Ten great things to do in NSW with kids during the Easter holidays

Looking for some school holiday inspiration to keep the boredom at bay this Easter? From a bloodsuckers exhibition and harbour sleep-out, to a floating Easter-egg hunt and outback festival, here are 10 experiences to keep the whole family amused.

Bloodsuckers exhibition, Australian Museum

From black flies to leeches and bats, learn all about nature’s blood-sucking critters at this award-winning exhibition, developed at the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada.

Opening on April 2, just in time for the school holidays, Bloodsuckers: Nature’s Vampires delves into the biology of blood feeders, featuring more than 100 specimens, models and interactive installations. Stay at nearby Pullman Sydney Hyde Park for family exhibition and hotel packages. australian.museum/exhibition/bloodsuckers

Sydney Royal Easter Show

It wouldn’t be Easter without the show, and this year’s event (April 2 to 13) has a fresh line-up of entertainment to enrapture the crowds. Meet ABC TV’s muster dogs, join a hot cross bun workshop with award-winning food consultant Tawnya Bahr, see a unicycling unicorn on a giant bike, meet the Good Samaritan Donkeys, and watch a man get fired out of a canon. Show bags, rides, food and entertainment are a given. eastershow.com.au

Scenic World’s Buunyal Tour

Walk on Gundungurra Country with a traditional custodian and experience the Blue Mountains like you’ve never seen it before. Follow a Gundungurra elder as they lead you into the Jamison Valley, sharing creation stories and exploring bush foods, tool making materials and medicinal plants. The Buunyal Tour includes access to the railway, cableway and Skyway, and the kids can also look for Gruffalo characters in the rainforest, with the augmented reality Gruffalo Spotters Trail returning to Scenic World until August 31. scenicworld.com.au

The Key’s Under the Mat exhibition

Part playground, part interactive art installation, The Key’s Under the Mat is an underground public park that defies pigeonholing. Using thousands of salvaged materials, artist Mike Hewson has created an immersive sculptural Disneyland inside the former World War II oil storage tank at the Art Gallery of NSW. It’s a completely functional space, featuring slides, climbing frames, water play, barbecues and, curiously, a laundromat, sauna and steam room. Open until August 23, this is a perfect-wet weather attraction for burning off all those Easter eggs. artgallerynsw.gov.au

Cockatoo Island camping

Easter is prime camping time. But if you want to avoid the sting at the bowser, and don’t fancy pitching a tent, Cockatoo Island/Wareamah offers urban camping in the heart of Sydney Harbour. The pre-erected tents come in a range of comfort levels, offering thrilling overnight stays at a UNESCO World Heritage site that was formerly a prison and naval shipyard. Kick back to live music on Easter Saturday or enjoy a steam crane demonstration (among other tours) on Easter Tuesday. cockatooisland.gov.au

Q Station ghosts and Easter eggs

At the entrance to Sydney Harbour near Manly, another heritage stay awaits. Only this one comes with sickly stories of stricken ships, ghost tales and a secluded swimming beach.

Q Station sits on the site of Australia’s longest-running quarantine station (1832–1984) and has a range of family-friendly rooms and cottages suitable for families. Have a swim, visit the jetty museum, explore the fort and lookouts at North Head, and join an evening ghost tour. Easter Saturday festivities include live music, craft, a jumping castle and Easter egg hunt. qstation.com.au

Terrigal Daffodil Dip

Get the family in a cossie for cancer patients at the Terrigal Daffodil Dip. The annual event held at Terrigal Beach on the Central Coast raises money for the Cancer Council NSW. Hundreds of swimmers take to the water in vintage daffodil caps for the 400-metre Easter Saturday fundraiser, which has raised almost $100,000 since 2023. The whole family can participate (paddling in the shallows is encouraged) or you can simply donate and enjoy the festival atmosphere. terrigalsurfclub.com.au

Alice in the gardens

Don’t be late for a very important date at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden for the Australian Shakespeare Company’s production of Alice in Wonderland (April 4–19). Join Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and other kooky characters for this riotous performance in the Pioneer Garden.

Other school holiday events include a Budding Botanists program and Sunset Spotlight Tour seeking out nocturnal wildlife. botanicgardens.org.au

Easter Egg hunt Avoca Lake

Why hunt for Easter eggs in the garden when you can pluck them from the water? Bringing a novel twist to a beloved Easter tradition, Aquafun Avoca, on the Central Coast, is getting the Easter Bunny wet this year. Hop in a kayak with the kids and collect floating eggs and rubber ducks scattered across Lake Avoca. When you’re done, exchange your loot for the real deal back on shore. Sessions run across the Easter long weekend. aquafun.net.au

Back O’ Bourke Easter Festival

If you’re looking for an excuse for a family road trip to outback NSWs, the Back O’ Bourke Easter Festival is it. The event features four days of family fun beginning with a colour run on Good Friday, and features a street parade, wool bale rolling competition, markets, live music, picnic races and a giant Easter egg hunt. visitbourke.com.au

Catherine Best is the author of Ultimate Family Holidays Australia, published by Hardie Grant.