school holidays in Brisbane

Streets Beach is a hit with kids of all ages — free water play, shaded playgrounds, and you can easily spend a full day here with a packed lunch.

The dinosaur gallery alone will keep kids busy for an hour. Under-5s have their own Discovery Centre downstairs — free entry.

Australia's oldest koala sanctuary. Kids can hand-feed kangaroos and actually hold a koala ($25 photo). The platypus house is worth the visit alone.

The nature playground here is properly good — scramble nets, water play, and shaded seating for parents. Works for toddlers and older kids.

Kayaking, rock climbing and abseiling right on the Brisbane River. They run school holiday programs — book early, they fill up fast.

Free guided walks, nature trails and plenty of open space for kids to run. Mt Coot-tha location has the planetarium too.