The summer school holidays are here and there’s so much happening across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Port Stephens. Whether you’re a local family or visiting the region, we’ve rounded up the best activities, events and things to do with kids and teens this December and January.
From beaches, pools and playgrounds to indoor fun, nature walks, workshops and day trips, this guide makes it easy to plan a brilliant summer. There’s something for every age and interest including plenty of options for under-5s.
Please note: All information is correct at the time of publication.
Featured School Holiday Programs & Events
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Dullboy’s Social Co
Make some core memories with the fam this Summer with bowling, arcades and mini golf at Dullboy’s Social Co!
Grab one of their famous school holiday deals:
- Early Bird Special: $10 games of bowling or mini golf. Available from 9-10am.
- Plenty for a Twenty: A game of bowling + $10 arcade card for just $20pp. Available until 4pm.
- Feel Alive for Fifty Five: A game of bowling + a game of mini golf + $30 arcade card for just $55pp. Available all day.
Deals valid 20.12.25 – 01.02.26 at both Warners Bay and Rutherford! Bookings recommended
Monster Truck Mayhem
Get ready for a massive night out, Newcastle! Monster Truck Mayhem – Thrills & Stunt Show is roaring into the Newcastle Showgrounds on Saturday 17 January, bringing an evening packed with high-octane, family-friendly entertainment. If your kids love loud engines, huge jumps, fire stunts and big arena energy, this is the perfect school holiday outing. Book your tickets now.
Hunter Drama
The popular Hunter Drama School Holiday Workshops open for bookings on Friday 12 December. With Plays and Musicals in Day, a Musical Theatre Bootcamp, Scriptwriting and Improv Workshops & Speciality Workshops all available – there’s something for everyone, of all school ages. Prices start at just $50. Visit the Hunter Drama website for more information.
Australian Reptile Park
Dinos are back! Step into a prehistoric world these summer school holidays at the Australian Reptile Park. Visit Jurassic Zoo to see life-sized dinosaurs roar and stomp their way through the park. Kids will love the Triceratops Fossil Dig, face painting, Dinosaur Discovery Challenge and the daily Dino Dance Party which are all included FREE with entry! Plus, enjoy hands-on animal interactions, zookeeper talks, and meet Elvis our famous saltwater crocodile in his daily feeds. It’s a roar-some, adventure-packed day out where discoveries await around every corner! Tickets from $36pp on a family day pass, only 2 minutes off the M1 at Gosford! Visit the Australian Reptile Park website for more information.
Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Hurrah! Maitland Regional Art Gallery’s Summer Art Fest kicks off this January. From pom poms to pet portraits, clay workshops to cake making competitions, there’s a fun and creative experience for kids of all ages to enjoy! For more info, head to the MRAG website.
Newcastle Museum
A Summer of Model Newcastle: Big Stories, Little Things
Explore, build and imagine your way through a world of miniature creativity inspired by our summer exhibition, Model Newcastle: Big Stories, Little Things. Recreate the city through LEGO Model Mania, discover the power of steam and the Newcastle Earthquake with free Model Newcastle Science Shows, build moving inventions in Make-It-Move and make your own tiny creations. Young writers can explore imagined futures in Surviving Dystopia and curious minds can drop by the Science Tables for hands-on experiments, from touching lava to rebuilding Mike the Manikin. Current Events – Newcastle Museum
Newcastle Libraries
This summer, The Lovett Gallery at Newcastle City Library has been transformed into a magical world of underwater stories and adventures. Discover the art of five award-winning Australian illustrators, Cindy Lane, Sami Bayly, Matt Ottley, Jenni Goodwin and Kim Mischelle Toft and get hands-on with sensory materials and activities for children and be inspired by the art and stories of our precious oceans. Dive into a raft of school holiday activities inspired by Illustrations from Australian Children’s Picture Books. Ocean of Stories from Down Under celebrates the magical world of fiction and non-fiction picture books. Make your own jellyfish, zines, mobiles, bracelets, keychains and more. Read your way through the season with the Big Summer Read and get ready for big school with Library Explorers. What’s On Events Calendar – Newcastle Libraries
Hunter Region Botanic Gardens
Lots to do at Hunter Region Botanic Gardens this January! Bring a picnic or enjoy a snack in the Kookaburra Café. The littlies will enjoy our ‘Storytime in the Rotunda’, for the older children there are wonderful nature drawing workshops with renowned botanical artist, Lynda McPherson, or make a bee hotel for our native bees. Learn how to make a chain bracelet or create a fantasy garden. Our spotlight walk will be an after-dark adventure to see which creatures come out at night. There are limited numbers for all workshops, all details and bookings are via Humanitix.
National High Speed Rail Hub
Visit us for some ‘high speed’ holiday fun
The National High Speed Rail Hub in Newcastle is hosting free school holiday activities this summer. Drop in between 10am to 4pm weekdays or between 9am and midday on Saturday, 10 January.
We are located near the Queens Wharf light rail stop at 175 Scott Street. Grab a coffee and pop by for some air-conditioned family-friendly fun. Discover more about the proposed high speed rail connection to Sydney as part of your Newcastle adventures this summer.
Please note, we will be closed from midday Christmas Eve and reopen Monday, 5 January.
Event Cinemas
Escape the heat and treat the family to big screen adventures these school holidays! These school holidays, the fun begins at Event Cinemas Kotara and Glendale! Treat the whole family to the ultimate movie experience with unmissable new releases.
Get ready for a magical movie season with adventures for every kind of family outing. Step back into Oz with Wicked: For Good, where Elphaba and Glinda’s powerful story reaches its spellbinding conclusion in this stunning musical fantasy starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. For fans of fast-paced fun, Zootopia 2 brings Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde together again as they tackle their trickiest — and most dangerous — case yet.
Little moviegoers will love The Spongebob Movie: Search for Squarepants, a laugh-filled underwater quest as SpongeBob and friends dive deep to confront the Flying Dutchman and uncover secrets beneath the sea. And for epic blockbuster lovers, Avatar: Fire and Ash returns to Pandora with a gripping new chapter as Jake, Neytiri and their family face the powerful Ash People and a rising conflict that will test their courage — and their future.
With comfy seats, tasty treats, and big screen magic, Event Cinemas Kotara and Glendale is the place to be these holidays! Visit Event Cinemas website for more information and tickets.
OUTDOOR FUN
Blackbutt Reserve
Visit Blackbutt for playgrounds, animals and walking trails. You can see family favourites like koalas, wallabies and wombats as well as emus, wallabies and kangaroos in a separate paddock behind the playground.
Just note that in summer heat, sometimes the animals can be hiding in the shade. We suggest visiting early or late in the day to increase your chances of spotting the animals. Blackbutt Reserve is open every day during the school holidays. Wildlife exhibits are open 10am – 4:30pm, picnic facilities 7am – 7pm. Visit Blackbutt Reserve website to find out more.
Hunter Wetlands Centre
Spend a day at Hunter Wetlands Centre in Shortland. Activities at the wetlands include Bird feeding (10.30am daily), playgrounds, walking trails, egret tower, bush tucker garden, dip-netting and visiting the animal house. Guided Walks on Tuesday and Saturdays at 10.30am. Magpie Geese feeding everyday at 10.30am. Canoe hire (2 hours: $20 per Kayak $30 for 2-3 seat canoe).
National Parks & Wildlife Service
NPWS hosts a diverse range of tours across the Hunter region during the holidays for kids and families. For more information or to book tours, visit the NSW NPWS website and scroll down to Central Coast and Hunter region.
LIBRARIES
If you need a break from the summer heat, head to a library. Our local libraries in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter offer affordable, creative and educational sessions for kids of all ages. Bookings are usually essential.
Newcastle Libraries
Dive into a raft of school holiday activities inspired by Illustrations from Australian Children’s Picture Books. Ocean of Stories from Down Under celebrates the magical world of fiction and non-fiction picture books. Make your own jellyfish, zines, mobiles, bracelets, keychains and more. Read your way through the season with the Big Summer Read and get ready for big school with Library Explorers. For more information and to book, visit the Newcastle Libraries website.
Lake Mac Libraries
There are a wide range of fun and interesting activities including crafty kids sessions, Duplo Drop-in, Lego Builders, Kawaii drawing, woven dreamcatchers, storytime sessions, drawing and animation workshops. For more information, visit Lake Macquarie City Council website.
Maitland Libraries
Get ready to dive into a world of imagination, creativity, and learning this school holiday season. There’s a meet a dingo session, sewing sessions, crafty cinema, passport reading session, balloon twisting workshop, family recycling session, and storytime sessions with Sami Bayly and Karen Hughes. For more information, visit Maitland City Library website.
Cessnock Libraries
Spend the school holidays at Cessnock City Library! They are running a great range of activities for kids, tweens and teens at both branches including craft sessions, storytime, Dino Detective workshops, slime sessions, silent disco, film & craft event and more. For more information and to book, visit Cessnock City Library website.
Port Stephens Libraries
School holiday activities include family movies session, JD’s Imagination magic show, Pretty Amazing Jono clown show, K-Pop Demon Hunters party, family retro game afternoon, craft session and a Dungeons and Dragons youth event. For more information and to book, visit Port Stephens Library website.
MUSEUMS & GALLERIES
Head to a local museum or gallery for school holiday fun.
Newcastle Museum
Explore, build and imagine your way through a world of miniature creativity inspired by our summer exhibition, Model Newcastle: Big Stories, Little Things. Recreate the city through LEGO Model Mania, discover the power of steam and the Newcastle Earthquake with free Model Newcastle Science Shows, build moving inventions in Make-It-Move and make your own tiny creations. For more information and to book, visit the Newcastle Museum website.
Fort Scratchley
Boasting one of the best panoramic views of Newcastle and with space for the kids to run wild and free, this historic landmark is a must do for all school holiday itineraries. Combine it with a swim at Nobbys. Pack a picnic and enjoy the rolling grass hills overlooking the ocean, or book in for a tunnel tour where you will learn about this history of this amazing site. For more details visit the Fort Scratchley website. Fort Scratchley is open from 10am – 4pm six days a week. The Fort is closed on Tuesdays
Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG)
Head to MRAG these school holidays for workshops and drop-in experiences to suit every age and ability. Enjoy exhibitions, workshops and more! Everyone is welcome, bookings essential for workshops. For more information, visit Maitland Regional Art Gallery website.
BEACHES & POOLS
If the weather’s warm, it’s the perfect time to cool off at one of our local beaches, ocean baths or council-run pools. Lifeguard patrols operate across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie during the summer school holidays.
In Newcastle, head to patrolled beaches at Newcastle Beach, Bar Beach, Merewether Beach, Nobbys Beach, Stockton Beach, and Dixon Park Beach. You can also swim at Newcastle Ocean Baths and Merewether Ocean Baths. For patrol times and baths cleaning schedules visit the City of Newcastle website.
Lake Macquarie City Council lifeguards patrol Blacksmiths, Catherine Hill Bay, Caves Beach and Redhead beaches during the summer holidays. There’s also places to swim in Lake Macquarie. Go for a dip in Belmont Baths or Toronto Baths. Both are fully enclosed, with ramps, jetty decking, and netting for a safer, more inclusive experience.
Our picks for best family-friendly beaches and swim spots are Nobbys Beach, Bar Beach, the shallow pool at at Merewether Ocean Baths, Newcastle Canoe Pool, Blacksmiths Beach and Grannies Pool. To help you choose the right spot for your family, we’ve put together a full guide covering the best beaches for your family in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens.
If you feel like a swim at a local pool, most of the council pools are open. In Newcastle, you can visit pools at Lambton, Mayfield, Wallsend, Beresfield and Stockton swimming centres. For this swimming season, City of Newcastle has reduced entry fees to $2 for all visitors at four of its five inland pools. It excludes Lambton Pool due to concerns of overcrowding.
In Lake Macquarie, Lake Mac Swim Centres of Charlestown, Swansea, Speers Point, Morisset have outdoor pools. As well as school holiday intensive programs for kids, Lake Mac Swim Centres have scheduled 4 public sessions for their giant Aquatic Challengers at different locations during the summer school holidays!
In the Maitland area, the East Maitland pool is open. There’s an outdoor swimming pool, shaded baby pool and kids play equipment. Remediation works at Maitland Pool has been completed which means that the outdoor pool, splash pad & toddlers pool are now open!
PLAYGROUNDS
Visiting playgrounds in summer is always a favourite family outing, but the heat can sometimes be a challenge. If you’re looking for a park or playground in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie or the Hunter with plenty of shade on a hot, sunny day, check out our Playgrounds with Shade guide. Some spots have beautiful natural tree coverage, others offer shade sails, and a few have both — perfect for keeping kids cool while they play.
FAMILY WALKS & HIKES
For summer, choose a location where you can combine a walk with a refreshing swim. Here’s a few walks to enjoy with your family.
Pirrita Island
Stroll along Pirrita Island Boardwalk. It’s a short but stunning walk through the mangroves in Swansea. It’s the newest location for our latest Newy with Kids scavenger hunt. You can finish with a swim at Swansea Bay Beach near the holiday park.
Tomaree Coastal Walk
Get a taste of the Tomaree Coastal Walk in Port Stephens with a short kid-friendly walk from Boat Harbour to Slot Canyon Lookout. Go for a swim at Boat Harbour afterwards.
Awabakal Walk
Do the Awabakal walk from Dudley to Redhead walk and enjoy panoramic views of the coast or enjoy the Redhead coast on the Ken and Audrey Owens Walk. Follow up with a swim at patrolled Redhead Beach.
Stockton Shipwreck Walk
Explore Shipwreck Walk, a walk along the Stockton Breakwater which incorporates the wrecks and hulks of several iron and steel ships within the structure. Go for a swim at patrolled Stockton Beach afterwards.
Bathers Way
The Bathers Way is a 6km beautiful coastal walk stretches along our scenic coastline from Nobbys Headland to Merewether Baths to the south. It’s a great walk to do either in one go or in different sections depending on the age of accompanying kids. Along the way, there’s shade shelters, cafes, seating and viewing platforms. Bring your swimmers, there’s plenty of places to go for a dip if you need to cool off.
Caves Beach to Pinny Beach Walk
Want a gorgeous & adventurous walk with views and beach stops? Go for a hike from Caves Beach to Pinny Beach via Spoon Rocks. It’s a bit of an adventure with steep terrain in some spots, a staircase and fire trails to follow.
Green Point
Explore the foreshore at Green Point between Belmont and Valentine. There’s a variety of different walks to do. There are lake views, bush trails, scenic lookouts and picnic and barbecue areas too. Last time, we visited several families enjoying picnics here and also swimming, kayaking, fishing and doing standup paddleboarding.
For more walks, check out our roundup of local family walks.
PUMP TRACKS
If you’re heading to a pump track, go early before it gets too hot or choose a pump track close to the beach or pool so you can cool off afterwards like Redhead pump track or Wallsend pump track. Here’s a list of pump tracks in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter region.
For those unfamiliar with the concept of a pump track, it’s a circuit of rollers, banked turns and jumps that can be ridden on a bike without much pedaling. Riders create momentum to ride around the track by moving, or ‘pumping’, their body up and down.
SKATE PARKS
Get the kids out of the house! There’s tons of skate parks in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & the Hunter where kids, teens and adults can shred. As we suggested, go early before it starts to warm up and choose skate parks close to beaches and pools like Empire Park at Bar Beach, South Newcastle skate park, Mayfield skate park, Stockton skate park (near the pool), and Swansea skate park.
FAMILY BIKE RIDES
The Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter region is full of some of the most beautiful and fun bike paths to suit any cyclists – from little ones just beginning on their biking adventures to those kids who want some challenge and fitness.
In the hot summer temperatures, choose bike paths that end up near beaches or pools like biking at Port Stephens, or along Newcastle Foreshore and out to Nobbys Beach. Nothing like a swim to cool you off before you get back on your bike.
For more inspo, check out our favourite family bike rides in Newcastle and family bike rides in Lake Macquarie.
FREE FUN
Looking for budget-friendly family adventures? You don’t need to break the bank to keep babies, kids, and teens entertained. Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, and the Hunter region offer plenty of free and low-cost activities that the whole family can enjoy.
Frisbee Golf
Take some frisbees and play frisbee golf at one of four permanent disc golf courses in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter region. For those unfamiliar with disc golf, it’s similar to traditional golf but instead of using golf clubs and a ball, you use a frisbee. The aim is to complete each hole with the fewest number of throws. It’s a fun and free family activity.
Go exploring with a Newy with Kids Scavenger Hunt
Looking for a fun and free way to get the kids outdoors and explore the region? Our Newy with Kids scavenger hunts are a great way to get out and discover hidden gems around the city. Whether you’re a curious kid, a teen up for a challenge with friends, or just someone who loves a good walk with a twist, these hunts are for you.
Download and print a Newy with Kids Scavenger Hunt and have fun whilst exploring the region for free. There are 9 locations to choose from in Newcastle as well as 2 HCCDC scavenger hunts for Museum Park and The Station. If you’re heading to Nelson Bay, pick up a scavenger hunt for the area from the Visitor Information Centre or download here. There’s also the Swansea scavenger hunt which covers Pirrita Island.
Search for fossils
For something a bit different, take your kids to Swansea Headland and search for fossils at low tide. Here, you’ll find remnants of a petrified forest in this interesting geological spot from a volcano eruption 250 million years ago off the Swansea coast.
Explore caves
A popular spot in Lake Macquarie, Caves Beach features a network of sea caves only accessible during low tide. Families can combine a visit to the beach with exploring the sea caves and rock pools. There’s a variety of different sized caves to explore, some of them with narrow openings to crawl through as well as tidal pools to explore outside the caves. In addition to the caves, there is lots to do at Caves Beach including swimming, surfing and sunbaking. Go for a swim at the main patrolled beach or splash around in shallow rock pools near the caves
Walk up to a lighthouse
Walk up to Nobbys Headland. It’s an 800 metre walk from the Nobbys Beach car park with a bit of a steep climb at the end. Up at the top, you’ll get close to the lighthouse and enjoy great views of Nobbys Beach, Stockton, the Harbour and back to Newcastle. It’s currently open weekends and public holidays from 8am to 4pm.
NEW RELEASE FAMILY MOVIES
Want to take the kids or teens to the movies during the holidays? As usual, there are a few new-release family-friendly movies to choose from.
Wicked: For Good
- Rating: PG
- Release Date: 20 November 2025
- Duration: 137 minutes
- Description: Follows Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West and her relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. The second of a two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
- Trailer: Click here to watch the trailer
Zootopia 2
- Rating: PG
- Release Date: 27 November 2025
- Duration: 108
- Description: Brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde, team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers.
- Trailer: Click here to watch the trailer
Avatar: Fire and Ash
- Rating: M
- Release Date: 18 December 2025
- Duration: 100 minutes
- Description: Jake and Neytiri’s family grapples with grief after Neteyam’s death, encountering a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Ash People, who are led by the fiery Varang, as the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.
- Trailer: Click here to watch the trailer
The Spongebob Movie: Search For Squarepants
- Rating: PG
- Release Date: 26 December 2025
- Duration: TBC
- Description: SpongeBob and his friends Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, and Mr. Krabs journey to the ocean’s depths to face the Flying Dutchman’s ghost, encountering challenges and uncovering marine mysteries.
- Trailer: Click here to watch the trailer
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