Stay & Play at Mission Beach - Family Friendly Things to Do

Feb 20

There’s something about Mission Beach…

With its beach that stretches for miles, its laid-back hippy vibe and the high possibility of seeing a cassowary around every corner, that induces the perfect holiday feels in you. Despite its sleepy appearance there’s plenty of things to do in Mission particularly with the kids, so read on…

**It's worth getting up for the sunrises**

STAY

There’s a swag of family-friendly options at Mission Beach BUT by far our favourite is the AirBnB called Litoria Mission Beach. This super friendly family (and dog!!) option is located only a block away from Wongaling Beach. Its minimalistic and open style is perfect for the tropics of Mission Beach.

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Litoria Mission Beach is a pavilion style home comprising of three pods (two for sleeping and one for living) and it easily houses one family of 6-8 OR two families, PLUS it’s fur-baby (pet) friendly.

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You’ll find a cute theme running throughout which is palms and green tree frogs, spot on for the tropics. With it’s concrete floors and open-plan living it stays super cool, but of course there’s air-conditioning if you want it.

PLAY

Only an hour away lies one of the best rafting rivers in Australia, the Tully River. This is where Raging Thunder White Water Rafting happens. Its family friendly for kids of the age of 13 plus and it will quickly get you into the cool ranks if you choose to do it with your teenage kids.

Thundering down the Grade 3 to 4 rapids with a guide at the stern of your raft, you quickly learn that the river is king of the equation. Thankfully there are plenty of calmer pools, where you can rest and get in for a quick dip before the action starts up again. Read all about our day spent challenging the rapids here >> Thrills & Spills with Raging Thunder White Water Rafting

If your kids are younger (6 plus years) and you’re still interested in taking them rafting try Wildside Adventures. These guys do Grade 2 to 3 rapids a little bit further down on the Tully River, only this time it’s on self-steered sports rafts.

SHOP

In true Mission Beach style, the markets are the winner in the shopping game. Here you’ll find a variety of plants and fruits, locally crafted trinkets, and clothes for sale on a Sunday morning. Sheltered under the canopy of large poinciana and rain trees, with a cool breeze coming off the ocean, there’s plenty of ‘choice’ things to buy

family friendly things to do in Mission Beach

Held on the last Sunday of each month, the Monster Markets are the star of the show (running from March to November) and every two weeks, the Mission Beach markets occur. Click on this link for the dates. And don’t forget to check out the small collection of shops that are nestled in the main Mission Beach township. There is the great Helen Wiltshire Gallery that showcases local artist’s Helen’s work as well as other local artisans.

TOUR

Go island hopping with Dunk Island Water Taxis and take the small ferry over to Dunk Island for the day to play on the sandy spit or climb up Mount Kootaloo.

Dunk Island Water Taxis even do a family friendly island tour (Fozzy's 3-Island Tour) that takes you over to the less visited islands that are scattered around Dunk Island.

Perhaps chocolate is more your fancy?

You can visit a real live chocolate factory that lies just a 10-minute drive from Mission Beach. At Charley’s Chocolate Factory you’ll see and learn about the journey of chocolate from seed to its final creation. These guys have award winning and mouth-watering chocolate delights. Lunch is also included on the twice weekly tour.

COOL OFF

You are spoilt for choice at Mission Beach for places to cool off with kids in tow. Either hop into the sea, on a beach that stretch for miles, if it’s the stinger free months. Or take the young kids down to the Splash n’ Dunk water park located at Wongaling Beach to frolic in the fountains.

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There's also the new Mission Beach Aquatic Centre, that not only houses a 25-metre pool but also features a lagoon with a sandy beach, plus some fountains, a slippery slide and a small waterfall.

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Perhaps you’d rather opt for the natural alternative. Try Lacey’s Creek, a small stream that lies 10-minutes from Mission Beach and offers some nice shallow places to dip. Further afield is Alligator’s Nest, just outside Tully, where two creeks converge to provide a large swimming area that’s popular with the locals. It has steps down the embankment to the crystal clear water plus a shady picnic area with BBQs, so its super family-friendly.

**Alligator's Nest is popular with the locals**

If you’re pursuing a picture perfect waterfall then try Ponytail Falls which is located on the Tully River, about a 45-minute drive from Mission Beach.

So, as you can see, whether it’s the Green Season or the Dry (Winter), Mission Beach has plenty of family friendly things to do for kids of all ages.

Good Things To Know:

A car is essential to get around in Mission Beach as the distance between the areas that make up Mission are considerable.
The ‘Winter Season’ (April – October) – is seen as the most perfect time to visit the Tropics with sunny days, little rain and balmy 23C days. The ‘Green Season’ (or Wet) normally goes from November – March BUT this is when you’ll find the best deals.

Stinger (jellyfish) season is generally from November through to May. Click HERE for more information. Mission Beach has stinger nets and lifeguards on duty at this time of year. There are stinger net swimming enclosures at North Mission and South Mission Beach.

You’ll find crocodile signs on all beaches around the Far North and crocodiles may be present in the ocean. The time to be aware of crocodiles is at night and during their breeding season, September to April. As TNQ locals, we prefer swimming at the beach during the winter months – crocodiles are less inclined to be ‘on the move’, less ‘hungry’ and more sluggish in general. NOTE: this is only our opinion – please make your decisions based on your own knowledge and facts of the area. For a good article on Crocs Click HERE.