Bendigo Unleashes Free Winter Activities for School Holiday Families

The winter school holidays are in full swing, and Bendigo’s family-friendly attractions are seeing a surge in visitors, with the Golden Dragon Museum reporting a 23 per cent bump in school-group bookings since the start of July.

It’s a welcome lift for local tourism operators, who have spent the past two years rebuilding after the pandemic downturn. With petrol prices hovering around $1.85 a litre across central Victoria, more families are choosing staycations over trips to the coast. And Bendigo’s mix of indoor and outdoor options makes it a practical choice for parents staring down another week of wet weather.

Splash parks, trains and underground mine tours

Take the kids to the free Splash Park at the Bendigo Botanic Gardens in White Hills. It opened in 2022 and now averages 400 visitors a day during school holidays. The water jets and spray zones are heated, a lifesaver when winter temps barely crack 12 degrees. Parking is free on Park Road, and the adjacent adventure playground includes a flying fox and a nature-play area with logs and boulders.

For something drier, the Central Deborah Gold Mine on Violet Street runs its popular 60-minute “Mine Experience” tour daily at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2pm. Adult tickets are $39, kids (5-15) $22, and a family pass for two adults and two children costs $108. The mine descended 61 metres underground in 2026, and guides point out the original stope walls and a battery of stamper stamps left in place since the 1900s.

The Vintage ‘n’ Heritage Train on the Bendigo Tramways line starts at the Central Deborah depot and loops through the city centre. A day pass costs $12 for adults and $6 for kids. The service now includes a new audio commentary feature highlighting the 18 historic buildings along the route, including the Shamrock Hotel and the former Post Office.

Indoor play and hands-on history

When the drizzle sets in, head to the Discovery Science and Technology Centre on Railway Place. School holiday programs run through to July 19, with a “Space Balls and Rockets” workshop on July 14 and 16, a hands-on session where kids build and launch their own mini air rockets. Entry is $15 for adults, $12 for kids, and the centre opens from 10am to 4pm daily.

The Bendigo Art Gallery on View Street is also offering free family drop-ins every Wednesday from 10.30am to 12.30pm during the break. The current program ties into its blockbuster exhibition “Australia in Colour”, which features more than 200 photographs spanning from 1850 to 1970. Kids can make their own cyanotype prints using sunlight-sensitive paper.

Don’t overlook the Bendigo Library on Hargreaves Street. It runs Lego Club every Thursday at 3.30pm, and Story Time sessions on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10.30am. Both are free. The children’s section was refurbished in early 2026 with new soft-play zones and a dedicated sensory area for neurodiverse kids.

If you’re planning a full day out, consider the Bendigo Farmers’ Market on Saturday July 12 at the Golden Square Pool car park on High Street. It runs from 8am to 1pm and has free face-painting, a petting zoo with alpacas, and stalls selling hot jam donuts and local honey. Entry is free.

Parking in the CBD remains the biggest headache. The council recently extended free parking to two hours in most on-street spots, but the multi-storey carpark on Garsed Street charges $3 for the first hour, then $2.50 per hour after that. The undercover car park at the Coles complex on Mitchell Street is often a safer bet, $2 for the first two hours with a Coles receipt.

Whatever you choose, book ahead. The Golden Dragon Museum sold out of its “Dragon Discovery” kids’ tour on July 12 by midday on Tuesday. And the Mine Experience is taking bookings for the July 18-19 weekend already.