September School Holiday Survival Guide

School’s out for Spring and kids all over the country are celebrating their freedom… while their parents wonder how to keep them entertained for two weeks. Here on the Gold Coast we’ve got it covered with a huge range of attractions, entertainment and holiday activities - many of them are absolutely free!

There are cool arts and culture experiences, wildlife encounters, theme park fun, free activities and lots, lots more! Show the kids this blog and let them choose their own Gold Coast adventure these school holidays.

Kids Take Over at HOTA: 14 - 26 September

School holidays are sorted at Kids Take Over - HOTA's epic holiday program for kids aged 3 - 11. Dive into a vibrant program of performances, free daily activities, immersive installations, and hands-on workshops. With something new to discover every day, one visit is never enough!  There's silent disco and Hot Potato Band are playing a show at the Outdoor Stage. There are free kids movies at the HOTA Cinema, theatre perfomances, creative workshops and more.

One of thehighlights is Hues of Happy Supermarket - a vibrant, colour-drenched installation invites children aged 0–11 to explore, create, and play their way through a world built just for them. Browse shelves stocked with products designed by big kids, for little kids. Dotted throughout the aisles are push-button activations where children can hear voice messages recorded by other kids - little voices sharing what courage feels like, what kindness looks like, and what makes them uniquely them. With experiences tailored to every stage of childhood - from toddler tactile play to big-kid storytelling and product design - something magical is waiting around every corner.

Check out the full program and plan ahead for an awesome school holiday experience.

Location: HOTA (Home of the Arts) 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise

Dreamworld Country Fair: 19 September - 5 October

Round up the family for a day at the Dreamworld Country Fair. Dreamworld’s annual celebration of all things country is back for the September school hols!

Along with the regular rides, slides, wildlife and entertainment there’s a whole lot of extra fun on offer including line dancing, live entertainment, farmyard animals, tractor displays, live music, scarecrows and a smorgasbord of country eats. It’s going to be a toe-tapping, lip smacking good time, all included in your regular Dreamworld entry.

Location: Dreamworld Parkway, Coomera

Swell Sculpture Festival: 12 - 21 September

This annual sculpture festival comes to Currumbin each year and transforms the beachfront into an outdoor art gallery. A natural hit for families with young kids, it makes art accessible to all, and they are free to run around to their hearts content while they interact with the artworks.

SWELL Kids Elements is a vibrant hub where school children can explore their artistic side  in free and ticketed creative workshops. This year they can play with clay, create a bird sculpture or decorate flower pots with recycled materials and choose a seedling to grow. Find the art classes in Len Wort Park.

Location: Pacific Parade, Currumbin

Meet the Quokkas at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary: 25 September - 3 October

Hop on down to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to meet their newest residents – a pair of quokkas! These adorable little marsupials will be settling into their new habitat and to celebrate, the Sanctuary is throwing a welcome party with daily pop-up activations, Wildlife Keeper Chats, face painting and a colouring competition. Enter the competition to name the quokkas and you’ll go in the running to win a trip to Rottnest Island - it’s one of WA’s favourite holiday destinations and where these little critters come from. 

Location: 28 Tomewin St, Currumbin

Free School Holiday Activities on the Gold Coast

City of Gold Coast provides awesome free holiday programs to keep kids entertained. Over the Septmeber school holidays they include a huge range of NaturallyGC workshops about different kinds of creatures, reptiles and marine life. Kids explore natural habitats and learn about the environment in engaging and fun activities.There are also Indigenous art and culture experiences and junior ranger days at David Fleay Wildlife Park… just to name a few!

Many of these activities are completely free but you do need to register online. And while there are different activities for different ages, most of them are suitable for kids between 5 - 12. Check out the extensive program here.

Location: Loman Ln, Burleigh Heads

Infinity Surfers Paradise

Immerse yourself in a futuristic universe into maze-like worlds of wonder at Infinity in Surfers Paradise. Make your way through a series of multi-sensual environments with stunning special effects. Each Infinity room is filled with special effects, atmospheric sound fields, groovy music and spectacular visual and spatial illusions created with lasers, mirrors, audio and more. 
 
This holidays you can experience INFINITY for less while supporting a great local cause! Enjoy 25% OFF admission on Friday, 18 September 2026 - book online and enter promo code SCRUBUP to receive your discount. Plus, INFINITY will donate $5 from every admission sold on the day to the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation. 

Location: Chevron Renaissance Centre, 3240 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise

Whale Watching

The September school holidays are during whale watching season, so all aboard for an activity that will make a lasting impression. There are numerous operators providing whale watching tours and an up close encounter with these magnificent aquatic mammals is awe-inspiring, humbling and exhilarating. 

One major advantage of Gold Coast whale watching is that there’s very little travel time involved - once you leave the dock you’ll be out in the ocean within 15 minutes. This is great news for parents with little people impatient to see all the action. It also means you can go for an early morning whale watching tour and be back on land before lunch with the rest of your day to spend at your leisure, relaxing, shopping or exploring Gold Coast’s other attractions.

Prison Island

Prison Island puts a fresh spin on the escape room concept, challenging teams to conquer up to 40 themed cells packed with puzzles, physical tests and tactical missions. With 90 minutes on the clock and a live scoring system tracking your progress, it's a fast-paced adventure that's equal parts brains and brawn. This awesome experience is perfect for kids aged 7+.

Location: 29 Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise

Need more ideas for the school holidays? Check out our Family Friendly Guide to the Gold Coast Hinterland.