Entertain the kids these school holidays

> ARTSPACE MACKAY  

Drawing Pottery

Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm
Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 3pm
Workshop Room, Artspace Mackay

Drop in to Artspace Mackay during the June/July school holidays and make beautiful drawings of pottery! Inspired by Fire and Ash: Woodfire Pottery of Arthur and Carol Rosser, the Artspace Workshop Room will be transformed into an accessible drawing activity space with still life arrangements of pottery and the art materials you’ll need to make an artwork to take home or leave on display for all to enjoy! Bring your family and friends for a fun opportunity to create 2D artworks of 3D objects – exploring shape, form, line, colour, texture and space. Stay for a few minutes or a few hours, parental supervision is essential for kids under 13 years. Free entry and no bookings required. Visit the Facebook event for more details.

Free Public Art Walk – New Route

Friday, July 7, 4.30pm to 5.30pm
Depart from Artspace Mackay, Gordon Street

Hosted by Artspace Mackay Public Art Officer Jennifer Dalton-Smith, this free city art walk for all ages begins at Artspace Mackay and takes you through the city centre. Along the way, participants will learn about Mackay’s iconic public art installations and the local, and internationally acclaimed artists who created them. Whether you’re an artist, art lover, local or visitor to our lovely riverside city, you’ll find this late afternoon public art walk a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Bring friends, family members, or come by yourself - wear a hat, comfortable shoes, bring a bottle of water, and arrive promptly to Artspace Mackay as the group will depart on time. Book your free ticket.

> LIBRARIES

Composting and Recycling for Families (drop-in activity)

Monday, June 26, 2pm to 4pm, Gordon White Library
Tuesday, June 27, 2pm to 4pm, Mirani Library
An informative and interactive session with Bruce Thompson, council’s resource recovery education officer. Learn how to dramatically decrease your waste at home simply by composting and recycling. Discover the decomposition process and the energy cycle at work and what can and cannot be recycled. Make your own self-contained, mini compost container to take away and then apply all you have learned at home! No bookings required, just drop in!

First Aid for Kids

Tuesday, June 27 at Walkerston Library – SOLD OUT
Wednesday, June 28, 10am to 11.30am – Sarina Library Book tickets
Thursday, June 29, 2.30pm to 4pm – Dudley Denny City Library Book Tickets
It covers the most common and important First Aid skills every child should learn. This practical and fun session will be facilitated by one of the amazing trainers from First Aid For You, who are all qualified first aid instructors and super mums! For children aged five to 12 years.

Puppets and Pyjamas Bedtime Stories

Thursday, June 29, 5pm to 6pm at Dudley Denny City Library Book tickets

Join Ros from Wild Puppets for an evening of family fun. Suitable for children aged two to ten years of age and their families. Don’t forget to wear your pyjamas!

Movie Matinee

Friday, June 30, 2pm to 4pm at Gordon White Library Book tickets

Join us for an afternoon movie and popcorn. This event is for children aged five to 12 years old. Want to know what we are watching? Follow us on Facebook to find out. The movie will be announced prior to screening.

Cartooning Magic

Wednesday, July 5, 10.30am to 12pm at Dudley Denny City Library Book tickets
Thursday, July 6, 10.30am to 12pm at Gordon White Library Book tickets
Join Melbourne comic book artist, Sabina Wills, in a fun comic book workshop for children aged nine to 12 years. Sabina will walk you through how to create your own characters and work on a comic book story. No experience necessary! FREE to attend. Bookings required.

> MECC

Dr Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat

Sunday, June 25, 10.30am and 1pm
The MECC

Yikes the school holidays are coming! What to do with YOUR Thing One and Thing Two??!! Here’s an idea.... bring the whole family to ‘The Cat in the Hat’ for an experience they’ll never forget. The story has been around for over 50 years and kids still love it… just like you did! Two bored kids (this was way before iPads). One rainy day (we’ve all had a few of those) and one crazy cat wearing a red-striped hat (where was the background check for that babysitter?!). Tickets selling fast.

> MACKAY REGIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Self-guided Activities

Activities are on Facebook events.

Tibbles Hunt in the Tropical Shade Garden

Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm during school holidays
Tropical Shade Garden

Find Tibbles in the Tropical Shade Garden and decode his latest message for you! Return completed activity sheets to Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre to get your sticker. You can pick up your activity sheets from Visitor Information Centre, weekdays, 9am to 4pm.

Bocce with a Buddy

Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm during school holidays
Malta Garden’s Bocce Court

Enjoy a game of bocce with a friend on our sand bocce court. Bocce sets are available to hire from Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre or bring your own to play. Cost: $5 to hire a bocce set.

Strolling Stories – The Bungee Jumping Caterpillar

Monday, June 26 to Friday, June 30, 9am to 4.30pm

Follow the Strolling Story to follow the adventure of ‘Zody’ and ‘AK’. Hunt for the bungee caterpillar painted rock along the looped circuit! There will be one painted bungee caterpillar rock hidden along the looped trail each weekday. Return the painted rock to Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre and get your very own copy of the Bungee Jumping Caterpillar book! The hunt is only available during the above times.

Nature Scavenger Hunt

Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm during school holidays

Follow the instructions on the activity sheet to complete your Nature Scavenger Hunt in the Botanic Gardens. Pick up an activity sheet from Botanic Gardens Visitor Information Centre. To participate in the weekly draw and stand a chance to win a $30 voucher from the Gardens Shop, please ensure that you return the completed sheets to the entry box by the end of the school holidays week.

Drop-in Activity Sheet

Winter Creation Station

Wednesday, June 28, 10am to 11am
Tropical Sun Lawn

Come and enjoy our FREE drop-in nature craft activity at the Botanic Gardens. This activity is suitable for children aged four to 10 years. Short waiting periods may apply during busy periods. Keep up to date with the Facebook event.

Booked Activity

Create an Insect Hotel  [BOOKED OUT]

Tuesday, July 4, 10am to 11am
Tropical Sun Lawn
Cost: $7/child

Create and decorate your own insect hotel to attract beneficial insects to your garden. This is a booked activity and places are limited. Suitable for children aged seven years up. Parental supervision required at all times.

> MACKAY WATERFRONT

River Wharves Activities

Wednesday, July 5, 9.15am to 9.55am (40 mins)
River Wharves

Active Squirtz will be holding awesome adventures for children aged two to five years. Come along and join in this FREE event for the kids. Register your interest on the Facebook event

City Heart Fridays

Friday, July 7, from 4pm
Mackay City Centre

The City Centre comes alive on the first Friday of every month. There's something for everyone, from eats and drinks, to art, heritage, storytelling, shopping, special activities, fun for the kids and more. Follow the Facebook page to find out what will be on this month.

> SARINA SUGAR SHED

Special kids tour of the Sarina Sugar Shed

Saturday, June 24, to Sunday, July 9, 10.30am every day
Adults at children’s prices (bookings essential)
Field of Dreams Parklands, Railway Square, Sarina

This fun, interactive session focuses on the kids, with the added bonus of adults 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 the sugar cane patch. Enter the miniature sugar mill to see how sugar cane is crushed, and sample deliciously sweet sugar cane juice straight from the 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 will also receive a free information sheet at the end, which is great for school projects, and the quick, fun quiz will help to keep the young ones engaged - they are guaranteed to learn something! Finally, everyone gets a chance to taste the non-alcoholic ginger beer brewed onsite and freshly spun fairy floss. Book tickets. (Please note this tour does not include a full tasting of products for the adults).

> SARINA YOUTH CENTRE

School Holiday Activities

All events run 10am to 2pm

A variety of school holiday activities are on offer for youth aged ten to 21 years. You must register for a spot and please indicate what day/program you would like to attend. Contact Sarina Youth Centre on 4961 9277 or email sarinayouthcentre@mackay.qld.gov.au.

Monday, June 26: Chillax
Tuesday, June 27: Games day – Verse friends gaming or with board games
Wednesday, June 28: Malachi Cup – Join in a community game of ida
Thursday, June 29: Deadly Choices Community Day – See us at the junior rugby league grounds
Friday, June 30: Movie day

Monday, July 3: Cookie decorating
Tuesday, July 4: Board game day – Verse your friends!
Wednesday, July 5: Coconut leaf weaving
Thursday, July 6: Rock painting
Friday, July 7: Damper making and chicken vermicelli with Mudth-Niyleta