School holiday activities for the festive season 2025
Published on 09 December 2025
The kids are in for a real treat these Christmas holidays as the City Heart comes alive with festive lights, magical window decorations and hidden presents by Santa followed by two of the world's biggest starts, Bluey and her younger sister, Bingo, making a special appearance at the Bluewater Quay to see the year out.
Needing to escape the heat? Head to your local library or the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens meeting room for fun festive activities or cool down at the Bluewater Lagoon, open all holidays except Christmas day.
Make sure to follow the Facebook pages of the facilities for more information and updates.
Bluewater Lagoon
Cool down at the Bluewater Lagoon, open over the school holidays from 9am to 5.45pm every day except Christmas Day.
Swim Centres
For changes in opening hours and closures over the Christmas period, visit our website here.
Bookings for these activities, other than drop-in days, are required via Eventbrite for all attendees.
BIG Summer Read!
The Big Summer Read challenges you to pick up a book and keep reading over the holidays.
The Big Summer Read challenge is open to anyone from birth to 18 years, and it’s completely free to participate. Whether independent readers, or listeners enjoying books read aloud, everyone is welcome to join in. Participants can log books they read, have read to them, or even listen to as audiobooks. We are encouraging parents and caregivers to continue reading aloud to young people over the summer break and to log those books as part of the challenge.
To participate, all kids need to do is read and log 10 books either online or in branch by Friday, January 31. For each lot of 10 books read, they get another entry. As an added incentive, those who complete the character hunt challenge at their local library will be entered into a draw for additional prizes!
Sign up here and find your next great read at Mackay Libraries.
Bedtime Stories
Thursday, December 19, 5pm to 6pm
Dudley Denny City Library
A fun evening for all children aged 0 – 8 years and their families. The session features nursery rhymes, stories, songs and a craft activity. Don’t forget to wear your pyjamas! Bookings required.
Movie Matinee
Friday, December 20, 2pm to 4pm
Gordon White Library
Join us for an afternoon movie and popcorn. This event is for children aged five to 12 years. Check out Facebook for clues on what movie we are watching... can you guess?
Christmas Craft for Kids (5-12years)
Monday, December 16, from 10am to 11am - Sarina Library
Tuesday, December 17, from 10am to 11am - Walkerston Library
Tuesday December 17, from 2pm to 3pm - Mirani Library
Wednesday, December 18, from 10am to 11am - Gordon White Library
Thursday, December 19, from 10.30am to 11.30am - Dudley Denny City Library
Get into the spirit of Christmas at your local library! Bookings required.
Parker the Library Van
Monday, December 16, 9am to 11am - Botanic Gardens Playground area
Friday, January 3, 9am to 11.30am - Seaforth Esplanade Park
Friday, January 3, 2pm to 3.30pm - Lamberts Beach
Monday, January 6, 10am to 2pm - Bluewater Lagoon
Tuesday, January 7, 8.30am to 3.30pm - Finch Hatton
Thursday, January 9, 9am to 11.30am - Shoal Point
Thursday, January 9, 2pm to 3.30pm - Bucasia
Saturday, January 11, 10am to 2pm - Canecutters Drive Park
Tuesday, January 14, 9am to 11am - Cape Hillsborough
Tuesday, January 14, 1.30pm to 3pm - Sarina Beach
Tuesday, January 21, 8.30am to 3.30pm - Finch Hatton
Wednesday, January 22, 9am to 11am - Grasstree Beach
Wednesday, January 22, 11.30pm to 1pm - Sarina Youth Centre
Thursday, January 23, 12pm to 1pm - St Helens Beach
Thursday, January 23, 2.15pm to 4pm - Calen
Parker is packed with books and everything you need to know about your local library. Drop by and take a look at what Parker has on board!
Visit the weekly markets at the Bluewater Quay where you will find kids activities every school holidays.
Mackay Farmers’ Market
Every Wednesday, 6.30am to 10.30am until December 18.
Visit their Facebook page for more information
Mackay Riverside Market
Every Thursday, 3pm to 7pm
Visit their Facebook page for more information and details of their last market for the year.
City Heart Christmas Bright Lights
Evenings from Wednesday, December 11 until Saturday, December 21 (excluding Monday and Sunday nights)
Masonic Hall, Wood Street
Mackay’s City Heart will come to life with a festive two-storey light show. The City Heart Bright Lights will see a tropical themed Christmas light show projected on to the Masonic Hall façade.
Magical Christmas Window Competition
Until Monday, December 16
City Heart businesses
Stroll through the streets of the City Heart to explore and enjoy 25 local businesses with beautifully decorated shop windows participating in the Magical Christmas Window competition. To vote for your favourite window decoration simply scan the QR code on their shop window. To find a list of participating businesses, head to www.mackaywaterfront.com.au/what-to-do/magical_window_competition.
Santa’s Secret Present Search
Until Monday, December 16
City Heart businesses
Gather your family and friends and search the city to collect the secret presents that Santa has hidden inside 10 of your favourite stores. Solve each clue to find the next stop on your quest and look out for the special Christmas yarn symbols to know you’re in the right place. Upload a photo of you/your team at the 'Santa Frame' on Wood Street to go in the random draw for extra prizes.
Santa’s Secret Present Search promises fun for all ages and is a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Find the list of clues and the random draw entry form at www.mackaywaterfront.com.au/presentsearch and follow the fun on their Facebook page.
New Year's Eve River Party
Tuesday, December 31, 6pm to 9pm
Bluewater Quay
Say goodbye to 2024 and kick off the new year with a bang at the New Year's Eve River Party. This free community event is a favourite among locals and visitors alike. There will be non-stop entertainment for the whole family topped off with fireworks and two of the world's biggest stars making an appearance.... Bluey and her younger sister, Bingo! Come along for a special live interactive experience with meet and greet sessions. Set to be filled with dancing, games, and all the fun you can handle. Don’t miss out on this pawsome experience! Follow their Facebook page to find out more.
All activities are free and require adult supervision. For bookings or questions, call 4952 7300.
DROP-IN ACTIVITIES: NO BOOKING NEEDED
Christmas Crafts
Wednesday, December 11, 10am to noon
Friday, December 13, 10am to noon
Monday, December 16, 10am to noon
Thursday, December 19, 10am to noon
Botanic Gardens Meeting Room
Make a nature inspired decoration or festive card. These activities are suitable for school aged children, five to 15 years. Parental supervision is required at all times. Please note short waiting periods may apply during busy times.
Board Games
Tuesday, December 10, 10am to noon
Thursday, December 12, 10am to noon
Wednesday, December 18, 10am to noon
Botanic Gardens Meeting Room
Escape the heat! Try your hand at one or more of our board games on offer. Parental supervision is required at all times. Please note short waiting periods may apply during busy times.
SELF GUIDED ACTIVITIES: NO BOOKING NEEDED
Tibbles Word Search
Weekdays 9am to 4.30pm until Thursday, December 19
Tropical Shade Garden
Tibbles the friendly garden gnome is adventuring through the Tropical Shade Garden during the holidays. Find all the hidden gnomes to discover the secret code. Suitable for kids aged five to 12 years.
Additional self-guided activity resources can be found here: mackayregionalbotanicgardens.com.au
REGULAR EVENTS
Bocce in the Gardens
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm except over Christmas period
(Closed 4pm, Friday, December 20, reopening 9am, Monday, January 13, 2025)
Malta Garden’s Bocce Court
$5 for hire of bocce set
Did you know that bocce is one of the most popular and oldest games throughout European countries? Test your skills at our bocce court in the Malta Garden. Bocce sets are available to hire ($5 per set) from Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre. Bookings are not required.
Special kids tours of the Sarina Sugar Shed
10.30am every day of the school holidays (45 min tour) except Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Cost: Adults at children’s prices $15 (bookings essential)
This fun, interactive session focuses on the kids, with the added bonus of adults being welcome at kids' prices!
Discover the growing and harvesting of the sugar cane and complete a hunt for the critters that live in our Sugar Cane Patch.
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. Our stickers help the kids understand the machines that work in the process from turning juice into sugar. Touch and feel the different stages of the production from the bagasse to the sugar, taste the molasses!
Receive a free info sheet (great for school projects) and a quick fun quiz to help keep the young ones engaged - they are guaranteed to learn something!
Finally, everyone gets a chance to taste our non-alcoholic ginger beer brewed onsite and freshly spun fairy floss for big and little kids!
More info:
Adult tickets for the kids’ tours does NOT include the full tasting experience. This can be purchased separately as a tasting session if desired.
Except for assistance dogs, animals are not permitted on the tour.
All tours are conducted in our working miniature mill at the Sarina Sugar Shed. Our machinery replicates the process of a full-scale mill. We do not offer tours to the full-scale Plane Creek Mill situated next door to us.
For more information or to book a tour online visit sarinasugarshed.com.au.
The Sarina Youth Centre will host a range of school holiday drop-in activities for young people aged ten to 21 years. There is a limit of spots, so please register to attend by calling 4961 9278 or email sarinayouthcentre@mackay.qld.gov.au
School holiday program runs from 11am to 2pm, Tuesday to Thursday (closed Mondays and Fridays).
Tuesday, December 17 – Swimming (Free entry at the Sarina Community Pool)
Wednesday, December 18 – Baking Christmas cookies and Minute to Win It games
Thursday, December 19 – Christmas movie
Tuesday, January 14 - Girls Day (Free haircuts and facials. Limited numbers, please book)
Wednesday, January 15 – Build the Hogwarts Castle with Lego
Thursday, January 16 – Cooking stir-fry noodles
Tuesday January 21 – Boys Day (Free haircuts. Limited number, please book)
Wednesday, January 22 – Cook homemade pizzas
Thursday, January 23 – Board games and puzzles