Best Nature Experiences For Kids In And Around Sydney

Do you, hand on heart, think that you spend enough time in nature? Do you breathe in lungfuls of fresh air on a regular enough basis, and dedicate enough screen-free hours to soaking up all that Sydney has to offer?

If not, don’t worry—you’re certainly not alone. As technology seeps its way further and further into our everyday lives, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to disentangle ourselves (and our families) from screens and spend some quality time in the great outdoors. Here are the best nature experiences in and around Sydney.

Natural Play Spaces

Children learn through play. They grow through play and they develop through play. Natural play spaces offer unstructured play to assist learning in an environment rich in natures, environmental features and plants, and they’re a godsend for families living in the inner-city without access to a backyard or green spaces.  

See our guide to Sydney's Best Natural Play Spaces For Kids.

Secret Gardens

Sydney’s secret garden offering is seriously epic and it's the perfect activity for a real adventure. Complete with playgrounds to explore, bushes to hide amongst and native trees and flowers to identify, secret gardens are a wonderful way to give your kids the gift of nature.

Ready to find some hidden gems? Explore These Secret Gardens With Kids.

Autumn Colours

Sydney is a gorgeous evergreen city all year round – so when autumn comes calling, you’ll want to know the best secret spots for a taste of northern hemisphere fall with its bursts of stunning gold and red foliage. The pleasant weather is perfect for lingering around Sydney gardens and parks to give little ones a crunching sensory experience almost any time of the day. 

Let your kids delight in the changing hues of the season at the Best Places in Sydney to go for Autumn Colours.

Unyoked Cabins

The fast-paced, chaotic city life of Sydney is inspiring so many of us to enjoy the simple things in life when we get that rare chance to get away without the kids. Who wants a jam-packed schedule of activities and sightseeing when you can truly switch off and do sweet nothing while immersed in nature? Well, this is the concept that the two brothers from Unyoked came up with when they designed their tiny cabin getaway business.

These cute, architecturally designed cabins are found in the Southern Highlands and can only be accessed via a 200-metre walk through a rainforest and dirt roads. As they explain on their website, they are "Far enough to disconnect, close enough to not spend all your time getting there.” We’re listening!

Get off the grid and immersed in nature at an Unyoked Tiny Cabin.

Sunflower Spotting

Nothing says “nature” quite like a blooming field of rich yellow sunflowers, does it? Luckily, NSW is home to some stunning sunflower crops and they’re just waiting to be visited by you and your family! You can sign up to a sunflower alert which will let you know when the very best time to visit is, as there’s a relatively short window each season.

Get your fix and find out Where To See Sunflowers In NSW - it’s just 4 hours drive from Sydney.

Symbio Wildlife Park

Set amongst 16 picturesque acres of manicured gardens, visitors to Symbio Wildlife Park can get up close and personal with all of their favourite animals—both Australian and exotic! Visitors can cuddle up to a koala, feed, pat and interact with a large mob of kangaroos and catch glimpses of the resident cheetahs, ring-tailed lemurs, red pandas, meerkats, small monkeys and many more.

There’s also a Symbio Farmyard precinct with all of the usual farm suspects and a splash park to cool down in during the warm summer months.

Find out more about Symbio Wildlife Park.

More Nature Reads Here:

A Luxury Eco-Retreat Is Now Open At Taronga Zoo
Best Beach Camping Spots In NSW
Best Family-Friendly Eco Resorts In NSW

 

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