Great Ocean Road Trip with Kids
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Looking for one of the best family holiday destinations in Australia? Look no further than Anglesea! One of the stops on our Australian trip was Anglesea, a little town along the Great Ocean Road about 1.5 hours from Melbourne. Anglesea is a perfect family holiday destination, offering lots of activities for families with young kids. We flew into Avalon airport from Sydney and rented a car. Avalaon airport is situated halfway between Anglesea and Melbourne, making it the perfect choice for visiting both cities. I was worried about driving on the opposite side of the road, especially not having a second adult with me, but it was totally fine! We got upgraded to an SUV and were on our way.
We stayed at the Big 4 Anglesea Holiday Park for 2 nights, which is a very family friendly accommodation in Anglesea along the ocean road. Many people had tents, some had RVs but that is not our style! We rented a cabin, which more suits our way of camping. The cabin had 2 beds and a full kitchen, perfect for our 2 nights there. There’s a supermarket down the street if you’re making your own meals, however we ate out most of the time as cooking while traveling is not my favorite thing!
The grounds here were awesome for kids. They have multiple playgrounds, an indoor heated pool and tons of activities throughout the day for kids. It was a busy holiday weekend when we came, so there were lots of kids for Milana to play with.
Our main reason for visiting Anglesea with kids was to see wild kangaroos. While the campground advertises that you may see them on their grounds, we visited during a holiday weekend which was packed. There were so many screaming kids here, starting at the crack of dawn, that I doubt a kangaroo would approach! But walk or drive a short distance away and you will see tons of wild ones grazing on the grass. We were even fortunate enough to see a little joey peeking out of mama’s pouch!
Anglesea also has a beach, a short walk from the campground, if you’re looking for some beach time! Just like in Sydney, it was hot in Anglesea unlike the fall weather we had expected so the beach was a nice place to cool off. There’s also a playground here for the kids to play.
On the way back to Melbourne, we stopped at the chocolate factory on Great Ocean Road. Don’t skip this gem! Milana loved the chocolate samples and watching them make chocolate. They have a restaurant on site too if you’re hungry.
It was a short trip here, but exactly what we were looking for. Milana loved seeing the wild kangaroos and has been talking about it nonstop! Our next stop was Melbourne!
11 Comments
Becca
We also loved the ice cream at the chocolate factory!
AMendoza
My husband and I road tripped and camped through Australia! Some places like Darwin area were not ideal but the rest was pretty magical! Definitely came back with some great stories.
Martha
Driving the Great Ocean Road is definitely on my bucket list. I haven’t heard of Anglesea before, but you are definitely right in saying that it’s a hidden gem and a must-see on your road trip. I would be most excited to see the wild kangaroos! It also looks like you had the entire beach to yourself. What a lovely road trip to share with your kiddos. I hope you nabbed some extra chocolate and sweets to bring home!
Diana
This looks like the perfect place to stay along the Great Ocean Road! I’ve never seen a kangaroo in person and would’ve gotten so excited about that for sure. Milana looks very composed though, and the kangaroos look comfortable around her! Can’t wait to read about Melbourne next!
Jane Dempster-Smith
What an adventure. We haven’t visited Anglesea as yet, but definitely would like to. The Big 4 looks perfect for families to stay, especially if they also offer cabins, our style of travel too! I can just imagine the faces on the kids when they see kangaroos for the first time and to see one with a joey in its pouch!
emman damian
I was just in Melbourne few months ago. I have always wanted to see Anglesea and see live Kangaroos. I think Big 4 Anglesea Holiday Park looks like a great accommodation to stay with. It’s small but it looks very comfortable to sleep on. I would definitely add this place to my “to visit” places i my travel diary. I hope I can book a cheap ticket soon in Australia since it’s my second home.
Amar Singh
I must admit reading this post has helped me plan my trip to Australia in one aspect with some very useful information regarding seeing the most popular wildlife of the area the kangaroos. I think driving around Australia is the best way to see most of this country and your post does justify that. Anglesea seems to be a great place to drive along and it’s not too far from Melbourne either. Your accommodation at the Big 4 seems perfect and one I might consider as well. Thanks for a very informative post.
Soumya Gayatri
I always wondered what it was to do a great ocean road trip with kids. And that is because I have a 6-year-old. But after reading your post, I feel like this trip is designed for kids. Seeing kangaroos in the wild, a heated pool, a beach nearby – sounds like the perfect family destination. I would love some of those chocolates too.
Bhushavali N
Good to know you were perfectly fine driving on the other side of the road. That fear has always stopped me from hiring a car in other countries.
The Holiday Park looks absolutely fantastic. Staying in the cabin is a great idea. Good to know Milana got to make some new friends!
Oh wow! Its awesome that you managed see a Kangaroo with a little one in the pouch! So so adorable!
umiko
It’s good that they offer cabins in the park, so visitors who don’t like camping in the tent or RV like you still can come. And the cabin looks nice. I would like to stay there, too. But too bad there were too many people in the park during your stay. Imagine if you woke up in the morning, peeked through the window and there were kangaroos grazing on grass. Good thing you didn’t have to walk or drive that far to see them in the wild. And that joey peeking out of mama’s pouch is so adorable!
Andreja
This trip looks awesome not just for kids but for everybody, I sure would love it. Beach looks stunning (I love sandy beaches – maybe because we don’t have it in my country). And what could go possibly wrong by visiting a chocolate factory? I prefer dark chocolate but I’m sure I would find something for myself. And would also love to see kangaroos in the wild, damn I must go to Australia asap.