Are you the kind of person whose idea of winter warmth is tucking up inside with a warm cuppa, looking out at snow-capped mountains?
If winter's your favourite season, look no further. From alpine towns to cosy forest cabins, we've got great escapes to G'day Parks that will allow you to rug up and embrace the chill.
1. Hit the Ski Fields!
It is winter after all, so why not experience the peak of the season at Australia’s best snow-capped mountains?
New South Wales and Victoria are home to various sections of the Great Dividing Range, the Snowy Mountains, and the Victorian Alps, where all your snowman dreams can come true.
Jindabyne is prime alpine territory at the base of Mount Kosciuszko, while Victoria’s High Country is punctuated by cosy cool towns like Bright and Porepunkah, which are popular all year round near the entrance to Mount Buffalo National Park.
Discovery Parks - Jindabyne is a winter wonderland.
The charming town of Bright offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure. Just a short drive from Mount Hotham, Falls Creek, and Mount Buffalo, Tasman Holiday Parks - South Bright is an ideal base for all things snow and winter sports enthusiasts.
Whether you're into skiing, snowboarding, or simply enjoying the serene snowy landscapes, it provides easy access to some of Australia's best snowfields.
You can book a whole house that sleeps 8 at Tasman Holiday Parks - South Bright
Across the Bass Strait, parts of Tasmania experience thrilling snowfall, adding a new level of romance to pure Tasmanian wilderness!
2. Whale Watching on Australia’s East Coast
Whales make the east (and, to be fair, the west) coast of Australia their second home for months at a time every year. With its consistent warm climate, incredible marine and wildlife, and sparkling blue water, the Coral Coast is worth the drive up from Perth. Take a tour to Monkey Mia or sign up for a whale watching cruise (which run through July until October).
If you’ve never witnessed a humpback whale breaching from the deck of a tour boat, or even from a nature trail in one of hundreds of national parks dotted along Australia’s coast, it’s time you did!
If you are after somewhere more tropical, far North Queensland is a winter holiday favourite, with mild temperatures that allow you to keep on beaching through June to August. Pack your bathers and beach read, fly into Cairns, and head to Lake Placid Rainforest Retreat.
From here, you can trek through rainforests, swim in lagoon-style pools, and scuba through the Great Barrier Reef. Don't forget the stunning Whitsundays where Bowen Holiday Park is the perfect base to discover and explore the sights, attractions, and natural wonders of this coastal haven.
Make Bowen Holiday Park your Whitsunday Island winter escape!
Towns like Hervey Bay on Queensland’s Fraser Coast, Eden on New South Wales’ Sapphire Coast, and all the way down to Warrnambool on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road provide superb backdrops to this annual spectacle.
3. Australia’s Top End
Remember that old slogan, ‘If you never go, you’ll never know?’
We reckon it still holds water, and when we say water, we mean from the waterholes you can swim in (crocodile-safe, of course) that make the Northern Territory such a unique and amazing place.
No filter required in the NT. Credit: Tourism NT
With endless sunny days, balmy nights, and that famous Territory hospitality, it's the perfect escape from the chill down south.
The NT offers breathtaking natural beauty, from the iconic Uluru and the stunning Kakadu National Park to the vibrant cultural experiences in Darwin and Alice Springs. Soak up the sun and enjoy swimming, exploring lively night markets like the popular Mindil Beach Sunset Markets, and the region's many festivals like the Darwin Festival.
Dundee Beach Holiday Park is your very own piece of paradise.
Darwin is as good a place to start as any, and once you’ve had a few days to acclimatise, you’d be silly not to get into national parks like Kakadu, Litchfield, and Berry Springs and swim in the natural springs of the Territory.
4. Holiday in Hobart
Apart from the fact that it’s in Tasmania, where wilderness reaches a new level of incredible, your family will love Australia’s oldest capital, Hobart.
Mount Field National Park in Tasmania is a ripper. Credit: Tourism Tasmania.
With mountain bike trails and markets, wildlife reserves, and all of the history that comes with this port city, you’ll never be bored.
Mt Wellington, in the heart of Hobart, is one of the best places to see the Southern Lights – Aurora Australis – the aerial light show that happens when electrically charged solar particles and atoms collide with airborne gases, causing them to emit spectacular fields of light.
The views from these decks at Discovery Parks - Hobart are superb.
People come from everywhere to visit the edgy Museum of New and Old Art (Mona) with its out-there exhibitions, including the Pharos light exhibition, described by those in the know as a refresher course in being a child!
The historic Port Arthur site is not to be missed, the amazing Bruny Island is easy to get to, and the food and wine is amazing in the nearby Huon Valley.
Then there is the annual Dark Mofo Winter Fest where you can gather beside the fire and sample food from 80 stallholders with live music as the perfect soundtrack.
Discovery Parks - Mornington Hobart
5. The Adelaide Hills
Winter is a great time to visit the Adelaide Hills.
Explore hidden cafés, fun playgrounds, and easy-for-everyone trails where your little ones can reconnect with nature. As for the adults, there are plenty of wineries the region is famous for - even children are always welcome to play on the big stretches of lawn or clamber over stacks of hay bales, while parents watch with a glass of wine… or two.
Discovery Parks - Hahndorf puts you amongst the best hospitality in the Adelaide Hills.
The Superior Studio Lakeview Cabin at Discovery Parks - Hahndorf is a great place to start your hills morning.
The old German town of Hahndorf is the chance to experience another culture in your own backyard, with loads of fun things to do for kids.
6. Margaret River
Easily earning its description as a ‘land of plenty,’ Western Ausralia's Margaret River is surrounded by an abundance of opportunity. Well known around the world for its rolling vineyards and breathtaking coastline, it also offers jaw-dropping adventures, exceptional food, and outstanding scenery.
Credit: Tourism Western Australia,
It doesn’t just pack a punch above ground; beneath the surface is where you'll find jaw-dropping caves, a glassy lake, and megafauna fossils. For the surfers, there are world-class waves to catch. Watch the majestic whales, snorkel, and dive so you can experience the area's rich marine life. For the adrenaline junkies, tick some bucket list items and have a go at mountain biking, rock climbing, and ziplining.
For a unique farm stay experience, just 15 minutes from the lively Margaret River town, book into Discovery Parks - Margaret River
Not far from Margaret River is the seaside town of Bunbury.
Perched at the edge of Koombana Bay, where long white beaches and sandy bay inlets stretch into the distance, you can wind your way along the walking paths before heading to the water, where you can swim, snorkel, fish, dive, or meet bottlenose dolphins.
View of Discovery Parks - Bunbury Foreshore . Credit @4boysandacaravan
Click into a summer state of mind and chase that sun and R&R all around Australia, or for more winter vacay inspo, check out Australia's largest network of holiday parks around the country to find the one that’s best for you.
