All the school holiday fun to check out this January
With activities such as cosplay workshops, lizard and snake meet and greets, movies, dance classes, visits to the pool and Dungeons and Dragons campaign days, there is loads happening in Wollongong these school holidays.
Across January, we’re encouraging kids and teens to join us at our libraries, the Wollongong Art Gallery, and Wollongong Youth Centre for activities or just to chill out.
If you prefer the outdoors, our 17 patrolled beaches, 6 saltwater and 3 freshwater public pools, 9 rock pools, Wollongong Botanic Garden, community playgrounds and beautiful foreshore areas are calling.
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said that there’s something to interest everyone this summer.
“I encourage young people, and parents or carers to book places now to our school holiday activities which have limited spaces. These activities are great fun and often book out quickly, so jump online and check out what’s on offer,” Cr Bradbery said.
“No matter how you spend your summer, I encourage everyone to stay safe and look out for one another. If you visit the beach or dive into one of our many pools, please be careful and follow the rules.
“At our beaches that means looking for the red and yellow flags which signal if a Council Lifeguard or volunteer lifesaver is on duty. Remember, if there are no flags, that means no swim!”
What’s on?
For Ages 5+
Feature Creatures: Fancy feeding a lizard or holding a snake? Come and meet reptiles, amphibians, and mini beasts up close at our Feature Creatures show. Visit the Wollongong City Libraries website to book your place at this free event.
WHERE | WHEN |
Helensburgh Library, 57 Walker Street | Tuesday 10 January, 9.30-10.30am |
Thirroul Library, 352-358 Lawrence Hargrave Drive | Tuesday 10 January, 12noon-1pm |
Unanderra Library, 144 Princes Highway | Tuesday 10 January, 2.30-3.30pm |
Decorate a Kite: Make and decorate your own flying fish kite using traditional materials.
WHERE | WHEN |
Wollongong Art Gallery | Tuesday 10 January, 10am-12noon $22 + GST booking fee. Tickets via Eventbrite. |
Pet Portraits: Show how much you love your pet by creating a hand-painted portrait of them. Pet portraits will be drawn from memory or from photographs brought in from home. These drawings will then be transformed into a coloured painting to take home.
WHERE | WHEN |
Wollongong Art Gallery | Tuesday 10 January, 1-3pm $22 + GST booking fee. Tickets via Eventbrite. |
Ghana Beat My Drum: Discover the culture of Ghana in this singing, dancing, and drumming show. Learn some words and sing along with Jonas as he plays traditional African instruments. Visit the Wollongong City Libraries website to book your place at this free event.
WHERE | WHEN |
Corrimal Library, 15 Short Street | Wednesday 18 January, 9.30-10.30am |
Warrawong Library, Level 1, 67-71 King Street | Wednesday 18 January, 2.30-3.30pm |
Wollongong Library, 41 Burelli Street | Wednesday 18 January, 12noon-1pm |
Aerial Beach Scene Workshop: Splish, splash! Feel those summer vibes in our aerial beach scene painting workshop. Students will create a beach scene under the guidance of our workshop leader Skye.
WHERE | WHEN |
Wollongong Art Gallery | Friday 13 January, 10am-12noon $22 + GST booking fee. Tickets via Eventbrite. |
Summer Movie: Our favourite clown fish was released twenty years ago… has he been found yet? Find out at this special school holiday session. Rated G, 97mins. Visit the Wollongong City Libraries website to book your place at this free event.
WHERE | WHEN |
Dapto Library, 93-109 Princes Highway | Tuesday 10 January, 2-3.45pm |
Thirroul Library, 352-358 Lawrence Hargrave Drive | Thursday 19 January, 2-3.45pm |
Warrawong Library, Level 1, 67-71 King Street | Thursday 19 January, 10.30am-12.15pm |
Wollongong Library, 41 Burelli Street | Friday 6 January, 10-11.45am |
Funny Faces: Get kooky by composing a funny face artwork using collage techniques. Students will use magazine cut outs as well as their own drawn elements to create a funny face artwork.
WHERE | WHEN |
Wollongong Art Gallery | Friday 13 January, 1-3pm $22 + GST booking fee. Tickets via Eventbrite. |
Basket Weaving: Practise your weaving skills and make a basket using rafia and coloured yarn. Visit the Wollongong City Libraries website to book your place at this free event.
WHERE | WHEN |
Corrimal Library, 15 Short Street | Thursday 19 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Dapto Library, 93-109 Princes Highway | Tuesday 12 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Helensburgh Library, 57 Walker Street | Wednesday 18 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Thirroul Library, 352-358 Lawrence Hargrave Drive | Thursday 12 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Unanderra Library, 144 Princes Highway | Wednesday 18 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Wollongong Library, 41 Burelli Street | Monday 9 January, 2-3pm |
LEGO: Can you build the highest tower? An unbeatable maze? Or a dinosaur out of only orange bricks? Join us and have fun with LEGO. Visit the Wollongong City Libraries website to book your place at this free event.
WHERE | WHEN |
Warrawong Library, Level 1, 67-71 King Street | Wednesday 11 January, 10.30-11.30am |
For Ages 8+
Dream Catcher: Chase away those bad dreams with your very own hand-made dream catcher. Visit the Wollongong City Libraries website to book your place at this free event.
WHERE | WHEN |
Corrimal Library, 15 Short Street | Thursday 12 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Thirroul Library, 352-358 Lawrence Hargrave Drive | Thursday 24 January, 10-10.45am |
Warrawong Library, Level 1, 67-71 King Street | Thursday 10 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Offbits: Try out our nuts and bolts construction kits to make a quirky character. Visit the Wollongong City Libraries website to book your place at this free event.
WHERE | WHEN |
Dapto Library, 93-109 Princes Highway | Tuesday 17 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Thirroul Library, 352-358 Lawrence Hargrave Drive | Monday 16 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Sand Art: Create an Indigenous designed sand artwork. Visit the Wollongong City Libraries website to book your place at this free event.
WHERE | WHEN |
Corrimal Library, 15 Short Street | Thursday 10 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Dapto Library, 93-109 Princes Highway | Wednesday 11 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Warrawong Library, Level 1, 67-71 King Street | Tuesday 24 January, 10.30-11.30am |
Wollongong Library, 41 Burelli Street | Monday 23 January, 2-3pm |
For Ages 9-14 years
Space Galaxy Art Workshop: Blast off into outer space in our space galaxy art workshop. In this galactic workshop, you will paint a galaxy scene onto a canvas board. The later part of the day will be dedicated to creating a space themed mixed media artwork.
WHERE | WHEN |
Wollongong Art Gallery | Wednesday 11 January, 10am-3pm $55 + GST booking fee. Tickets via Eventbrite. |
Wild Animal Drawings Workshop: Get wild while learning how to draw. Learn the basic skills of drawing your chosen animal. Start off with a simplified form and then build more complex forms on top. This workshop is great for beginners.
WHERE | WHEN |
Wollongong Art Gallery | Thursday 12 January, 10am-12noon $55 + GST booking fee. Tickets via Eventbrite. |
For Ages 12-24 years
Free Workshops – Bookings Required:
WHAT | WHEN | WHERE |
Create Camp – Crochet, Watercolour and Street Art | Wednesday 18 – Friday 20 January, 10am-12noon | Wollongong Youth Centre Call (02) 4227 8222 |
Dungeons and Dragons Days - Campaign days and lunch provided | 17 & 24 January, 10am-2pm | Wollongong Youth Centre Call (02) 4227 8222 |
Cosplay – Create some armour inspired pieces. Lunch provided. | 18 & 25 January, 10am-2pm | Wollongong Youth Centre Call (02) 4227 8222 |
Pool hangouts
WHERE | WHEN |
Dapto Pool, Bangaroo Avenue | Friday 13 January, 12noon |
Western Suburbs Pool, Chapman Street | Friday 20 January, 12noon |
Helensburgh Pool, Walker Street | Friday 27 Jan, 12noon |
Hang Out at the Wollongong Youth Centre
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 1-4pm
- Thursdays and Fridays, 3-8pm
- Saturdays, 1-4pm
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