School holidays bring with them a wide range of fun and exciting activities to share with the kids. In the City of Moreton Bay the options are almost endless. With school holiday events, programs and workshops in abundance, not to mention all of the usual activities that make this area so popular, the real question will be not what to do but how to fit it all in!
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Cool down at the Redcliffe Lagoon
A fun way to cool down during the school holidays would have to include a visit to Redcliffe Lagoon. Overlooking the Moreton Bay foreshore, the crystal clear lagoon pool is part of the larger Settlement Cove development, which also features a playground and fun kids’ splash play area. Free for everyone, the lagoon is perfect for all ages, with shallow water for toddlers and a graduated depth for older children.
Visit a Moreton City Library
Libraries are one of our favourite places to take the kids during the school holidays when they need a moment of quiet and calm. Moreton Bay City has an impressive list of libraries with an extensive range of school holiday workshops, activities, and programs. These activities are usually free, and they cater to kids of all ages and a broad variety of interests. From STEM to crafting, book clubs to discovery, you can find and book into these by either calling your local library or searching their website.
You can find a complete list of Moreton City Libraries here.
Visit a Moreton Bay City Playground
If in doubt – there is always the local playground. A gift to tired parents everywhere who would love to sit down quietly with a coffee and watch on as their little ones climb, slide, swing and explore, Moreton Bay City is overflowing with some incredible play spaces for kids. From fully-fenced to seaside, with facilities to fill a whole day and local attractions nearby, you will find the perfect playground to suit your family at our list of the Best Parks in the Moreton Bay Area.
Visit the Redcliffe Museum
Take your kids on a historical journey at the Redcliffe Museum. Offering a unique and contemporary perspective of the people, places and stories of the Redcliffe Peninsula, the museum has a number of permanent exhibitions as well as many feature ones that show throughout the year. They usually run school holiday programs and activities for kids so be sure to check out our website calendar or theirs to see what is scheduled before you go.
Zoom into the Warplane Museum in Caboolture
Combine a love of aircraft with some fascinating history during a visit to the Caboolture Warplane Museum. Offering more than just your usual museum exhibits, the kids will love hearing the stories and viewing the impressive flying machines of the past. Better still, they can come back from school holidays with a picture of them ‘flying’ the Bell Iroquois helicopter while there.
Take in the Redcliffe Peninsula
The Redcliffe Peninsula sits on the edge of Moreton Bay and comprises 22 kilometres of beaches and calm bayside areas to play. You can visit any of the eight charming seaside towns here, the most popular being Redcliffe, Scarborough, Margate and Woody Point. The area comes alive over the school holidays with pop-up markets, festivals and many other family-friendly activities. Wander along the shoreline, stroll through the different stores, go fishing off the Woody Point Jetty, grab some fish and chips and breathe in the fresh coastal air.
Shop the local markets
Moreton Bay City is home to some of the most eclectic and vibrant markets in South East Queensland. The coastal and country areas come alive most weekends, and during school holidays you can expect to find even more pop-up varieties. From food and produce to country-style nick-nacks, clothes, jewellery and furniture, there is a market for everyone. A list of some of the best ones can be found here.
Enjoy the ocean at Bribie Island
Perfect for a family day trip or a longer stay if you can, Bribie Island offers families an authentic beach experience with a calm side for little kids and a surf side for the more adventurous. Linked to the mainland by a road bridge, the island stretches from just beyond Sandstone Point in the south to Caloundra in the north. Take the kids to the beach, check out the arts museum, wander through the markets, visit a playground or go for a bushwalk through the national park. If you want to stay active, there is plenty to do but also wide open natural spaces to relax and unwind.
Go for a ride on the Moreton Bay Cycleway
Stretching from Scarborough Beach in the north to Ted Smout Memorial Bridge in the south, the uninterrupted Moreton Bay Cycleway is a school holiday must-do for families that love to ride together. Riders will enjoy the perfect bay views on one side and plenty of tourist hotspots to stop off at along the way. This pathway stretches for a whopping 150km!
Enjoy some family time at Sandstone Point
Sandstone Point (just before the bridge to Bribie Island) is home to one of the best family entertainment spaces in the region. The Sandstone Point Hotel is known for its family-friendly events, including live music, festivals, and even giant water slides. Stay for a day or stay for a week, with the Big 4 next door offering the perfect family holiday accommodation.
Visit an animal farm
Lyell Deer Sanctuary
If you are looking for a country escape and unique animal experiences, a school holiday activity you may want to explore is visiting one of the local animal farms. White Ridge Farm in Elimbah contains all the barnyard friends you are searching for and offers families the chance to get close to them all. There are also hayrides, a playground, mini golf and even a fossil dig on site! For something a little more unusual, visit the delightful Lyall Deer Sanctuary at Mt Samson, which is also close to Trevana Glen Farm (another farm experience catering to families).
Visit an Environmental Centre
The environmental centres in Moreton Bay are educational (but fun) ways to explore the natural world around us. Osprey House at Griffin is a wetlands-focused environment centre home to a resident Osprey family. A bit further north, the Caboolture Region Environmental Education Centre (CREEC) is an interactive environment centre also featuring an accessible fenced playground.
Discover hidden rock pools and waterholes
Cool off over the school holidays at one of the many natural rock pools and waterholes that lay hidden within the Moreton Bay City area. Bunya Riverside is one of the most popular natural swimming spots with an inland beach-type experience, toilets and picnic spots to make a whole day of fun. This is a dog-friendly destination, and there are plenty of shallow spots along the creek for your dog to enjoy a dip, too.
Other popular swimming holes in the City of Moreton Bay include Edward Allison Park and for families with older kids, Cedar Creek Falls.
Visit the Bribie Island Butterfly House
Nothing is more delicate or delightful to see in flight than the colourful flutter of butterfly wings. At the Bribie Island Butterfly House, your family can experience this times 100 as they fill the air like confetti around you. Walk through the breeding lab before entering the butterfly enclosure, where you will be enchanted by the inspiring sight of these tiny insects fluttering freely around you. Be sure to take your camera; there will be plenty of picturesque shots as they land happily on your children and even in their hands! (They have limited opening hours so check before you go)
Explore D’Aguila National Park
If you want to spend some time during the school holidays getting back to nature, then a day trip to D’Aguila National Park will remedy that. Mount Glorious and Maiala are around a 30-minute drive from Samford, offering several different rainforest walks, including a child-friendly 2km circuit. There is plenty of public parking where you begin the walk, with toilet facilities and idyllic surroundings for a picnic.
Visit the fairies at Kumbartcho Sanctuary
Fill your school holiday activity list with magic at Kumbartcho Sanctuary and Nursery. Complete with a Fairy Garden, Frog Sanctuary and Interactive Wildlife Trail, this is a unique nature haven located along the South Pine River. The native nursery here is well-priced, and there is a fenced playground for a quick play when you arrive. Kumbartcho holds regular school holiday and weekend events and workshops. To find these, you will need to follow them on social media (we dont advertise their events on our calendar purely because the numbers are so limited, and we would book them out).
Get sorted at the Store of Requirement
If your kids are Harry Potter fans, they will love the Store of Requirement. Entering the store is like entering a Harry Potter movie, with mountains of Harry Potter paraphernalia and a replica sorting hat. It is always fun and a little nerve-wracking to see what house you are best suited to (remember, your choice also plays a part). The shop is across from the road from John Scott Park, a popular train-themed playground.
Stop for a snack at the Samford Lifestyle Centre
If you think Samford has a lot of fun for families you would be right! Just a short drive from the Store of Requirement is the Samford Lifestyle Centre. While their tenants change occasionally, you can always rely on a good feed from the onsite cafe, Cafe Lagarto. There are also a range of farm animals (entry by gold coin donation), to check out while you are there. We are huge fans of the gift shop and the curated book shop here.
School Holiday Workshops and Events
The City of Moreton Bay has an active holiday program offering low-cost $5 or free activities for kids between 3 and 17 years old. Activities include golf, cycling skills, circus, archery, boxing and everything else you can imagine. You need to get in very early as these activities book quickly, so pay attention to the open dates on the City of Moreton Bay website. In addition to the school holiday workshops, the city also has a packed event calendar; we advertise all the family-friendly ones on our Brisbane calendar of events.
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