100% whale sighting guarantee! Then, spend the day at Sea World to see marine animals up close.
T&Cs apply, add-on animal encounters sold separately.
Gold Coast tips
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Over 400 weekly flights connect Gold Coast Airport (OOL) to domestic and international destinations via airlines including Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Qantas. From the airport, you can reach your accommodation via bus services, private transfer, taxi or Uber. Brisbane Airport (BNE) is approximately 80km away with Airtrain and tram connection to the Gold Coast. Car hire is readily available at both airports for families who prefer to self-drive.
Public transport is a safe and practical way to get around the Gold Coast, including the G:link tram service, buses and Hopo Gold Coast Ferry. Taxi and Uber services are also readily available. Major attractions like the theme parks and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary are well-served by public transport. If you’re heading up to the Hinterland, it’s easiest to hire a car or book a private transfer.
It’s essential to make sure your family’s animal encounters are safe, ethical and sustainable. Always choose wildlife parks and tours that prioritise animal welfare, conservation and education. Keep your distance from wild animals and please don’t approach or touch them – for your safety and theirs.
