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Warrnambool is one of those destinations that at first you might think of just being a place to stop by on your way to or from the Great Ocean Road. Scratch a bit below the surface and this little town is steeped in history and surrounded by nature and a magnificent coastline. With so many things to do for the whole family, come on a trip with me to find out the Top 5 Places to visit in Warrnambool with Kids!

Where is Warrnambool

Warrnambool, is 3 hour (approx. 260 km) drive south-west of Melbourne, in the state of Victoria. It’s the largest town on the Great Ocean Road, and the popular 12 Apostles is just an hour away. The South Australian border is about 2 hours away by car and Adelaide can be reached in about 6 hours drive from Warrnambool.

Why choose Warrnambool for a holiday

There are many fantastic options for holidaying along the Great Ocean Road. There’s Torquay, Lorne, Apollo Bay and there are lots of other little towns in between. So what makes Warrnambool a great place for a holiday in?

Accommodation to suit all budgets. With a population of 35000, it’s the largest town along the Great Ocean Road – you can call it a country ‘city’. This means many great options for accommodation to stay in to suit all budgets from cabins in well-equipped Holiday Parks, to private Airbnb, Motels, Luxury Hotels, and Serviced Apartments.

Logans beach Whale nursery — Logans Beach Whale Nursery – where the whales come to calve during the winter months of June to September

A proper town centre with lots of food options, tourist attractions and all the amenities you need. A thriving dining scene with restaurants, family friendly pubs and great coffee shops. More on this below on the Where to Eat in Warrnambool Section.
Beautiful spacious pristine beaches. Some of them are also very shallow in low tide as protected by the nearby islands.
Explore Nature at your doorstep. Lots of well-maintained boardwalks to explore the iconic coastline. Head nearby to Tower Hill Reserve, just 14 km outside of Warrnambool, and venture into this large nature reserve inside an extinct volcano crater. The reserve is now a thriving habitat of native flora and animals. The Winter Whales are also a popular attractions during the winter months (June to September). Logan’s beach in Warrnambool has a great setup to see the whales during calving season!

And of course some great kid-friendly attractions! Read on to find out more on the Top 5 Things to do in Warrnambool with Kids.

These are the Top 5 Things to do in Warrnambool with Kids

Stingray Bay

When to visit: Everyday

Stretching along side Lady Bay, this fabulous beach is just too good to miss. It has a few little islands in front of it, making the beach itself protected from the waves.

In low tide you can be walking for ages on the sands with barely an inch on water! All you can see is your reflection on the glistening sand!

The Merri River also joins up on this beach so you can take a refreshing dip on the river stream.

Tip: There is road parking right along the beach and public toilets are available.

Head to Pavilion Cafe & Bar just a few minutes walk away for a great breakfast or lunch with a view over the water.

Stingray Bay is one of the Top 5 places to see in Warrnambool — Stingray Bay

Lake Pertobe & Playground

When to visit: Everyday. Motor boats for hire only available Sat & Sun

If it’s up to the kids, you will probably end up spending a LOT of time here.

This park and lake is huge and absolutely gorgeous, not just for kids, but really for anyone. You can kayak and hire motor boats to go on the lake, and do lots of walks across the bridges that connect the islands in the lake.

Lake Pertobe playground and it's huge maze is one of the top attractions to see in Warrnambool with kids

It’s beautifully landscaped and has lots of play areas, the newest part of the park is towards the huge maze. The maze has also a higher viewing platform in the middle so parents can keep an eye on the kids.

tunnel slides at lake pertobe playground — Tunnel Slide

There is a play area for younger kids with a huge sandpit, a splash area set up with spraying ‘whales’, a huge tunnel slide and a giant flying fox (for kids AND adults). Lots of sitting areas and BBQs. Truly one of the best parks I have ever seen to suit all ages!

Tip: Pack bathers for the splash park and a picnic. There is lots of lawns and picnic tables to have some lunch!

Lake Pertobe adventure playground — Lake Pertobe Adventure Playground – this is only one small part of the park!

Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters

When to visit: Contact directly to find out when tours are running

This was a standout and such a rare treat if you love native animals and really want to get up close to them.

It’s located about 20 minutes drive from Warrnambool and it’s a wildlife park, but they only run scheduled small group tours. You MUST book ahead online and everyone gets a chance to pat and feed animals.

We all really enjoyed this and we got to see some amazing animals up close like koalas, kangaroos, wombats, dingos and so many more!

You can read my full review on Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters HERE.

Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters is one of the Top things to see in Warrnambool — Cuddling the baby animals at Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters

Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village

When to visit: Open 10 am to 5 pm Everyday

This place was a real surprise, it reminded me a bit of the replica town of Sovereign Hill (in Ballarat, also in Victoria) and also has a replica maritime village that you can go and explore.

You start off by visiting the museum where you can learn about what life was like in the 19^th century and the history of the Shipwreck Coast. You can see lots of artefacts from the shipwrecks, including the famous Loch Ard Peacock – which is valued at a whopping 4 million AUD (2.5 Million US)!

The most expensive peacock you will ever see!

The kids will enjoy exploring the little seaside village visiting all the little shops and walking along the cobblestone streets.

There is an old school lolly store where you can buy $2 bags of lollies and also a tea room where you can stop for scones and a cup of tea.

It was a bargain of a family activity, as we were only charged for our 2 adults tickets and the kids were free (both under 5).

Upon entry, the kids were given a small bag of duck feed each so they could feed the ducks. That was definitely the highlight of the outing for them!

The day ticket price also includes a 40 minute guided tour, from a fully dressed up guide in a period costume. A night Light and Sound Show is also available that recreates the tale of Loch Ard.

Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village — Flagstaff Hill Village

Minigolf by the Sea

When to visit: Open 10 am to 4 pm on Weekends. 12 pm to 4 pm midweek (Mon to Fri)

A great morning or afternoon activity that everyone can enjoy. It’s an all ages, all abilities 18 hole mini golf course right next to Lake Pertobe playground. Great set up and the grounds very well maintained.

It also has an adjoining jumping pillow that you can add entry on with minigolf for an additional $3. This was another very affordable activity for $35 for our family of 4. It was free for my younger toddler but they still kindly gave him a golf ball and clubs so he really enjoyed being part of the fun!

Minigolf by the sea in Warrnambool — Minigolf by the Sea

Where to stay in Warrnambool

Warrnambool town centre and surrounds has some great options and a lot of variety of accommodation types to suit all budgets.

There are some large hotels in the Lady Bay area near the beaches, such as the Deep Blue Hotel & Resort with their own hot springs baths and Lady Bay Resort with apartment-style accommodation.

Quest Warrnambool and Warrnambool Gallery apartments are two of my favourites located right in the heart of the city centre. They are a short walk from Liebig Street, which has a great variety of shops, restaurants and coffee shops too.

There are also many other options that include Holiday Parks, Motels and AirBnbs.

To check out some great accommodation deals in Warrnambool check out Expedia and Booking.com!

Where to eat in Warrnambool

There are also lots of fabulous places to eat in Warrnambool, ranging from fine dining to family-friendly pubs. There is a great coffee scene with some fantastic cafes where you can your coffee fix like Bohemia, Piccolo, or the Beach Kiosk.

If you want to read more about where we ate some great meals, check out my post on Where to Eat in Warrnambool with the Family.

Want to read more about Warrnambool?

Hope you enjoyed this post on the Top Things to do in Warrnambool with Kids

Want to discover more about Warrnambool, in Australia?

Check out my other post on the Where to eat in Warrnambool with the family and Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters.

If you are looking at other beach destinations in Victoria, check out my other post on Portarlington with Kids HERE!

This post was first written in February 2023 and updated in October 2023 - I always  recommend that you go on the direct websites to check prices & opening times for the most up to date information.

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We decided to go on a family holiday to the Grampians right in the middle of a cold July in Melbourne, to escape the city, get out into nature and have a cozy country getaway with the kids. Well indeed the Grampians delivered! These are my Top 3 Things to do in the Grampians with kids!

Where we stayed

In the Grampians, we opted for a week stay in a cozy cottage in Halls Gap, the beautiful Algona Views. The cottage was perfect for our week stay with 2 kids under 4. I particularly liked this place as it was newly renovated, had a split system for heating (rather than a fireplace to keep my curious toddler safe), had a beautiful spacious deck & backyard to enjoy the views and the wildlife of the area.

Algona Views in the Grampians was a great base

You arrive and straight away native wildlife is all around you! There are many very friendly kangaroos roaming around and so many cockatoos! The birds, were indeed a real highlight of the holiday. Every morning after breakfast, we would sit on the deck out the back of the property while sipping our morning coffee, and we had so many birds coming to say hello! It was a real delight for the kids and they had so much fun feeding them some crackers and fruit. I must admit though, they do get greedy and keep coming back for more and are not afraid in tapping you on the shoulder to get their share of food.

Halls Gap Town Centre

The cottage was located a few minutes by car outside of town, where most of the holiday cottages are located. We walked into town on a few occasions, it was about a 25 minute walk to get to the main street along this lovely walkway in the bush land adjacent to the main road.

Kangaroos in the Grampians are roaming around everywhere

Halls Gap itself is a small little town and the main strip of shops on Grampians Road has a few little essential stores, a few restaurants/take away shops, a bakery and general store where we could buy everything we needed for our week there.

These are the Top 3 Things to do in the Grampians with Kids

Halls Gap Zoo

My Review:

We loved this country zoo and I must say it really exceeded my expectations, the place is huge! It took us over 3 hours to see it all. You really get a chance to see close up some incredible animals like the red panda and cheetahs, and upon entry you can also purchase feed for $2 for some of the animals and the kids had an absolutely ball feeding the deers, goats and wallabies.

There is also a big playground as you walk in where the kids can have a play.

Handy Tip: Just make sure to bring your lunch and snacks as there is no coffee shop to get any food or hot drinks.

Grampians Adventure Golf

My Review:

This minigolf place was incredible and my 4 year old thoroughly enjoyed it! It’s an 18 hole course set on 2 acres of bushland, with all sorts of crazy ramps, tunnels and little bridges for the balls to go on! It also has a café where you can have brunch or lunch before or after your play. Kids under 4 are free and they happily give a club and balls to the smaller players to have a go at playing. You can easily spend a few hours here. There is also the MOCO Art Gallery connected to it where you can have a look at some beautiful artworks. They also run Canvas & Cocktail classes and painting workshops.

Grampians Adventure Golf is a must and a Top 3 when in the Grampians with kids

Handy Tip: I don’t recommend this for toddlers younger than 3 yrs old due to the steep stairs, little rivers and open bridges running through the course. My little one wanted to just go around and explore and I was on toddler watch the whole time!

Halls Botanical Gardens & Venus Baths Loop Walk

One of the installations at the Halls Gap Botanical Gardens and one of the Top 3 things to do in the Grampians

My Review:

This community run garden is stunning and so different from any garden we have ever been to! It’s immersed in bush land and focuses on showcasing native plants and some really cool art installations which the kids loved exploring. The Botanical Gardens is also the starting point for many walking tracks including the one that leads you to the Venus Baths.

The ‘loop’ will take you around 1 hour there and back, and is just over 2 km. It’s a gorgeous scenic walk that takes you through bush land and rock formations. Once you arrive at the Venus Baths you will see these inviting pools or ‘baths’ of water where in summer it’s very popular for people to cool off (if there is enough water that is – as it can also dry up). Needless to say that being July I didn’t bother testing the water. It was freezing by the look of it, so I just admired the view!

Handy Tip: The track was very easily accessible but going with a pram was a bit of a challenge in a couple of sections of the track as there were some big rocks to go over.

Other great things to do in the Grampians

if you have the time, these are also worth a visit!

Admire the Grampians view and catch the rainbows at Boroka Lookout
Learn about the local aboriginal culture and spot kangaroos & emus at Brambruk National Park & Cultural Centre
Have a scenic picnic in Lake Bellfield

Where to eat in Halls Gap

We enjoy the occasional night off cooking while on holidays (I am sure you do too right 😊) and I highly recommend these two standout places in Halls Gap:

Flame Brothers: Melt in the mouth smoky meats are the speciality of this place that will literally make you want to go back for more, but for me it was actually the fried buffalo cauliflower that stole the show. How do you even make a vegetable taste so good!
Spirit of Punjab: The kids (and all the adults of course) loved this place – they have robot cat waiters that come to serve your food! The food was wonderful with authentic flavours and the standout for me was the tandoori chicken, not to spicy, smoked and tasted just perfect!

We absolutely loved our week in the Grampians and can’t wait to go back!

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