Got some kids who need entertaining? How about a trip to Africa at the Werribee Zoo? Or a steam train ride? Or a visit to Scienceworks museum where kids of all ages can test their running speed against Cathy Freeman, and find out what it's like being inside a vacuum cleaner.






SCIENCEWORKS

2 Booker St, Spotswood
Ph: 13 11 02 (Victoria only) Ph: (03) 9392 4800 (Australia wide)
www.museumvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/

Can you run faster than Cathy Freeman? What causes lightning? And what’s it like being inside a vacuum cleaner? Find out at Scienceworks. It is a magic place for kids. There is so much hands on stuff here that it’s one of the few museums that can grab hold of kids’ attention and keep it for hours. Warning – adults might enjoy it too.

Scienceworks is about 5km from Melbourne in the inner west. Open every day (except Good Friday and Christmas Day) 9am – 4:30pm.

Getting there
Train:
Take the Werribee train from any of the train stations in the city centre
Get off at Spotswood.
The train station is on Hall St. You will need to turn left into Craig St from Hall St.  It’s a 5-minute walk from the train station.
Click here for more information



MELBOURNE MUSEUM

11 Nicholson St, Carlton
Ph: 13 11 02
www.museumvictoria.com.au/MelbourneMuseum/




The Melbourne Museum is an award winning museum in the Carlton Gardens There are eight galleries at this museum including a gallery just for kids aged 3 – 8. There’s also a children’s garden where kids are encouraged to play traditional games like hoola hoops. There are permanent and changing exhibitions, and activities for kids during school holidays.

Getting there
Click here to find out how to get to the museum.
Tram - 86 or 96 tram from Bourke St will take you to the museum.



MELBOURNE AQUARIUM

Corner King and Flinders St, Melbourne
Ph: (03) 9620 0999
www.melbourneaquarium.com.au/




Take a dive and come face to face with sharks, check out other fish, sea dragons, jelly fish, the giant cuttle fish, see the latest exhibition, and learn the importance of waterways. Or join in education programs to suit kids of all ages.

Getting there
You can easily reach the aquarium by train, tram, the free city circle tram, or drive here. For more information, click here.
Train: the closest station is Southern Cross.
Tram: any tram that runs along Flinders St to Spencer St, including the free (brown) City Circle trams.



COLLINGWOOD CHILDREN'S FARM

St Helliers St, Abbotsford
Ph: (03) 9417 5806
Entry fees:
Adults $8, kids $4, family $16
www.farm.org.au


OK. Here is one of the best farms you can take your kids to, and it’s just a short train ride from the city centre. The Collingwood Children’s Farm is situated on the Yarra River, and has 7ha of paddocks, gardens, orchards, trees, rustic buildings and a café. It’s a not-for-profit community farm that kids LOVE. The kids can collect eggs from the chicken coup, milk the cows, feed the sheep and donkeys, run around on the grass, check out the gardens and then thank you for giving them a fab time.

Events at Collingwood Children’s Farm:
Farmers’ Market – Every second Saturday.
Entry is approx $2.
Click here for more information.

Family Day - First Sunday of each Month
On Family Days there are free pony rides, hay rides, a BBQand activities matching the monthly theme.
Click  here for more information.

Getting there
Car – this is the easiest way
Train – take the Hurstbridge or Epping train and get off at Victoria Park. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the train station to the farm.
Click here for more information.



MAZES

There are a four mazes:
1 – The Enchanted Maze Garden
55 Purves Rd, Arthurs Seat (Mornington Peninsula)
Ph: (03) 5981 8449
This place has several mazes and activities to test kids brain power.
www.enchantedmaze.com.au

2 – Aschombe Maze and Lavender Gardens
15 Shoreham Rd, Shoreham (Mornington Peninsula)
Ph: (03) 5989 8387
This is Australia’s oldest traditional hedge maze
www.ashcombemaze.com.au

3 – Boneo Maze and Wetlands Centre
695 Limestone Rd, Fingal (Mornington Peninsula)
Ph: (03) 9588 6385
www.boneomaze.com

4 - Avenel Maze
471 Upton Rd, Avenel 3664 (Strathbogie Ranges)
(03) 5796 2667
www.avenelmaze.com.au



ZOOS: MELBOURNE, WERRIBEE AND HEALSEVILLE

1 - Melbourne Zoo
Elliott Ave, Parkville
This zoo is extremely popular. It has more than 320 species on view, including several elephants in their large Indonesian style enclosure.
www.zoo.org.au/MelbourneZoo

Getting there
Drive - there are two big car parks but they fill up quickly.
Tram – 55 bound for West Coburg. Ask to get off at the zoo. It’s a short walk from the tram stop.
www.zoo.org.au/Melbourne/Getting_There


2- Werribee Open Range Zoo
K Road, Werribee
This zoo offers an African experience, lions, hippos, monkeys, guided walks, and summer activities including African music, dancing, hair braiding, drumming workshops and dancing.
Tickets: $23.60 adult, $11.80 child, $53.90 family
Ph: (03) 9731 9600
www.zoo.org.au/werribee/

Getting there
Best to drive. Head towards Geelong on the Princes Fwy (M1)
www.zoo.org.au/Werribee/Getting_There map
map


3 - Healesville Sanctuary
Badger Creek Rd, Healesville 3777
More than 200 Australian native animals to view in their natural habitat. You may get to pet a wombat, feed a kangaroo and check out the park rangers.
www.zoo.org.au/Healesville/


Getting there
Best to drive
www.zoo.org.au/Healesville/Getting_There



STEAM TRAINS

Puffing Billy:
Puffing Billy is Australia’s oldest steam train. It leaves from Gembrook, passing through native bush in the Dandenong Ranges, to finish at Gembrook. And it’s a total hit with young kids. It’s about an hour each way. Make sure you are cashed up if you want to do this trip because it’s not cheap. During peak season, ie school holidays, you’d be absolutely crazy to go there without pre-booking a ticket.
www.puffingbilly.com.au

Getting there
From Flinders St, take the Belgrave train line and get off at the last stop – which is Belgrave.
Puffing Billy Railway Station is across the road from Belgrave station.
If you do the trip to Belgrave on a Sunday, you can buy a Sunday Saver ticket for $3.10. Otherwise it’s $10.60 for an adult fare Mon – Sat and $5.50 for a concession ticket. Puffing Billy tickets from Belgrave to Gembrook are: Adult single/return $30/$46.50 off peak. Child single/return $15/$22 off peak. Family ticket discounts apply.
www.puffingbilly.com.au/info/fares/fares.htm


Castlemaine:
For a steam train experience in regional Victoria, head to Castlemaine. The train travels from Castlemaine to Maldon. Both are historic goldfield towns with good architecture and interesting cafes. This steam train is cheaper than Puffing Billy but it does mean driving to Castlemaine or catching a train to Castlemaine from the city centre – which will add a bit more to your costs.
Ph: (03) 5475 2966 or 5470 6658
www.vgr.com.au

Getting there
If you want to drive, take the Calder Highway (A79) to Elphinstone, then the Pyrenees Highway (B180) to Castlemaine.

To get there by train - catch the train from Southern Cross station. Click here for travel times, fares, etc. The train journey from Southern Cross to Castlemaine will take about 90minutes. If you plan to do the train trip and steam train trip in one day, just beware it's a lot of train travelling.

NATIONAL SPORTS MUSEUM

Gate 3, MCG, Yarra Park
Jolimont Tce, East Melbourne 3002
Ph: (03) 9657 8879
www.nsm.org.au


If you have kids who are into sport, they will love this place. It tracks Australia's (obsessive) sporting history. It's open daily except Christmas Day and Good Friday.