Visiting the Great Barrier Reef with Kids

The Great Barrier Reef will easily make anyone’s bucket list of must-see visits when planning a trip to Australia. On my first trip Down Under I was 18 years old and on an exchange program so I didn’t have much control over what I was able to see and do during my time in the country. While I was grateful for all the wonderful sights I was able to take in, I always regretted not being able to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

While planning a family visit this past September, we refused to let the opportunity pass us by . While we weren’t planning on being in Queensland, we decided to book the extra flight and take the time to explore the Great Barrier Reef with kids in tow. Our oldest son as been interested in marine life since he was just a tot and we were excited at the opportunity for him and his brothers to see the coral reef and exotic fish up close.

Visiting the Great Barrier Reef with Kids

Disclosure: I received a discounted rate with Quicksilver Reef Cruises to visit the Great Barrier Reef with kids, as always, all opinions and experiences are my own.

Choosing Quicksilver Cruises

Our first step on planning our visit was actually picking the right company to take us to the Great Barrier Reef, from there we went on to choose our hotel etc based on where our operator was located. 

I spend countless hours researching the area and the different companies that do reef tours and with great confidence chose Quicksilver Cruises. Quicksilver has a long standing reputation as being among the best and receives rave reviews. They also have a permanent pontoon located at Agincourt Reef, on the edge of Australia’s Continental Shelf which makes getting in and out of the water easier for the whole family. Plus they had other activities available such as an underwater observatory and semi submersible ride which offered good value for the money and another way to see the reef incase one of the boys decided that snorkeling wasn’t for him. 

Quicksilver Cruises is located in Port Douglas, check-in begins from 9:15 am for vessel boarding at 9:30 am and departure at 10:00 am. I recommend you get there early and pick table seating for your family to use during the one hour ride to the reef. Your children will be able to use the table for colouring, activities and eating a little snack while still being able to view the marine biology presentation. The life guarding staff were really great and came by to say hello to our boys and introduce themselves. They asked about medical history and upon notifying them that one of children had asthma, they provided him with a marked snorkel so they could easily keep an eye on him while he was out in the water. 

Even on a calm day the catamaran will be very rocky and it will be difficult to walk around. Be sure to get your photos in at the marina before departing and have everyone in your party use the washroom before setting sail. On our return trip the captain spotted a pod of whales and we all rushed to the top level of the boat. Unfortunately, they went under again and we missed seeing them and it was quite difficult and even dangerous trying to maneuver our way back to our seats as the boat tossed from side to side. 

Having said that, even if you are not normally sea sick, I recommend bringing along some motion sickness medication or taking it as directed before leaving your hotel. We made sure each of us had taken something and we did not get sick but we saw many travellers with us looking very ill. 

Snorkelling

Lycra stinger suits were available for use as well as snorkelling equipment and there were child sizes available for everything we needed. Life jackets are not required but they are available for use, as well as, pool noodles. Even if you are a good swimmer, I recommend you use one or the other as you’ll want to stay out as long as possible and enjoy the sights without getting tired. There are also rest platforms for your use as well if you need them. 

Marine Biologist Guided Snorkelling Tour

Because this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for us and we were bringing three children along who were not strong swimmers, we decided it would be beneficial to spend the extra money and join a guided tour with a marine biologist. We were a little surprised that she suggested we not use the life jackets and just use the pool noodles  for the children instead. We followed her advice until we got down on the platform and it was evident that the boys were not about to go into that dark water without something more protective on. At this point we let her know that life jackets were an absolute must for the kids and even us adults used a pool noodle to keep afloat. 

It took awhile to get started and get into the water, our boys (aged 8,9 and 11 yrs) were very nervous and not too sure what to expect. It was a difficult start as they wanted to cling to us for support but we would both start to sink if they did. One of the boys got salt water in his mask which made his eyes burn. Needless to say it was a rocky start, and because there were 3 other people in our group we did feel the pressure to keep up and not hold anyone back. For this reason, I do wish that we were given our own guide and had some extra assistance with the children. Fortunately, the boys did start to feel a little more comfortable as we went on and once they got their face in the water they could see there was a whole other world underneath them.

What we did love about the guided tour is that we were able to go a little further out into the reef than others and our guide was very informative and was able to tell us all kinds of facts and info about what we were seeing.

Some of our highlights were the parrot fish, clown fish (we found Nemo!), giant clams and we were thrilled beyond belief to swim along with a green sea turtle. 

TIP: If possible have your child try snorkeling before visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Even if only in a pool, just getting used to the equipment will make a big difference in how confident they are and the quicker they get comfortable in the water, the more time you will have enjoying the underwater world.

Underwater Observatory and Semi Submersible

The Underwater Observatory is a great spot  for fish viewing especially during a feeding time. It’s also chance to take a few photos of the reef and marine life if you didn’t bring along an underwater camera. 

The semi-submersible coral reef viewing tour takes approximately 25 minutes and departs every fifteen minutes from the rear of the platform. You’ll be seated just one metre underwater and get to experience a diver’s view of the reef as you glide slowly through the reef lagoons and colourful coral gardens in air conditioned comfort. It’s a really neat experience that is not to be missed as it includes commentary on the marine life observed during the journey from a live marine biologist on board and an overview of the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. We were really excited to spot a few reef sharks on our ride. 

Optional Extras

Activities out on the reef you can pay extra for.

• Marine biologist led tours – introductory and advanced tours
• Scuba diving
• Ocean walker
• Scenic helicopter flights

What to Bring 

• Swimwear (wear it onto the boat so you don’t have to change before arriving)
• Beach Towels
• Sunscreen
• Change of clothes (Pack something warmer than what you think you might need, we were freezing when we came out of the water)
• Motion sickness medication 
• Sunglasses
• Hats
• Something to keep the kids occupied on the boat. 
• A few snacks (small morning and afternoon snacks as well as lunch is provided, but it’s best to bring a few favourites when travelling with children)
• Underwater camera 
• Money or a credit card to buy extra snacks/drinks. You can also rent an underwater cameras if you choose and you’ll have the opportunity to purchase photos the staff have taken.

TIP: There are no lockers on board, bring valuables at your own risk. 

If you are visiting Port Douglas, be sure to also visit Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures to see the huge saltwater crocs and Australia’s most popular animals!