14 holiday activities the whole family can enjoy

From puzzling hedge mazes to children’s themed vintage train rides, there’s plenty to see and do these autumn holidays. Even on those cold and drizzly days.

The Barrabool Maze Estate is a traditional hedge maze, but the grounds are far bigger. There are delightful formal gardens and grounds to wander around including a lakeside walk, plus a great café overlooking the scenes and surrounding Barrabool Hills.

Let the kids burn off that holiday energy at Bounce Inc Geelong – an indoor entertainment venue with trampolines, leaping platforms, crazy climbing walls and a touch of Ninja Warrior course.

Perfect for young animal lovers or budding photographers, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the National Wool Museum showcases fascinating animal behaviour and the breath-taking diversity of the natural world. On until Sunday 7 May.

The giant gnome at the entrance to Fairy Park has been welcoming and delighting children on this granite hill for generations. The magic of storytelling and traditional fairy tales is shared throughout the grounds and the medieval Camelot themed adventure playground is a highlight.

Transporting people between Sorrento and Queenscliff, Searoad Ferries has a brand new terminal and a heap of school holiday activities to enjoy. Depending on the day you travel, you may catch a Krazy Koala Puppet Show, Captain Jack Pirate Show, dolphin discovery or Dazzling Dan the Magic Man.

For those little creative minds and hands, Museum of Play and Art immerses children from age 1-7 in play-based learning. The space stimulates curiosity and creative play.

For fun and games, there’s a playground next to a huge and spectacularly located skate park near Cunningham Pier. The Carousel is a vintage merry-go-round at the bottom of Moorabool Street, and there’s a Giant Sky Wheel near the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. GoBoat is the latest addition to the waterfront: self-driving, electric picnic boats for you and up to 7 others – kids and pooches welcome!

Join Thomas the Tank Engine for a 45-minute vintage train ride of colourful adventures at The Bellarine Railway. Runs on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 April.

Mini golf goes big at Bellarine Adventure Golf. 36 holes, lots of tricky putts to make and plenty of bragging rights for the winner. There’s also a very cheeky cockatoo, some friendly neighbouring animals and loads of picnic space.

Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre offers cultural education programs, an art gallery, native gardens with wildlife plus a café and retail space. ‘Narana’ means deep listening and understanding, and the Centre has a focus on developing a better understanding of culture.

Get the kids to test their skills, accuracy and speed in a range of Nerf challenges that will keep them on their toes. You’ll find the activation outside Target at the Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre.

Heard of the Geelong Gaol Museum? It’s a menacing museum space that’s a stark reminder of our brutal recent history. There are also regular ghost tours for those game enough.

Much of the Werribee Open Range Zoo footprint has African savannah animals free ranging while visitors watch from safari style buses. There’s a fabulous program of events and animal encounters, on-site safari accommodation, a great native animal section and everyone’s favourite lookout monitors, the meerkats.

Have a budding cricketer at home? Let them build their skills at the Renegades School Holiday camp on Friday 21 April. Suitable for 7 to 10 year olds there’ll be fun, fully supervised cricket activities, games, giveaways and maybe even a Renegades player visit!