Looking for school holiday activities to do with the kids? We give you our best picks of things to do in the holidays from each of the Australian states.
The kids have made it to the middle of the year. Two terms down, two more to go. It doesn’t matter if you’ll be at home with the children, putting them into vacation care, palming them off to other family members. Our list of fun things to do will ensure the kids have a good time these school holidays.
Relevant: School holiday activities: Tips for parents to keep sane
Here are some of the best school holiday activities by state.
Queensland | Victoria | New South Wales | Australian Capital Territory | Western Australia | Northern Territory | South Australia | Tasmania
Queensland things to do in the holidays
Winter is the great time for some school holiday fun with the kids. There’s plenty of cheap school holiday activities but if you’re looking for something a little bit more special:
Showmen: Live Magic, Illusion, Circus and Stunts
Location: Brisbane & Townsville
Cost: from $35
Prepare to experience a jaw dropping spectacle of live magic, illusions, circus and stunts with Showmen—a supergroup of conjurors, tricksters, comedians, daredevils, contortionists, dancers and more!
Dreamworld After Dark: Snowy Nights
Location: Gold Coast
Cost: from $10
Slide into a snowy wonderland under the stars for an magical evening of frost-ivities including thrilling rides, ice skating, ice slide tobogganing, snowfall through Main Street, live shows and a mouth-watering European menu that is sure to warm the whole family!
Adventures of Peter Rabbit
Location: Brisbane
Cost: from $32
Adventures of Peter Rabbit is an exciting new adaptation of the classic tales by Beatrix Potter. Filled with danger, friendship and courage this play is an unmissable adventure for the whole family.
The Spongebob Squarepants Musical: Youth Edition
Location: Caloundra
Cost: from $29
Get ready to have the best day ever as Sunshine Coast Youth Theatre return this winter with an awesome adventure to Bikini Bottom! Join SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward and all of Bikini Bottom in this stage musical adaption of the iconic Nickelodeon series!
Victoria school holiday ideas
You could spend some quality time with your children exploring the many Melbourne laneways while sipping hot chocolate these winter school holidays. Or you could up the adrenaline with a vigorous game of laser tag. For other things to do in the holidays in Victoria:
East Gippsland Winter Festival
Location: East Gippsland
Cost: various
Incorporating winter solstice and the winter school holidays, the fourth annual East Gippsland Winter Festival will present one of the largest winter festival programs anywhere in Australia, offering something for all ages and a memorable winter getaway with family or friends!
Pharaoh
Location: Melbourne
Cost: from $16
The National Gallery of Victoria has partnered with the British Museum to present Pharaoh, a landmark exhibition that celebrates 3000 years of ancient Egyptian art and culture. Through more than 500 objects, including monumental sculpture, architecture, temple statuary, exquisite jewellery, papyri, coffins and a rich array of funerary objects, the exhibition unpacks the phenomenon of pharaoh, those all-powerful kings claiming a divine origin
Yarrawonga Mulwala Kids Festival
Location: Yarrawonga
Cost: various
Fun for the festival will include live and interactive shows, a variety of sporting clinics for adjudication assistance to empower and support children in team and individual environments, indoor hosted events will include a movie marathon, performing artists and shows for the enjoyment of all ages. Also, keep an eye open for cafe specials.
New South Wales school holiday activities 2024
There’s plenty happening in Sydney and surrounds to ensure plenty of school holiday fun. Spend the day exploring the Sydney harbour area for a cheap school holiday idea. There’s plenty to see around the Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour and the Rocks without breaking the bank.
Other things to do include:
Bathurst Winter Festival
Location: Bathurst
Cost: various
The festival extends across all 16 days of the NSW winter school holidays with the businesses and residents of Bathurst embracing winter, adding activities to the program of events, decorating their shop fronts and homes and creating a colourful carnival of welcome.
Moama Lights
Location: Moama
Cost: various
From illuminated ripples dancing on the water’s surface to the projection of children’s artworks onto the landscape, every element showcases tales of the bushland’s mysteries. Wander at your leisure along the illuminated path, meandering towards the historic Moama Wharf enveloped by majestic river redgums, while the tranquil sounds of the lagoon serenade you.
Tuff Nutterz
Location: Sydney
Cost: from $25
Tuff Nutterz is a fantastic family-friendly event that promises a day filled with fun and excitement for everyone. The event features Australia’s biggest inflatable obstacle course (300m long) and other inflatable games, which are sure to provide an exhilarating experience for both kids and adults alike.
Things to do in the holidays: ACT 2024
The Australian Capital Territory is the perfect spot for some school holiday fun with the kids. If you’re in Sydney, you could even pop in for a long weekend.
Curiosity: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks
Location: Canberra
Cost: $73.40 for a family of four
A hands-on learning experience that brings science and history to life in a collaboration between world-famous LEGO Certified Professional Ryan “Brickman” McNaught and Questacon.
Family Truffle Hunt
Location: Bredbo
Cost: from $55
You’ll be joining the truffle hunt, following truffle dogs Tawdiffu and SongLu in the search for Perigord black truffles grown on the farm. After smelling the aroma that permeates the soil, if ripe, the truffle is harvested in true archaeological style.
Museum of Australian Democracy: PlayUP
Location: Parkes, Canberra
Cost: free
PlayUP is the Museum of Australian Democracy’s imaginative family space with activities to educate, excite and challenge young minds. With listening pods and a roleplay Kindness Café, a fuzzy felt wall and facilitated craft activities, PlayUP has a range of exciting and immersive experiences that flip the traditional idea of museums completely on its head.
Western Australia 2024 school holiday ideas
Whether it’s a visit to the local library or a family weekend away, there are plenty of things to do in the holidays in Western Australia.
Visit Rottnest Island
Location: Rottnest Island
Cost: Varies
Sitting just offshore from Perth, the entire family will love visiting this protected nature reserve, home to the adorable quokka. You can travel to the island by air or water (90 minutes from Perth) and while you could technically make a day trip out of it, why would you with so many things on offer in Western Australia for young kids and old?
Giants of Mandurah
Location: Mandurah
Cost: free
Arguably one of his most ambitious projects to date, the “Giants of Mandurah” is an outdoor exhibition and game of self-discovery that celebrates and champions the protection of the Peel region’s extraordinary natural environment.
School’s Out Winter Fest
Location: Perth
Cost: from $47.93
Embrace the magic of winter as the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre transforms into a winter wonderland. With everything from ice skating to snow slides, falling snow and carnival rides, this all-inclusive value packed event has something for everyone.
Northern Territory school holiday activities
There’s much to do this school holiday in the Northern Territory. Even with the temperatures cooling, school holiday fun up north can still involve being in the water (unless there are crocs).
Wave Lagoon
Location: Darwin
Cost: Free
There’s something about the water that practically all kids love. We also approve of the chance to tire the kids out before bedtime. Hanging out at Wave Lagoon is probably one of the best free school holiday activities to do in Darwin. This safe wave and swimming lagoon rolls out different wave patterns and includes a shallow water play area for younger children. Just make sure you know all about water safety for kids.
Camel rides in the Alice
Location: Alice Springs
Cost: from $45 for kids
Pony rides are so yesterday. Instead, enjoy a camel tour around the Alice and appreciate the magic and serenity of the desert with the family.
Fish feeding at Aquascene
Location: Darwin
Cost: $43 for a family pass
Kids can choose to feed the fish from the comfort of the concrete stairs of the viewing platform or wade into the water and have them tickle their feet at this wonderful sanctuary.
Things do to in the holidays in South Australia
There’s plenty on offer over the Adelaide school holidays. The hardest part may be choosing what to do.
Illuminate Adelaide
Location: Adelaide
Cost: various
Throughout July the best and boldest luminaries from across the globe set loose across the city to create an invitation to experience something new. Something breathtaking. Something exciting. Well-worn streets, hidden gems, and cultural icons are transformed into a city-wide spectacle of free and ticketed events daring the curious to shake off the winter blues and rekindle a sense of wonder.
Tree Climb
Location: Adelaide
Cost: from $32
Australia’s first inner-city aerial adventure park built within the natural environment of the Adelaide City Park Lands. There are over 70 obstacles in eight courses to choose from, and this place is open rain, hail or shine. The area also has public BMX bike tracks, a playground, basketball and netball courts, sporting fields, plus an athletics track for your kids to burn off even more energy.
Tasmania holiday ideas 2024
Coming up with things to do in the holidays can be a challenge, but here are some of the best things to do in Tasmania with the kids.
Sheffield Steam Train Rides
Location: Sheffield
Cost: from $4
The Redwater Creek Steam and Heritage Society offer a heritage rail experience through the regular operation of a century-old Krauss locomotive. A miniature train and a number of different model gauge trains are also open.
Bicheno Beams
Location: Bicheno
Cost: free
A family friendly light show, Bicheno Beams brings together locals and visitors alike for an unmissable annual celebration of the place we love.
Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs
Location: Hastings
Cost: $60 for a family cave tour
If getting lost above ground isn’t your thing, try going underground to the Hastings Caves instead. An easy day trip from Hobart, the area is also home to some thermal springs, with a year-round temperature of 28 degrees Celsius.
Unsure when the next school holidays are? Check out our calendar.
