Adrenaline-loving kids? Embrace ‘risky play’! It’s a wonderfully normal way for kids to build confidence, learn limits and push their physical boundaries. Here are our top picks for thrilling activities in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, and the Hunter.
Tree Tops Adventure Park
Spend time in the beautiful Aussie bush and watch as your little ones climb to great heights, fly through the trees and test their courage and bravery, as they tackle the rope courses at TreeTops. The kids’ courses are designed for children 3-9 years of age and after learning the ‘ropes’, children are given the freedom to head off and explore the courses at their own pace again and again!
Kids over 10 years can give the adult course a go, which will take them higher into the canopy and see them challenge themselves with harder courses. The flying foxes are a highlight, as riders zip through the trees! Read the Newy with Kids review of the Newcastle TreeTop Adventure Park for more information.
Where?
Newcastle TreeTop Adventure Park, Blue Gum Hills Regional Park, Minmi
Central Coast TreeTop Adventure Park, Ourimbah State Forest, Wyong Creek.
BMX Tracks
If you have a bike rider who is keen for a few bumps and dips, why not check out a local BMX track. Some clubs require registration for you to use the tracks and others are happy for the public to ride at their own risk. Wear a helmet and other protective clothing and pads for the best chance of avoiding scrapes and bumps, and you don’t need a professional BMX bike to give it a go – any old bike will do and then if your child catches the racing bug, then you can upgrade and grab all the gear!
Where?
Tenambit BMX Track: Metford Rd, East Maitland. This is a little gem of a track, surrounded by shaded gum trees and it’s ride at your own risk. Make a booking, check availability or make a general enquiry via the Maitland City Council website. Read the Newy with Kids review of Temambit BMX Track.
Lake Macquarie BMX Track: Mary St, Argenton. This track is maintained by the Lake Macquarie BMX Club and your child needs to be registered to ride a lap. The club hold races every Saturday night, with coaching and practice runs happening during the week. Visit the Lake Macquarie City Council website for all the details.
Cameron Park BMX Track: Dunbar Rd, Cameron Park. This is a public track and you can ride at your own risk. It is a smaller dirt track and not as professional as some of the others but fun for the little ones to take their bike and give it a try.
San Remo BMX Park: 2 Highview Ave, San Remo. A great little spot that is open to the public. Visit the next door skate park while you’re there. Also, a favourite to race remote control cars. For more info, visit their facebook page.
Terrigal BMX Park: Duffys Rd, Terrigal. A really well-maintained track that has some challenging jumps and bumps but also smooth enough for beginners to roll over. A good spot to hold birthday parties or enjoy a day trip down to the area. Some racing on Saturday mornings so check their facebook page before you visit.
Remote Control Cars
Take the kids and their remote control cars out to visit the Maitland Off-Road Radio Control Track! You’ll find kids of all ages here, with a viewing platform to watch the mini-cars speed around the bends and take on the jumps – there’s often a few epic crashes too! This track is designated entirely to RC cars, so no scooters or bikes allowed.
Even if you don’t have a car to race, it’s good fun to watch the other high-speed cars in action on their official race days which you can find on the club’s Facebook page (Then pop one of these speed machines on the birthday wish list!) With Harold Gregson Reserve playground next door and plenty of places to eat in nearby Maitland, add this little gem to your list next time you’re out that way. The Maitland Off-Road Radio Control Track is located on Harold Gregson Reserve, High Street in East Maitland.
Mountain Bike Tracks
A relatively new craze for kids to sink their teeth into, the world of mountain bike riding has taken on a life of its own in the past few years, which is great news for riders wanting to get into the bush and enjoy a range of new tracks. Children as young as five can hit up the easy tracks and enjoy the beauty of the Aussie bush, whilst riding over dirt jumps and even giving man-made track features like the ‘berm’ or ‘seesaw’ a go. Protective gear is a must for this fun sport and Newcastle is spoilt for choice when it comes to well-maintained and easily signposted mountain bike tracks.
Our top track picks for kids aged 5 plus are:
- Glenrock: Yuelarbah Track, Highfields
- Homesville: 77C Appletree Rd, Holmesville
- Awaba: Jenkins Road, Freemans Waterhole
For more information, Read the Newy with Kids guide to the best family-friendly mountain biking trails in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & the Hunter.
Pump Tracks
For those unfamiliar with the concept of a pump track, it’s a circuit of rollers, banked turns and jumps that can be ridden on a bike without much pedalling. Riders create momentum to ride around the track by moving, or ‘pumping’, their body up and down.
Pump tracks are popping up around the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter region, and they’re a guaranteed hit with kids on bikes, skateboards and scooters. Want to get your little shredders out for some fun? Newy with Kids have done the research and found 10 Awesome Pump Tracks to Get Your Kids’ Adrenaline Racing in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter.
Climbing
Most kids love to climb trees and furniture and well, just about anything! If you have yourself a little monkey who can’t keep their feet on the ground, rock climbing could be a fun activity to test their strength and nerve! Newcastle has a few indoor rock-climbing centres which are specifically dedicated to children over the age of 5 seeing kids scale new heights.
Ninja Park activities also provide the experience of a number of different wall climbing challenges for kids over 6, all with safety harnesses so children feel secure whilst off the ground. Both these options are great birthday party alternatives too, with packages available.
Where?
Pulse Climbing: Adamstown, Gosford, Maitland and Warners Bay. Visit the Pulse Climbing website for more information.
Ninja Park Newcastle: Darby St & Tooke St, Cooks Hill. Read Newy with Kids review of Ninja Parc.
Beach Fun
Hitting the beach is the perfect way for kids looking for that adrenalin rush to let off steam and have some fun. But instead of the run of the mill swim, grab a board of some kind and turn it up a notch! Kids who like things fast and furious will love the adrenalin kick of hitting the surf or the sand and there are plenty of options in and around the local area to satisfy the most adventurous kids out there!
Perhaps the best way to get a taste of some wave action is to sign up for some surf lessons and get some initial tips and tricks from an expert.
Where?
Newcastle Surf School: Newcastle Surf School run Ocean Active Kids Holiday Surf programs and an After School program that gets kids in the water, teaches them to read the ocean and understand rips and different wave types to getting out there in the action!
Learn to Surf Newcastle: Learn to Surf Newcastle is also keen on getting the little ones into the water for some surfing fun – home to the nudie SurfGrom, they run school holiday programs and weekly surfing lessons for kids as young as five years old.
Skate Parks
Get the kids out of the house and on their skateboard or scooter. We’ve done the research and found 30+ Skate Park in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & the Hunter where kids, teens and adults can shred. Most skate parks are outdoor and free to use but there’s also a few indoor paid options. Don’t forget helmets and protective gear!
Sandboarding
If your child would prefer to stay on dry land, hit up a Port Stephens adventure to the largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere! Kids of any age can tackle the sand slopes and have fun in the dunes – you can ride most types of boards and you can even take toddlers down the hill more slowly on a tandem board.
Try Sand Dune Safaris or 4WD Tours R Us for an organised tour with all the gear or if you have your own 4WD you can venture out to the Stockton dunes and pack an old boogie board or even cardboard to have some fun in the sand. Read the Newy with Kids articles Sandboarding in the Stockton Sand Dunes and Exploring the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes.
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