Winter School Holiday Fun Across Ararat Rural City
Families across Ararat Rural City are invited to enjoy a packed program of low‑cost and free activities these winter school holidays, with events running from late June through to mid‑July at the Ararat Library, Ararat Fitness Centre, Ararat Gallery TAMA, and Ararat Town Hall.
The Winter School Holiday Activities program features Movie Monday sessions, extended Lego Club afternoons, NAIDOC Week craft, and a special appearance from children’s comedy favourite Mr Snotbottom at Ararat Library.
Coding Club returns in an extended school holiday edition at Ararat Library on Tuesday 7 and Tuesday 29 July, offering two hours of hands‑on digital fun for young people keen to learn new skills. Families can also head to Ararat Fitness Centre for Play Gym sessions on selected Tuesdays and Thursdays, where children aged 0–4 can join the 9.15am to 10am session and 4–12 year olds can attend from 11am to 12pm for $9 per child.
Ararat Gallery TAMA is hosting free drop‑in art sessions on Friday 3 July and Friday 10 July, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, encouraging kids to experiment with materials and explore their creativity in a relaxed studio setting. Families are welcome to stay for as little or as long as they like, with no bookings required and all materials supplied.
The Gallery will also host a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony with Billy Briggs on Thursday 9 July, from 2pm to 3pm in the Ararat Gallery TAMA Courtyard, offering a meaningful cultural experience for the whole community.
At Ararat Town Hall, audiences can enjoy a one‑hour performance from the Trash Test Dummies on Tuesday 7 July, from 11am to 12pm, with tickets starting from $10 and group discounts available.
Ararat Rural City Council Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tim Harrison, said the winter school holiday calendar reflects Council’s commitment to making sure local families have plenty to do close to home.
“School holiday programs are one of my favourite things about Ararat,” Dr Harrison said. “When you see kids at the library watching a movie, learning to code with their friends, or proudly carrying home an artwork they made at TAMA, you get a real sense of how much our community cares about its young people.”
“We know families are busy and budgets are under pressure, so we design the program to offer a mix of free and affordable activities, all within a short drive of home.”
“I encourage families from right across Ararat Rural City to look over the program and make the most of what is on offer.”
The full Winter School Holiday Activities program, including session times, ages, ticket information, and contact details for each venue, is available on Council’s website.
For more information, families can contact Ararat Library, Ararat Fitness Centre, Ararat Gallery TAMA, or Ararat Town Hall directly.
