Tropical Fruit World review

If you're looking for things to do on the Gold Coast as a family, Tropical Fruit World in northern NSW is a great destination for kids and parents alike.

Buy your Tropical Fruit World ticket

When you think of fun family activities to do on the Gold Coast, some obvious contenders pop straight to mind. The theme parks; the beaches; the Surfers Paradise strip – these kinds of things. Tropical Fruit World perhaps doesn't pop onto your radar in quite the same blockbuster fashion.

Fruit or waterworks? Tough choice, right?

When I threw my 3 kids (10, 8 and 6) into the car and made the short 20-minute drive from Coolangatta to Tropical Fruit World, I'll admit my expectations were low. I was hoping we might get a couple of hours out of it. I had been there decades earlier when it was Avocadoland, and all I had to show for that was a mental image of a giant Persea Americana towering over the highway.

5 hours later and I am happy to declare this fruit wonderland ripe for the picking.

Where is Tropical Fruit World?

Although thought of as a Gold Coast tourist destination, Tropical Fruit World is on the NSW side of the border. It's 20 minutes from Coolangatta and should take you less than an hour from Surfers Paradise or Byron Bay.

Situated on a 200-acre family farm, it sits at the edge of a richly fertile volcanic basin.

How much is Tropical Fruit World?

An adult is $52.50, a concession is $42 and a child (4–16) is $33. There are 2 family options at $140 (2 adults + 2 kids: 18% saving) and $150 (2 adults + 3 kids: 26% saving).

I very much appreciate Tropical Fruit World having a more realistic child age bracket to many other destinations. And also for having a family-of-5 option. I do wish they had a cheap "extra kid" price for families of 6 or more.

What to expect at Tropical Fruit World

On arrival, there are a few toys and playthings for the kids to muck around with as you await the tour's start. A short walk from the main centre takes you to an outback-style theatre. Here you get to learn about the farm, its hundreds of fruit varieties and the history of the region. You also get a tasting plate with some exotic selections on it.

Most of the fruit and food presented I'd never had before and neither had my kids. It's seasonal, but as an example, we had custard apple, nashi and papaya. There was also the yummiest avocado I've ever tasted. So straight away, there's a sense of discovery.

Once completed, you jump into an open-walled carriage that is pulled by a tractor around the farm. The knowledgeable driver gives you insights into the many fruit trees you go past, with the kids able to reach out and grab at leaves as you go. The tractor stops halfway so you can get out to taste more food and break open some nuts.

Eventually you end up at the bottom of the farm, where a short walk takes you to a petting zoo. There are a few farm animals – cows, sheep, goats, donkeys – and a handful of native fauna – kangaroos, emus – to feed and engage with. It's pretty rudimentary really, but the kids still loved it. Tropical Fruit World could potentially beef up this part of the experience a little.

Next you get onto a flat-bottomed boat and head on a little tour down a stream. Turtles, lizards and birds take centre stage, and you'll learn more about the land, those who work it and the creatures that live on it.

Talking to country

The cruise terminates at a cultural centre, which was my favourite part of the entire experience. You dive into a fascinating tour into how Indigenous Australians used local native plants and fruit not just to eat, but to create drinks, medicines, paints and more.

A nearby playground and some sports equipment sadly meant the kids didn't pay much attention, outside of trying some of the nutrient sources of our first peoples. I found it incredibly insightful and learned a lot. I also loved how welcoming the staff were, happy to talk and offer more information when I came to them afterwards with questions. There is a genuine sense that they love what they do.

The tractor then returns you to the main building. There's a gift shop filled with produce and a cafe. The selection in the cafe isn't broad, but it does stick true to the Tropical Fruit World experience. The food and ice cream use ingredients previously heard about during the tour itself and made onsite.

Verdict

All up, I feel like the tour lasted close to 3 hours, but we spent another hour at least afterwards trying food from the cafe, getting ice creams and looking through all the cool stuff in the gift shop. And usually I walk through those without stopping, so that says a lot. I even bought some things, which is unheard of!

My low expectations for Tropical Fruit World were unjustified. It's more than a one-trick pony, offering a far broader experience than you'd expect from its name. And I walked out with not only a stomach filled with tasty food, but a brain swelled with the information I value. As a result, I'm happy to recommend Tropical Fruit World as a downtempo family activity during your stay on the Gold Coast.

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