Spring School Holidays: What's On in the Bendigo Region

It's Tulip Time

Spring in Bendigo means one thing...tulips, tulips, and more tulips! September transforms the city into a floral wonderland, with thousands of colourful tulips. From the iconic Alexandra Fountain, winding through Rosalind Park, and all the way to the Conservatory Gardens, it’s a blooming trail of colour waiting to be explored.

Whether you're snapping Insta-worthy family pics, enjoying a cheeky ice cream in the park, or soaking up the kaleidoscope of flowers, Bendigo’s annual tulip display is a must-do this school holiday. 

Bloom After Dark

18th September - 3rd October
Who says the fun has to stop when the sun goes down? Bendigo’s beloved tulip display transforms on dusk with Bloom After Dark. 

From 5:30pm to 9:30pm, Pall Mall transforms into a glowing garden trail, where tulip beds glow and interactive flowers come to life. 

Wander into the Dai Gum San precinct, where the Yi Yuan Gardens are illuminated in a spectacular golden display commemorating 175 Years of Gold in Bendigo, proudly presented by Fosterville Gold Mine.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

We're Going on a Gnome Hunt

18th September - 4th October
Ready for a whimsical outdoor adventure the whole family will love? Grab your explorers and head to Bendigo Botanic Gardens and the Garden for the Future, where a cheeky bunch of new residents have moved in for the holidays.

The Village of Gnomes is a delightful trail featuring 11 sneaky gnomes sitting amongst the blooms and bushes. Your mission? To find them all along the garden paths from the Garden of the Future to the Heritage Garden.

CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks

Until 29th November
Spark your curiosity and imagination at CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks, now on at the Discovery Science & Technology Centre. Created by Ryan “Brickman” McNaught and his talented team, this hands-on adventure brings science, technology, engineering and maths to life using everyone’s favourite building blocks! What’s waiting inside?
•    A towering 7.5 metre NASA Space Launch System rocket.
•    Lifesize LEGO® builds of the Mars Rover Perseverance and Ingenuity helicopter.
•    Interactive zones where kids (and grown-ups!) can play, build and invent their own LEGO® masterpieces.

Clay Play at Bendigo Pottery

Step into Australia’s oldest working pottery and dive into a world of clay-filled fun at Bendigo Pottery. These hands-on workshops are the perfect way to unleash your creativity. Choose from decorating a plate, mug or bowl and paint your own design, or make a pot on the wheel under the guidance of one of their skilled potters.

Whether you're a total beginner or a future potting pro, there’s something for all ages to enjoy. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to create some magic with clay.

Indoor Play

Bendigo’s got some epic indoor adventures that’ll keep the kids buzzing and boredom far, far away.

First stop: Parky’s Play. This four-level mega play centre is a kid’s dream come true, packed with five giant slides, a soft ball cannon zone, a massive ball pit, and loads more. It’s the ultimate indoor jungle for little adventurers aged 3 to 12.

Next up: Cryptorium. Open daily, challenge yourself in an escape room, unwind with a board game or puzzle, and refuel with delicious food and drinks from the café.

Bloom at Lansell Square

Until 4th October
Help bring a giant spring bloom mural at Lansell Square. Kids can add their own colourful touch to a growing garden scene filled with flowers, bugs and springtime fun throughout the school holidays. Snap a selfie with the giant spring bloom mural and enter online for the chance to win one of seven Lansell Square Gift Cards, with prizes totalling $1,000.

Discover 175 Years of Gold

Step into Bendigo's golden past as the region celebrates 175 years since the discovery of gold. Pan for gold, uncover historic stories on guided walks, explore quartz reefs and try your hand at prospecting, before wandering through the Dai Gum San precinct to see the Yi Yuan Gardens transformed by a dazzling golden light display.

Panning for Gold with Fosterville

1st October
Strike it lucky at a special one-ff gold panning experience as part of the Bendigo Region's 175 Years of Gold celebrations.
Join the Fosterville Gold Mine team at Bendigo's Conservatory Gardens from 10am to 3pm, uncover real gold and learn how gold continues to shape the region today.

Fun in Hargreaves Mall

Hargreaves Mall will be buzzing with springtime energy these school holidays, offering a jam-packed line up of family fun.
Discover a range of free activities and events, from Music in the Mall, Moonlight Markets, Malamiya Mang Family Day, face painting and art, Bendigo Latin Festival and more. 

Nature Fun at PepperGreen Farm

Until 3rd October
Kids can enjoy a range of free, self-led nature-themed activities at PepperGreen Farm. Choose from fairy door decorating and insect-inspired rock painting to nature crowns, scavenger hunts and more.
While little ones explore, create and play outdoors, parents can relax with a coffee in the spring sunshine, and the whole family can refuel with tasty options from the café's dedicated kids' menu.

The Creativerse

3rd October
Get ready for a day of creativity, curiosity and fun at The Creativerse at Ulumbarra Theatre. Perfect for inquisitive minds and playful hearts, this exciting children’s festival brings together art, technology and hands-on play, giving kids the chance to explore, create and let their imaginations run free.

Family Trivia

4th October
Gather the kids and test your knowledge at Bendigo Brewing for Family Trivia. It kicks off at 2pm, with plenty of laughs, friendly competition and great prizes up for grabs.

Outdoor Adventure & Play

Sunny weather means we’re hitting the playgrounds and with over 130 to choose from in the Bendigo region, this one is a no brainer.  Your hardest decision will be which one to go to first. Our top picks are…
Bendigo Botanic Gardens has a magical play space inspired by Alice in Wonderland complete with a secret garden, oversized throne chairs, hedges, hidden mirror and other treasures to explore. 
Eaglehawk Regional Play Space at Lake Neangar is a must do with an extensive play space with water play, all-abilities equipment, flying foxes, beautiful colours and inspiration drawn from Banjo Patterson’s Mulga Bill poem.
Lake Weeroona Play Space is a local favourite and recently upgraded. Based at the Lake Weeroona precinct, enjoy not only a play, but you can walk, ride or scoot around the lake will take around 20 minutes with food and coffee available to break up your outing. 
Strathdale’s Park Play Space in Crook Street is an award-winning space that provides peace of mind with a fenced playground for little ones of all-abilities, a fun water play space, walking and cycling paths nearby, plus a coffee van on the weekends to keep you well caffeinated. 

Explore Central Deborah Gold Mine

Did you know Bendigo was once one of the richest goldfields in the world? Now it’s your turn to strike it lucky! Make your way to Central Deborah Gold Mine and grab a gold pan, or head underground to see if you can uncover hidden treasures. Feel like a real miner as you work the drills and search for gold, just like the miners did back in the day. Open daily, this is one adventure you don’t want to miss.

While you’re at it, hop aboard a Vintage Tram and take a ride through Bendigo’s golden history and streetscapes.

Learning Disguised as Fun

If you’re looking for a fun and unique way to spend some time out with your kids, be sure to check out Bendigo’s Discovery Science & Technology Centre. There are interactive exhibits to explore, you can relax in the Planetarium, check out the Kaleidoscope, or take the big drop on the Vertical Slide, with a sheer drop of seven metres you will drop at a speed of 30-40km per hour.

Alternatively, make your way to the Dai Gum Sai precinct to the Golden Dragon Museum to explore Bendigo’s Chinese heritage. View the world’s oldest and longest Imperial Dragon’s, Loong and Dai Gum Loong, textiles, photographs and artefacts from Bendigo’s Chinese community.

Catch a Movie

From big-screen blockbusters to old-world charm, Bendigo has movie lovers covered. Relax on a plush red sofa at the character-filled Star Cinema or catch the latest releases at Bendigo Cinema before hitting the arcade.