SEPTEMBER SCHOOL HOLIDAY GUIDE

Entertain the kids with everything from free art and craft activities, music and live entertainment to getting them outside exploring the Botanic Gardens with the perfect weather as Mackay Regional Council facilities offer a range of activities these school holidays.

> ARTSPACE MACKAY  

Decorate a Mandap with colour and crepe paper

Until October 1, 2023

Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm

Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 3pm

Inspired by Zanny Begg’s video work ‘Stories of Kannagi’ on show at Artspace Mackay, we’ve constructed a Mandap (a four-post structure traditionally used in India for special ceremonies) and we need your help to make it a special, beautiful and colour-filled space! This project is for all ages and abilities, so bring your family and use the many colourful crepe-paper streamers and instructions provided to make a variety of beautiful garlands to adorn the Mandap. Free entry, no bookings required. See below for special opening hours by Foodspace Café over select school holiday weekends.

Giant outdoor lawn games

Saturday and Sunday, September 23 and 24, 10am to 3pm

Love playing Jenga, Connect 4 and Noughts and Crosses? Come along and enjoy playing them in jumbo sizes with the family on the shaded lawn area outside near Foodspace while grabbing a bit to eat and a cuppa at the café.

> LIBRARIES

Larrikin Puppets Kids Comedy Puppet Show

Thursday, September 28, 10.30am to 11.15am at Gordon White Library Book tickets

Friday, September 29, 9.30am to 10.15am at Dudley Denny City Library Book tickets

Join us for a colourful and exciting puppet show featuring intriguing characters, songs, skits, jokes, games and live interaction. Puppeteers Brett and Elissa have trained in the USA under puppeteers from The Muppets and Sesame Street and their fast-paced, feel-good performance encourages audiences to talk, play, sing, and dance along. Suitable for children aged 7 years and under and their families.

Puppetry Performance Workshop with Larrikin Puppets

Thursday, September 28, 1pm to 2pm at Gordon White Library Book tickets

Friday, September 29, 11am to 12pm at Dudley Denny City Library Book tickets

An interactive workshop led by Brett Hansen and Elissa Jenkins of Larrikin Puppets who received their training in the USA under puppeteers from The Muppets and Sesame Street. Learn the basic techniques that bring puppet characters to life. Suitable for children aged five to 12 years.

> MECC

MECC Presents: The Sunshine Club

Thursday, September 28, 7.30pm

MECC Auditorium

Set in 1946, the joyful and acclaimed musical The Sunshine Club, tells the story of Aboriginal soldier Frank Doyle, who is just returning home to Brisbane after serving in WW2, to find that, while the world may have changed, the same attitudes and prejudices still exist at home. The Sunshine Club is a gloriously energetic, thought provoking and above all entertaining night of theatre. Book tickets

> MACKAY REGIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS  

SELF-GUIDED ACTIVITIES

Tibbles Hunt in the Tropical Shade Garden

Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm during school holidays

FREE, self-guided kids’ activity, suitable for ages four and up. Find Tibbles the gnome and decode his latest message. Pick up your activity sheet from the Visitor Information centre weekdays, 9am to 4pm. Return the completed activity sheets to get your sticker.

Strolling Story Trail – One Remarkable Reef

Until September 22, 9am to 4.30pm

Follow the story of One Remarkable Reef along the trail throughout the holidays. Find the painted reef-inspired rock with ‘YOU WIN’ on the back along the way and return it to Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre to win a reef-inspired prize! Suitable for kids of all ages.

Creatures of the Gardens

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm during school holidays

Discover some of the creatures found in the botanic gardens and surrounding region. Pick up your booklet from the Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre, answer the questions along the way and give yourself a sticker at each stop. This free, self-guided family friendly activity is suitable for kids aged seven years and older.

Bocce with a Buddy

Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm during school holidays

Malta Garden’s Bocce Court

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. Cost: $5.00 to hire a bocce set.

BOOKED ACTIVITY

Creative container plants

Wednesday, September 27, 10am to 11.30am

Tropical Sun Lawn

Cost: $7/person

Spring has sprung! Get your gardening gloves on and join in to create a container garden with a difference. Reuse your plastic containers to create a decorative, tiered mini garden to attract wildlife or add a splash of colour to your garden. Bring along three plastic containers (eg 1.25L soft drink bottles, 1L milk bottle, yogurt containers, etc) and suitable clothing that might get dirty. Parental supervision is required at all times. Suitable for school aged children with colouring-in activities available for younger children. To book your spot, phone the gardens on phone (07) 4952 7300. Payment is required to confirm your spot.

> MACKAY WATERFRONT  

River Wharves Activities

Wednesday, September 27

9.30am to 10.15am: Story Time presented by Let the Children Play at the Pavilion stage.

9.30am to 11.30am: Mackay Libraries exploration stations and First 5 Forever van.

> SARINA SUGAR SHED  

Special kids tour of the Sarina Sugar Shed

Saturday, September 16 to Sunday, October 1, 10.30am every day

Adults at children’s prices (bookings essential)

Field of Dreams Parklands, Railway Square, Sarina

(Please note this tour does not include a full tasting of products for the adults)

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 the sugar cane patch.

> SARINA YOUTH CENTRE

School holiday activities

All events run 10am to 2pm

A variety of school holiday activities are on offer for youth aged ten to 21 years. You must register for a spot and please indicate what day/program you would like to attend. Contact Sarina Youth Centre on 4961 9277 or email sarinayouthcentre@mackay.qld.gov.au.

Monday, September 25: Cooking

Tuesday, September 26: Trivia competition

Wednesday, September 27: Minute to win it - 60 seconds challenge

Thursday, September 28: Movie day

Friday, September 29: Board games - verse your friends

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