Summer holidays in WA are long. And hot. After Christmas the bank balance might be a little shabby too, so you're probably on the look out for fun that won't cost a fortune.
The obvious choice would be a day at the park, but with the heat and peak UV this isn't always practical. Here are a few more ideas that include somewhere indoors, perfect if it's a hot one.
Prices are based on 1 adult and 2 children, many places also admit under 5s for free.
The WA Maritime Museum in Fremantle: $16 entry*.
As well as the usual exhibits, da Vinci's machines is currently running. School holiday activities are also within your budget. 'Marvellous Machines' is free and 'Six Simple Machines' is $3. *Based on 1A & 2C; entry for 2A & 2C is $22.
Naragebup, the Rockingham Environment Centre: $17 entry*. Re-opening from Christmas break early January, this community run centre is open 10am- 3pm Tuesday to Sundays. There are a range of things to look at here, plus hands-on exhibits that will entertain you for a couple of hours. * Based on 1A & 2C; entry for 2A & 2C $20
The Art Gallery of WA in Perth: Gold coin entry. The Art Gallery is centrally located. There is a school holiday activity 'Lego Ships' which is also by gold coin donation, leaving you some money to spare at the cafe. Don't forget to stop past the Urban Orchard as part of your trip. You might also like to visit the Water Labyrinth in Forrest Place if you've come prepared!
Whiteman Park in Whiteman: Free entry to the park, where you can enjoy expansive lawns and playgrounds. But bring the gold coins, there's plenty to do.
A visit to Revolutions Transport museum is a must, and they have a dedicated area for children to play and relax. Entry by gold coin donation.
Entry to the tractor museum is also by gold coin donation.
You should have enough left to ride the vintage tram, operated by PETS. This will cost you $10 for 1 adult & 2 children or $15 for 2A & 2C. After all that you might just have some change left for something at the Lolly Shop!
Note that the train and tram rides will not operate on high fire danger days or when Fire or Movement bans are in place. You might like to call first on 9209 6000 on the day of your visit.
Bassendean Railway Museum in Bassendean: $17 entry*. Perfect for the train and railway enthusiast, open Sundays and Wednesdays. * Based on 1A & 2C; entry for 2A & 2C is $26
Speaking of trains....
Transperth. For $12.10 you could make a day of riding on the Transperth network, stopping off at a nearby park for some lunch. The FamilyRider lets you ride the Transperth network unlimited within zones 1-4 for up to 7 people (maximum 2 adults) for the day. Cash fare. Zones 1-4 roughly extends to
Wellard/ Mt Helena/ Clarkson. At just $12.10 this leaves enough for a nice coffee each for the two adults perhaps!
Scitech in Northam: Free. If you love science then you could visit ten brand new exhibits manned by the Scitech staff and not pay a cent. Afterwards maybe head over the road for coffee and cake at award-winning Café Yasou, take a short stroll to check out the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in Australia, and visit the water playground in Bernard Park.
The Northam suspension bridge from afar
: Many larger shopping centres will have activities and entertainment. There's Snoopy at Karrinyup, Lego at Cockburn Gateway, dinosaur zone at Armadale and Elmo at Lakeside Joondalup.
Camping is an economical way to getaway and the kids will learn so much! Campsites at
Lake Leschenaultia in Chidlow are $20 (BYO equipment) and there is a fee per camper. Yes that makes it more than $20, but it does cover two (or more) days!
Lake Leschenaultia is a great place to camp
Don't forget to also take a look at your local government's
Lego creation from a previous City of Melville session
website to make sure you are aware of all services. Your
local pool or
local library also make affordable outings, and many offer activities such as the City of Melville's
$5 Lego Build. You are probably paying for these services so you might as well use them!
