30 Autumn School Holiday Events in Melbourne’s West

The Autumn School Holidays and Easter are just around the corner (Saturday 28 March to Monday 13 April 2020) so now’s the time to start planning your family fun in Melbourne’s west!

Joyce Watts from Melbourne’s biggest and longest-running family travel blog TOT: HOT OR NOT has compiled a list of her top 30 school holiday events and activities happening this autumn in Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Melton, Moonee Valley, Wyndham and Maribyrnong.

Some are free or low cost and some may require bookings in advance – so hop to it!

autumn SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES IN MELBOURNE’S WEST

• Zoorassic Werribee Zoo (Sat 28 Mar – Sun 12 Jul) – walk the Werribee River Trail to meet more than 10 giant animatronic prehistoric beasts. Zoorassic Review
• Scienceworks, Spotswood (Sat 28 Mar – Mon 13 Apr) – make school holidays a breeze with air themed activities. Air Playground Review
• Moonbase ONE (Sat 28 Mar – Mon 13 Apr) – planetarium show – Join a Virtual Reality game developer as she struggles to work out what is wrong with her new game.
• Wyncity, Point Cook (Sat 28 Mar – Mon 13 Apr) – special deals for tenpin bowling, state-of-the-art laser tag, bumper cars, mini golf, arcade games. Wyncity review
• Art Sauce creative workshops for kids, Laverton (Sat 28 Mar) – free and fun hands on art sessions with Rachael from Little Art Big Art at Wood Street Arts Space.
• Neighbour Day, Flemington (Sun 29 Mar) – celebrate community at this picnic in the park with pop up stalls and live entertainment as part of Moonee Valley Festival.
• Dinosaurs and Fossils with the Melbourne Museum (Mon 30 Mar – Tue 31 Mar) – events at Moonee Valley Libraries, offering opportunities to get up close to fossils, bones and more from the Melbourne Museum Collection.

• Essendon Traffic School (Mon 30 Mar – Thu 9 Apr) – Essendon Traffic School is a mini road set up for kids aged two to ten years, complete with road signs, railway bells and traffic lights. Essendon Traffic School review.
• Footscray Community Arts Centre (Tue 31 Mar – Thu 9 Apr) – school holiday arts program and theatre intensive.
• Ramp Camp, Braybrook (Mon 30 Mar – Thu 9 Apr) – camps are suitable for skateboarders, scooter & BMX riders aged from 7-14. Rampfest review
• Girl-powered Circus Workshops Melton Library (Mon 30 Mar, Fri 3 Apr) – an inclusive circus workshop for children of all genders.
• The Art Factory Essendon (Mon 30 Mar – Thu 9 Apr) – various activities and workshops.
• Team Adrenalin, Footscray (Mon 30 Mar – Thu 9 Apr) – acrobatics, circus, trampolining, tumbling. School holiday program and open recreational training.

• Junior Rangers (Mon 30 Mar – Fri 10 Apr) – Parks Victoria Ranger-guided activities in various locations including Brimbank Park, Werribee River, Jawbone Reserve and more. Junior Rangers review.
• Mr Snot Bottom, Wyndham Cultural Centre (Tue 31 Mar) – be prepared for a horrendous hour of the most appalling acting, horrible harmonies and gross-tastic gags in a putrid performance of horrid humour that will make you adore every minute.
• Screen Printing Workshop Laverton (Tue 31 Mar) – participants will learn how to cut a stencil and the basic principles of colour selection, layering patterns to create individual designs.
• The Last Lighthouse Keeper, Clocktower Centre (Tue 31 Mar – Sat 4 Apr) – a performing arts roadshow by Black Hole Theatre.
• Miss Biscuit, Seddon (Tue 31 Mar, Tue 7 Apr) – cookie decorating for 6-12 year olds. Miss Biscuit Review

• Bindu Creative Dance and Design, Footscray (Wed 1 Apr) – guided adventure into the creative dance, a short refreshments break in between, followed by a dedicated session of creating a specific project.
• The Gruffalo’s Child, Clocktower Centre (Wed 1 Apr) – see the sequel to The Gruffalo come to live on stage!
• Saddle Up Holiday Program, Werribee Racing Club (Thu 2 Apr) – horse themed activities.
• Wominjeka Festival (Fri 3 Apr – Sun 5 Apr) – teaching and sharing from the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri peoples of the greater Kulin nation, 4 April is the Wominjeka Community Day.
• Brimbank Youth Week (Fri 3 Apr – Sun 12 Apr) – a fun line-up of events for ages 12- 17 that recognise, celebrate and support the unique and inspiring young people in our local community.
• Dream Big Festival, Melton (Sat 4 Apr) – a fun family day with activities, marketplace, food and performances.
• Autumn Festival at the Races, Werribee (Sat 4 Apr) – country racing, craft markets, food trucks.
• Inclusive Family Fun Day, Deer Park (Sat 4 Apr) – games, dancing, sensory activities and a celebration of Vietnamese Culture through traditional dress, handmade crafts and more.

• Code Camp Essendon (Mon 6 Apr – Wed 8 Apr) – during the camp, kids create and build their own game, learn about user design and the psychology of user experience.
• The Gallery in Me Brimbank (Mon 6 Apr – Thu 10 Apr) – free school holiday visual arts program supporting kids aged 9-12 in developing tools to express their ideas, experiences and sense of self.
• Incinerator Gallery, Aberfeldie (Tue 7 Apr & Thu 9 Apr) – children will work alongside professional artists and educators to imagine, make, create and express themselves.
• Easter Family Fun Day, Caroline Springs (Sat 11 Apr) – the 6th annual Caroline Springs Community Easter fun day (hosted by INChurch Melbourne) will include jumping castles, face painting, petting zoo, games, BBQ and much more.

As well as these events don’t forget to check what’s on at your local library and community centre!

Joyce Watts helps families have more fun together! Her blog TOT: HOT OR NOT reviews things to do and places to go with kids in Melbourne, Regional Victoria and beyond. Sign up to her weekly newsletter here and follow her family’s adventures on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.