Looking for a fun way to spend a weekend away with the family? Make your next destination Albury.
This friendly, relaxed country town is small enough to feel like a home away from home, but big enough to offer plenty of things to do.
Here are the top activities for children in and around Albury – from epic indoor playgrounds to a dedicated kids’ trail in a stunning regional gallery to an 80-hectare wetland filled with more than 150 bird species.
GO BIRD SPOTTING IN WONGA WETLANDS
The kids are bound to fall in love with the great outdoors at Wonga Wetlands. This 80-hectare paradise is made up of a series of lagoons and billabongs on the Murray River floodplains.
More than 150 bird species call Wonga home – from Australian wood ducks, Australian pelicans and white-necked herons, to purple swamphens, crimson rosellas and southern boobook owls. For the best views, shelter with the kids in one of the wetlands’ six bird hides.
BOUNCE AROUND IN EPIC INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS
Whether it’s a rainy day, or the kids are just looking for a new adventure, indoor playgrounds are always loads of fun. Albury is near not one but two epic indoor playgrounds.
The first is the Inflatable Funhouse, which you’ll find 10 minutes’ drive southwest in Albury’s sister town, Wodonga. Made for children 13 and under, it’s a wonderland of slides, obstacles and castles. Plus, there are special rides for toddlers, virtual reality experiences and, in case you’d like to take a piece of inflatable fun home, a toy shop.
The second is Bounce, also in Wodonga. It gives the kids more than 3,000 square metres of trampolines to jump around on – from small trampolines for beginners to adventure courses for the more experienced.
FOLLOW THE KIDS’ TRAIL AT THE MURRAY ART MUSEUM ALBURY (MAMA)
Want to add some art to your weekend, but not sure how to make it work with the kids? Head to the Murray Art Museum Albury (aka MAMA).
There’s an array of activities for them to get stuck into – from a trail that takes them on adventure filled with quizzes, drawing and art-spotting, to a table set up especially for kids’ art-making.
In between, the kids should keep their eyes peeled for MAMA’s five wonder cupboards, each filled with a newly commissioned artwork, and for the dedicated kids’ gallery.
SPEAK TO A LIFE-SIZED DINOSAUR AND VISIT A FAIRY TEMPLE IN ALBURY BOTANIC GARDENS
Albury’s Botanic Gardens, established in 1877, are enchanting for parents and children alike. While adults love the towering trees and beautiful picnic spots, the kids love the children’s garden.
For most, the highlight is the life-sized dinosaur, fitted with interactive tubes, so that, when the kids speak, the dinosaur seems to speak back. Adding to the magic are a fairy temple, a troll cave, and living cubbies, as well as a bubbling creek and mini-wetlands.
EAT AT THE BOAT SHED OVERLOOKING LAKE HUME
Albury and its surroundings offer plenty of kid-friendly cafes and restaurants, but one of the best is the Boat Shed. Perched on the shores of Lake Hume, it affords magnificent water views with every bite.
Plus, there’s so much more to do than eat. It’s easy to spend a day on the grounds with the kids – wandering among 12 acres of bushland, challenging each other to a round of mini-golf, and taking a dip or several in the pool.
GETTING TO ALBURY
If you’re thinking of hitting the road with the kids, then Albury makes for a great stop along the way. It’s five-and-a-half hours’ from Sydney, three-and-a-half hours’ from Canberra, and three-and-a-half hours’ from Melbourne.
Another option is flying to Albury Airport. SIXT is on-hand with a variety of comfortable, well-maintained car rentals, so you can choose the ideal vehicle for your holiday.
