Easter school holiday activities to enjoy

> Artspace Mackay

Drawing flora: free holiday art activities
Saturday, April 2 to Thursday, April 14 during Artspace opening days/hours
Workshop Room, Artspace Mackay
Drop in to Artspace during the Easter school holidays and explore the art of drawing flora! Inspired by the art, residency and exhibition of Brisbane artist printmaker Tamika Grant-Iramu, visitors of all ages are encouraged to try their hand at illustrating native flora using only white art materials on black paper. Make a drawing from plant displays in our Artspace workshop room or venture out into the gallery and make a drawing from Tamika’s vast wall painting on show in the Foyer Gallery. You’re welcome to take your drawing home or add it to our workshop room display! Parental supervision is essential for kids under 13.

> Bluewater Lagoon

Open 7 days, from 9am – 5pm
River Street, Mackay
Cool down and splash around with the whole family at the free, three-tiered Bluewater Lagoon. Overlooking the picturesque Pioneer River in the heart of the Mackay City Centre, the facilities provide the ideal stinger-free environment for kids and adults alike. Kids will love the newly renovated and modern children’s play area! For more details visit mackay.qld.gov.au/bluewaterlagoon

> Greenmount Homestead

Entry fees waived for kids during school holidays
Monday to Wednesday 9am, 10am, 11am, noon
Greenmount Road, Walkerston
Take a step back in time and educate your children on the history of our region when you explore the iconic Greenmount Homestead. As one of Mackay’s most valued historic attractions, the grounds contain several buildings including a 1915 Queenslander homestead which houses a collection of more than 20,000 historical items. Entry fees are waived for kids during the school holidays!

> Libraries

Bookings for these activities, other than the Hogwarts Mega Lego Project, are required via Eventbrite for all attendees.

Hogwarts MEGA LEGO Project – drop in anytime
Monday, April 4, to Friday, April 8, during opening hours at Dudley Denny City Library and Gordon White Library
Hogwarts and Lego – does it get any better? Drop into our libraries to contribute to this mega Lego structure!  This event is for young adults aged 12 to 24. (Parents and carers, please be advised this activity is not suitable for children under eight due to choking hazards from small pieces). Drop in anytime during opening hours. Bookings are not required.

Easter Craft - Decoupage Pots
Monday, April 4, 9.30am – 10.30am at Sarina Library
Tuesday, April 5, 9.30am – 10.30am at Walkerston Library
Wednesday, April 6, 9.30am – 10.30am at Mirani Library
Thursday, April 7, 10.00am – 11.00am at Dudley Denny City Library
Friday, April 8, 9.30am – 10.30am at Gordon White Library
Children aged five to 12 years are invited to participate in decorating take-home terracotta pots using Easter themed paper for their decoupage project.

Marble, Mosaic and Painted Pots
Monday, April 4, 11am – noon at Sarina Library
Tuesday, April 5, 11am – noon at Walkerston Library
Wednesday, April 6, 11am – noon at Mirani Library
Thursday, April 7, 11.30am – 12.30pm at Dudley Denny City Library
Friday, April 8, 11am – noon at Gordon White Library
Make an ordinary pot shimmer and shine! Bring your favourite old nail polishes and a touch of imagination and we’ll show you how. This program is for young adults aged 12 to 18 years.

Switch Ten Pin Bowling
Wednesday, April 6, 9.30am, 10am, 10.30am, 11am at Gordon White Library
Play authentic ten pin bowling on a Nintendo Switch controller for those aged 12 years and older. Add spin with the flick of a finger or twist of the wrist! Half hour session bookings available.

Bedtime Stories
Thursday, April 7, 5pm – 6pm at Dudley Denny City Library and Gordon White Library
A fun evening for all children aged up to eight years of age and their families. The session features nursery rhymes, stories, songs and a craft activity. Don't forget to wear your pyjamas!

Play the Ukulele
> Fully Uked Ukulele
Thursday, April 7, 5.30pm - 6.30pm at Gordon White Library
Ukulele players of all levels are welcome to come and play along with our monthly ukulele songs. All songs suit beginners to experts alike. If you don’t have your own ukulele, we have a few that can be loaned for each group session. This event is for ages 8 and above.

> Ukulele Step One
Friday, April 8, 2pm - 3pm at Gordon White Library
If you are new to musical instruments, this is a perfect opportunity to learn some practical skills quickly in a supportive environment. Ukuleles will be provided. This event is for ages 12 and above.

> Ukulele Melodies
Friday, April 8, 3.40pm - 4.40pm at Gordon White Library
This program is a perfect opportunity to learn basic melodies on the ukulele, especially if you are a beginner to instruments. Ukuleles will be provided. For ages 12 and above.

Movie Matinee
Ron’s Gone Wrong (G)
Friday, April 8, 2pm – 4pm at Gordon White Library
Barney is a socially awkward schoolboy who receives a robot named Ron – a device that's supposed to be his best friend, until his new toy starts to hilariously malfunction. Free event for children aged five to 12 years.

> MECC

Contemporary Ballet Youth Company Z presents Lake
Sunday, April 3, 7pm
The MECC Auditorium
A sacred untouched lake exposed deep down in a forest. This raw Contemporary Ballet production of nature’s elegance, romance and life is sure to inspire and awe audiences young and old. Children and adult ticket prices available. Book here: https://bit.ly/3N8I9ne

> Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

Botanic Gardens Nature Passport Trail
Monday to Friday, 9am - 4pm (except public holidays)
Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens  
Get your passports from the Visitor Information Centre and explore the nature passport trail. Follow the trail and discover fun facts along the way. Drop back into Botanic Gardens Information and tell us something you found along the way! This activity is free and self-guided, available all holidays expect public holidays.

Seed Detectives
Monday to Friday, 9am - 4pm (except public holidays)
Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens  
Get your senses working with this seed detectives activity. Collect your activity sheets from inside the Botanic Gardens Visitor Information. Once completed, bring back inside to check your answers. No peeking, this is truly a test of your senses! The first 20 correct answers each day will receive a chocolatey surprise as a reward. This activity is free and self-guided, available all holidays expect public holidays.

Tibbles Easter Hunt
Monday to Friday, 9am - 4pm (except public holidays)
Tropical Shade Garden  
Visit the Tropical Shade Garden to find Tibbles and his latest message for you to decode! Tibbles has also dropped some golden eggs in the garden for you to find. We have one prize to give away each weekday over the holidays for the first person to return a golden egg to the Visitor Information Centre!  Free self-guided activity. No bookings are required.

What lives in the Lagoons?
Friday, April 8, 9am - noon
Eulamere Boardwalk  
Freshwater lagoons are alive and magical with a huge variety of amazing little creatures just waiting to be discovered. Come and explore with Garden Friends at the Eulamere Boardwalk. This is a drop-in school holiday activity free for all ages with no bookings required. For more information, phone Garden Friend, Maya on 0436331009 or the Botanic Gardens on 49527300.

Free Friday Guided Walks
Every Friday between April and October, 10am - 11am       
Meet at the Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre
Discover the gardens with your guide in a free guided walk. Find what’s flowering, some of our rare and special plants and perhaps some wildlife spotting! To book your spot, phone the Botanic Gardens on 4952 7300 as places are limited. Group bookings welcome upon request.

Bocce in the Gardens
Monday to Friday, 9am - 4pm (except public holidays)
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. Bookings are not required.

'Botanic Gardens Captured’ April Exhibition by Photo Walkabout Group
Wednesday to Friday, 9am - 2pm (except public holidays)
Saturday to Sunday, 8am – 2pm (closed Easter weekend)
Lagoons Gallery, Botanic Gardens Cafe 
Visit this amazing display of the Botanic Gardens Photo Walkabout group, showcasing a selection of fantastic images captured within the gardens, all while enjoying the tasty offerings at the Botanic Gardens Café. The exhibition will be on display over the holidays until Sunday, April 17.

Mackay Park Run
Every Saturday, 7am - 8am       
Meet at Tamarind Carpark (near playground)
A 5km run/jog/walk put on by the community for the community every Saturday morning for all ages. Come together to enjoy our beautiful natural environment and get physically active in the process. Register at www.parkrun.com.au.

Falun Gong Classes
Saturdays, April 2 to April 16, 9am - 11am       
Tropical Sun Lawn
Falun Gong offers relaxation, meditation, inner peace and health through movement. Come along and experience a session in the beautiful surroundings of the Botanic Gardens. Free activity with no bookings required. Meet under the Mango Tree (near Café) on the Tropical Sun Lawn. All you need is a yoga mat or blanket and water bottle. For more information, email capcam@bigpond.com

Native Plant Sales
Monday to Friday, 9am - 4pm (except public holidays)
Botanic Gardens Visitor Information
Come along and see what native plants we have for sale. The plants available are suited to the Mackay region, with many species local to the area. They include tree, shrub, climbers and herbaceous species and range in price from $3 to $5. The plants are propagated and grown by NPQ SGAP Mackay branch in the Botanic Gardens Nursery. We welcome the return of pots.

> Sarina Sugar Shed

Special kids tour of the Sarina Sugar Shed
10.30am every day of the school holidays
Normal tours run 9.30am, 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm
Cost: Adults at children’s prices $13.30 (bookings essential)
Field of Dreams Parklands, Railway Square, Sarina
This fun, interactive session focuses on the kids, with the added bonus of adults being welcome at kids' prices!

During the 45-minute tour, the kids will discover the growing and harvesting of the sugar cane and complete a hunt for the critters that live in our sugar cane patch. They’ll 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’.

Special stickers help the kids to understand the machines that work in the process from turning juice into sugar – they can touch and feel the different stages of the production from the bagasse to the sugar and taste the molasses! They’ll also receive a free information sheet at the end and a quick, fun quiz. Finally, everyone gets to a chance to taste our non-alcoholic ginger beer brewed onsite, and freshly-spun fairy floss.

For more information or to book a tour online visit sarinasugarshed.com.au.

> Sarina Youth Centre

School holiday activities
A variety of school holiday activities are on offer for youth aged ten to 21 years. Bookings are required with 12 spaces available per program. Contact Sarina Youth Centre on 4961 9277 or email sarinayouthcentre@mackay.qld.gov.au.

Monday, April 4: Centre closed
Tuesday, April 5, 10am – 2pm: Swimming
Wednesday, April 6, 10am – 2pm: One with nature activities in the outdoors
Thursday, April 7, 10am – 2pm: Chilling and Queensland Youth Week movie night (Field of Dreams Parklands)
Friday, April 8: Centre closed
Monday, April 11, 10am – 2pm: Easter cooking, treats for Easter
Tuesday, April 12, 10am – 2pm: Chill out day
Wednesday, April 13, 10am – 2pm: Competition Day, games and trivia prizes to be won
Thursday, April 14, 10am – 2pm: Easter scavenger hunt
Friday, April 15, 10am – 2pm: Centre closed

> Ken Burgess Orchid House

Monday to Friday, 10am – 11am and 2pm – 3pm
Sunday, 10am – 2pm
Closed public holidays
Kids and adults alike will love the beautiful and rare orchids on display at the Ken Burgess Display House within the beautiful Queens Park. Stroll through the display, which houses an astounding variety of orchids, all flowering at different times of the year.