School holiday events
Newcastle City Council offers a range of school holiday activities for kids of all ages, and there are plenty of the things to do in and around our beautiful city.
You can download the full school holiday program (93.2kb pdf) or check out the details below:
Newcastle Region Art Gallery Workshops
Gallery Open: Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 5pm
Location: Laman Street, Newcastle. Bookings essential: 02 4974 5100
Primary children will be doing works in response to the landscape exhibition downstairs at the Gallery – they will be doing drawing and painting 5 - 8 year olds 8 & 15 July 9 - 12 year olds 11 & 16 July
Westfest participants will be working with an aboriginal artist to produce paintings. Westfest bookings must be made by phoning 4974 2129.
Westfest 9, 10 & 17 July
Cost: $15 per workshop Workshop Times: Primary 10.30am - 12.30pm / Westfest 11am - 2pm
artNRG @ Newcastle Region Art Gallery Every Saturday and Sunday
Each weekend children can join in the activities at artcart, our mobile workshop. Art will come alive for young people with hands on activities, performances, stories and more. The artcart will be loaded up with a variety of materials for art activities relating to the Gallery's program.
Cost: FREE Time: 10.30am - 12.30pm Location: Laman Street, Newcastle: 02 4974 5100
The Loft Youth Venue School Holiday Program 7 - 18 July
Free stuff to do so no excuses for boredom these holidays! The Loft Youth Venue is a drug and alcohol free, safe place for young people aged 12 - 25 years to hang out and enjoy heaps of fun activities. Activities include Skateboard clinics, Fire twirling, Video production, Radio production, Busking, Fashion, DJ workshops, Aerosol Art, Dance, Art, All-ages gigs and much more….
Cost: Holiday Program Free for Loft members. Loft membership $20 per year.
Times & Locations: The Loft is open through the holidays Monday - Friday 10am - 7pm. Program & sessions to be held in various locations - check upon booking. Ph: (02) 4974 2092 for more information, timetable and registrations. www.myspace.com/loftyouthvenue
Westfest 2008 7 - 18 July
FREE holiday activities for 12-15 year olds. Activities this year include: boot camp & splash zone, go karting, horse riding & grooming, skate clinic & comp, bmx clinic, fire twirling, jewellery making, cooking, west African percussion, ten pin bowling, circus workshop and more…
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL (Monday - Friday 2.30pm - 5pm only).Cost: Free
Times & Locations: Check out the Westfest school holiday program.
Waste Monster Workshops 9 - 13 July
Release the creative monster within with local artist Ken O'Regan. Create your own monster from recovered and recycled materials. Plastic bags, plastic bottles and all manner of odds and ends can all be transformed into something alien and exciting.
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL Call 4974 2847
Times & Locations: There will be two workshops every day from 10am to 12noon and 1pm to 3pm. The workshops will be held in the Blacksmiths Shop at Honeysuckle.
Newcastle Libraries 7 - 18 July
BOOKINGS AND PREPAYMENT ESSENTIAL. Phone your local library or City Library on 02 4974 5300. Check out the great program of activities at libraries (1.7Mb pdf) around the city. Classes include:
Craft @ the library 1.5 hour workshop. Ages 8 - 12 years, $5 per child
Decorating picture frames, 1 hour workshop. Ages 7 - 12 years, $3.50 per child
Family games @ the library, 1.5 hours. Ages 6 – Adult, FREE
JD’s World of Magic, 40 minute show. Ages 3 - 12 years, $5 per child
Just So! 50 minute show. Ages 5 - 12 years, $5 per child
Love Your Pet, 1 hour show. Ages 7+FREE
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, 1 hour party. Ages 5 -12 years, $5 per person
Travelbugs, 80 minute show. Ages 5 - 12 years, $5 per child
Storytime @ the library, 40 minute show. Ages 2 - 5 years, FREE
Wind in the Willows – movie, 2 hour movie. All ages (rated PG)Cost includes movie munchies. $3.50 per person
Wind in the Willows – storytime, 50 minute show. Ages 4 - 8 years, FREE
NIB Hunter Festival of Sport 2008 29 June - 13 July
The Fairies 5 July
Adapted from the popular children’s television series, the Fairies are back in a brand new stage production, Fairy Friends Forever! With lots of new songs and some of your very favourite songs as well, it will be a magical Fairyland adventure full of fun, sing-a-longs, some unexpected surprises and loads of audience participation too!
Cost: $24.90 (Under 12months, Free sitting on Knee) Time: 11:30am & 1:30pm Location: Civic Theatre, Hunter
Street, Newcastle Contact Details: Civic Ticketek on 02 4929 1977 or at www.civicprecinctnewcastle.com.au
Reserve Forces Day Parade 5 July
2008 is the 60th Anniversary of Reserve Forces Day (1948 - 2008), a day held across Australia as the annual recognition for serving & former members; the 1.25million Australians who have served in the reserved Forces.
Time & Location: Departs Parnell Place at 10.45am for short March to Fort Scratchley Historic Site for official ceremony
Contact Details: Major John Spruce on 02 4984 5373 or at http://www.rfd.org.au/site/parade_locations.asp
Young People’s Theatre: Snow White 7 July - 30 August
"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" An honest answer to this question places Snow White in grave danger. This Grimm's fairy tale is one of the most treasured and well known throughout the world. Audiences will enjoy the antics of the forest creatures and the creatures who fight with such bravery and loyalty to save the life of Snow White. Romance, intrigue, treachery, humour and courage all abound in this timeless tale.
Dates & Times: 7 & 8 July - 11am / 9 July - 11am & 7pm* / 10 July - 11am & 2pm / 11 July - 11am & 7pm /12, 19 & 26 July - 2pm & 7pm / 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 August - 2pm & 7pm
Cost: All tickets $14, *Supper night $17
Venue: Young People’s Theatre, Cnr Lindsay & Lawson Streets, Hamilton
Ph: YPT on 02 4961 4895 Office Hours - Friday 4pm - 6pm, Saturday 9am - 1pm
Clowns on School Outing 8 - 19 July
The Popular Theatre Company presents the sequel to last years box office smash hit Children’s show, School for Clowns. This July the Clowns burst out of the classroom walls and into the wide world beyond. Beach ball,swimming costumes, cars, surf boards and LOTS of water!
Cost: All $20, Groups (8+) $15 Times: 10 am 9, 16, 17 & 18 July. 1pm 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,14, 15, 16 & 19 July. 5pm12 & 19 July.
Venue: Playhouse, Civic, Hunter Street, Newcastle
Contact Details: Civic Ticketek on (02) 4929 1977 or at www.civicprecinctnewcastle.com.au
Drum Tao 14 July
This production has been seen by over 5-million worldwide, amassing an unsurpassed reputation for their stunningly executed performances. The incomparable quality and pure unadulterated power and spectacle of their work perfectly blends the ancient traditions of Taiko Drumming with the innovative and flawlessly choreographed production values of contemporary Japanese excellence.
Cost: Adult $79.90, Pension/Senior $69.90, Concession $59.90 Time: 8pm
Location: Civic Theatre, Hunter Street, Newcastle
Contact Details: Civic Ticketek on (02) 4929 1977 or at www.civicprecinctnewcastle.com.au
The Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival 2008 11 - 13 July
This is the film festival where filmmakers come together in one place to make a short film in 24 hours. In 24 hours great stories are told in great short films using the most affordable and readily available equipment. This is a filmmaking event where professionals compete with aspiring filmmakers and the general public on a level playing field. Do you dare in 2008?! Contact Details: Shoot Out on 4940 8152 or go to www.theshootout.com.au
Blackbutt Reserve
Native flora and fauna in a central location with well-developed walking trails, picnic areas, playgrounds and a fantastic koala enclosure. Reserve Open: 7am - 5pm daily. Wildlife exhibit open 9am - 5pm daily.Bookings Essential.
Location: Carnley Avenue, Kotara Ph: (02) 4904 3344 (Monday - Friday 8am - 3.30pm)
Date & Time Activity Cost
Juniors (6 - 9yrs) 7 - 9, 11, 14, 16 & 18 July
Cadets (10 - 13yrs) 10, 15 & 17 July
9:30am - 11:30am
Junior Ranger Program
Children aged 6 - 13 years will become a palaeontologist for a day and explore fascinating fossils and Australian mega fauna. Make your own fossils, experience close encounters with our reptiles and participate in your own fossil dig.
$15 per child includes healthy morning tea + each child receives a name tag, certificate and a take home pack full of fun activities and information. *discounts apply when bringing more than 1 child from same family.
Hunter Wetlands Centre
Discover a haven for wildlife and people 10 minutes from Newcastle CBD. Over 250 wildlife species can be discovered on the 45 hectare wetlands site. Canoe along Ironbark Creek, try dipnetting, check out the Children’s Discovery Playground and have a delicious snack from Nourish cafe! Open: 7 days 9am - 5pm Location: Sandgate Road, Shortland NB: Activities fully supervised bookings are essential except Feeding Talks
Ph: 02 4951 6466 or www.wetlands.org.au
Beaches and Ocean Baths
All Newcastle Beaches and Ocean Baths have reduced lifeguard patrol times during the Winter months. For all beach and ocean baths patrol dates and times, please visit beaches and baths or phone Newcastle City Council on 02 4974 2000.
Walks
Bathers Way
A scenic 5km coastal walk waiting for you to discover, play and eat any way you choose. Look for the yellow information signs that are the storytellers, helping you navigate the Bathers Way.
Newcastle East Heritage Walk
Explore Newcastle’s 200 year old history on a journey through Newcastle’s earliest architecture. Understand Newcastle’s history and take in the stunning coastal views.
The Fernleigh Track
The former railway corridor extends 15kms and connects the cities of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. The route passes through a range of bushland settings and is popular with walkers and cyclists.
Shipwreck Walk
Numerous ships were lost on the “Oyster Bank” and many souls perished. Catch the ferry from Queens Wharf to the beachside suburb of Stockton. From the Stockton ferry terminal, it’s a short walk following the picturesque foreshore to the breakwater.
*Maps for these walks are available from the Visitor Information Centre
