Tropical Fruit World Review
Have you heard about Tropical Fruit World and wondered if it is worth stopping at?
Are you looking for a fun off-the-beaten-path day trip from Brisbane that is fun for adults and kids?
Located in New South Wales, close to the Queensland border, Tropical Fruit World is about an hour and 20 minutes south of Brisbane and extremely close to the Gold Coast.
Spend the day outside on the fruit farm, taste a wide variety of delicious fruits, and even take a boat tour at Tropical Fruit World.
With more than 500 varieties of fruit spread across 200 acres, there is so much to see and for the kids to do during a 2.5-hour tour of Tropical Fruit World.
Read on for our guide to Tropical Fruit World as well as a review from a family with 2 fruit-loving kids.
Arriving at Tropical Fruit World
When you arrive at Tropical Fruit World, there is a long parking lot near a large variety of fruit trees. For those with electric cars, there are two charging spots closest to the Big Avocado.
Take the path by the trees to the front of Tropical Fruit World. Tickets currently must be pre-purchased online, but you can pick up your ticket at the fruit stand.
If you arrive early, there is a tractor for kids to play on as well as a large sand pit with toys inside.
Tropical Fruit World has a farm stand with fresh and dried fruit available as well as plants for sale. A little further down the path is a shop filled with dried fruit, nuts, candy, jams, honey, and skin care.
The cafe at Tropical Fruit World is attached to the shop. Both breakfast and lunch are served at the cafe at Tropical Fruit World, as well as snacks, coffee, and fruit ice cream. There are plenty of tables inside and a few picnic tables outside by the sand pit.
The menu at the Tropical Fruit World Cafe changes seasonally and includes options with delicious fruit as well as egg dishes, veggie bowls, fish, and burgers. Premade items are also available for quick meals.
Purchase your ticket to Tropical Fruit World here. If you need transportation from the Gold Coast, there is a ticket option that includes hotel pickup and drop off.
Fruit Tasting at Tropical Fruit World
The first stop on the tour at Tropical Fruit World is fruit tasting.
The building is about a 5-minute walk from the main area, down a paved path with fruit trees to both sides.
Inside the building, there are rows of seats and a display of fruit at the front. Someone gives a brief introduction to Tropical Fruit World and introduces various fruits, both well-known and some we hadn’t heard of before.
At the end of the talk, trays of fruit are available to try. Each tray fed 2 people, so we picked up 2 trays of fruit to share.
Each try had multiple pieces of each fruit. While the variety of fruit at the fruit tasting changes seasonally, our trays included avocado with a papaya herb seasoning salt, yellow sapote, jackfruit, dragon fruit, pineapple, and star fruit. There was also a bush tomato and an orange that tasted more like lime, which is called a rangpur.
The salt used on the avocado was delicious, and we all enjoyed the avocado and star fruit the most. My mom has a star fruit tree in Florida, and the kids are used to climbing the tree and eating as many star fruit as they want. They were most excited about the star fruit on the fruit tray.
I tried jackfruit in Thailand years ago, and I didn’t like it then, but I had just tried durian and didn’t know if that was why. The first bite of jackfruit tasted nice at Tropical Fruit World, but I didn’t like it after that. My kids felt the same way. Jackfruit was our least favorite item on the fruit-tasting tray, but we were all happy to try it.
NAIDOC Week at Tropical Fruit World
We happened to visit during NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee), and Tropical Fruit World had a special exhibit in the Plantation House.
The room was filled with artwork and signs about the artists as well as books and labels describing the Aboriginal word or phrases for various local objects.
We had a guide go through even more fruit with us, and before we left, we got to try Davidson plums, which look like plums but are extremely sour. She said they are called “wakey wakey fruit” because they wake you up. They are extremely nutritious and are like eating 3 oranges.
After her demonstration, she led us outside, where there is an incredible view of Tweed Valley, and they had lemon myrtle water for us to try.
Earlier groups got to try Banya nuts, but they were gone by the time we got there.
Looking for a fun place to stay nearby? Check out Hosanna Farmstay.
Tractor Tour of Tropical Fruit World
Our tractor picked us up near the Plantation House and began the tour of Tropical Fruit World.
The guide on the tractor was our guide for the rest of the visit.
Once on board the tractor, we drove through the property and saw an incredible amount of fruit trees.
I love trying new fruit when I travel, and having traveled a lot, I always think I know most of the different kinds of fruit in the world, but that is not true. There might be more varieties that I don’t know than the ones that I do!
Partway through the tractor tour, we stopped for another fruit tasting.
We learned about bananas and then ate bananas, mandarins, and macadamia nuts.
The stop along the tractor ride has 7 nut cracking stations as well as a sink for those who want to wash their hands.
After eating more fruit, we boarded the tractor again and rode close to the barn.
Animal Feeding at Tropical Fruit World
Those who wish can purchase animal food for $1 before the tour or at the barn.
Animals that we saw at the barn at Tropical Fruit World include chickens, sheep, goats, and kangaroos.
There is a toilet at this stop as well.
Wildlife Boat Cruise at Tropical Fruit World
From the barn, it is a short walk to the boat for the Wildlife Boat Cruise.
Our guide from the tractor steered the boat down the man-made river. The scenery is beautiful, and the boat tour is very smooth.
After a few minutes on the boat, we arrived at “Treasure Island”.
Play Time at Tropical Fruit World
The last stop on the tour of Tropical Fruit World is on an island full of games for both kids and adults.
There is a playground, a sand pit with toys, a zip line, a miniature golf course, and a few lawn games. Picnic tables are available on the island, and there is a toilet nearby.
We had about 20 minutes of free time to play before heading back to the tractor, which would take us back to the front of Tropical Fruit World.
Tropical Fruit World with Kids Review
All 4 of us enjoyed our day at Tropical Fruit World.
The tour was advertised as being 2.5 hours long, and that is how long it ended up being. I thought it might be longer due to NAIDOC week and the presentation. We all enjoyed the presentation about NAIDOC week and having the opportunity to try even more unique fruit. I am not sure what normally fills up that 20 to 30-minute period on the Tropical Fruit World tour.
We had enough time at all of our stops. Nothing seemed rushed. We had plenty of time to relax and explore Tropical Fruit World.
We ate lunch before arriving at Tropical Fruit World, as we did not know what to expect. Upon arrival, the food at the cafe looked delicious, and it appeared to be a great option for visitors.
Due to choosing a time in the morning on our last-minute day trip from Brisbane, we ended up arriving at Tropical Fruit World about an hour early. To be honest, the kids could have played there all day. Between the sand pit and the tractor, they were content, and they did not want to leave Tropical Fruit World when we drove home about 3.5 hours after arriving.
Tropical Fruit World FAQ
The tour of Tropical Fruit World lasts 2.5 hours. Plan to get there a few minutes before your tour begins.
In addition to the tour, there is a cafe, shop, and a sand pit for the kids to play in.
Plan for 3-3.5 hours at Tropical Fruit World.
Tropical Fruit World is 200 acres. Visitors ride in a large tractor through the grounds. Guests are able to get out of the tractor at a few stops inside of Tropical Fruit World
Everyone who purchases a ticket at Tropical Fruit World joins a tour that includes a few tastings in a 2.5-hour period. In addition to the fruit tastings, visitors ride in a tractor throughout the farm, take a boat ride, and enjoy free time playing or relaxing on the farm.
Fun for Kids near Tropical Fruit World
We live in Brisbane, which is an easy day trip to Tropical Fruit World, but it is even easier for those on the Gold Coast.
For those looking for more fun things to do with kids near Tropical Fruit World, here are several ideas.
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- Cheap Things to do on the Gold Coast
- Things to do on a Rainy Day on the Gold Coast
- Tamborine Mountain with Kids
- Kid-Friendly Restaurants on the Gold Coast
- Kid-Friendly Accommodations on the Gold Coast
- Hosanna Farmstay
- Tweed Eco Cruises Bushtucker + Crab Catching Tour
Pin for Later: Tropical Fruit World with Kids
