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 almost made it to the end of the year. Three terms down, one 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.
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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
Spring 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:
Rumble on the Reef
Location: Mackay
Cost: free
The event will feature a variety of skateboarding contests, including best trick jams, game of skate battles, the culturally significant Pasifika Cup, the prestigious Apex AM Series Championship for juniors, and the highly anticipated BMD Pro Tour Championship for professionals.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
Location: Toowoomba
Cost: free and paid events
Four breathtaking weekends of flowers, flavours and sounds, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers takes over the Southern Queensland city of Toowoomba in the most beautiful of ways each Spring with a program of unique events and experiences including award-winning parks, stunning private gardens, a street parade bursting with floral colour, internationally acclaimed musical acts, some of the best food and wine to be found in Queensland and a multitude of cultural and natural adventures.
Oz Comic-Con
Location: Brisbane
Cost: from $23
Step into the extraordinary world of Oz Comic-Con, where age is just a number and passion know no bounds! Embark on a thrilling journey across two action-packed days filled with adventure, laughter, and all things pop culture. Whether you’re a seasoned convention-goer or attending for the first time, Oz Comic-Con promises an immersive and enjoyable experience for all.
Victoria school holiday ideas
You could spend some quality time with your children exploring the many Melbourne laneways while sipping hot chocolate these spring 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:
Cherryhill Orchards Blossom Festival
Location: Yarra Valley
Cost: kids free Mondays to Wednesdays
This year, for the first time ever, we will be hosting our annual Blossom Festival at our expansive 100-acre orchard in Coldstream. This is a fleeting sight, with our cherry trees only blossoming for a brief period every year from late September to early October. Participate in additional experiences throughout the duration of the festival, such as workshops, local makers and creators’ market and kids’ hub.
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
Searoad Ferries school holiday activities
Location: Queenscliff, Sorrento, Mornington and Bellarine Peninsula
Cost: various
Searoad Ferries has a fantastic schedule of free school holiday activities aboard its ferries between Queenscliff and Sorrento. Enjoy the Captain Jack Pirate Show, the Krazy Koala puppet show and even a fun and interactive workshop learning all about Port Phillips unique dolphins and other amazing marine life, including seals and whales.
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:
Hello Koalas Festival
Location: Port Macquarie
Cost: free
The world’s first festival celebrating Australia’s best-loved animal, the koala, now in its eighth year. Centred around a four-day treasure hunt, the festival has been inspired by the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail which encompasses 90+ fibreglass one-metre-high koala sculptures, handpainted by local artists, located in 72 locations on the Mid-North Coast.
Monster Jump
Location: Sydney
Cost: from $35
This colossal mobile inflatable obstacle course spans a jaw-dropping 280 metres of non-stop fun and thrills. With over 30 unique obstacle adventures, Monster Jump promises an unforgettable experience for everyone—from kids to adults.
Jurassic Creatures
Location: Albury-Wodonga
Cost: from $28.50
Jurassic Creatures, a realistic animatronics exhibition like no other, will capture the imagination of children and parents alike with Dinosaurs and spectacular activities that immerse you in a prehistoric time. This spectacular event opens up a world full of life-like moving dinosaurs. Explore and be amazed and thrilled as the greatest creatures ever to walk the earth return and come alive before your eyes.
Play! Kids Festival at The Pavilion
Location: Sydney
Cost: free and paid
The Play! Kids Festival is southern Sydney’s biggest children’s arts festival, providing a unique opportunity for kids to engage with the arts, with a range of interactive experiences and workshops including live orchestras, comedy, theatre, dance/art classes and much more! This year’s line-up includes ABC’s The Listies, comedian Tahir with his new show The World’s Best Worst Magician, The Metropolitan Orchestra playing Peter & The Wolf, and detective-puppet story, A Little Bit Of Blue.
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.
Floriade
Location: Canberra
Floriade will celebrate its 37th year with the theme Art in Bloom and over one million beautiful flowers will transform Canberra’s Commonwealth Park into a vibrant canvas of colour and creativity. This year’s program will offer art exhibitions, entertainment, music, food and drink, horticultural and artistic workshops, market traders, recreational activities and more, with something for everyone to enjoy.
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.
EverNow
Location: Burswood
Cost: free
EverNow is a festival during the Noongar season of Kambarang that celebrates the unique place, land and culture of Western Australia. Whether you are a visitor to Perth, coming on your own or as a family or group of friends, EverNow is an opportunity to light up your senses and be inspired by the beauty and brilliance all around.
Northern Territory school holiday activities
There’s much to do this school holiday in the Northern Territory. With the temperatures rising, school holiday fun up north will likely 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.
Desert Festival
Location: Alice Springs
Cost: various
Desert Festival is a multi-arts festival showcasing local and regional arts and content. It is the only local event that provides a multi-disciplinary platform for Central Australian artists from diverse cultural backgrounds across all artforms.
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.
Nature Festival
Location: Adelaide
Cost: various
Returning for their fifth year, over 400 nature-inspired events are blooming all across South Australia. They have art, adventure, music, food, wellbeing, and Aboriginal culture, including many free and family-friendly events.
Copper Coast Miniature Train Rides
Location: Yorke Peninsula
Cost: from $3
The Copper Coast Miniature Train Rides usually runs on the first and third Sunday of the month. Although small, the train is suitable for all ages. Covered footwear is required.
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.
Fascinating Science
Location: Launceston
Cost: free
Questacon’s travelling exhibition Fascinating Science explores everyday scientific principles and problem solving puzzles. Discover interactive experiences to learn about logic, balance, fluids, illusions and mathematical puzzles, exploring three zones in the exhibition.
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.
