You don’t need an elaborate plan. Sometimes the best Father’s Days are built around good food, a little friendly competition and actually getting to spend some time together.

Free & Easy Wins

• Head out for a walk + coffee
  Pick a favourite local trail, beach or neighbourhood loop and grab a coffee along the way. Bonus points if someone else gets up early enough to bring Dad breakfast too.
• Backyard games tournament
  Cricket, bocce, footy, quoits, cards. Pick a few favourites, create a highly questionable scoring system and crown the family champion.
• Dad chooses the day
  Give Dad control of the itinerary. He picks where you go, what you eat and what you do. No complaining allowed. At least until Monday.
• Pack a picnic
  Find a favourite park, beach or lookout and pack Dad’s favourite things. Keep it simple with sandwiches and a thermos or go all out with a proper grazing spread.
  

Get Out of the House

• Hit the driving range or mini golf
  You don’t have to be good at golf to enjoy it. In fact, being terrible might make it more entertaining.
• Go fishing
  Pack some lunch, find a spot by the water and spend a few hours seeing who gets the first bite. If Dad is already plotting his next fishing trip, Ultimate Fishing: Australia covers 40 fishing destinations around the country.
• Try somewhere new for lunch
  Skip your usual and let Dad choose somewhere you haven’t been before. Make a day of it with a wander around town afterwards.
• Visit a brewery, market or local event
  See what’s happening nearby for Father’s Day weekend and turn it into an afternoon out.
  

Plan Your Next Adventure Together

Instead of planning everything for Father’s Day itself, use the day to work out where you’re going next.

Put the kettle on, spread out a map and start making plans.

Australia’s Ultimate Bucket List
From iconic destinations to lesser-known places worth discovering, Australia’s Ultimate Bucket List features 101 experiences from around the country.

Great for: Dad who is forever saying, “We should go there one day.”

Ultimate Adventures: Australia
More than 60 Australian adventures, covering everything from kayaking and hiking to wildlife encounters and experiences a little further off the beaten track.

Great for: The Dad who would rather be doing something than sitting still.

Great Golf Courses Australia
A tour through 50 of Australia’s great golf courses, complete with course profiles and beautiful photography.

Great for: Giving golf-loving Dad a few new destinations to add to the wishlist.

Ultimate Fishing: Australia
Forty fishing destinations across Australia, with information on where to go, when to visit and what you might find when you get there.

Great for: Dad’s next fishing trip, whether you’re invited along or not.

Ultimate Family Holidays: Australia

Packed with 65 ideas for family getaways around Australia, from easy weekends away to bigger adventures.

Great for: Choosing somewhere the whole family will actually be excited about.

Cooking for Dad is a Father’s Day classic for a reason.

You could keep things simple with bacon and eggs in bed, fire up the BBQ for lunch or hand Dad a cookbook and let him choose the menu. Depending on your Dad, that last option may or may not mean you’re still the one doing the cooking.

Here are two books we’re loving for this year’s Father’s Day feast.

Hang Fire

If Dad takes cooking over fire seriously, Hang Fire is right up his alley.

It dives into the world of fire and smoke, with everything from BBQ techniques and choosing wood to rubs, brines, cures and recipes made for cooking low and slow.

Try this for Father’s Day:

• Fire up the BBQ and make lunch the main event.
• Add a few easy sides, good bread and Dad’s favourite drink.
• Finish with something sweet cooked over the coals.

The Curry Guy One Pot

For the Dad who loves a curry, The Curry Guy One Pot is packed with flavour while keeping the washing up under control. A win for everyone involved.

Choose a couple of dishes, grab some naan and turn Father’s Day dinner into something you make together.

Try this for Father’s Day:

• Pick a curry you haven’t made before.
• Add rice, naan and a couple of easy sides.
• Let Dad decide the spice level. Proceed with caution.

Popcorn ready. Phones away. Dad gets control of the remote.

We’ve given last year’s movie list a shake-up with a new mix of family favourites, proper Dad movies, Australian classics and a few guaranteed crowd pleasers.

Check ratings and availability in your region to make sure each pick suits your family.

For the Whole Family

1. The Incredibles (2004)
Superpowers, family chaos and a Dad going through a fairly spectacular midlife crisis. Something for everyone.

2. Night at the Museum (2006)
Easy laughs, adventure and plenty going on to keep kids and grown-ups entertained.

3. A Goofy Movie (1995)
Underneath all the road-trip chaos is a surprisingly lovely story about a Dad trying to stay connected with his son.

4. The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
A family road trip goes wildly off course when the robots take over. Funny, chaotic and surprisingly heartfelt.

For Older Kids & Teens

5. Jurassic Park (1993)
Dinosaurs. Adventure. Jeff Goldblum. Sometimes you don’t need to overthink movie night.

6. Remember the Titans (2000)
Sport, teamwork and plenty of heart. A solid choice for the Dad who loves an underdog story.

7. The Martian (2015)
Science, survival and Matt Damon attempting to grow potatoes on Mars. Peak Dad-movie territory.

For the Grown-Up Kids

8. Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Fast cars, rivalry and a true story behind one of motorsport’s great showdowns. Very hard to go wrong here.

9. The Dish (2000)
An Australian favourite about the Parkes Observatory’s role in the Apollo 11 moon landing. Funny, warm and wonderfully Australian.

10. Big Fish (2003)
A son tries to separate fact from fiction in the larger-than-life stories his father has told him his whole life. Save this one for when you’re prepared for some feelings.

Still Need a Gift?

If you haven’t found Dad’s present yet, we can help with that too.

Explore our Father’s Day collection for thoughtful gifts, books, accessories and plenty of things Dad probably wouldn’t buy for himself.