Deepdene is a quiet, leafy pocket of Boroondara that works beautifully in summer. In winter, when it gets dark by five and the Yarra Plateau wind cuts through, parents are standing in the kitchen at 9am on day two of school holidays wondering what to do with their kids. This is that list.
Victorian school holidays run 27 June to 12 July 2026. Most of what is below is either free or low-cost, flagged clearly. Book anything council-run early — those sessions fill in the first 48 hours.
1. Gordon Street Reserve — the cold-weather park run
Free
Deepdene’s own Gordon Street Reserve is worth the visit even in winter if you dress the kids properly. It is a genuine local park, not a destination, but it burns energy, it is right there, and it costs nothing. Take a thermos. Let them run. You will still have the whole day ahead of you.
2. Boroondara Libraries school-holiday program
Free (book early)
Boroondara runs FREE school-holiday craft, storytime and activity sessions across its library branches. These sessions are legitimately good — they are structured, run by experienced staff, and give children something to focus on for an hour or two. They fill fast. Check Boroondara Council’s Eventbrite page now and book as soon as sessions are listed. The closest branches to Deepdene are Balwyn and Hawthorn.
3. Boroondara vacation care
Paid; book well in advance
If you are working through the holidays or simply need reliable childcare, Boroondara YMCA and council-affiliated vacation care programs run 8am–6pm across the fortnight. These are structured days with excursions and activities built in. They do not run themselves the morning of — check the Boroondara Council website and book at least a week ahead.
4. Hot chocolate at a Deepdene cafe — a genuine slow morning
Budget
The Deepdene cafe strip is small but it is there, and on a cold July morning a warm table and a hot chocolate for the kids is not a trivial thing. It is how you survive week two. Check the cafes and bakeries listed on our Deepdene Eat and Drink guide for places with table seating — the ones with full details are worth calling ahead on a school-holiday morning.
5. NGV Winter Masterpieces: Cartier
Ticketed; city; 20-25 min drive
NGV International on St Kilda Road is running Cartier as this year’s Winter Masterpieces (12 June–4 October 2026). The ticketed exhibition suits older kids and teenagers who will engage with the objects — jewellery, watches, tiaras, historic commissions. Younger children may find it hard work. If you have a mix of ages, the plan that works: buy tickets for the adults and older kids, then split — one parent takes younger children through the NGV’s free permanent galleries (the Great Hall ceiling alone holds a five-year-old for ten minutes) while the others do Cartier. Plan for two-plus hours in the building.
From Deepdene it is a straightforward drive, roughly 20–25 minutes without traffic. Tram access from the inner-east is practical for older families.
6. Firelight Festival, Docklands
Free; 3–5 July 2026
Running 3–5 July 2026 at Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, the Firelight Festival is a nightly light and water show with free entry. Shows at 6:30pm and 8:30pm. Food trucks on site. This one requires dressing the kids for a cold evening — proper coats, not just hoodies — but the light displays are genuinely impressive and the free entry makes it easy to justify the drive (around 25–30 minutes from Deepdene, or tram into the city then connection). The 6:30pm show works better for primary-school-age children who hit a wall by 9pm.
7. Queen Victoria Winter Night Market
Free entry; Wednesday evenings through the holidays
The Queen Victoria Winter Night Market runs every Wednesday 5–10pm (3 June–26 August 2026, free entry). Fire pits, street food from across the world, warm drinks. Not every family wants to do a Wednesday night city trip, but if your kids are old enough to walk and eat their way around a market, this is a good one. Drive to the city, or catch the tram from Deepdene — the 109 gets you close.
8. Ice skating at O’Brien Icehouse, Docklands
Paid; Docklands; worth booking
O’Brien Icehouse in Docklands has public skating sessions and a dedicated area for under-8s. Skate aids are available for beginners. This is a school-holiday crowd venue — go early in the session or book ahead. It is a 25-minute drive from Deepdene, or combine with Firelight Festival on the same Docklands trip to make the most of the journey. Budget for skate hire plus entry.
9. Nearest heated indoor pool
Paid (low-cost)
The closest heated indoor pool to Deepdene is Hartwell Leisure Centre (Camberwell) or Kew Recreation Centre — both run school-holiday swimming programs and casual lap or family swims. An hour in a warm pool is one of the most reliable ways to exhaust school-age children in winter. Check term session availability for the holidays and book online.
10. Snow day-trip to Lake Mountain
Paid; full-day commitment; ~2–2.5 hours each way
Lake Mountain near Marysville is the closest snow destination to Melbourne and sits within realistic day-trip range from Deepdene — roughly 2 to 2.5 hours each way. The season runs 6 June–6 September 2026. There is a dedicated snow-play area and tobogganing available (toboggan hire approximately $33 for ages 6+). Be honest with yourself: this is a full day out, 5–6 hours of driving, and the mountain can be busy mid-holidays. Go on a weekday if you can. Pack food, warm layers, waterproof pants, spare gloves. Kids who have never seen snow usually find it worth every kilometre.
Mt Buller is also an option but involves more driving and expense — Lake Mountain is the better call for a first-time snow trip with younger children.
11. Christmas-in-July lunch, Yarra Valley or Dandenongs
Paid; suits older kids and teenagers
The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges host Christmas-in-July long lunches through the school holidays — roast menus, open fires, wineries and guesthouses running special sittings. From Deepdene the Yarra Valley is under an hour. This is not a toddler activity; it is a slow, warm afternoon for families with older children or for a parent who wants a genuine rest. Book a week or more ahead — the good ones sell out.
Before you go: the one thing to do this week
Book the Boroondara library sessions now. Seriously — pull up the council Eventbrite, find the July program, and register today. They are free, they are well-run, and they will be full within days of going live. Everything else on this list can wait. That one cannot.