If you or your child have sensory needs, finding places that feel safe and welcoming can take some of the guesswork out of a family outing. We’ve rounded up sensory-friendly activities across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter, from bushwalks that engage the senses gently to venues with dedicated quiet rooms and low sensory sessions.
Offerings and schedules can change, so it’s worth calling ahead or checking a venue’s website before you visit to confirm what’s currently available and whether bookings are needed.
Quick Links
- Attractions & Museums
- Shopping Centres
- Parks, Playgrounds & Nature Walks
- Movies & Entertainment
- Libraries & Galleries
- Sensory Play at Home
- FAQs
Attractions & Museums
Newcastle Museum
Newcastle Museum regularly runs Low Sensory Sessions for its popular exhibits. During these sessions, house lights stay up and special-effect lighting, noise and sound effects are turned down, so visitors of all ages aren’t overwhelmed. Check the Newcastle Museum website for current exhibits and upcoming Low Sensory Session dates.
Good to know: Newcastle Museum is also mapped on the BindiMaps app (see below), which helps visitors navigate the indoor space with audio guidance.
Hunter Valley Gardens
Hunter Valley Gardens is a delight for the senses year-round, with plenty of sights, sounds and smells to take in. For visitors who find high-stimulation environments overwhelming, the Gardens have a dedicated Quiet Zone open daily from 9am to 4.30pm.
Good to know: Hunter Valley Gardens is also BindiMaps-enabled, making it easier to navigate the grounds independently.
Indoor Golf at Holey Moley Charlestown
Holey Moley Charlestown can turn down music and lighting to create a calmer environment when needed. It’s worth calling ahead to ask about adjusting the venue for a more relaxed visit. Holey Moley also offers a downloadable sensory map on its website, marking out low, medium and high sensory areas with a key to the different sensory elements throughout the venue.
IncludingYOU
IncludingYOU sets up at select Lake Macquarie City Council events, including Lake Mac Carols. The tent offers free access to weighted blankets, books, sensory toys and noise cancelling headphones, plus a place to retreat from noise and crowds. It’s an initiative of the Ability Links program, auspiced by Vinnies, supporting people with disability, their families and carers to take part in large community events.
BindiMaps: Indoor Navigation for All Abilities
The free BindiMaps app helps people of all abilities navigate unfamiliar indoor spaces, using a natural language audio system that’s reportedly far more accurate indoors than standard mapping apps. Once installed, with location services switched on, it can be used at: Newcastle Library, Wallsend Library, Civic Theatre, Newcastle City Hall, and Newcastle Museum.
Shopping Centres
Stockland Green Hills
Stockland Green Hills offers a sensory shopping guide with tips and a sensory map (developed in partnership with Aspect) to help families plan a calmer visit. A low-sensory Quiet Room is available in the amenities adjacent to McDonald’s on Level 1, for parents, carers and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder who need a retreat from the busy centre. There are also two inclusive playgrounds on-site, designed in conjunction with Livvi’s Place Inclusive Play Spaces.
Westfield Kotara
Westfield Kotara runs a Quiet Time initiative every Tuesday from 10.30am to 11.30am, with dimmed lighting, lower music volume and reduced day-to-day activity throughout the centre. Many participating retailers also dim their lights and lower music during this window. A sensory-friendly map is available on the Westfield Kotara website for visitors sensitive to sound, light or smell.
Parks, Playgrounds & Nature Walks
Lake Macquarie Variety Playground
The sensory and special needs area at Lake Macquarie Variety Playground was designed for kids with additional needs, and includes a wheelchair accessible playboat, tactile orientation totem poles for visitors with visual impairments, and a quiet zone retreat for children who prefer more passive play. You’ll find this area at the western end of the playground, near the main entrance.
Maitland All-Abilities Playground
The Magic Garden sensory area at Maitland All-Abilities Playground includes musical instruments such as a ladybird xylophone and bongo drums, along with a tactile totem pole. A sensory sign points out different things to spot and listen for around the playground.
Belmont Lagoon Reserve Walk
Connected to Lake Macquarie via Cold Tea Creek, Belmont Lagoon sits halfway between the lake and the ocean. This 4.3km family walk around the lagoon is a quieter option, with plenty of birdlife and gentle birdsong along the way. Kids will enjoy exploring the lake, bush and creek. Read more in our full guide to Belmont Lagoon Reserve Walk.
Blackbutt Reserve
Blackbutt Reserve has plenty of quiet, peaceful spots and open space for picnics and play. Its 7 accessible walking trails make it easy to explore the landscape and native wildlife at your own pace. Read more in our full guide to Blackbutt Reserve.
Hunter Wetlands Sensory Trail
The Sensory Trail at Hunter Wetlands was designed to engage touch, smell and sound. Informative signs point out plants to touch and smell along the way, and the crushed rock paths reflect light for easier visibility while creating sound underfoot.
Movies & Entertainment
Sensory Movie Day at Event Cinemas Glendale
Held monthly on a Sunday, Sensory Movie Day lets families enjoy their favourite films in a safe, accepting environment. Lighting is dimmed less than usual and volume is lowered for sensitive ears. The sensory session is always the first screening of the day. Visit the Event Cinemas website for further information.
Libraries & Galleries
Libraries, known for their quiet and peaceful atmosphere, make a welcoming space for people who may be sensitive to noise or overstimulation. Libraries are an inclusive environment and provide a supportive space for those with sensory needs to read, learn, relax, and connect with their community. Read more about the fun and educational programs available at your local library.
Maitland Libraries
Maitland Libraries are building a collection of Social Stories to help reduce anxiety and make library visits smoother for first-timers. The first is available now for the East Maitland Library Toy Library, downloadable from the Maitland Libraries website. Each Social Story is a step-by-step guide with short descriptions and visuals to help visitors know what to expect before they arrive.
Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG)
Maitland Regional Art Gallery have social scripts, visual schedules and sensory bags available to visitors living with anxiety and sensory processing sensitivities. Their social scripts, available to be downloaded from their website, is a visual and scripted guide to view so you know what to expect before your visit. The visual schedule is available at the Gallery reception desk and includes nine picture and word cards about what you can see and do in the Gallery and the Sensory bag includes sensory assistance items. There are also quiet places to rest indoors and in their garden.
Sensory Play at Home
Sensory activities are open-ended, versatile and can be provided using pretty much anything as a resource, such as cooking ingredients, natural materials and loose parts. The possibilities for learning with this type of play are endless and have so many amazing benefits.
Check out these 5 Play-Based Activities for Babies and Toddlers That You Can Do at Home. These sensory play activities use items you already have at home and are both educational and entertaining.
If you have a preschooler in your care, try these 10 Play-Based Activities for Preschoolers. The activities will support preschoolers in school-readiness and prepare them with the skills to be a lifelong learner.
At Christmas time try these 10 Unique Christmas Sensory Play Activities To Do With Kids.
Frequently Asked Questions
A sensory-friendly activity or venue adjusts elements like lighting, sound and crowd levels, or provides quiet retreat spaces, to make the experience more comfortable for people with sensory sensitivities.
Yes. Stockland Green Hills has a dedicated low-sensory Quiet Room near the Food Court, and Westfield Kotara runs a weekly Quiet Time initiative every Tuesday morning with dimmed lighting and lower volume.
Yes. Event Cinemas Glendale holds a monthly Sensory Movie Day on Sundays, with reduced lighting and volume during the first screening of the day.
Lake Macquarie Variety Playground and Maitland All-Abilities Playground both have dedicated sensory and all-abilities play areas, including tactile elements and quiet retreat zones.
Yes. The free BindiMaps app provides audio navigation for indoor spaces and is set up at several local venues, including Newcastle Museum, Newcastle Library, Wallsend Library, Civic Theatre, Newcastle City Hall and Hunter Valley Gardens.
Know of a sensory-friendly spot we’ve missed? We’re always adding to this guide, so send your suggestions to info(at)newywithkids.com.au.