The summer school holidays are all about connecting with friends and family now that the school year has come to an end.
In Ipswich you can fill in the six weeks of holidays by taking to the skies in a hot air balloon, visiting the birthplace of rail, (Queensland Museum Rail Workshops) or cuddling some adorable farmyard animals.
Here are a few of the top activities that need to be on your family’s holiday checklist from 14 December – 27 January.
What’s on in Ipswich Central
Day out with Thomas returns to Ipswich
Day out with Thomas: The Bubble Tour will run from 27 December to 26 January at Queensland Museum Rail Workshops to give the kids something fun to do after Christmas!
The event includes everyone’s favourite blue engine, Thomas The Tank Engine, a bubble wonderland with machines, performers and a bubble dome.
Take a ride on the land train and get creative with bubble-themed arts and crafts.
The event will be on from 9am-2.30pm daily.
Level up your holidays with General Public
It’s time to level up your holidays with General Public’s School Holidays Fun Pack, loaded with double the fun for an unbeatable price!
From 14 December to 28 January, for $29 per person enjoy a game of bowling, to crush your friends (or family, we won’t judge) and get a $25 game card to keep the good times rolling (and your competitive spirit fired up).
That’s two awesome activities in one epic package! Whether you’re a pro at gaming or just looking for a new adventure, this pack is the perfect way to make the most of your school holidays.
Kids eat free at CSI
During the school holidays kids can eat for free at Club Services Ipswich every day through the new member app – the offer is available to all members new and existing.
Build a Fun Pass at Riverlink
During the school holidays Riverlink is having a fun pass promotion.
From Friday 13 December 2024 until Friday 24 January, 2025, you can purchase Fun Pass vouchers from a booth near The Athlete’s Foot.
You can either choose one or mix and match. On offer is a Limelight Cinemas movie pass for $8, a $7.50 iPlay bowling pass, an $11 iPlay 30min red or yellow arcade pass and a $15 dining voucher (with $20 value).
Enjoy a movie night at the newly refurbished Limelight Cinemas, followed by a game of bowling or 30mins of arcade games at iPlay and end the night with dinner at one of the many fantastic restaurants in the East Mall Restaurant Precinct.
*Terms and conditions apply. The offer is only available for participating retailers.
Make It Slow exhibition
This summer a hands-on immersive exhibition called Make it Slow is on show at the Ipswich Art Gallery. This brand-new exhibition in the Children’s Gallery encourages engaging with themes of creativity, environmental sustainability, DIY culture and collaboration.
Slow Art is about slow exchanges of value rather than the fast, monetary exchange of value. It is about the slow absorption of culture through community links by creating something together and blurring the boundary between the artists and viewers. It is a sustainable art practice, an alternative to deal with real problems in contemporary art practice.
This exhibition proudly presented with Slow Art Collective’s interdisciplinary artists Chaco Kato and Dylan Martorell.
Meet some of Ipswich’s cutest residents
Animal lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to an array of wildlife and farmyard experiences that can only be found in and around Ipswich.
The Ipswich Nature Centre in Queens Park is an unmissable experience for any visitor, as it is home to many animals including bilbies, dingoes, wallabies, a wombat, and also features a walk-through bird aviary.
The Ipswich Nature Centre is the only free zoo in south east Queensland, so you and your family can stay as long as you like, or come back whenever you feel like seeing those cute little faces again. They are open seven days a week during the school holidays.
Put your heads together to solve the clues
If your children love solving puzzles, then why not let them unleash their inner detective at Seraphim Escape Rooms. Working together as part of a team, the kids will enter a specially designed themed room where they will need to put their heads together to find the clues, solve the puzzles, and unlock the door in a certain time frame. This activity is perfect for children that are a little older and love a good challenge.
What’s on further afield…
Kids movies at the Drive In
The Tivoli Drive In is open every Saturday night during the school holidays (with the exception for 21 December). They are showing fantastic kids movies including Red One, Wicked, Moana 2, Monsters Inc, Kung Fu Panda and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, as well as some for the grown ups.
The price is $15 per car for two movies.
On January 10 a special screening of This is Us: One Direction will be held in honour of former One Direction member Liam Payne who tragically passed away recently, as a fundraiser to support Headspace. The price for this night is $40 per car.
Ghost tours
During the summer school holidays Historic Australia will be running tours in Ipswich. On Friday 13 December book in for a Haunted Ipswich CBD Ghost Tour, Saturday 14 December an Ipswich Cemetery Ghost Tour and on 4 January a Goodna Cemetery Haunted History Tour. Book here.
Koala safaris, 4WD tours and animal feeding at Spicers Hidden Vale
Spicers Hidden Vale awaits to make your family break unforgettable. Here, you and your kids can dive into a plethora of exciting activities. Whether it’s feeding the friendly farm animals (every day at 2pm complimentary), taking a tour of the market garden (at 3pm complimentary), or conquering the giant jungle gym outside The Barn, the options are endless.
For those seeking adventure, the world-class bike trails of Hidden Vale Adventure Park are at the Spicers doorstep. Plus, there is also gold-panning experiences and half-day 4WD tours across the extensive 12,000-acre property, ensuring that there’s never a dull moment in sight.
For these holidays Spicers are also offering a Koala Safaris, $199 for two people or $349 for up to four, 4WD tours with picnics and champagne for the adults ($399 for a family of four) and guided bush walks ($99 for two people).
Help a possum at Cooneana
The Cooneana Heritage Centre will be running a special program for children in the last two weeks of the school holidays.
Children can help resident possum Nea find some of her favourite things and in return they will receive a reward – a possum coin in a special presentation box.
Each child will be given a booklet showing photos of some of the artefacts on display that Nea wants them to find, and a pencil to tick the box when they find each one. There are also colouring books that children can take home.
Available from 16 January, 2025 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm (excluding public holidays).
Ramp camps
RampAttack will be running scooter and skate camps during the holidays. Starting 16 December you can book your kids in for full days of riding learning from the best with enthusiastic coaching from Viral Sensation SAUNDEZY and Local Rampy Coach Nelson. Kai (Saundezy) is a world standard scooter rider who travels around the world living life as a proscooter rider and loves coaching the next gen to enjoy riding a scooter too.
The lessons are tailored throughout the day, catering to all skill levels and there are only 20 spots for each day.
Included is all food and drink, gear if needed as well as fun games and expert tips.
There are one day or three day scooter camps available as well as a half day skateboards camp day option. Book here.
See the dinos, pet and feed the animals
The Ewe Nique Hobby Farm will be open every day during the school holidays (except for Tuesdays) for you to feed and pet the farm animals and have a coffee in the Baa Baa Cafe. Their new dinosaur experience is also open full of replica dinosaurs, birds and fish!
Enjoy two sessions each day, either 9am or 10.30am and meet the gorgeous baby lambs and goats!
School holiday program at Heritage Poultry
Heritage Poultry at Harrisville are holding a school holidays farm day. Included is an educational and fun farm experience where children can interact with goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, baby chicks, ducklings and more. Children can feed, brush and hold the animals.
Kids can either be dropped off, or you can stay with them. Ticket bookings open Monday 9 December and the event date is 13 January from 9am-12pm. More dates may be added. Book here.
Kids Disney and Pixar trivia at Orion Hotel
Bring the kids to the Orion Hotel for Disney and Pixar themed trivia on January 19. Entry will be free, but you must register, keep an eye out on Orion’s socials to find out more and book.
Visit The Llama Farm
You can visit Queensland’s largest herd of llamas these holidays.
The Llama Farm is not only home to llamas, but also giant rabbits, donkeys, goats, chickens, peacocks, ponies and camels.
Meet the animals on a Faces of the Farm tour at 9am on tour days or book in for a llama walk at 3pm on tour days.
Friday 10 January 2025 a Little Llama Farmers Children’s Workshop will be held at 9am. Your child will learn about llamas and other farm animals, help do the chores, and take home some llama goodies. It’s a hands-on children’s workshop that will bring a smile to your child’s face.
Bookings are essential, book online.
Free activities for kids at Springlake Hotel
Bring the kids to Springlake Hotel these holidays and enjoy free kids’ meals until 21 December and free kids’ activities.
A magic show will be held on Thursday 19 December from 11.30am-1.30pm, see Santa and his elves on Tuesday 24 December from 11.30am-1pm, and meet Spiderman on Tuesday 7 January from 11.30pm-1pm.
There will also be a slime workshop (Thursday 9 January 11.30am-1.30pm), Minion visit (Tuesday 14 January 11.30am-1pm), Frozen character visit (Thursday 16 January 11.30am-1pm), Johnny the Jester (Tuesday 21 January 11.3pam-1pm) and an Arts and Crafts Day (Thursday 23 January).
Kids eat free at Mihi Tavern
The Mihi Tavern has a calendar full of fun things to do for the school holidays including magic shows, animal encounters and a disco. Also during the first and last week of the school holidays kids can eat for free during lunch or dinner at the Mihi Tavern when you purchase an adult main meal.
A character game show will be held on Tuesday 17 December and Saturday 25 January from 11.30am – 1pm, and magic shows will be held on Thursday 19 December and Thursday 16 January from 11:30am – 12:30pm.
On Tuesday 7 January and 22 January there will be balloons and face painting from 11:30am – 1:30pm.
The kids can party at a disco on Thursday 9 January from 11:30am – 12:30pm and on Tuesday 14 January there will be a wildlife ranger with lizards, a snake, crocodile, turtle, possum and a bird from 11:30am.
Terms and conditions apply for the kids eat free offer and it is available for 14 December to 21 December and 19 January to 26 January.
Kids eat free at Brothers
These school holidays kids eat for free Mondays for lunch and dinner at Brothers with the purchase of a full priced adult main meal! So enjoy some time off cooking and dishes and treat the family for lunch or dinner.
Have a camel ride, take a tour and enjoy a discount
During the school holidays, Summer Land Camels will be running camel rides every day. The farm will open 9am to 3pm daily except for December 25, 26 and January 1 when they will close. There is no entry fee and visitors can pat and feed the camels for just a few dollars per bag of feed.
If you’re visiting during the holidays you can get a half price Tour, Taste and Camel Encounter for the kids. Use the code HOLIDAYS when booking online! After your tour enjoy a delicious lunch, brunch, camelcino or award-winning camel milk Gelato at the cafe.
A Little Humpty’s Christmas Party will be held on Wednesday 18 December from 9am to 2pm. Kids are encouraged to come dressed in their Christmas outfits. Tickets are $10 (under 4s are free) and include a 30 minute farm tour, chance to pat and cuddle the camels, activities and miniature goats. Santa will arrive about 10.30am and 12pm.
See the alpacas
Mysteria Alpacas will be open Sundays from 10am-3pm and Saturdays by appointment during the school holidays.
Take to the skies in a big balloon
If you’re looking to take your school holiday fun to new heights, why not take a hot air balloon flight over the city of Ipswich with Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights? Granted, you do have to get up super early, but once you are in that basket and watching the sunrise, it will be a holiday memory you will treasure always.
Hit the bike trails over the holidays
If you like to stay active, grab your bike and explore more than 110km of world class trails at Hidden Vale Adventure Park. Operating out of the luxurious Spicers Hidden Vale getaway, the various tracks are suitable for beginners right up to experienced riders. The property is open from 7am-3pm daily and can be accessed for $20 a day. Upon sign in, everyone will be issued a map to ensure they stay on the right track.
Let the kids run wild at one of Ipswich’s great parks
Sometimes all you need for a great family day out is the sun shining and a good playground to entertain the little ones.
Lucky for you, Ipswich has lots of great parks, playgrounds and open spaces where you can easily spend a full day! Why not check out or revisit Queens Park in the middle of Ipswich, Lobley Park in Churchill, Robelle Domain in Springfield, Joseph Brady Park at Barallen Point, Sutton Park in Brassall, Rotary Bicentennial Park in Redbank Plains, Discovery Park in Springfield Lakes and Spring Lake Park, also in Springfield Lakes.
There’s lots of fun climbing apparatuses, swings, slides and space to throw out a picnic rug or kick a ball around – the choice is yours!
Cool off at the water park
If you’re kids are keen to cool off after a few hours of running around, you can visit the water play area at Robelle Domain which has tipping buckets and jet sprays. There is also lots of fun to be had at the Splash ‘n’ Play water park at Providence Ripley, which features two aqua play zones, the Bob Gamble water park, or you can head to the Bundamba Swim Centre, which has a small water park for little kids, plus a 50m and 25m pool. There’s also a free water play area at Tulmur Place.
Ride the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail
Take a leisurely bike ride with the whole family from Ipswich to Fernvale along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. The trail traces the old Brisbane Valley rail line that commenced at Wulkuraka and continued to Yarraman, west of Kilcoy.
The 20km trail from bustling Ipswich out to the rural township of Fernvale is suitable for all riders, taking you on a fun family adventure through farmland, forest and picturesque settings away from the busy traffic.
The trail features various surfaces, including sand, grass, gravel and rough stretches of rocky ballast.
By using the Brassall Bikeway, riders can easily connect to Queensland Museum Rail Workshops in North Ipswich, and then travel via the road network to the historic Ipswich Central precinct, which is full of eateries, quirky shops and attractions like Queens Park and the Ipswich Art Gallery.
Where to stay…
Stay in the heart of town with Urban Getaway, or book a family-friendly farm stay at Pocket Retreats, or Tallavalley Farm B&B. Stay in Ipswich Central with Quest Ipswich and Oaks Ipswich Aspire Suites. Stay in Springfield at Quest Springfield and the Springfield Lakes Hotel.
For more options see our Accommodation Page.
