School Holidays in Victoria: Dates, Free Programs and Where to Look
Live listings refreshed 24 Sept 2026 · Last updated 24 Sept 2026
The next Victorian school holidays run from 19 Sept 2026 to 4 Oct 2026. There are 21 events listed across Victoria for that break, 7 free events marked free by their organiser, and 1,094 kids' activity providers in our directory running classes and holiday programs year-round. This page is kept current: the dates come from the government calendar, the lists from the AroundSchools directory twice a day.
Key takeaways
- Victorian breaks often fall when no other state is on holiday, which makes the first week of a Victorian break the cheapest week to travel — and the quietest week at the big attractions.
- The free holiday programs are council-run: libraries, leisure centres and youth services. They open bookings a few weeks before each break and fill fast.
- The Get Active Kids voucher pays for a term of sport, not a holiday camp; use it for the class your child keeps after the break.
Victorian school holiday dates
| Break | Dates | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Spring holidays (on now) | 19 Sept 2026 – 4 Oct 2026 | 16 days |
| Summer holidays | 19 Dec 2026 – 27 Jan 2027 | 40 days |
| Autumn holidays | 26 Mar 2027 – 11 Apr 2027 | 17 days |
| Winter holidays | 26 June 2027 – 11 July 2027 | 16 days |
Government school dates — individual schools can vary by a few days. · source
Free programs these holidays
| When | Event | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 July – 20 Nov | EFA: Free Sat Match Development Program · Ages 10–14 | Kew East | Free |
| 6 Aug – 8 Dec | Baby's First Foods - online and in person - Surf Coast Child and Family Health · Council event | Torquay | Free |
| 18 Aug – 29 Sept | Youth Festa-Fair - City of Greater Geelong Youth Council · Council event | Geelong West | Free |
| 23 Aug – 8 Dec | Persian Playgroup - Facilitated · Ages 3–6 · Council event | Blackburn North | Free |
| 31 Aug – 3 Dec | Keon Park Children's Hub Monthly Drop-in Gardening Group · Council event | Keon Park | Free |
| 17 Sept – 29 Oct | Shire of Yarra Ranges Over-50s Festival · Ages 0–18 | Upwey | Free |
| 23 Sept – 29 Sept | Coburg Cycling Club School Holiday Program · Ages 5–14 · Council event | Coburg North | Free |
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 7 of 21 upcoming events in Victoria are marked free by their organiser · correct as at 24 Sept 2026
Council-run holiday programs
| When | Event | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug – 8 Dec | Baby's First Foods - online and in person - Surf Coast Child and Family Health · Council event | Torquay | Free |
| 18 Aug – 29 Sept | Youth Festa-Fair - City of Greater Geelong Youth Council · Council event | Geelong West | Free |
| 23 Aug – 8 Dec | Persian Playgroup - Facilitated · Ages 3–6 · Council event | Blackburn North | Free |
| 31 Aug – 3 Dec | Keon Park Children's Hub Monthly Drop-in Gardening Group · Council event | Keon Park | Free |
| 21 Sept – 2 Oct | The Y (YMCA)'s Spring school holiday program · Ages 6–12 · Council event | Point Cook | From $9.5 |
| 23 Sept – 29 Sept | Coburg Cycling Club School Holiday Program · Ages 5–14 · Council event | Coburg North | Free |
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 6 of 21 upcoming events in Victoria come from council calendars we track · correct as at 24 Sept 2026
By age
Ages 3–5
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 14 of 21 upcoming events in Victoria are listed · correct as at 24 Sept 2026
Ages 6–9
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 16 of 21 upcoming events in Victoria are listed · correct as at 24 Sept 2026
Ages 10 and up
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 17 of 21 upcoming events in Victoria are listed · correct as at 24 Sept 2026
How to find the free stuff in Victoria
Start with your council library. Membership is free, and every library service in Victoria runs school-holiday sessions for children — craft, Lego, coding, science shows, author visits. Bookings usually open two to three weeks before the break; the library's website and the council's "what's on" page are the primary sources.
Council leisure centres and youth services. Many councils run holiday programs at their pools and leisure centres, and youth services run free or gold-coin activities for 10-to-17-year-olds. These are the programs that rarely appear on the big listing sites, which is why we track council calendars directly.
Playgrounds, trails and free attractions. Council playgrounds, the bay and river trails, the free museums and the botanic gardens cost nothing beyond the trip. The council pages below list the playgrounds we hold facility details for.
The Get Active Kids voucher. Victoria's Get Active Kids Voucher Program opens in rounds during the year for eligible families and pays towards sport and recreation costs for the season — it is not for one-off camps. Check the current round on the program site before you count on it.
Where to look by city
Each metro has its own holiday page with dated programs and the providers around it: Melbourne. Suburb by suburb, the Victorian activities hub lists providers by category.
Victorian councils with a kids' activities page
| Council | Kids' activity providers | Schools | What's on |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Melbourne | 50 | 20 | See the council's site |
| City of Monash | 46 | 52 | 6 events |
| City of Whitehorse | 43 | 45 | 3 events |
| City of Casey | 39 | 85 | See the council's site |
| Merri-bek City Council | 37 | 42 | 1 event |
| Yarra Ranges Council | 37 | 77 | 1 event |
| Knox City Council | 35 | 45 | 2 events |
| City of Greater Geelong | 34 | 84 | 1 event |
| City of Kingston | 34 | 43 | See the council's site |
| Frankston City Council | 31 | 41 | See the council's site |
| Brimbank City Council | 30 | 55 | See the council's site |
| City of Wyndham | 30 | 54 | 1 event |
See all 56 Victoria councils with a page
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 56 Victoria councils currently have a page · correct as at 24 Sept 2026
Providers listing class times in Victoria
| Provider | Suburb | Activities | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevate Football Academy | Burwood East | Soccer | from $180 · Ages 5–15 · 6 classes a week |
| AIM INDOOR ARCHERY | Cheltenham | Sports, Archery | from $53.9 · Ages 6–18 · 7 classes a week |
| Eastern Indoor Sports Centre | Knoxfield | — | from $18 · Ages 9–14 · 3 classes a week |
| Glorious Studio | Ashwood | Art Centre | from $39 · Ages 5–18 · 11 classes a week |
| Kim Testing Music | Garfield | Music | from $360 · Ages 6–17 · 1 class a week |
| The family Martial Art | Upwey | — | Ages 8–18 · 2 classes a week |
| Kim Law Testing Sport Centre | Box Hill | — | — |
| Rhee Tae Kwon Do (Upwey Branch) | Upwey | Taekwondo | — |
| P MALBERG | Mentone | Flute | — |
| Nextgen Football Academy | Montmorency | Soccer | — |
| 369 Creative Arts | Ringwood | Painting, Drama, Learning Centre | — |
| 3D Printer Gear | Reservoir | Learning Centre, 3D Printing | — |
Live from the AroundSchools directory — 12 of 1094 kids' activity providers we list in Victoria · correct as at 24 Sept 2026
Frequently asked questions
When are the next school holidays in Victoria? From 19 Sept 2026 to 4 Oct 2026 — government school dates; independent and Catholic schools can vary by a few days, so check with your school.
Are council holiday programs free? Library programs almost always are. Leisure-centre and youth-service programs are often free or a gold-coin donation, with some paid workshops; each listing shows the price the council published.
Can I use the Get Active Kids voucher for a holiday camp? No — it pays towards a season of sport or recreation with a registered provider. Ask the provider whether it is registered before you enrol.
