11 Winter Things to Do in Highett These School Holidays (2026)
By Priya Raghavan
School holidays in Highett in winter come down to one recurring problem: it is cold by 9am, dark before dinner, and your house can only hold so many rounds of Uno before someone cries. The 2026 Victorian winter break runs from 27 June to 12 July. Two weeks. Here is what actually helps.
1. Council Library Holiday Programs — FREE, book fast
Bayside City Council runs free school-holiday craft and storytime sessions through local libraries during every break. These fill within days of bookings opening — often before the holidays are announced in school newsletters. Check council Eventbrite or the library website the moment you read this, set a reminder, and book two sessions rather than one in case a child is sick. Free, indoors, genuinely engaging for under-tens, and the librarians do the heavy lifting.
2. Vacation Care at Your Local YMCA or Council Centre — budget-friendly
If you’re working during the break, or simply need a structured full day, council-run and YMCA vacation care programs run 8am–6pm across the Bayside area. Places go quickly. These are not babysitting — there are activities, excursions, and themed days. Check the Bayside Council site or the YMCA Southern Metro page for Highett-area options, book a week before the holidays start at the latest.
3. Warm Hot Chocolate at a Bay Road Café — free to wander, low spend
Highett’s café strip along Bay Road is a short walk or drive for most residents. On a cold July morning, sitting somewhere warm with a hot chocolate while the kids have a babycino is one of those genuinely simple wins. Our Cafes with Full Details and Brunch Tips for Highett pages cover what’s open and when. Pick a weekday morning when it’s quieter.
4. Bad Shepherd Brewing — for parents who need an actual lunch
Bad Shepherd Brewing at 386 Reserve Road is a legitimate option for the mid-holidays lunch when you need somewhere that works for adults and doesn’t feel like a punishment. The kids get food, you get a beer or something warm, and it breaks the week up. Not a children’s venue, but family-tolerant and worth the short drive from anywhere in Highett.
5. Bay Road Heathland Sanctuary — free, fresh air when it’s not raining
Bay Road Heathland Sanctuary is a genuine natural reserve right in Highett — rare heathland, local birds, and a reason to get everyone outside without spending anything. On the days this break where it is dry and cold rather than wet and cold, this is a quick hit. Under-10s love spotting things. Dress them in layers and bring snacks. Free.
6. Ashwood Avenue Park — free neighbourhood run-around
Ashwood Avenue Park is the kind of local park that earns its place in a school holidays plan precisely because it costs nothing and requires zero logistics. Cold air is fine when children are running. If it has rained, check before you go — wet equipment and muddy shoes are a different calculation. Combine this with a café stop to warm up on the way back.
7. Heated Indoor Pool at Your Nearest Leisure Centre — low cost
Highett sits in easy reach of several council leisure centres with heated indoor pools. Swimming in winter is underrated — warm water, no sunscreen stress, and children who have actually used their bodies. Check Bayside Aquatic & Leisure Centre or similar local options for school-holiday session times. Under a certain age is often discounted or free with a paying adult. Confirm before you go.
8. NGV Permanent Collection, St Kilda Road — FREE
The NGV International on St Kilda Road is about 20 minutes north of Highett. The permanent collection is free, always open, and — genuinely — works for kids who are curious or bored enough to engage. The ticketed NGV Melbourne Winter Masterpieces ‘Cartier’ exhibition (running 12 June through 4 October 2026) suits older kids and teens who will actually appreciate it. For younger children, skip the ticketed show and do the free floors instead. A rainy Tuesday morning here can run two to three hours without friction.
9. Firelight Festival, Docklands — FREE, evenings only
The Firelight Festival at Harbour Esplanade in Docklands runs 3–5 July 2026, with nightly light and water shows at 6:30pm and 8:30pm. Entry is free. Food trucks on-site. This is genuinely the kind of thing children talk about for weeks, and it costs nothing beyond what you spend on food. From Highett you’re looking at around 25–30 minutes depending on traffic and whether you drive in or take the train to Southern Cross and walk. Check the 8:30pm show only if your children handle late nights without consequences the next morning.
10. Ice Skating at O’Brien Icehouse, Docklands — budget item
Also in Docklands, O’Brien Icehouse has a dedicated under-8s area and skate aids for beginners. This is a half-day activity. Factor in skate hire and the session fee — it adds up for a family of four, but it is a memorable day. Book a weekday session to avoid the weekend crowds and longer queues for aids. From Highett, the drive to Docklands is around 25–30 minutes.
11. Lake Mountain Snow Day-Trip — full-day commitment, worth it once
Lake Mountain near Marysville is around 2 to 2.5 hours each way from Highett. The snow-play season runs 6 June through 6 September 2026, and the toboggan area costs around $33 for ages 6 and up. This is a full day — you need an early start, packed food, warm clothes, and the understanding that you will not be home before 6pm. Go on a Tuesday or Wednesday to avoid the weekend crush. Check the Lake Mountain Resort website before leaving; low-snow weeks get crowded because everyone has the same idea. Worth doing once during the break if conditions are good and your children are old enough to appreciate it.
Planning note
Book council library sessions and vacation care first — they fill before most parents remember to look. For the Firelight Festival and ice skating, check the respective websites for session availability and arrive with a plan rather than hoping for walk-in spots. Everything else on this list is flexible. A cold Highett winter break is survivable with one big excursion, a couple of free local days, and a café stop whenever the walls start closing in.