Ensure the kids are kept entertained these school holidays, with a host of fun and exciting activities across the region.
Artspace Mackay will be closed Monday, December 4, to early May, 2024 for critical facility maintenance works. Dudley Denny City Library will host Artspace Mackay pop-up during this time. Due to the closure, no school holiday activities will be held.
LIBRARY KIDS CLUB (FIVE TO 12 YEARS)
Until Wednesday, January 31
Sign up for Library Kids Club and keep the kids' reading and entertained over the summer school holidays. The club is suitable for children aged five to 12 years. The club features a reading challenge with prizes up for grabs and events and activities to fill your social calendars.
Register for Library Kids Club and join in the free fun at your local library: http://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/librarykidsclub
Bookings are required for all Library Kids Club activities via Eventbrite.
LIBRARY KIDS CLUB - MOVIE MATINEE
Friday, December 15, 2pm to 4pm, Gordon White Library
Thursday, January 11, 2pm to 4pm, Gordon White Library
Join us for an afternoon movie and popcorn. This event is for children aged five to 12 years old. Want to know what we are watching? Follow us on Facebook to find out. The movie will be announced prior to screening. Bookings required.
LIBRARY KIDS CLUB - CHRISTMAS PUPPETS AND PYJAMAS
Thursday, December 21, 5pm to 6pm
Gordon White Library
Join Ros from Wild Puppets for an evening of family fun. Suitable for children aged two to ten years of age and their families. Limited spots available. Bookings required.
DROP-IN DAYS
Until December 22, 8.30am to 5pm
Mirani, Sarina and Walkerston libraries
Imagine, connect, construct, create, build and design. Children aged five to 12 years are invited to drop in during library open hours to explore and discover our educational construction resources. Follow on Facebook events. No bookings required, drop-in activities.
More school holiday activities to come for January!
Watch this space…
ACTIVE SQUIRTZ MACKAY
Wednesday, December 20, at 9am
Wednesday, January 10, at 9am
Wednesday, January 17, at 9am
River Wharves, River Street
Join in Active Squirtz’s awesome adventures for two- to five-year-olds. The 40-minute sessions are free to attend. Register via their Facebook events.
TIBBLES HUNT
Until December 20, 9am to 4pm
Tropical Shade Garden
Tibbles the friendly garden gnome is adventuring through the Tropical Shade Garden during the holidays. Pick up an activity sheet from the Visitor Information Centre and find all the hidden gnomes to discover the secret festive message. A free activity suitable for kids aged five to 12 years.
Additional self-guided activity resources can be found here: mackayregionalbotanicgardens.com.au
BOARD GAMES AT THE BOTANIC GARDENS
Wednesday, December 20, 11am to noon – Bookings required
Botanic Gardens Meeting Room
Bring the whole family or a couple of friends and enjoy a relaxing atmosphere as you challenge each other to win. Try a classic like Scrabble, Cluedo and Checkers or take the challenge with Stardew Valley, Sushi Go and Bananagrams to name just a few. FREE family friendly activity.
CHRISTMAS CARD CREATIONS WORKSHOP
Tuesday, December 19, 10am to 11am
Botanic Gardens Meeting Room
FREE drop-in activity, suitable for all ages. Create a festive card using found materials and a splash of Christmas colour.
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS KIDS’ WORKSHOP
Wednesday, December 20, 10am to noon
Botanic Gardens Meeting Room
FREE drop-in activity, suitable for ages five to 12 years. Create a Christmas decoration inspired by the botanic gardens. All materials provided.
FAMILY PICNIC PHOTO COMPETITION
Open all school holidays. Drawn January 19.
What is your favourite family picnic spot in the gardens? Send a photo of your family enjoying a picnic in the gardens to botanic@mackay.qld.gov.au for a chance to win a picnic basket set!
BOCCE WITH A BUDDY
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, except during Christmas closure period
Malta Garden Bocce Court
Cost: $5 to hire a bocce set
Enjoy a game of bocce with a friend on our sand bocce court. Bocce sets are available to hire from Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre or bring your own to play. Please note bocce hire not available from Thursday, December 21, 2023 to Sunday, January 14, 2024.
DBCT KIDS’ THEATRE SEASON – THE BEANIES
Saturday, January 20, 10am and 12.30pm
MECC North Foyer
Join us for this delightful picnic-style performance on comfortable pillows and mats in the North Foyer. The Beanies are sincerely silly. In fact, they’re full-time silliness professionals! But beneath the comedy lies a heartfelt mission to be every child’s BFF and champion their right to be gloriously and unapologetically themselves. Find out more and book!
SPECIAL KIDS TOUR OF THE SARINA SUGAR SHED
10.30am every day of the school holidays, except Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Field of Dreams Parklands, Railway Square, Sarina
Cost: Adult entry at the children’s price of $14,
Bookings are essential: www.sarinasugarshed.com.au
This fun, interactive session focuses on the kids, with the added bonus of adults being welcome at kids' prices! During the 45-minute tour, the kids will discover the growing and harvesting of the sugar cane and complete a hunt for the critters that live in our sugar cane patch. They’ll enter our miniature sugar mill to see how sugar cane is crushed, and sample deliciously sweet sugar cane juice straight from our miniature mill, 'Bill the Mill Junior’.
Special stickers help the kids to understand how the machines work to transform sugar cane juice into sugar – they can touch and feel the different stages of the production from the bagasse to the sugar, to tasting the molasses! They’ll also receive a free information sheet at the end, which is great for school projects, and the quick, fun quiz will help to keep the young ones engaged. They are guaranteed to learn something!
All events run 10am to 2pm
The Sarina Youth Centre will host a range of school holiday drop-in activities for young people aged 10 to 21 years. There are limited spots, so please register to attend by calling 4961 9278 or email sarinayouthcentre@mackay.qld.gov.au
Monday, December 18: Gingerbread making
Tuesday, December 19: First Aid Course (free)
Wednesday, December 20: Christmas community party, Rugby League grounds 11am to 3pm
Thursday, December 21: Christmas lunch
Friday, December 22: CLOSED
