Winter school holiday activity guide 2022

Melbourne winter school holiday activities 2022

Firelight Festival, Docklands 

Running from July 1-3, the Firelight Festival will take over Docklands for three nights of fiery instillations, spectacular light shows, pop-up food trucks and stalls, and so much more.  

Take the kids down to see the fire sculptures, flame jets and fire twirlers, as well as the new liquid, laser, and light show (running every hour) featuring a larger-than-life phoenix. 

Entry is free and there is no need to book, just rug up with a beanie, scarf, and very warm coat, and prepare to be dazzled by all things fire.  

SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium 

Take the kids on an interactive ocean adventure of more than 10,000 aquatic animals, where they can dive through the depths of the ocean, discovering exotic animals in vibrant Coral Caves before waddling their way to the icy cool waters of Antarctica, home to the regal King and cheeky Gentoo penguins. 

Come face-to-face with one of Australia’s largest crocs weighing a hefty 750kgs, while also seeing the largest collection of seahorses in the world.  

Just a five-minute walk from Flinders Street or Southern Cross stations, SEA LIFE is easy to get to via public transport, and RACV Members save on attraction tickets, so save time and book online. 

There are more than 10,000 aquatic animals at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium. 

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne CBD

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has several activities for the kids all year round, with exhibitions and programs to expand their creativity and get them excited about art. 

For the winter school holidays, there’s heaps of free drop-in sessions for everyone from toddlers to teens, like NGV Learn, art making classes and exhibition workshops, which means if you have kids who aren’t quite school age, they can come along for the fun too. 

Check out the NGV Kids guide before making your way into the city. And while you’re there, stick with the theme of the day and check out some great Melbourne street art, or even check another art gallery.  

City Circle Tram, Melbourne CBD

Now this is a super fun one for kids who love anything to do with trams and trains, as well as those parents keen to see Melbourne’s historic landmarks. 

The tram route does a loop of the CBD, going past the famous St Patrick’s Cathedral and Flinders Street Station, while giving commentary on their history. And the best part is you can jump on and off the tram as you please, allowing you to explore the city and teach the kids about what makes Melbourne so great. 

Puffing Billy, Belgrave 

Winter is a great time to check out Puffing Billy, going on a historic train journey through the leafy Dandenong Ranges to Lakeside or Gembrook. 

Let the kids dangle their feet over the side of the train as they are immersed in nature, smelling the eucalyptus trees, and listening to the sound of rustling trees and rattling carriages.

If your kids are particularly interested in trains, there are so many fantastic heritage railways to visit in regional Victoria, which could make for an excellent school holiday activity for the whole family. 

Puffing Billy is a historic journey through the leafy Dandenong Ranges to Lakeside or Gembrook. 

Regional Victoria winter school holiday activities 2022 

Victorian ski slopes: Mt Buller, Mt Hotham, Mt Baw Baw, and Falls Creek

Victoria’s ski season has well and truly begun, and after two years, Victoria’s ski slopes are once again open for business. 

This makes the winter school holidays the perfect time to pack up the car and hit the slopes for some fun. Resorts in popular snow and ski locations such as Mt Buller, Falls Creek and Mt Hotham post regular snow reports on things like the quality of the snow depth, so you’ll be sure to get the most out of the trip.  

Just be sure to check out our guide to driving in snow before you head off so that everyone arrives and returns safe and sound. 

Grab a sweet treat or hearty pie

Hit the open road towards regional Victoria for a hearty pie, because it’s not just Melbourne’s best bakeries that know how to make a good pie. 

The good news is that no matter which direction you go in Victoria, it’s harder to find a bad country bakery than a good one. 

Adventure Park, Geelong

From June 17 – July 10, Adventure Park's Winter Glow Festival is returning for another year, where big and little kids alike can discover a glowing winter wonderland of snow, lights, fire and ice. 

The kids can build a snowman in the Snow Play Zone, roast marshmallows over the roaring open fire and warm up with yummy flavoured hot chocolates, spiced cider, and mulled wine (for the adults, of course).

There is also live ice-sculpting and fire-twirling displays, plus 2.7 million dazzling lights and hundreds of glittering installations all over the park, plus mini-golf, air balloons and loads more.

Book your tickets early as this event sold out very early last year.

Goldfields, Ballarat

Let the kids discover some of Victoria’s famous history at Goldfields Ballarat where they can check out some of the old mining areas. Long Point Bushland Reserve is a great spot to visit and wander through what was once a gold mine where they can collect some of the quartz lying around – or even get lucky and find a gold nugget!

Winter Wonderlights also takes place in the region between June 25 - July 17, with Sovereign Hill coming alive with illuminated gardens, streets, and dazzling light projections.

Book a stay RACV Goldfields Resort so you're nice and close to the action.

Fairy Penguins, Phillip Islands

Take a drive south-east of Melbourne to visit the largest Little Penguin colony on the planet (also called the Fairy Penguin colony), just 40 minutes from the RACV Inverloch Resort.

The Penguin Parade happens nightly at the Phillip Island Nature Parks, where visitors can witness thousands of penguins make their way to shore to tend to their penguin burrows from the Penguins Plus Viewing Platform – it really is fun for the entire family.  

Whale Watching at Logan’s Beach, Warrnambool

Why not take a road trip along the Great Ocean Road, visiting some great pit stops along the way, and finishing in Warrnambool to watch the southern right whales and their calves. 

Head down to the viewing platform at Logan’s Beach, and if you’re lucky there will be plenty of whales frolicking in the water. 

The Great Ocean Road is also a foodie’s paradise, with fresh lobster, handmade cheese and ice-cream, local gin and whiskey, as well as fruit farms where the kids can pick all the fruit they like. 

Book in a night or two at RACV Torquay Resort to make your road trip an experience the whole family will remember for years to come.  
 

Road trip to Warrnambool and watch the southern right whales and their calves at Logan's Beach. 

Other fun school holiday activities

See a blockbuster movie

June and July are months where the weather typically doesn’t play nice, making it the perfect opportunity to stay dry and warm at the cinema. 

RACV Members save up to 30 per cent when pre-purchasing movie tickets for Hoyts, Village Cinemas & Palace cinemas, so take the kids to see Jurassic World Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Lightyear, or if they’re a little bit older, Top Gun: Maverick.

Get creative in the kitchen 

Spending time with the kids doing some baking is a great rainy-day activity (and gives them a break from screen time), and with so many recipes that are kid-friendly, there is sure to be one they’ll love, that’s easy enough for them to get involved.

Try this simple Rocky Road recipe, or these Salted Caramel Cookies, or if the kids are a little more advanced, try this one-bowl sponge cake recipe, or even some deliciously fluffy scones with jam and cream.