Home › Destinations › Australia › Brisbane › Moreton Bay Day Trip with Kids
We didn’t plan much for this one. A Moreton Bay day trip with kids, loosely mapped out the night before, one stop leading to the next because it happened to be on the way. It turned into a productive day, and we found places we’d never even heard of.
IN THIS GUIDE
10
If you’re after things to do in Moreton Bay that don’t need a fixed schedule, this loop is six of them, strung together over one long day.
Disclosure: our stop at Sweet Acres strawberry farm was an invite to experience their Pick Your Own season in exchange for content. Every other stop on this day was our own choice, at our own cost. All opinions are our own.
BEFORE YOU GO
Moreton Bay Day Trip with Kids at a Glance
Sweet Acres for a full punnet of strawberries, then the Australia sign at Caboolture Historical Village.
Date driven – 14 August 2026, departed Brisbane 9am, home by 7pm.
Stops – Caboolture (coffee), Glass House Mountains Lookout, Elimbah (flower farm), Wamuran (Sweet Acres strawberry farm), Caboolture Historical Village, Redcliffe (sunset and dinner).
Total time out – 10 hours, door to door.
Cost – Roughly $173 for the three of us across lunch, a bouquet, historical village entry and fish and chips, not including petrol for the drive. Strawberry picking was part of an invited collaboration, so not included. If you’re picking your own at Sweet Acres, punnets are $12 for 500g or $20 for 1kg, though their PYO season has since closed, check their Facebook page for current availability.
Good for young kids – Every attraction on this loop has a reason to get out of the car, a playground, animals, something to pick, something to touch, so nobody’s stuck sitting still for long.
Best for – Families happy to drive a loose, unplanned loop rather than stick to a fixed itinerary.
Correct as at – August 2026.
THE ROUTE WE DROVE
Our Moreton Bay Day, Stop by Stop
This is how our day actually ran, mapped out loosely the night before. The times are roughly when we pulled up at each stop, not a schedule to stick to.
BRISBANE TO REDCLIFFE, THE LONG WAY ROUND
9am to 7pm · 10 hours · Self-drive loop
Leave Brisbane
$24
Maccas for the drive, because a day like this runs better on a full stomach.
Malco Brothers, Caboolture
$12, FREE PLAYGROUND
Specialty coffee from a container van beside a church, with the church playground open next door.
Glass House Mountains Lookout
The scenic road out through Beerburrum. Busy with a school excursion, so a short stop.
Lookout Cafe
$55
Lunch for three with the mountains from the table, and three kangaroos and a kookaburra nearby.
Flower farm, Elimbah
$30
A container flower shop and rows of dahlias just starting to bloom. We stayed close to an hour longer than planned.
Sweet Acres, Wamuran
HOSTED
Pick Your Own strawberries, then a picnic rug under the mango trees.
Caboolture Historical Village
Two hours of walking before the 4pm close. We skipped the miniature train.
Redcliffe Rotary Park and jetty
PLAYGROUND
Sea-themed playground, a shell hunt on the beach, then the jetty at golden hour.
Yabbey Road, Redcliffe
$52
A value pack of fish and chips, two minutes’ walk from the jetty.
Back on the road by 6pm and home in Brisbane by 7, ten hours after we’d left.
CABOOLTURE · 10AM
Caboolture: Coffee and a Church Playground We Didn't Expect
We left Brisbane around 9am with Maccas for the drive, because a day like this runs better on a full stomach and low expectations for anyone’s patience. We reached Caboolture at 10am looking for decent coffee and found Malco Brothers, a specialty coffee setup running out of a small container van parked right next to a church.
Our daughter spotted the playground beside the church before we’d even finished parking. The church had it open at the time and had put out chairs next to the coffee van for anyone buying a cup, so we sat there for about 20 minutes drinking good coffee while she worked through the playground on her own. Small thing, but it’s exactly the kind of stop that makes a long driving day survivable.
GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS · 11AM
The Drive to Glass House Mountains Lookout
From Caboolture we took the scenic road out through Beerburrum, and it was worth the extra few minutes. We passed a flower farm, a run of strawberry farms, and the mountains kept popping up on the horizon throughout the drive.
We reached the lookout at 11am and found it full of school kids on an excursion, which meant it was busier than we would have liked. The mountains up close are strange, sharp, dome-shaped formations that look more like a painting than a landscape. I’d only ever seen them from a distance, from the beach at Caloundra, so seeing them up close for the first time was worth the stop.
We didn’t stay long. Between the crowd and a four-year-old’s patience for a lookout with no playground, we made a plan out loud to come back and do some of the walking tracks nearby another time, and left.
Prefer a guided day out? If a self-drive loop isn’t your thing, this Glass House Mountains tour covers a similar route with transport and commentary included.
LOOKOUT CAFE · 11:30AM
Lunch at Lookout Cafe, with Kangaroos and a Kookaburra
We stopped at Lookout Cafe for lunch at 11:30am, and it gave us the same view without the crowd. You get the Glass House Mountains from your table while you eat, and there was actual wildlife around while we sat there, three kangaroos and a kookaburra, close enough to point out without needing to go looking for them.
We ordered the Lookout burger, a bowl of chips and an eggs benny, $55 for the three of us. There were kids’ books and colouring at the table already, which is a small detail but one we always notice and appreciate.
The Lookout burger on one side, the Glass House Mountains on the other, lunch with a view.
ELIMBAH · 12:00PM
A Flower Farm Detour in Elimbah
We doubled back to check out the flower farm we’d spotted on the drive in, a place called GB Elimbah Flowers, arriving at 12:00pm. It’s a small setup, an air-conditioned flower shop running out of a shipping container, and we picked up a $30 bouquet that our daughter chose herself.
We asked to walk through the growing garden and take photos, and the woman running the shop said yes. Most of the dahlias were just starting to bloom, a wide range of colours all going at once, and between that and the shade from the big trees, we stayed close to an hour longer than planned. The rows themselves are too narrow for a pram, so our daughter saw the dahlias from a short distance.
The dahlia rows just starting to bloom, and one of the arrangements on offer at the shop.
WAMURAN · 1:10 PM
Picking Strawberries at Sweet Acres in Wamuran
Sweet Acres is a family-owned strawberry farm in Wamuran running a seasonal Pick Your Own, and this was a first for both of us, our daughter had never picked her own strawberries, and neither had I. We filled two containers between us and were pretty pleased with ourselves by the end of it, which says more about the experience than any review copy could.
The owner runs the farm with her husband, they’ve had the property for about five years. The first couple of years were pumpkins and watermelons, and they’ve been growing strawberries for the last three. The fruit itself was big, sweet and fully ripe, and she walked us through their setup, a sorting shed right on the farm so strawberries are picked, washed and packed without much time passing in between. There’s also a small honesty-store shop on site, cash only, if you want to take more home than you pick yourself.
Her own punnet, picked and pretty pleased about it, and one of the bigger ones we found.
What stood out most was a corner set up specifically for families, a stand of mango trees where you can lay out a picnic rug and eat what you’ve picked, or bring your own food. The owner had built a little fairy garden for kids under the trees, which our daughter found immediately. We sat there for a while after picking, ate strawberries in the shade, and said our goodbyes before heading off.
CABOOLTURE · 2PM
Caboolture Historical Village
We spotted Caboolture Historical Village on the way to Glass House Mountains Lookout and figured we’d stop in after the strawberry farm. We hadn’t looked into it beforehand, and it ended up being the surprise of the day. We bought our tickets on arrival, no need to book ahead. We got there around 2pm with the village closing at 4pm, so we skipped the miniature train and just walked, and two hours was enough time to see everything without rushing.
CABOOLTURE HISTORICAL VILLAGE AT A GLANCE
Cost – Adults $18, concessions $15, kids 6 to 16 $10, kids 5 and under free, family pass (2 adults, 2 kids) $50, miniature train $6 per person.
Hours and duration – Allow 2 to 4 hours for the full walking circuit.
Accessibility – Five accessible parking bays, ramped entry, three accessible restrooms, though some of the older pathways are uneven underfoot.
Good for young kids – It’s hands-on rather than look-but-don’t-touch, our daughter stayed engaged the whole two hours, which is rare for anything history-shaped.
The village is a relocated collection of actual old buildings, the original Caboolture Shire Council Chambers, the first Caboolture Hospital, early railway stations and the pioneer-era Glenowen House among them, laid out along a recreated main street with a post office, barber, butcher and general store. Some of it is a lot more interesting than we expected, a life-sized hologram in the post office telling stories from the postmaster’s era, and some of it tips over into spooky, in a way our daughter found more fascinating than frightening.
Our favourite building was the village church, which is still used for weddings today. There’s also a Queensland Prisons Museum with artifacts from Boggo Road Gaol, a maritime museum, and more than 70 vintage cars, trucks and tractors on display, plus the original “AUSTRALIA” sign from Brisbane’s World Expo ’88. Check the village’s official site for current opening hours and event days.
The entrance, and the ice cream cart by the general store.
REDCLIFFE · 4:30PM
Redcliffe at Sunset: Rotary Park, the Jetty and the Birds
From Caboolture we headed to Redcliffe for sunset, which meant something a bit more than scenery to us, Murray was born in this area. We got to the jetty at 4:30pm, just ahead of golden hour.
Parking is free, and we found a spot right next to the playground on a Friday afternoon, though it’s worth allowing for a short walk if you’re visiting on a weekend.
Redcliffe Rotary Park sits right nearby, a sea-themed playground with slides and climbing forts, an open grassed area with proper shade, and direct access down to the sand on Redcliffe Esplanade. Our daughter never turns down a new playground, so we ended up staying about 30 minutes longer than planned before finally heading down to the beach, where she spent the rest of the walk hunting for the one shell she wanted to keep.
We crossed the jetty as the light started to shift toward gold. It’s a nice atmosphere up there in the late afternoon, couples and families walking or just sitting and talking, no rush to it. Right at the end of the jetty there were hundreds of birds settled on the rocks, and we stood and watched the sky go from gold to pastel before the light dropped completely.
Redcliffe is also the departure point for a few dolphin and whale watching cruises on Moreton Bay, worth booking ahead if you want to make a full day of it instead just the jetty and the beach.
Rotary Park playground, and a handful of shells collected while we waited for sunset.
REDCLIFFE · 5:30PM
Fish and Chips at Yabbey Road
By the time the sun was down we were seriously hungry, and found Yabbey Road two minutes’ walk from the jetty. We ordered the value pack to share between the three of us, plus drinks, and were eating by 5:30pm.
We went with the $52 value pack, three pieces of cod and chips with mushy peas and two drinks, enough for the three of us to share. The fish was fresh and the chips were crunchy without being oily, and the mushy peas on the side worked better with the meal than we expected. We’d recommend it without hesitation if you’re finishing a day in Redcliffe the way we did.
We were back on the road by 6pm and home in Brisbane by 7, ten hours after we’d left, on a day we’d barely planned the night before.
THE VERDICT
Moreton Bay Day Trip with Kids: Our Verdict
Worth doing exactly the way we did it, loosely, with room to change plans at each stop. The mix of a farm, a historical village and a beach sunset in one day meant our daughter never had more than an hour or so of any one kind of activity, which is about the limit for a four-year-old regardless of how good the place is.
If we did it again, we’d build in more time at the Glass House Mountains Lookout itself, ideally earlier in the morning before school groups arrive, and do one of the walking tracks rather than just looking and leaving. Everything else earned its spot on the loop. It’s the kind of route we’ll turn into a few different Moreton Bay day trips over time, just swapping which region gets the focus.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Moreton Bay Day Trip with Kids: FAQs
How long does a Moreton Bay day trip with kids take?
We were out for 10 hours door to door, 9am to 7pm, covering Caboolture, the Glass House Mountains Lookout, Elimbah, Wamuran, Caboolture Historical Village and Redcliffe. You could cut it shorter by dropping one or two stops.
Is the Glass House Mountains Lookout good for young kids?
For a quick look, yes, though there’s no playground and nowhere for a small child to burn energy. We’d suggest pairing it with a proper walking track if your kids are up for it, which we didn’t do this time but plan to next visit.
Is Caboolture Historical Village worth it with young kids?
Yes. It was the stop we knew least about going in and the one our daughter stayed most engaged at, two hours felt like the right amount of time without needing the miniature train.
Can you do Pick Your Own strawberries at Sweet Acres with young kids?
Yes, it’s well set up for it, with a family picnic area under mango trees and a small fairy garden for kids to find. Our daughter played there while we rested on the picnic blanket and snacked on strawberries. Punnets are 500g for $12 or 1kg for $20, though the farm’s PYO is currently closed, so check their Facebook page for updates on upcoming seasonal fruit.
Is Redcliffe good for a sunset with kids?
Yes. Redcliffe Rotary Park playground is right next to the jetty, so kids get playground time before or after the walk, and the jetty itself is flat and easy with a pram or a wandering toddler.
What are the best Moreton Bay attractions to build a family day trip around?
We’d build a day around Sweet Acres, Caboolture Historical Village and Redcliffe’s jetty, with Glass House Mountains Lookout as a short stop. If you’re staying in the area for a few days and have time to explore further, a guided Glass House Mountains tour and Whale Watching Cruise are both worth looking into.
WHAT'S NEXT ON OUR LIST
More Moreton Bay Day Trips and Attractions on Our List
Ready to plan your own loop? We’re also planning a trip further into the region ourselves, the Moreton Island Eco Marine Safari Cruise and Snorkel, the Brisbane Whale Watching Cruise in season, and the Bribie Island 4WD Kayak and WWII Bunker Tour are all on our list.
KEEP EXPLORING
More From Really Traveling
The beach we'd only ever seen the Glass House Mountains from.
→
The Brisbane-based parents behind Really Traveling. They walk South Bank and Kangaroo Point with their young daughter most weeks and publish first-hand guides for families with children under five.
