Tin Can Bay is on the coast of Australia’s mainland, just below the most Southern tip of the famous Fraser Island, a World Heritage listed site.  One of the real attractions of Tin Can Bay is its relaxed country feel and of course the water and beaches.  Being in a bay, the water is more protected and provides excellent conditions for boating and fishing.

Accommodation is readily available but there are a few times each year when things get a little busy.  The Seafood festival in September is one of those times.  We stayed at the Tin Can Bay Tourist Park.  It was comfortable and very reasonably priced.

For the explorers among you there are plenty of places to visit within short driving distance.  We managed to take day trips to Rainbow Beach and Maryborough and there are plenty of houseboat and charter companies operating from the marina.

There is a thriving fishing industry operating out of Tin Can Bay.  Prawns, fish and spanner crabs seem to be the most sought after prizes in this area and there are also a number of fishing charter operators.  I have had the fortunate opportunity to take a three day charter from Tin Can Bay on the FV Nightbeat.

Possibly the most memorable activity of the weekend, certainly for the children, was hand feeding a dolphin.  If you go to Tin Can Bay with children you just have to head down to Barnacles Bait and Cafe between 7.00 and 8.00am any day of the week.  The dolphins (only one turned up when we were there) normally come in at around 8.00am, but being wild animals it’s impossible to know exactly when.  You can buy fish to feed them with at Barnacles for $5.00 but I would get there closer to 7.00am to buy your fish.  It’s getting more and more popular and the lines can be a killer for those of us with little patience.

Tin Can Bay is a great place for a relaxing weekend that won’t cost the Earth.  The locals are friendly, there are all the shopping options you will need (I think it was a Super IGA) along with some nice cafes and restaurants.  Most importantly there are plenty of beaches and parks and an abundance of water.

Google Map

Local Tourism Website

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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

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