- Duration
- 1 day, ~40 km by car (≈ 8 h 35 min: moving and stop time only)
- Who it suits
- With kids
- Transport
- walk, drive
- Start
- Dreamworld: at the gates for opening
- Finish
- Picnic by the swim enclosure
- Pace
- moderate pace
- Best time
- A weekday outside school holidays; skip Tuesday: the Rockpools splash park is closed Tuesday mornings till noon
- Budget per adult
- Dreamworld: dated online ticket from A$99 (children from A$89, varies by date), flexible ticket A$109 (children A$99); the afternoon is freePrices as of: July 2026; transport and zoo prices October 2026
Getting there
Drive to Dreamworld. The free park at the end is by the G:link stop at Broadwater Parklands. 50 cents.
Stops in order
The text version of the route: stops, time at each and the legs between them. Times are estimates, without queues, traffic or swims.
1. Dreamworld: at the gates for opening~3 h at the stop
Australia's largest theme park. The strategy is simple: arrive for opening and hit the headline coasters first: by noon the queues multiply.
Worth knowing: Dreamworld opened on 15 December 1981 in Coomera, before the other big parks lined the highway.
Tip: The cheapest option is an online dated ticket from A$99, priced by day. A flexible ticket valid on any operating day within 12 months is A$109.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 5 min · 0.3 km
2. Tiger Island & the kids precinct~2 h at the stop
After the big coasters, the gentler half of the day: the tigers of Tiger Island and the kids-precinct rides, where lines run shorter.
Tip: Check the show and feeding times on the park map first thing and plan around them.
Open on the map ↗↓ drive · 25 min · 20 km
3. Rockpools free splash park~1 h 30 min at the stop
The splash park in Southport's Broadwater Parklands: fountains, mini waterfalls and tidal-pool shallows. Entry is free and lifeguards patrol during opening hours.
Tip: Rockpools is closed Tuesday mornings till midday for maintenance: plan around it.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 5 min · 0.3 km
4. Picnic by the swim enclosure~1 h 30 min at the stop
A zero-cost finale: free electric BBQs, playgrounds and the netted Broadwater swim enclosure with its diving pontoon.
Tip: Car-free? The G:link tram's Broadwater Parklands stop is right by the park.
Open on the map ↗
Before you go
- Route times are estimates: walking, driving and a sensible pause at each stop. Add queues, traffic and swims yourself.
- Prices, timetables and trail status change. Check the venue's official site and the state transport app before you go.
- On beaches, swim only between the red and yellow flags. Use sun protection even when it is cloudy.