Paradise Country is one of four Village Road Show theme parks on the Gold Coast. It features Australian wildlife, farm animals and outback demonstration shows. We visited in August when little man was almost a year old. Like many children this age, he was fascinated with animals so this was a big drawcard.
Paradise Country offers a Farmstay experience and includes various camping and glamping options. We were keen to take little man on his first camping trip. The beauty of Paradise Country is that the tent is provided and set up for you. This was the perfect opportunity to trial camping with a baby without setting up and packing down the site!
Accommodation
At Paradise Country Farmstay you can choose from luxurious Eco Tents, onsite motorhomes, caravans or a traditional tent – all provided for you. Van sites are also available for those who have their own caravan. For a more realistic camping experience, we chose to stay in one of the budget-friendly two room tents.
The tent was clean and roomy with more than enough space for all of our luggage, portacot and queen sized air mattress. It even included camping chairs and an AstroTurf patch out the front for little man to play on.
Paradise Country is definitely designed for families who want to experience relaxed camping with all the convenient amenities of modern day life.
The facilities made camping with a baby very easy. This includes a fully equipped toilet and shower block. A sink with hot water was provided which meant we could wash all our dishes and baby bottles without any fuss.
Activities for Kids
We spent the first day exploring Paradise Country and attending a couple of the outback demonstrations. We really enjoyed the shows which included stock horse, billy tea making, sheep dogs and sheep shearing. Little man was captivated by the parrots at feeding time, as they swooped around us. He loved pointing out the koalas and dingos in their enclosures.
The Farmstay experience offers sunset and sunrise activities exclusively for overnight guests. In the afternoon we relaxed in front of the Farmhouse restaurant with a glass of wine. We watched the sunset while little man played on the lawn beside us. A baby goat was brought out for the children to pat and then the older children were taken to feed the animals in the nursery.
In the morning we were taken on a behind the scenes tour of the park with a Farmhand. We were given a hands-on experience of milking cows, feeding animals and collecting eggs. We even got to bottle feed the cute baby animals in the nursery! Little man patted the lambs and giggled at the piglets.
The best part of Paradise Country is that it’s set up for the enjoyment of the entire family. At sunset parents can wander down to the barn and do some local Sirromet wine tasting. From 6 pm – 9.30 pm families can enjoy a bonfire with marshmallows.
The other theme parks of the Gold Coast are within a short drive so there is no shortage of activities for children of all ages.
Food
Just like traditional camping, you can bring your own meals. If you are staying in one of the two room tents you will have to bring your own camping stove. On the first night, we cooked hamburgers for dinner while little man slept soundly after a big day of exploring.
On the second night, we ate dinner at the restaurant on site. This was a great option for convenience. The food was good and after dinner, a lot of families played board games before heading to the bonfire. The restaurant also offers a full lunch and buffet breakfast or families can enjoy a picnic meal on the lawn.
Special Offers
At the time we booked our stay at Paradise Country, we received free entry into the three other Village Roadshow theme parks (Movie World, Seaworld and Wet n Wild) at no additional cost. This was great value for money considering adult entrance to just one of these parks can cost around $69.00 per day. Keep a lookout for other specials on their website as the park regularly offers great package deals with their accommodation.