Cheap activities Brisbane/Gold Coast

We are thinking of going to Brisbane and the Gold Coast in August. We need some cheap or free things to do! The theme parks are SO expensive, so we will only be going to a couple of those.

Does anyone know of any cheap wildlife parks and what is there for families (esp toddlers) to do in Brisbane?

Any suggestions??

if you have/no someone with an "entertainment book" you get 15% off the entry prices, and off accomodation at some places too.

failing that join "Myfun" and get 10% off.

um currimbin was fun for me at 14 back in 2004 but i dunno about a toddler...lots of walking

lunar park in Sydney is cheaper than the other theme parks...

umm were heading over 4 3 weeks in nov so ive been researching. lol

I second Southbank, heaps of fun and if you go on a weekend they have a wee market there also (can't remember if its run on Saturday or Sunday or both sorry)
The Friday markets they have along Surfers beach front a worth a look around also (sorry also don't know if they are weekly or what)

I enjoyed currimbim sanctuary and I know Jake would have a blast if we took him now if that helps? Theres also the superbee honeyworld in currimbim which you could check out while you're in that area.

Southbank rocks and the markets are on from friday evening to sunday, theres also an imagination factory in southbank at the queensland museum, theres a steam train ride thru brisbane on sundays, museum zoo is apparently awesome according to my lil cousin, theres lots of model boat get-togethers which are awesome to watch - we go to the brissy entertainment centre in boondall, theres the climbing centre, the david fleay wildlife park has merit, the australian outback spectacular was primo last time I saw it, or theres aussie country downunder in canungra...

lol i love queensland sorry and im typing onehanded coz bfing so scuse messiness...

Brisbane's Museum of Modern Art has a children's art centre, which didn't have a lot happening when we were there (4 weeks' ago), but just next door is the Queensland Art Gallery which had a workshop on for kids (hat making).

Otherwise, like others have said, we filled plenty of time at South Bank, at the Museum, and just general sightseeing, walking through the gardens, across the bridges etc.

If we'd had a little more time in Brisbane we would've taken the ferries across the river, just for fun (I think they're pretty cheap), or gone up the Wheel of Brisbane, I don't think that was expensive.

On the Gold Coast, I don't think any of the wildlife parks are 'cheap', we had a 2 for 1 voucher for Currumbin but otherwise it would have been over $40 per adult, for a wildlife park that I personally didn't think was that great (compared to ones I've been to here). Clara loved the kangaroos though.

And the rest of our time on the GC we filled in at the beaches, pools, parks, etc ... the weather should be nice in August, I was there last August too and was fantastic, hot and dry

Thanks everyone

Does anyone know how long it takes to drive from Surfers to Brisbane?

The best thing we do when we go over to Aussie is buy the Australian entertainment book - if you know of someone that already has one in New Zealand then you can buy a second one for $50 and you will save HEAPS.

We brought the Brisbane one (because we already had the Christchurch one it was only $50nz) and we wrote down everything we saved - worked out as $750!

There is things in there like buy one get one free for Steve Irwins Zoo - thats like $50 savings! Plus all the restuarants, accommodation everything - well worth getting.

Linky to the book?

We went to SeaWorld and Dreamworld and I thought SeaWorld was much better for littlies. Expensive, but we thought it was worth it :) They say you can't take your own food in, but we did and noone checked. If you don't, eating there is SO expensive!

There are HEAPS of parks there which are amazing!!! We spent a few days of our holiday just at different parks with a picnic lunch!

And we played at the beaches too