School holidays activities

> Artspace Mackay  

September Sand Drawings
Until Sunday, October 3
Tuesday to Friday, from 10am to 5pm
Weekends, from 10am to 3pm
Artspace Mackay, Workshop room
Drop in anytime during the school holidays and explore the art of sand drawing! Inspired by the current exhibition, Sandbeach People, and the art of Indigenous artists Rosella Namok and Fiona Omeenyo, the workshop room will be converted into a free, sand box filled art activity space for all. Parental supervision is essential for kids under 13, and instructions are provided for families to make sand drawings together. Seats are limited for COVID-19 reasons and social distancing applies. If there are no seats available in the room on arrival, simply come back at a later time. For more details visit https://bit.ly/sanddrawings.

> Greenmount Homestead

Art activities
Until October 1, from 10am to 2.30pm
Greenmount Homestead, Greenmount Road, Walkerston
Cost: $25 per child, per day
Local artist Shelley Engwirda will be taking children behind the scenes as she teaches them how to unleash their inner creativity with a series of art, craft and drama activities. Every day is different, and children can attend as many or as few sessions as they like. Bookings essential, call 0436 625 445 to reserve your child’s spot today.

> Libraries

Please visit the Libraries’ Facebook page, website or visit Eventbrite to book these activities.

Children school holiday activities

Bedtime Stories
Thursday, September 30, from 5pm to 6pm at Dudley Denny City Library  
A fun evening for all children aged from birth to eight years and their families. The session features nursery rhymes, stories, songs and a craft activity. Don't forget to wear your pyjamas!

Frank the Kindy Dog
Book talk and meet and greet
Tuesday, September 28, from 9.30am to 10am and 10.30am to 11am at Walkerston Library
Wednesday, September 29, from 9.30am to 10am and 10.30am to 11am at Gordon White Library
Thursday, September 30, from 10.30am to 11am and 11.30am to noon at Dudley Denny City Library
Meet local author Peta Baxter and the four-legged star of popular picture book “Frankie Goes to Kindergarten”.  Frank and Peta will share their beautiful story and answer any questions you may have about the book and Frank’s adventures at Kindy. Frank will also be available for pats! This event is perfect for children aged four to 12 years.

Movie Matinee: Luca (PG)
Friday, October 1, from 2pm to 4pm
Gordon White Library
On the Italian Riviera, an unlikely but strong friendship grows between a human and a sea monster disguised as a human. Aimed at children five to 12 years.

Young adults (aged 12 to 18) school holiday activities

STEMPunks - Inspiring tomorrow’s innovators – Space 2101
Wednesday, September 29, from 1pm to 5pm
Gordon White Library
An immersive STEM workshop, where participants see if they have what it takes to join the Space Punks Alliance by completing our test mission. During the mission, they will use design thinking as a problem-solving tool and experience real space objects, 3D design, coding and learn from real Marsonauts in this augmented reality. This event is for young adults aged 13 to 15 and is delivered in partnership with Split Spaces and Local Buying Foundation.

> Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens  

Bungee Jumping Caterpillar rock hunt
Until Friday, October 1, from 9am to 5pm  
Tropical Shade Garden
Cost: Free
Look for local Bungee Jumping Caterpillar painted rocks within the Tropical Shade Garden these school holidays. There is one painted to rock to find each day. Return to the Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre for your chance to win your own copy of the Bungee Jumping Caterpillar children’s story book.

Gardens Explorer activity booklet
Monday to Friday throughout the school holidays, from 9am to 5pm
Cost: Gold coin donation
Enjoy the start of spring and be a gardens explorer! Find out about some of our pollinators and why they are so important to plants. Enjoy some activities along the way. Pick up your copy from the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre.

Botanic Gardens scavenger hunt
Monday to Friday throughout the school holidays, from 9am to 5pm
Cost: Free
Explore the Botanic Gardens on this exciting scavenger hunt, searching for a range of flora and fauna and learning about them along the way! Pick up your copy from the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre.

Self-guided activities
Cost: Free
Choose a self-guided activity to complete as you explore the pathways through the gardens. Use your senses of touch, see and smell and go on a nature scavenger hunt, use your eyes for the Alphabet I Spy or see how many birds you can spot on the lagoons and around the gardens. Activity sheets are available from brochure holders opposite the café, or from the Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre. Copies can also be downloaded and printed at home from mackayregionalbotanicgardens.com.au

Bocce with a buddy
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Malta Garden
Cost: $5 for hire of bocce set ($50 cash only refundable deposit) or BYO for free
Enjoy a game of bocce or croquet with a friend on our sand bocce court. Bocce sets are available for hire from the Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre.

> Sarina Sugar Shed  

Special kids tour of the Sarina Sugar Shed
10.30am every day of the school holidays
Cost: Adults at children’s price $13.20, bookings essential
*Regular tours run 9.30am, 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm
Family and group booking rates are available
Field of Dreams Parklands, Railway Square, Sarina
This fun, interactive session focuses on the kids with the bonus of adults being welcome at kids' prices! Discover the growing and harvesting of the sugar cane, 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, 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! During your tour (approximately 45 minutes), receive a free information sheet at the end, (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 to a chance to taste our non-alcoholic ginger beer brewed onsite, and freshly spun fairy floss.