Free school holiday activities: 5 amazing Australia

With school holidays coming up you might be thinking that it’s time to pull out the wallet and throw your cash around to give the kids a good time. We’re here to tell you that far from that being the case, there are so many incredible activities to do on your family road trip that won’t break the bank. In fact they won’t even contact the bank. At Camplify, we have a huge range of affordable vans for the whole family, and we’re keeping the thrifting spirit going with a handy guide to these free school holiday activities across Australia.

Get a guided tour of a chocolate factory - SA

Can you imagine the looks on your kids' faces when you tell them that they’re going to spend the day in a chocolate factory? What about the look on your face when you realise it’s totally free? Treat the family to a Willy Wonka experience they won’t forget without needing to pull out the credit card. Haigh’s Chocolate Factory is located a short drive outside of Adelaide, making it the perfect first stop if you’re setting out on your road trip from the City of Churches. The wonderful chocolatiers will guide you and the family through every step of the process, teaching you how the award winning company handcrafts their incredible range of confectionery. Keep an eye out for chocolate rivers and tiny dancing men.

Become a park ranger for a day - VIC

Give your kids some bragging rights when they head back to school with this awesome program designed to get the little ones out and about in nature while learning more about our incredible country. Located all over Victoria, the Junior Ranger initiative has an enormous range of free activities during the school holidays, where real-life park rangers take the kids on marine life discoveries, indigenous learning tours and epic underground expeditions. No matter where your Victorian road trip takes you, you won’t be far from a bevy of activities that will keep the kids occupied for one or more days. Get the kids to create a rangers badge beforehand to ensure your little ranger will have a holiday to remember.

Fly over the Snowy Mountains - NSW

If you’re journeying through the immense landscape of the Snowy Mountains this spring, there’s no shortage of stunning walks, awe-inspiring vistas, and peaceful drives to keep the kids occupied. But if you’re looking for something different that will entertain for free, the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre in Cooma is sure to provide an exciting afternoon. With interactive displays, dioramas, and a state-of-the-art theatre where you can take a virtual flyover of the Snowy Hydro Scheme, who said school holidays couldn’t offer some teaching moments?

Explore the enchanted Canning River - WA

Whether you’re starting, finishing or simply passing through Perth, Canning River Regional Park should be right at the top of your list. This reserve showcases some of the most magical sights of Western Australia, and the Butterflies, Birds and Bridges Loop can see you and your family spend the whole day connecting with nature without having to spend a cent. This trail is about 4 km long, and can be broken up into shorter chunks if you just want to get a taste of the area. Bring a picnic and wander through meadows, mature woodlands, over bubbling creeks and underneath the towering canopy of the paperbark trees. Get the kids to be on bird-spotting duty as they look out for spoonbills, ducks and pelicans who call the region home.

Keep the kids active with Krank - QLD

Smack bang between Brisbane and the Gold Coast is the city of Logan, where every school holiday sees the local council hold the Krank program. The all-encompassing range of activities can keep the kids busy for a day, a week, or the whole two weeks with a seemingly endless supply of over 100 free activities. From learn-to-fish classes, self-defence courses, nature games, arts and crafts and water obstacle courses to name a few, there’s something here for every age to enjoy. Even though they’re free, places are limited, so make sure to book the best activities ahead of time.

There’s so many ways to entertain the kids (and yourself!) during the school holidays for free. These are some of our top picks, but when you’re holidaying in a van there are endless options to get out and about in nature without touching your wallet. These school holidays, you don’t need to hop on a plane to see what the world has to offer, your own backyard is full of exciting adventures, and it all starts on Camplify.