What’s on in November? Here’s the month’s top events in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & The Hunter specially selected for families. There is a mix of ticketed and free events for parents, grandparents and carers to enjoy some family fun.
Look for this icon showing our Featured Events this month!
Model Newcastle: Big Stories, Little Things
A captivating exhibition of models and miniatures that celebrate Newcastle’s history, creativity and community. From intricate railways and maritime marvels to dollhouses, puppetry and cinematic cityscapes, this exhibition brings together treasures from Newcastle Museum’s collection alongside contributions from local makers and storytellers.
With playful, hands-on experiences, displays of technical brilliance and moments of nostalgia, this exhibition invites visitors of every age to discover the big stories told by these little things.
Date: Runs until February 2026
Time: Newcastle Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday 10am – 5pm. It’s open 7 days a week during NSW school holidays and Public Holidays.
Location: Newcastle Museum
Age Group: All ages
Cost: $10 (adults), $8 (concession), $5 (children 5-16), FREE (children 4 and under). Family tickets for two adults and two children can be purchased for $25.
Website
Vacy Country Carnival
Vacy Country Carnival is an annual event in Vacy Village that is full of country fun! Country cooking, Jack Russell and Dachshund races, pony and camel rides, market stalls, and country food.
Date: Sunday 2 November 2025
Time: 9am – 3pm
Location: 792 Gresford Road, Vacy
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free entry
Website
Dungog Show
The Dungog Show is held the second Friday and Saturday of November every year. Now in its 130th year, the Dungog Show is one of Australia’s oldest country shows. Whether you visit for the agriculture, the pavilion and cattle display or the thrill of the post splitting competitions, there’s something for everyone.
Date: Friday 7 & Saturday 8 November 2025
Time: 8am – 12 midnight
Location: Dungog Showground
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Friday – $5 (Adults), $3 (Children under 18 years), FREE (Children under 5 years). Saturday – $20 (Adults), $5 (Children under 18 years), FREE (Children under 5 years), $45 (Family Pass: 2 Adults and 3 children)
Website
Stroud Brick and Rolling Pin Throwing Competition
Each year Stroud Showground comes alive with market and food stalls, activities and entertainment for the whole family for the Stroud Brick and Rolling Pin Throwing Competition. Join in the fun and sign up to throw a brick, hurl a rolling pin or fling a rubber chook in this annual test of skill and strength. Entertainment for the kids includes face painting, baby animal petting zoo and a street parade. Show tickets available at the gates.
Date: Saturday 15 November 2025
Time: From 10am
Location: Stroud Main Street & Showground
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Adult $15, Child $5, Family $30
Website
Murrook Cultural Festival – Wakulda “As One”
The Murrook Cultural Festival returns in 2025 with the inclusive theme “Wakulda” (meaning ‘As One’). Symbolizing our shared responsibility, unity, respect and coming together in celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in Worimi Country. Set against a breathtaking backdrop of Sand Dunes (Worimi Barray) the festival is a family fun and free event that welcomes ALL community/s to experience an evening of celebration and fun.
Date: Saturday 15 November 2025
Time: 4pm – 10pm
Location: Worimi Sand Dunes, Williamtown (free parking and transfers)
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
FREE Pool Party at Lambton Pool
Lambton Pool are excited to invite you to their FREE Community Pool Party. Bring your family and friends down for an afternoon full of splashing, laughter, and fun! Whether you’re looking to cool off in the pool, enjoy family fun activities, or explore everything the facility has to offer, there’s something for everyone!
Date: Sunday 16 November 2025
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Location: Lambton Pool, Lambton
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
Down the Park – Live, Loud & Local
Get ready for an epic arvo of live music, workshops, delicious food, and good vibes at Foreshore Park!
Catch local legends Aunty Alan, Izzy James, Charlie Farmer, Trophy Wyfe, and Evan Worgan on stage plus more performers to be announced soon. There’ll also be wellness and circus workshops, and a skate comp by Grundys Skate. Free food and free transport options available for from Shortland, Wallsend and Jesmond.
Date: Thursday 20 November 2025
Time: 4pm – 7pm
Location: The Tram Sheds, Foreshore Park, Newcastle
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
Let’s Fish Lake Mac
Head out for a spot of fishing with your kids. Let’s Fish Lake Mac, Lake Macquarie’s own fishing competition is back in 2025. This is a fun kid-friendly event, with prizes to be won, so get together with friends and family and register for this fishing competition. This year, four $25,000 tagged fish have been added to the lake. Plus, all entries go in the draw to win in the Prize Draw. You don’t even have to catch a fish to win!
Date: Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 November 2025
Time: From 6am
Location: Lake Macquarie
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Entry fee $35
Website
Hunter Valley Highland Games
Immerse yourself in the diverse and lively tapestry of Scottish culture, enjoy the exhilaration of caber tossing, the savoury delight of tasting authentic Scotch pies and more at the 2025 Hunter Highland Games. All at the beautiful Saltire Estate at Lovedale in the Hunter Valley.
Date: Saturday 22 November 2025
Time: 9am – 4pm
Location: Saltire Estate, 113 Wilderness Road, Lovedale, Hunter Valley
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Adult $25, Child (13-18) $15, Child (under 13) FREE
Website
Music of the Guns Fort Scratchley
Music of the Guns where the night ends with a bang! Featuring the Australian Army Band (Newcastle), the band of Merewether High School, Australian Army Wives Choir.
Date: Saturday 22 November 2025
Time: 6-8pm
Location: Fort Scratchley, Newcastle
Age Group: Adults and Children 5+. Children under 5 not permitted.
Cost: Family ticket $30 (2A & 2C); Adult $25, with chair provided $33;
Child under 14 yrs $15, with chair provided $23. No children under 5 years.
Website
Maitland Brickfest
Get ready, Maitland! Maitland Brickfest, a LEGO Fan Event returns in November, 2025, bringing an incredible day of LEGO fun to your community! Get along to see magnificent creations and support a great local cause! Over eighty tables showcasing the amazing creativity of 30+ Adult Fans of LEGO, themes for everyone, meet the builders, a shopping zone and LEGO raffle.
Date: Sunday 23 November 2025
Time: 10am – 4pm
Location: Maitland High School, Pierce Street, East Maitland
Age Group: All ages
Cost: $10 One person (aged 3+), $35 Family ticket (2A+2C)
Website
Hive Youth Theatre Presents The Wizard of Oz
Follow the Yellow Brick Road to an unforgettable theatrical adventure! Bursting with energy, charm, and the timeless lesson that “there’s no place like home,” this spectacular youth production will delight audiences of all ages. Secure your seats now for a journey you won’t forget!
Date: Thursday 27 November – Sunday 30 November 2025
Time: Various
Location: Civic Theatre, Playhouse
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Standard tickets $48, Family (2A+2C) $160
Website
Young Architects at Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Young artists aged 12-16 can unleash their creativity and design skills at this exciting workshop with Artist Jen Denzin and a talented architect student from the University of Newcastle. This is a unique hands on opportunity to explore their passion for architecture and design. Proudly supported by NSW Government, Cleverpatch and EJE Architecture.
Date: Thursday 27 November 2025
Time: 4-5pm
Location: Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Age Group: 12-16 years
Cost: Free, but bookings required
Website
Twilight Fridays
It’s kids’ night at MAP mima. The Cube will be transformed into a vibrant disco space, with upbeat family-friendly tracks and immersive projections. Kids are invited to dance, move, and play in an environment unlike any other. The Cube’s projection screens will come alive with dazzling visuals that shift, pulse, and swirl in rhythm with the music, creating an energetic atmosphere where sound and image combine to spark joy and creativity.
Date: Friday 28 November 2025
Time: 5pm – 8pm
Location: MAP mima, Speers Point
Age Group: 5 – 12 years
Cost: Free, but bookings required
Website
Visit a Sunflower Field at Little Tin Shed Medowie
🌻 Little Tin Shed Medowie are opening their sunflower fields to the public on Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 November between 9am and 1pm. There will be lots of tractors, glasshouses, and accessories to take photos amongst the blooming sunflowers. It’s a great family day out. Lulu’s Gelato Van will be onsite with all their delicious gelatos on Saturday.
Date: Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 November 2025
Time: 9am to 1pm
Location: 54 Lisadell Road, Medowie
Age Group: All ages
Cost: $5 entry, kids under 12 free. Sunflowers $3 per stem or 6 for $15.
Website
Meg Washington at The Warners Bay Theatre
Experience one of Australia’s best musicians in an intimate and captivating performance. A rare opportunity to hear Meg’s electrifying voice up close and to experience one of Australia’s best musicians in a never-to-be repeated live performance.
Date: Saturday 29 November 2025
Time: 7.30 – 9.45pm
Location: Warners Bay Theatre, 39 Lake Street, Warners Bay
Age Group: All ages
Cost: General Admission $60 (including booking fee)
Website
Hills 4 Hearts Gladdy Gallop
Join or support “Team Gladdy Gallop” for the 5km Fun Run/Ride/Walk to help Hills 4 Hearts reach their goal to establish their fifth Neo Natal clinic in developing regions of Vietnam. Amazing drinks, food and raffle prizes at The Gladdy in Stockton afterwards. Why not catch the 10.20am ferry from Newcastle Foreshore!
Date: Saturday 29 November 2025
Time: 10.30am start
Location: Start at Stockton Active Hub, finish at The Gladdy, Stockton
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Donation
Website
Edgeworth Trains
Ride on a miniature train. Lake Macquarie Live Steam Locomotive Society hosts monthly public ride days. There’s a variety of miniature trains such as steam and diesel and different rail routes (both elevated and ground-level) so you can easily spend a couple of hours watching and riding trains. Their public ride days run on the last Sunday of each month excluding December.
Date: Sunday 30 November 2025
Time: Trains running from 12:30pm till 3:30pm (weather permitting). The park is open from around 9:30am.
Location: Velinda Street, Edgeworth
Age Group: All ages
Cost: It costs $3 per train ride. Children under 2 years old are free.
Website
The Great Bicycle Recycle
The inaugural Great Bicycle Recycle is a community bike repair and recovery event encouraging locals to dust off their bicycles for repairs or replacement before summer hits. Free 15-minute bike checkups, bike maintenance workshops, drop-off services for old or unused bicycles, pre-loved bike sales, live music from Deejay Mathmatics and more are in store, with expert help from Revolve Recycling and Cheeky Bikes.
Date: Sunday 30 November 2025
Time: 10am – 3pm
Location: Speers Point Park.
Age Group: All ages
Cost: Free
Website
What’s On Next Month?
Looking for more events in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter? Check out our What’s On Guide with information about events all year long. The guide provides a list of local family-friendly events organised by month.