School's out: things to do these school holidays in Brisbane

Your go-to place on Brisbane’s South Bank for family-friendly activities that are also kind on the hip pocket (i.e. free) is the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. A rotating line up of always-on and seasonal exhibitions and programs encourage little imaginations to run wild – especially at QAGOMA’s Children’s Art Centre; a creative hub especially designed for families who like to get hands-on and make their own art and craft.

If you’ve a budding Einstein in the family, the Queensland Museum’s interactive SparkLab is just a 10-minute walk from GOMA. Exhibitions span three themed zones that will keep the kids entertained for hours as they ponder how the world works, and how we can change it. Children under five can visit for free, while family passes are also available – but book ahead so you don’t miss out, as this is a popular school holiday hang out. 

While you’re at South Bank why not treat the kids to a good old fashioned sky-high adventure on the iconic Wheel of Brisbane, cool off with a dip at Streets Beach, and end the day on a sweet-note with a handcrafted icy treat from Happy Pops.

Wildlife warriors

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is not just any koala sanctuary. It’s the world’s first and largest refuge for our eucalyptus-munching, cuddly and cute native marsupials who are sadly under threat in the wild. But here, your kids will learn what they can do to help them and, with their little hearts stirred, do their bit for koala conservation.

And while tree-huggers are clearly the local heroes here, there’s a menagerie of other animals that call this place home. Listen to the soundtrack of the bush as flocks of wild lorikeets swoop in, perching on your kids while they feed them. They can get close to kangaroos and let them nibble food right out of their hands; or join a session to learn more about snakes. There’s also turtles, eagles, crocodiles, echidnas, dingos, platypus and more.

A trip down memory lane

A little history lesson that your kids will actually enjoy. North Ipswich’s The Workshops Rail Museum is living proof that trains really are timeless, with 150 years of continuous operation making it Australia’s oldest running railway workshop.

Invite the grandparents who’ll love to take kids on a trip down their own memory lane, sharing tales of how rail travel once was in the ‘good old days’. Winding the clock back even further, there’s a replica of a second-class carriage from the late 1800s, plus 15 permanent exhibitions to explore. Take a look at Queensland’s current rail network, stretching from the suburbs to the sugarcane fields, the Outback, rainforest and red dirt of our interior.

A play space for kids, Nippers Railway, with adventure playground and interactive railway-themed activities will give little locomotive lovers a great ride. All aboard.

A sense of adventure

See the city from a totally different perspective while getting outside and active at Brisbane’s Riverlife Adventure Centre.

Perched at the base of Kangaroo Point’s cliffs, young adventurers can rockclimb, abseil, kayak or bike the day away, with a range of family-friendly activities to try. For a two-wheel way to explore Brisbane, Urb-E electric scooters are available to hire. Riverlife’s twilight kayak or abseil tours are also a hit with older kids, too.

Want more fun on the water? Check out this list of the best things to do on and around the Brisbane River.

Park it up

A great day out with kids doesn’t have to cost a fortune. In fact, with so many parks in Brisbane, you could fill the whole school holidays with just fresh air, shady trees and playgrounds.

Of course, there's the obvious playground of opportunities at South Bank Parklands, sprawling 17-hectares along the riverfront. But there's also 16-hectares of sprawling gardens, at Roma Street Parkland, an inner-city oasis, with free barbecue facilities, playgrounds, walking/biking pathways and the mandatory cafe for a parental caffeine fix.

Another family favourite is New Farm Park. Hop on the CityCat and jump off at this leafy oasis, or there is plenty of parking close by. A giant kids playground is set amongst shady fig trees, three designated picnic areas, and sporting fields for those partial to some batting and ball play. If you’re there on a Saturday, check out the iconic Jan Powers Farmers Markets fronting the Brisbane River, where you can stock up on home-baked goods, farm-fresh produce, and all the picnic-basket goodies for one epic lunch spread.

Join the circus

Keep the kids active while entertained during school holidays by joining the circus at Flipside Circus.

Kids aged from two to 16 can engage in fun workshops, that range from a few hours to a full day of  learning performance tricks. Youngsters can try all sorts of things, from fun play on the mats as an introduction for littlies, through to older kids mastering the apparatus of a circus performer and daring to take on the trapeze.

Day trip to Bribie Island

Jump on the highway and you can reach Bribie Island in a little over an hour - and it's an easy drive, with no need catch a ferry to get there. 

Endless sun, sand and adventures await. Choose the surf beaches on the eastern shore, or stick to the protected western waters: Bongaree Foreshore is a popular spot for families and watersports, and there's a great, shady playground and fish & chips takeaway to fuel the activities. 

Keep busy with jetskiing, join an eco-cruise, visit a butterfly museum, or head out to discover old WWII forts. You'll need a 4WD and beach driving skills to get to the fort, or book a tour with G'day Adventure Tours. 

Want to stay a while? Nearby, BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort is a getaway beside Pumicestone Passage that has it all: waterpark, swimming pool, firepit, jumping pillow, sports courts, and a restaurant & bar too. 

Feast at the markets