community
Family activities roundup
Brisbane families face a packed July school holiday calendar with options spread across multiple suburbs and venues.
How we reported this
Brisbane families booked sessions at multiple venues on 12 July 2026 as the second week of school holidays began.
July marks the main winter break for Queensland state schools, which run from 4 to 19 July this year, and cooler daytime temperatures around 18 degrees push parents toward a mix of indoor and sheltered activities rather than full-day beach trips.
At the Queensland Museum in South Bank, staff added extra dinosaur workshop slots after early bookings reached capacity by 9 July. The same week the Brisbane Powerhouse in Newstead opened its family art studio for drop-in collage sessions on Stanley Street East, with materials supplied each morning from 10am.
Both sites sit within easy reach of the CBD via the CityCat ferry service that stops at South Bank and Newstead terminals every 15 minutes on weekends.
Indoor workshops fill fast
Queensland Museum recorded 4,200 family visitors during the first week of the current holidays, according to its public attendance log released on 11 July. Entry for a family of four costs $68 when booked online, with children under five admitted free. The museum extended its popular fossil lab hours to 4pm daily through 19 July to handle demand.
Parents who miss those slots can still join the free storytime sessions at the State Library of Queensland on Stanley Place, which run at 11am and 2pm each weekday with no booking required.
Outdoor sites stay popular
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary on Jesmond Road in Fig Tree Pocket reported 1,850 visitors on 11 July alone. Adult entry there is $40 and child entry $25, with the sanctuary keeping its gates open until 5pm through the holidays. The site added extra keeper talks at 11.30am and 3pm after queues formed at the main entrance on the weekend.
Families who prefer the riverbank can head to the South Bank Parklands playground near the Wheel of Brisbane, where the water-play fountains operate daily from 10am to 4pm at no charge.
Check venue websites the night before for any weather-related changes, and arrive 30 minutes early for paid workshops to secure parking in the adjacent council lots on Grey Street or Montague Road.