Harrigan’s Irish Pub is in the Pokolbin area of the Hunter Valley in NSW.  Nestled among some of the best food and wine outlets in this famous region, Harrigan’s offers the perfect setting to relax after a hard day of nibbling and swilling.

In contrast to the mediterranean styled fare that is synonymous with wine, Harrigan’s offers hearty English and Irish based meals.  Pizzas (with toppings such as black pudding), schnitzels, pies and steaks dominate the menu.  Prices are quite reasonable and the servings are enormous.  Kids meals were fairly basic and also included a drink and ice cream for dessert.

We visited on a weekend and the pub was alive with activities and entertainment for all ages.  Outside there was a jumping castle and play area for the younger children.  Live music played in the beer garden and there were a number of large screens in the sports bar with most football codes getting a run, along with the racing.  Of course there were Keno and TAB outlets as well.

After spending the morning in cruising the cheese, chocolate, wine, ice cream and cured meat outlets, Harrigan’s was the perfect place to relax and enjoy lunch.  The only problem was that we couldn’t get motivated again after the big lunch and ale chaser.  Thankfully the children were equally worn out and we retired to our accommodation for the afternoon.

Visit Harrigan’s website Here

Google Map Here

South East Queensland has alot of big name attractions that advertise with alot of hype.  Perhaps the most advertised of all is Australia Zoo.  We visited Australia Zoo with very high expectations and, as a whole, it delivered.

One thing you need to realise before going to Australia Zoo is that it’s aimed squarely at children.  While there is no doubt that the parents and older children enjoy the day, it is the smaller kids that enjoy the shows the most.  From the moment we enterred the gate until the time we left, my pre-teen children were buzzing with excitement.  As it turns out I took more photos of my excited children than I did of the park.  Having said all of that, I have to confess to several belly laughs in the Crocoseum show.

While certainly not cheap, Australia Zoo is not bad value for money.  Getting a family of eight (including grandparents) into the park cost us just under three hundred dollars.  While that certainly doesn’t make it the cheapest zoo in the country, the thing that sets Australia Zoo apart from the rest is the interactivity.  The kids (even us big kids) got to touch alot of animals, including very tame kangaroos and baby crocs.  There are displays and talks at most of the animal enclosures and the Crocoseum shows are fantastic.  One pleasantly unique feature among Queensland attractions is that you are welcome to bring a packed lunch.  Alot of the Gold Coast based theme parks now prohibit the consumption of food not purchased at the facility, and that can almost double the cost of the entire day.

You cannot go to Australia Zoo and watch the Irwin family go through their paces without thinking about Steve.  Terri, Bindi, Robert and the staff at Australia Zoo have done a magnificent job to keep the place thriving in his absense and to go on too much about Steve would be unfair to them.  I can only hope they have been able to slowly recover from the loss of their Husband, Father and friend as well as the Zoo has.

All in all it was an almost perfect way to spend the day as a family.  The kids had a great time and learned alot too.  The only downside was that I was sore after all the walking!

For more information visit their website here.

[View with PicLens]

The Gold Coast in Queensland is synonymous with the sun, water and good times.  In Australia it is also infamous as the most popular “schoolies” destination in the country.  Every November tens of thousands of teenagers flock to Surfers Paradise to celebrate the completion of high school.  If there was one time I could recommend to stay out of Surfers Paradise (unless you are in your late teens and just finished school) it would be the October – November period.  Having said that, the Gold Coast offers so much more than Surfers Paradise and there are often special offers that make it a very attractive family holiday destination.

Most families travelling to the Gold Coast will have their days jam pack with sight seeing, beaching, theme parks and a seemingly never ending assortment of activities.  With so much to do in the region, it can be a very busy and tiring time.  For those looking for a bit of relaxation while the kids burn off some of their infinite energy reserves, there are a number of parks around the Coast that offer swimming, activities, BBQ’s and seating.  Let the kids run around, swim and play while you eat, drink and relax.

One such place is Harley Park in Labrador.  Harley Park is right on the shores of the Broadwater and offers a swimming area protected by sand banks (Ian Dipple Lagoon).  The water in the pool washes in and out with the tide, which conversely changes the height of the surrounding banks of sand.  There are also plenty of shaded picnic tables and children’s play areas.  There are toilets and showers (cold) so you can hang around for as long as you like.  To top things off, Charis Seafood has a shop right on the edge of the park that offers both cooked and fresh seafood.  The range is enormous and I can vouch for the freshness, it’s fantastic!

There are often cultural performers at Harley Park on a Friday and Saturday night during summer and the daily highlight for most children is the pelican feeding at around 1.30pm.  You will see the pelican population building up from around midday at the rear of the Charis Seafood shop until feeding time.

One final piece of advice to anyone that plans using Harley Park – get there early.  This park is becoming increasingly popular on weekends and by mid morning most of the shaded picnic tables are taken, as are all of the car parking spaces.  The BBQ’s are council provided and are free.

[View with PicLens]

Google Map

Ballina has always been just one of those towns we went through when driving between Sydney and Brisbane.  There didn’t seem to be anything remarkable about Ballina, except that it meant you were about an hour and a half from the Gold Coast.  Over the last few years this town has stirred my curiosity, to the extent that we have now spent a few lazy days and a recent weekend exploring the town.

Far from being “just a pass through town”, Ballina is a great place to spend some time with your family, particularly if you like the water, be it surf or still water.  There is far too much to explore in Ballina to do it justice in a weekend, so we will certinaly be heading back to sample some more of the areas natural playgrounds.

Our recent weekend was spent at the Gunundi Youth Camp.  5 Star it is not, but it does have all the facilities you would need for a camp or conference, the accommodation is clean and honest and the amenities are plentiful and clean.  Gunundi offers great value for larger groups and is also located within a short walk to the beach via a quaint bush track.

Ballina offers all the aminities you could possibly need for a family holiday, without the fuss and crowds that are synonymous with South East Queensland.  Accomodation is also comparatively good value.  There are two large shopping centres plus a main town square that offers shopping, eating and of course a couple of old pubs.

The only real disappointment for us was what looked like the beginning of the end for one of our favourite landmarks, the big prawn.  It’s funny how old landmarks like these are still great references for the kids.  When travelling the Pacific Highway we would pass through a hundred little towns, and the kids would barely remember any of them – but they always remembered Ballina and Coffs Harbour.  Hopefully the area is just being tidied up and given a coat of paint, but the construction barriers look ominous for our favourite crustacean!

If you are looking for an honest destination for a family holiday you could do alot worse than Ballina, particularly if you are lovers of the water.  Pack your surf boards, your ski boat or your tinnie and rods, and head of for a lazy weekend without the glitz, crowds and prices of South East Queensland.

Some places to check out before you head to Ballina.

Ballina Tourism Website

Map of Area

[View with PicLens]

Family Compass is an exciting new concept in social networking.  This site is dedicated to providing families with advice on travel and travel related activities.  The best thing of all is that the advice will come from other families, not from travel consultants or operators.  We encourage you to explore the information on our site and to share your experiences, so others may learn from you.
This is a new concept, and we are constantly seeking new ideas and feedback from those that use the site and its facilities.  Please be patient whilst we roll out version 1 of familycompass.com, and whilst we busily integrate the features we have already planned for subsequent versions.
Things will be changing rapidly in the next couple of weeks as we get the site online.  In the meantime please contact us if you have any queries, at admin@familycompass.com