Your super Sunshine Coast spring school holiday guide

From stinky fungus and learning animation, to art exhibitions, bee workshops and botanic garden races, Sunshine Coast Council is serving up something for everyone these school holidays.

Keep the kids busy while making memories that will last a lifetime with a smorgasbord of things to see and do for all ages.

With so much on offer, be sure to start planning now and remember, places are limited for some events, book early to avoid disappointment.

The Spring Queensland school holidays start Saturday 16 September and end Sunday 1 October 2023.

Sunshine Coast Councils Spring School Holiday Guide

Must see: Wild HeART exhibition

Visit the exhibition of Wild HeART finalists and be in awe of the amazing talent of 40 Queensland school students, ages 5 to 18 years.

When: The exhibition runs from 10am to 2pm daily, Saturday, September 16 to Sunday October 1, 2023.

Where: The Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden, 51 Palm Creek Road, Tanawha.

Visit the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden website for details.

Discovery Guide

For a great day out, check out the Discovery Guide on Council’s Heritage website. Your comprehensive heritage guide to the Sunshine Coast region.

Plus, when you pay for your next entry to a Sunshine Coast museum, or give a donation, you will receive a Museum VIP card that will give you discount at other museums. Only available at participating museums.

Have some FUN-GI at Mary Cairncross

The whole family will enjoy the Fungi for Life exhibition. Explore the larger-than-life fungi models, discover which fungus wins the stinky award, create your own fungi forest or borrow a junior ranger kit to observe fungi on the track.

When: Open 9.30am-3.30pm daily.

Where: Rainforest Discovery Centre at the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, 148 Mountain View Rd, Maleny.

Visit the Mary Cairncross website for details.

Museum Mystery Madness month

September is Museum Mystery Madness month at nine Sunshine Coast Museums. Visit participating museums to enter a Mystery Quiz for your chance to win one of four gift vouchers. Each museum has a different quiz. You can enter a quiz at any of the museums, even all of them!

During the school holidays, quiz participants also get a chance at the instant lucky dip.

When: September.

Where: Nine museums across the region.

Visit Council’s Heritage website for details.

The great botanic race

If you’ve got older kids, head to the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden to try the great botanic race. Grab a map at the front entrance and explore the gardens on this self-guided orienteering challenge. Kids will need to find mapped points to solve the puzzle along the way. Great for ages 10 years and older. The garden is open from 7am to 5pm, seven days a week.

Where: The Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden, 51 Palm Creek Road, Tanawha.

Children’s watercolour workshop

Aspiring young artists are invited to participate in the making of a paper quilt under the guidance of Sunshine Coast Art Prize finalist, Kathryn Blumke.

Children will be introduced to geometry and abstraction and prompted to reflect upon their experiences with water on local beaches as they paint their contribution to what will be the “Caloundra Quilt”.

Kathryn Blumke is currently a Doctorate of Art Candidate at Griffith University. Her art practice explores geometric abstraction and watercolour. She is interested in ideas of joyful flows of movement and positive connections with nature.

When: 25 September, 9.30am-1.30pm.

Where: Caloundra Regional Gallery, 22 Omrah Avenue, Caloundra.

Suitable for ages 8-12 years, cost $20.

To book and for details visit the Caloundra Regional Gallery website.

Landsborough Museum

You can now enjoy a visit to Landsborough Museum for FREE. Each month, you’ll find an exciting and varied range of monthly events, workshops, and kids’ activities including the popular Kids Corner on the fourth Thursday of the month.

When: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am – 3pm.

Where: 4 Maleny Street, Landsborough.

Visit Council’s Heritage website for details.

Try the ClimateWatch Trail at the Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary

Become a citizen scientist at the Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary and contribute to understanding how climate change is affecting our environment. To get started:

• Download the free ClimateWatch app

• Grab a ClimateWatch field guide highlighting the wetland’s indicator species.

• Look for indicator species along your walk

• Using the app, take photos and note seasonal behaviours

• Return your field guide for reuse.

Visit the ClimateWatch website for details. Don’t forget mosquito repellent!

Shorebird Festival

It’s time to Welcome the Shorebirds back to the Sunshine Coast!

Council is hosting two free family-friendly shorebird festivals in September.

Join us at two locations to learn about the amazing journey migratory shorebirds have taken to get to here - Golden Beach on September 23 and at Cotton Tree on September 24.

Bring a rug or chair, grab a bite to eat and watch an outdoor movie screening – “Flyways: The Story of Migratory Shorebirds”.

There’ll also be face painting, food trucks, art and craft, fun games and lots more!

Visit Council’s Events website for details or book on Eventbrite.

Future city designers

Discover the fun of building and imaginative play at the Maroochydore City Centre these upcoming school holidays!

A playground at The MET, full of loose parts, many sourced from the city’s building sites, for our future leaders of the new city to dream, imagine, design and create their own buildings and city.

A project for our future city designers; for creativity and tinkering; a place for both guided and

open free play.

When: 9.30-11.30am, Tuesday 26, Wednesday 27, Thursday 28 September.

Where: The Metropolitan (MET), corner First Ave and South Sea Islander Way, Maroochydore.

Suitability: Kids aged 3-12 will be inspired to think big, create art, tinker with tools, construct mini buildings and express themselves in risky but safe play.

Cost is $8 via Wildlings Forest School. Visit The MET website for details and to book.

Try fun sporting activities

Our 2023 Sunshine Coast Australia Day Sporting Award recipient Motiv8Sports run camps during the school holidays for Prep – Grade 6.

Visit the Motiv8Sports website for details.

Makers space: small stories

Visitors big and small are invited to create and share their differing life experiences, aspirations and memories in the Artroom Makers Space with an activity inspired by Karen Coull's art work, Small Stories. Share your story on the Caloundra Regional Gallery walls or take your creation home.

When: Until 15 October 2023,10am-4pm Tuesday-Friday; 10am-2pm Saturday-Sunday.

Where: Caloundra Regional Gallery, 22 Omrah Avenue, Caloundra.

Free and suitable for all ages.

Visit the Caloundra Regional Gallery website for details.

Make a day of it at Bankfoot House

Nestled in the foothills of Mount Tibrogargan, in Glass House Mountains and boasting stunning views and open green spaces, you’ll find heritage listed Bankfoot House.

This unique day for the whole family offers a raft of experiences year-round. Kids will love the VR experience which takes you back in time to before European settlement of the site.

Visitors can enjoy free one-on-one tours of the old house and self-guided tours of the shed restoration project available.

Bring a picnic relax and enjoy the grounds, with large wooden games available to enjoy.

When: Bankfoot is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am – 3pm.

Where: 1998 Old Gympie Road, Glass House Mountains.

Visit Council’s Heritage website for details.

Inspire Young Artists

Plan a day out your budding artists will remember at Caloundra Regional Gallery.

You’ll find the Sunshine Coast Art Prize exhibition with 40 stunning artworks. Vote for your favourite by 28 September for a chance to win $100 gallery store voucher. The gallery store is a wonderful place to pick up something special with all items made by local artisans.

Entry to the gallery is FREE and for a longer experience, head across the park to Caloundra Library.

When: Tuesday to Friday 10am – 4pm and weekends 10am – 2pm.

Where: 22 Omrah Avenue, Caloundra, opposite Caloundra Library.

Visit the Caloundra Regional Gallery website for details.

Adventure Sunshine Coast

Looking to get outdoors with the family these school holidays? For more than 250 walking, running, paddling, cycling, mountain biking and horse riding trails on the Sunshine Coast, visit Council’s Adventure Sunshine Coast website and choose your next adventure.

Connect with nature and celebrate the seasons

Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden are offering workshops for children aged 3 to 15-years, celebrating flowers, sunnier days, biodiversity and imagination.

Children and families will love these seasonally inspired holiday activities, presented by leading nature play facilitators.

Held in the beautiful bushland where nature the teacher and inspiration, the holiday program helps kids develop confidence in outdoor play and stewardship for the biosphere, whilst learning bushcraft skills and creative arts.

Tuesday September 19: Fairy doors with Abbie from Sacred Bowl
Tuesday September 19: Suncatchers with Abbie from Sacred Bowl
Thursday September 21: Nature hula hoops with Lisa from Natureweavers
Friday September 22: Flower press with Carly from Natureweavers
Saturday September 23: Pongo's habitat adventure with Dr Sarah Pye

Sister-site Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary has Wonderful wetland wander with Lana from Natureweavers on Wednesday 20 September.

Visit the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden website for details.

Visit a Sunshine Coast Library these school holidays

Scavenger hunt

Search the library for all the hidden characters and check them off as you find them.

Where: Available at all Sunshine Coast Libraries during the school holidays.

Cost: Free.

Suitability: All ages.