Hello!

I absolutely LOVE Winter school holidays. It’s the perfect time to rug up and get the kids outdoors to explore or cosy up on the couch with movies and popcorn.

We are so lucky to have such a wide variety of activities to do with the kids these holidays. Have a look at our list of highlights and take your pick.

PS Let us know in the comments below if you have any favourites we should add in.

NSW

Bushrangers Campfire Club

An awesome alternative to screen time, children will experience a day of wildlife, bushcraft, outdoor challenges, games and free play, all lead by the experienced Centennial Parklands bushranger in the great outdoors. Activities are designed to allow children to play outside and take part in problem-solving and cooperative challenges.

In the winter months, kids will get to know the art of firecraft – learn how to light a fire from a spark without matches and make some delicious dampers.

This program is a firm holiday favourite and places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.

To book your child a place or to find out more information about the program, visit the Centennial Parklands website here.

Where: The WILD PLAY Discovery Centre, Centennial Parklands
When: Wednesday 10 and 17 July 2019
Cost: $95 per ticket
Website:  www.centennialparklands.com.au

Check out all the school holiday fun at Centennial Parklands

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Mossy Monsters

A fabulous school holiday program, children will find out how carnivorous ‘monster’ plants eat insects during a tour of The Calyx at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, learn how plants and animals live together in the rainforest and search the Botanic Gardens rainforest for mossy monsters. Children will even get to take their own cool Mossy Monsters home.

Click here for more information about the Mossy Monsters program. 

Where: The Calyx, The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Mrs. Macquaries Road Sydney
When: 8 – 12 July & 15 – 19 July, 10.30 – 12.00pm OR 12.30 – 2.00pm
Cost: $20.50
Website: www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au

Check out all the school holiday fun at Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

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Ned Kelly and the Gang – Roving Outdoor Cinema

Join some of Australia’s notorious and dangerous bushrangers and the people in their lives in this interactive performance looking at how they survived in the wild Australian environment while on the run from the law.

What is the story behind these Bushrangers? Who were they and where did they live? And how did they survive in the unforgiving Australian bush? Come on a trek with some of our most infamous bushrangers as they take you on a moving adventure to tell their tales.

Click here for more information about Ned Kelly and the Gang performances.

Where: The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden
When: Wednesday 10 July 2019, 10.30am and 12.30pm
Cost:  $14 per person
Website: www.bluemountainsbotanicgarden.com.au

Check out all the school holiday fun at The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden

ned-kelly

Pizza Party in the Bush

In this game-filled program, children will learn about native Australian plants and how they are used by the Aboriginal people. They’ll put ingredients together to create their own yummy pizzas from materials available in the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan.

Click here to book your child’s place in the Pizza Party in the Bush program. 

Where: The Bowden Centre, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan
When: Wednesday 10 and 17 July 2019, 10am – 12pm
Cost: $25 per adult and $19 per child ($41 for 1 adult and 1 child per workshop)
Website: www.australianbotanicgarden.com.au

Check out all the school holiday fun at Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan

pizza-making

Junior Chefs – Sushi Making at Vive Cooking School

Vive Cooking School is holding a great event for the school holidays!

The school holidays are coming and if this rainy weather sticks around you will want to find some fun activities for your little ones to occupy their time (and give you a second to breathe!). Look no further, we have just the solution for you!

We are excited to announce, that The Cannery’s VIVE Cooking School will once again be hosting their Junior Chefs event. This fun, interactive and yummy class for kids will teach them to become a mini whizz in the kitchen! A great win for busy mums and dads.

Whilst your kids are having the best time gaining valuable culinary skills you and the other parents can simply relax and enjoy a coffee at one of the delicious cafes or restaurants in and around The Cannery.

Join VIVE at The Cannery for their first instalment on Wednesday 10th of July – Sushi Edition.

The kids will be taught to create sushi rolls from scratch as well as homemade Yuzuaid –a traditional Japanese lemonade – to quench their thirst.

Make sure to book your children in early as the classes are selling out fast!

The classes are for kids between the ages of 7 and 15, simply head to www.vivecookingschool.com.au to book.

Where: The Cannery – Shop 18, 61 – 71 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery
When: Wednesday 10 July, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Cost: $75
Website: www.vivecookingschool.com.au

Bop Till You Drop

Bop till you Drop have been running educational and fun programs for 15 years. Our professional teachers will gently encourage and teach your child new skills in DANCING, SINGING, ACTING, plus craft, cooking and science to break up the action-packed day. There are 6 x 45 minute classes per day. This program is aimed at building self-esteem in your child. You will also get to see them perform in a CONCERT and receive a CERTIFICATE on the last day. The program focuses on self-esteem and confidence building. We encourage the children to be part of the creative process allowing them to feel important and proud of whom they are. You will be impressed and proud of their achievements in such a short time.

Hurry, spaces are very limited so book your spot now!

Where: Mosman – Waverley – Lane Cove – Castle Hill
When: Various Dates – check the Bop Till You Drop website for more details.
Cost: $75 per day – $30 sibling discount. Creative Kids vouchers are accepted.
Website: www.boptillyoudrop.com.au

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Skating At Festival

Whether it’s your first time on the ice, or you’re a skater from way back – this is sure to be the highlight of your winter months. Each session is 45 minutes long and includes skate hire. If the little ones need some help balancing, or simply want to glide across the ice on a Kangaroo’s back – Kanga the skate-aid will be there to make their experience an enjoyable one.

Visitors can also grab onto a snow tube and enjoy a thrilling ice slide down The Runway.

Where: Cathedral Square St Marys Rd, Sydney
When: 28 June – 21 July
Cost: Tickets start from $9
Website: sydney.skatingat.com.au

Skating At Festival

Disney On Ice

Grab your mouse ears and get ready for the ultimate interactive event at Disney On Ice celebrates Mickey and Friends.
For the first time ever, see fearless Moana on a high-seas adventure with demigod Maui. Follow the unforgettable Dory through the unexplored seas of the Pacific Ocean, join the Toy Story pals on an exciting adventure and discover true love with Elsa and Anna. Buckle in for the emotional rollercoaster of Inside Out and “Live Your Story” alongside Disney Princesses as they inspire all to celebrate their favorite Disney memories in this commemoration of 90 years of Mickey Mouse.

Here are FIVE Magical Reasons why you need to take your kids to see Disney on Ice!

Where: Qudos Bank Arena
When: 17 July – 21 July
Cost: Ticket price details are here
Website: www.disneyonice.com

BUY Tickets here: www.Ticketek.com.au/DisneyOnIce

‘Colourful Creatures’ at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo

These school holidays SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo have partnered with Animal Planet to celebrate the most Colourful Creatures! 

As guests venture through the attractions, they can create their own adventure storybook based on their encounters and experiences through the attraction, plus learn about the colourful creatures which call Darling Harbour home! Weave your own tale as you encounter the bright and beautiful creatures at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo including the monarch butterflies, magnificent tree frogs, Kangaroo joeys and resident Cassowary. Next door at SEA LIFE Sydney, try and spot our camouflaging weedy sea dragons, draw your own ‘Dory’ blue tang, touch a sea star in the Rockpool and learn how many spikes a lion fish has!

Then bring your story book to life and recount the sights, smells, textures and emotions, making for the ultimate take home souvenir to always remember their ultimate day out!

Where: ‘Colourful Creatures’ at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
When: 29 June to 31 July
Cost: Included in price of admission. Adults from $35.00 and children from $24.60 for single attraction entry. Upgrade to a two attraction pass and visit both attractions for just $50! Book online and save!
Website: For tickets and further information about school holiday activities, visit www.sealifesydney.com.au or www.wildlifesydney.com.au

SEA LIFE WILD LIFE

Free Family-friendly NAIDOC Week Workshops

Darling Quarter, will host a series of family-friendly workshops in celebration of NAIDOC Week from Monday 8 to Thursday 11 July. The workshops will run in conjunction with a free art exhibition, curated by aMBUSH Gallery, from one of Australia’s most exhibited artists – Wayne Quilliam – who will bring large-scale digital art to Darling Quarter in a visual representation of the NAIDOC aim “Let’s work together for a shared future”.

Held in the foyer of the Monkey Baa Theatre and hosted in partnership with the local Koomurri Aboriginal Incursions, the workshops will include: Didgeridoo Show ; Face Painting ; Song and Dance ; Message Stone, Aboriginal Art ; Storytelling ; Artefacts, Weaponry, Bush Survival and History and more.

Where: Darling Quarter, 1-25 Harbour Street, Sydney
When: 8 July to 11 July
Cost: FREE
Website: darlingquarter.com

Space Fun At The Powerhouse Museum

A program of events for all the family will take place this Winter SchoolHoliday (6–21 July) at Powerhouse Museum celebrating space travel and the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing.

Taking place alongside the Museum’s new Apollo 11 exhibition, young astronomers, engineers and astronauts in the making are invited to explore the history of space travel and this iconic moment in history through a program of workshops, challenges, trails and tours.

The Tinkertoreum (6–21 July) returns to invite children and their families to use their imagination and inventiveness to help create a new colony in space. Aspiring engineers can build a rover, mobile or buggy to race down the museum’s moon scape terrain and work as a team to create a space pod using new and recycled materials.

Alongside the space programming, an abundance of workshops will run throughout the holiday period exploring the latest in science, art and technology.

Where: Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
When: 6 July to 21 July
Cost: Prices vary – see website for more details
Website: maas.museum

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Experience ‘The Royal Academy’ with the brand new Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wax figures at Madame Tussauds Sydney

This July, get ready to roll out the red carpet as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex touch down at their new home and join the family at Madame Tussauds Sydney!

Inspired by iconic looks from their recent visit to Australia, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new wax figures will be a permanent feature at the Darling Harbour attraction as part of a brand new ‘The Royal Academy’ interactive experience.

From the 1 July, guests can become royalty in a revamped Royal experience which invites them to walk, talk and dress like a royalty! Guests are then invited to join the British Royal Family portrait, alongside Her Majesty the Queen, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle!

To help guests feel confident in the presence of royalty, the Madame Tussauds Sydney ‘Instant Royal Academy’ coaches guests on etiquette, teaching all how to correctly address a Royal, sit gracefully, curtsy like a lady and perfect the Royal wave. From 2-4pm on the 7 and 14 of July, nationally acclaimed etiquette coach, Zarife Hardy, will also be hosting exclusive lessons in Royal etiquette at the new experience for all budding Princes and Princesses! 

To sweeten the experience, the first 20 walk-up customers each day during the NSW school holidays (July 6-21) will receive a memorabilia biscuit, personalised with their Royal portrait or selfie. The bespoke biscuits are otherwise available to purchase in-attraction.

Where: The Royals at Madame Tussauds Sydney
When: Brand new permanent experience from Monday 1st July
Cost: Included in price of admission. Adults from $35.00 Children from $24.60. Book online and save.
Website: www.madametussauds.com.au

Way Out West (WOW) Festival

Bursting with live performances, interactive installations, incredible outdoor adventures and wondrous workshops, the 2019 WOW Festival program features over 230 chances to experience 18 performances and events, 22 workshops and four interactive installations, spread across 12 spaces in and around the Centre, over five days.

Family show highlights include Trash Test Dummies’ Dummies Corp ; The Listies with a brand new show, Rolling on the Floor Laughing So Hard A Little Bit of Wee Comes Out! and in an Australian premiere, Sydney-based collective Flatline present FIGURE OUT – a playful performance where dance, sound and drawing collide to expose the inner workings of the human body.

Casula Powerhouse’s Turbine Hall is transformed into a giant maze of mystery with (A)MAZE. When kids enter (A)MAZE, they enter into a journey of light, sound, colour and surprise. With three rooms each having three encounters, they are all then separated by a labyrinth of transformations, (A)MAZE is a series of hidden adventures waiting to be discovered.

Way Out West Festival presents Outdoor Play Everyday! Each day at the WOW Festival kids of all ages can participate in free outdoor play. From multilingual storytelling, giant games of twister and even a virtual reality adventure, the Outdoor Play Everyday program is educational, free and lots of fun.

In the hands of Junkyard Beats, ordinary household items are transformed into extraordinary musical instruments and unwanted junk comes alive in exciting and surprising ways!

This is just a tiny taste of a program bursting with creativity and play. So come one, come all to experience this most wondrous event out west, as Casula Powerhouse is transformed into an artistic playground packed with crazy and creative fun, explorations to embark on and brand new learning experiences.

Where: Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
When: 10 -14 July 2019
Cost: Many activities are FREE. Costs vary – see the website for more details
Website: www.wayoutwestfestival.com.au

junkyard_beats_01

The Ugliest Ducking

Featuring circus, movement, colour and a heartwarming tale, Q Theatre presents The Ugliest Ducking, this winter school holidays.

Exploring resilience, transformation and joy, Q Theatre’s adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling is a celebration of difference. The Ugliest Duckling tells the story of a homely little bird born into a family of ducks. He suffers abuse from the others around him because of his different looks until, much to his delight, he matures into a beautiful swan.

Where: Q Theatre, Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith
When: Thursday, 11 July – 6pm ; Friday 12 July – 10am & 12pm ; Saturday 13 July – 10am & 12pm
Cost: Tickets are $20 for children, $25 for adults and family passes for $80.
Website: www.thejoan.com.au

ugly-duckling

Sydney’s Highest Playground at Sydney Tower Eye

This July, Sydney Tower Eye is transforming into Sydney’s Highest Playground, offering the ultimate fun, games and views from the Observation Deck of the tallest building in Sydney!

Sydney’s Highest Playground will be a superbly silly, fun-filled event, featuring the best games and activities of the 80s, 90s and now Get your boomerang on with glow-in-the-dark hula hoops, or challenge your friends to a game of giant connect-four, giant jenga, table tennis, kerplun or the ultimate EYE spy!

Nestled 250 metres up in the sky, Sydney’s Highest Playground offers endless photo opportunities for the ‘gram and much much more!

On select days, the legends at Milky Lane are also serving up exclusive flavours of their signature loaded shakes, available to purchase from their pop up milk bar on the Sydney Tower Eye Observation Deck! Visit the Sydney Tower Eye website for Milky Lane’s pop-up times and dates.

And for those after more than just sky high views, everyone’s favourite classic cotton candy treat will be sure to deliver the sugar high!

No matter whether your age or shoe size, Sydney’s Highest Playground promises fun for all! Funky, retro outfits optional, but highly encouraged!

Where: Sydney’s Highest Playground at Sydney Tower Eye
When: From Monday 1 July
Cost: Included in price of admission. Milkshakes additional.
Website: www.sydneytowereye.com.au

Sydney Tower Eye - Sydney's Highest Playground 2

My Forest Adventure at Illawarra Fly

This school holidays, fly into Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures for a brand new adventure! Partnering with Animal Planet, Illawarra Fly is inviting all children to create their very own storybook as they journey through the Illawarra rainforest.  

All little wanderers will receive a complementary “My Forest Adventure” booklet to accompany them on the Treetop Walk; a 500 metre-long, 25 metre-high elevated walkway which provides unrivalled views of the unique beauty of the region’s flora and fauna.

Guests will create their own story, through fill-in-the-blanks and multiple choice activities which are brought to life by their sights, smells, textures and feelings, making for the ultimate take home souvenir to always remember their Forest Adventure at the Illawarra Fly!

And for those adventurers aged four years and over, the attraction’s high-flying Zipline Tour is the perfect “my first zip” experience which has you flying through the treetops and over the forest floor!

Where: Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures, 182 Knights Hill Road Knights Hill NSW 2577
When: 1 – 31 July
Cost: Included in price of admission. Adults from $22.50. Children from $13.50. Zipline Tour (includes Treetop Walk): Adults from $60. Children from $36
Website: www.illawarrafly.com

illawara-fly-winter-holidays

VIC

Disney On Ice

Grab your mouse ears and get ready for the ultimate interactive event at Disney On Ice celebrates Mickey and Friends.
For the first time ever, see fearless Moana on a high-seas adventure with demigod Maui. Follow the unforgettable Dory through the unexplored seas of the Pacific Ocean, join the Toy Story pals on an exciting adventure and discover true love with Elsa and Anna. Buckle in for the emotional rollercoaster of Inside Out and “Live Your Story” alongside Disney Princesses as they inspire all to celebrate their favorite Disney memories in this commemoration of 90 years of Mickey Mouse.

Here are FIVE Magical Reasons why you need to take your kids to see Disney on Ice!

Where: Rod Laver Arena
When: 4 July – 8 July
Cost: Ticket price details are here
Website: www.disneyonice.com

BUY Tickets here: www.Ticketek.com.au/DisneyOnIce

disney-on-ice-mickey

Stay warm at Skydeck these school holidays!

Take the kids out of their comfort zone and high into the clouds these School Holidays at Eureka Skydeck!

From 29 June – 14 July, enjoy free explorer-themed activities at Eureka Skydeck all day during the Victorian spring school holidays.

All Eureka Skydeck Explorers will receive a FREE Melbourne Explorer activity sheet to work their way through.

For those who dare, the world’s only Edge experience is also available at Eureka Skydeck. Suspending guests 285m above ground in a 3m by 3m transparent glass cube, the Edge slides out of the building to give a 360-degree view of Melbourne and beyond.

And for those looking for the ultimate virtual experience, take part in Eureka Skydeck’s current green screen activation, VERTIGO. The specially constructed VERTIGO set allows guests to have their photo taken with the illusion they’re falling through the glass floor of the Edge and are holding on for dear life, 285 metres above the streets of Melbourne.

Where: Located beside the Yarra River in Southbank and open from 10am – 10pm daily, Eureka Skydeck is one of Melbourne’s most spectacular tourist destinations and a top spot to take the family to during the school holidays.
When: 29 June – 14 July
Cost:  The Walk and Edge experience will cost patrons between $8 – $15, plus entry to Eureka Skydeck.
Website: www.eurekaskydeck.melbourne or call 03 9693 8888.

Brickman Cities powered by LEGO® CITY

Showcasing five of the world’s most iconic cities at different time periods in history, visitors can trace each city’s evolution all the way from 1000AD to today in a fun, educational and immersive way. At the centre of this new interactive experience is a 3m x 4m scale model of Lower Manhattan, built entirely in white LEGO® pieces with 3D stories of New York projected directly onto them. Using cutting-edge technology of UHD 4K projectors, visitors are taken on a journey from the First People’s villages right through to present day.

More than 1,900 hours and 1 million LEGO® bricks were needed to build Brickman Cities powered by LEGO® CITY.  Ryan ‘The Brickman’ McNaught and the creative team spent a further 250 hours developing sophisticated 3D projections to bring the hero city of New York to life.

Where: Scienceworks, 2 Booker St, Spotswood
When: Saturday 15 June to Sunday 4 August
Website:  www.thebrickman.com/exhibitions

The Greatest Magic Show

Following their recent sold-out season in Melbourne! The multi award-winning, sell-out sensation, The Greatest Magic Show returns to the Spiegeltent Collingwood from 2 – 13 July for 10 shows only, this time as a part of the biggest magic festival in the Southern Hemisphere, the Melbourne Magic Festival! Incredible illusions and circus artistry, and invisibly shooting a very special guest out of a cannon across the stage are just some of the things that make this family-friendly magic show the greatest, but for the first time, Sam and Justin are joined by Brendon Kerss, the mysterious Ringmaster…

Melbourne-based comic magicians Justin Williams (26) and Sam Hume (20) will be using their combined 15 years in family entertainment to put on this production, which is anything but a typical children’s magic show. The routines are unique and out of this world, not to mention that you will be struggling not to pee yourself from all the comedy coming non-stop from these two charismatic performers!

Where: Melba Spiegeltent, Collingwood
When: 2 July – 13 July
Cost:  Adult + Conc $23. Family $80. Group 10+ $18. Group 20+ $15.
Website: melbournemagicfestival.com

Bring It On The Musical

Bitingly relevant, sprinkled with sass and inspired by the hit film, BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL is a hilarious, high energy hit featuring explosive choreography with aerial stunts. With a colourful assortment of characters and an exciting fresh sound, this universal story is sure to be everything you hope for and nothing like you expect!

Campbell is cheer-royalty at Truman High School and her senior year should prove the most cheertastic – she’s been named captain of the squad! But, an unexpected redistricting has forced her to spend her final year of high school at the neighbouring hard-knock Jackson High School. Despite having the deck stacked against her, Campbell befriends the dance crew girls and, along with their headstrong and hardworking leader, Danielle, manages to form a powerhouse squad for the ultimate competition – the National Championships.

Where: The Athenaeum Theatre
When: 11 July – 27 July
Cost:  Tickets from $49 – Book here.
Website: bringitonthemusical.com.au

Celebrate Christmas in July at Sovereign Hill Winter Wonderlights

TheWinter Wonderlights are once again lighting up Sovereign Hill in what will be the largest light projection ever staged in one site in Australia.

Enjoy a Victorian Style Christmas with the Winter lights, falling ‘snow’ and delicious food and mulled wine.

Where: Sovereign Hill, Ballarat
When: 29 June – 21 July
Cost:  Adult $62.00, Concession $49.70, Child (5-15 years) $27.80
Website: winterwonderlights.com.au

Wild Nights At Werribee Zoo

Life-size Dinosaurs have returned from extinction in time for the must-do winter tradition and will be brought to life for Dinos After Dark with dazzling lights, animatronics and an extraordinary soundscape.

The Jurassic creatures add to the already spectacular range of activities at Wild Nights experience which include dazzling fire shows, late night animal spotting, an Eastern-barred Bandicoot lantern parade, a Secret Garden, the Glow Zone, and more!

Where: Werribee Zoo
When: 6 July – 13 July 2019
Cost:  Adult – $35.00 / Member – $10 Child – $7.00 / Member – $5
Website: www.zoo.org.au/werribee

glowindark-dinosaur

SA

Brixpo

Brixpo is an awesome LEGO fan-run exhibition full of fun for the whole family. There will be a play space for kids (and their grown-ups) to let their imagination run wild. There will be over 100 fan-built creations plus refreshments and chill-out zones. Every ticketed guest will have an opportunity to vote for one of ten people’s choice builds with the chance to win yourself a prize just for voting.

Where:  Morphettville Racecourse
When: 13-14 July
Cost:  Adult – $12 Child – $7.00 Family – $32
Website: www.brixpo.com.au

Jurassic Creatures

Dinosaurs have taken over Adelaide! Jurassic Creatures, is an interactive walk through event that will captivate young and old alike. Explore an ancient world full of animatronic dinosaurs. Get ready to be amazed and thrilled as the greatest creatures ever to walk the earth return and come alive before your eyes.

Marvel at the story of their 165 million year domination of life on earth. Watch them move. Hear them roar! Get up close with the most infamous prehistoric animals including everyone’s favourite, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Become a Palaeontologist for the day. Children will be provided with an expert digger outfit before chipping away to unearth their very own fossil in the digging area (children are provided with a hard plaster egg to dig away at).

Plus there will be many more activities to take part in, including dinosaur jig-saw puzzle fossil displays, learn to draw dinosaurs, dinosaur ball pit, walking live dinosaur, dinosaur movies playing, free rides and jumping castles.

Where:  Bonython Park
When: 28 June 2019 – 28 July 2019.
Cost:  Adult & Child – $28.50 Family – $90
Website: www.jurassiccreatures.com.au

jurassic-creatures

Skating At

Whether it’s your first time on the ice, or you’re a skater from way back – this is sure to be the highlight of your winter months. Each session is 45 minutes long and includes skate hire. If the little ones need some help balancing, or simply want to glide across the ice on a Kangaroo’s back – Kanga the skate-aid will be there to make their experience an enjoyable one.

Visitors can also grab onto a snow tube and enjoy a thrilling ice slide down The Runway. And don’t forget the Powder Peak where you can get some air and bounce like a Kanga on the inflatable slide!

Where: Victoria Square, Grote Street,
When: 28 June – 21 July
Cost: Tickets start from $9
Website: adelaide.skatingat.com.au

QLD

Possum Magic

Don’t miss this brand-new stage adaptation of Mem Fox’s iconic Possum Magic by the extraordinary team at Monkey Baa these June/July school holidays.

Grandma Poss loves making magic. She makes wombats blue and kookaburras pink. She makes dingoes smile and emus shrink. But one day, when danger arrives, Grandma uses her most magical spell to make Hush invisible.

Hush has many wonderful adventures, but being invisible isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and Hush longs to see herself again. Possum Magic takes us on a whimsical journey to cities around Australia to find the food that makes Hush visible again.

Possum Magic has captivated and enchanted readers for generations and now this magical, unforgettable new production will mesmerise children and adults alike.

Where: Brisbane Powerhouse
When: 10 & 11 July
Cost: Tickets : $32
Website: brisbanepowerhouse.org

Maleny Botanic Gardens & Bird World, Sunshine Coast Hinterland

Set on over three hectares the manicured, magnificent Gardens are positioned high in the mountains, an idyllic 45 minutes from the local airport, providing stunning views of the area. The privately owned gardens include a panorama of waterfalls, lakes, ponds and colourful plantings. The interactive Bird Encounter in the Bird Aviary brings kids up close and personal with colourful birds of the world, from Finches to Macaws while the miniature animal enclosure is a favourite with all ages. Enjoy chicken, ducks, geese, guinea fowl and pat the animals Ginger & Frosty the alpacas and cuddle Bah Bah the sheep and Snowflake the billy goat.

Where: 233 Maleny-Stanley River Road, Maleny
When: Open daily from 9am – 4.30pm
Cost: Adults $16, children under 16 free
More Info: www.malenybotanicgardens.com.au

Queensland Maritime Museum, South Brisbane

Explore historic vessels of all shapes and sizes at the Maritime Museum. It is located on the banks of the Brisbane River at South Bank. You can take a complimentary audio guided tour to make the most of your visit. Kids will love the big exhibits such as the warship Diamantina. It is open daily from 9.30am – 4.30pm. Children cost $7.00

Where: Cnr Stanley & Sidon Streets, South Brisbane
When: Mon-Sun 9.30am to 4.30pm
Cost: Adult $16, Child $7, Family $38
More Info: maritimemuseum.com.au

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Take the kids to spend quality time with Australia’s native animals at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Home to more than 1,400 animals, get up close with kangaroos, koalas, wombats, echidnas, and many reptiles that live in natural-style bush and rainforest habitats.

After admiring the animals, make sure you leave time to explore the stunning 5-acre forest of the Lost Valley and see unique flora and wildlife such as lemurs and red pandas in their natural habitat. Your ticket includes admission to the park plus daily keeper presentations and animal shows. Some of the latter include taking a closer look at the critters, including lorikeet feeds that take place twice per day, free flight bird shows, and reptile shows.

Where: 28 Tomewin St, Currumbin
When: Open Daily from 7.30am until 5.30pm
Cost: Adult $39.95, Child $49.95, Family $149.95
More Info: currumbinsanctuary.com.au

WA

Snow Mall

Get ready for snow in the Hay Street Mall this winter! Visit the Hay Street Mall (west end) to be delighted by the wonders of make believe snow every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 28 June – 21 July. Snow will fall in 10 minutes intervals, with three sessions per hour.

Where: Hay Street Mall
When: 28 June – 21 July
Cost: FREE
More Info: www.visitperth.com.au

My Robot

When Ophelia moves with her family to the seaside, she’s not impressed. She doesn’t like the beach, misses her old home and thinks the people in this town are pretty strange. She feels like she’s missing a piece of herself. As she unpacks she finds a strange box full of parts with a curious note attached that reads ‘You. Make. Me.’

Together they take on the local bully and start making new friends. But are they smart and brave enough to take on a daring rescue at sea?

Barking Gecko Theatre’s My Robot reminds us that we are all made up of different parts, and that when we feel less than whole we can find – or make – a part that fits. A story bursting with special robot tricks, laughter and bewildered parents My Robot is a must see for all families.

Where: State Theatre Centre of WA, Studio Underground
When: 6 – 14 July
Cost: Adult / Child – $28.50
More Info: www.ptt.wa.gov.au

Water Wildlife Up Close

Head to Carillon City and enter an underwater world these school holidays with Critters Up Close.

Children and adults alike can meet a shark, sea stars, urchins, turtles, frogs and other sea creatures. There will be three fantastic and educational hands-on shows a day, mixed with opportunities for little scientists to learn about macro invertebrates and get creative with sand art.

Where: Carillon City
When: 8 – 12 July
Cost: FREE
More Info: www.visitperth.com.au

TAS

Port Arthur Ghost Tour

Brave an after-hours visit to one of Australia’s most haunted locations on this spine-chilling 1.5-hour walking tour. Enjoy a lantern-lit tour of the Port Arthur Historic Site and uncover the harrowing history of the UNESCO-listed convict site. Hear terrifying tales of ghosts and paranormal activity that date back to the 19th-century and listen out for ghostly footsteps as you tiptoe around the former penal colony. Those brave enough to finish the tour are presented with a ‘Certificate of Bravery and Courage’!

Where: Port Arthur Historic Site, Arthur Highway, Port Arthur
When: Tours depart every evening. Current tour departure times are 6:30pm and 8:30pm.
Cost: Adults $26.50, children 7-17 $15
More Info: portarthur.org.au

Zoodoo Wildlife Park

Zoodoo is an exciting hands-on Wildlife Park with a large range of native, agricultural & exotic animals including Bengal Tigers and rare White African Lions. Zoodoo offers an exciting experience and enables all visitors to get up close and personal with amazing creatures. Zoodoo offers all day attractions and access including free rides for kids, safari bus tour, coffee shop, BBQ & picnic facilities. Zoodoo Wildlife Park is located just 6km from the historic township of Richmond.

For more details visit: www.zoodoo.com.au

Bush Adventures

The City of Hobart’s Bush Adventures program offers people of all ages the chance to explore the wonders of nature around Hobart. The program gives great opportunities to enjoy and learn more about Hobart’s Bushland Reserves.

Join us this spring to watch the pollinators dance on the breeze, experience new generation emerging and enjoy the bush in all its glorious colour.

Activities include:

Guided Bird Walk
Guided Night Walk
Nature Play at Government House
Bush Stories
Flora the Explorer
Nest box building workshops
Go Wild Go Solo bike and hike adventures
Introductory sessions to the best outdoor apps and more.
Join us as we explore Hobart’s incredible bushland reserves to help you appreciate their wonders.

Bookings are essential.

NT

There is an action-packed schedule of fun kid’s activities in Darwin. Check out the full schedule here.

Have we left any activities out from our list? Tell us in the comments below.

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  • That is like an endless list! Can’t believe I missed this. Would have loved to have taken my kids to pizza party in the bush.

    Reply

  • There are some great sounding activites listed here

    Reply

  • Wow, what a list! So many things to do. It’s always hard to find things to do in winter with the kids as the weather isn’t the best

    Reply

  • Thanks for all the awesome ideas however you missed the ACT

    Reply

  • I love some of these suggestions. A great article!

    Reply

  • Was it just me or did ACT get missed?

    Reply

  • So many great ideas to keep the kids entertained during the school holidays.

    Reply

  • Thanks so many good ideas and activities – The Powerhouse Museum is always so interesting and well worth a visit.

    Reply

  • What a bunch of fun and entertaining activities for the kids to do during holidays. I love the sound of Pizza Party in the bush.

    Reply

  • Quite tricky for these holidays in Melbourne to think of things to do — generally need to be indoors. So great options.

    Reply

  • Great ideas. We’re moving to Qld this week so this comes in handy as we will be totally new to the area.

    Reply

  • Great ideas for all states – now to find where the money is coming from!!! A lot of these things are quite pricey and a family could find it difficult to afford them. Thanks for posting.

    Reply

  • I love that you’ve covered all the states. Thanks!

    Reply

  • Winter is my favourite time on the gold Coast QLD. We are super lucky the weather is perfect and heaps to do. All the shopping centres have free kids activities on. There is also a snow event on in Brisbane that looks like fun especially for kids that have never seen snow. If you book early there is a discount.

    Reply

  • Great ideas, we have a snow visit booked for these holidays

    Reply

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