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Sunshine Coast guide

School holiday activities on the Sunshine Coast

Field guide // School holidays

The Queensland school holiday dates, free story trails for kids, rainy-day games you can play at home, and how to keep a hot summer day fun.

School holidays on the Sunshine Coast mean full beaches, hot afternoons and kids who need something to do. Here are the dates, our games that suit families, and a few ways to make a summer day out easier.

Queensland school holiday dates

Summer12 Dec 2026 to 26 Jan 2027

Saturday 12 December 2026 to Tuesday 26 January 2027 for Queensland state schools. Some regional, rural and remote schools finish on 3 December 2026.

Autumn26 Mar to 11 Apr 2027

Friday 26 March to Sunday 11 April 2027 (Term 1 ends on 25 March, Term 2 starts on 12 April).

Winter26 Jun to 11 Jul 2027

Saturday 26 June to Sunday 11 July 2027 (Term 3 starts on 12 July).

Spring18 Sep to 4 Oct 2027

Saturday 18 September to Monday 4 October 2027 (Term 4 starts on 5 October).

Check your school. These are the state school dates from the Queensland Department of Education. Catholic and independent schools usually match them but can differ.

Free story trails for kids, coming 2027

Our story trails are coming in 2027. They are free from start to finish and made for families, with a story and a puzzle at every stop, played on a phone you share.

  • Free

    Pip and the Pelican, Caloundra: a pelican has stolen a young artist's sketchbook. Win back every page at Caloundra's public artworks.

  • Free

    Nan's Postcard Dare, Coolum Beach: Nan's knees won't do the boardwalk this year, so walk the art trail to the Point Perry lookout for her and bring back her postcard. About 3 km return.

  • Free

    The Nambour Art Trail: spend a day as a muralist's apprentice and learn the trade at every artwork, on a loop of about 3 km.

  • Free

    Wally's Tall Tales, Yandina: Old Wally tells two stories at every stop, one true and one a fib. Catch the fibs.

Open any case file to get an email the day its game goes live.

Rainy days: play at home

  • Free

    The Keeper's Log: a free pocket case. Caloundra, late 1942: the lighthouse keeper rings you in the night. About 10 to 15 minutes, played seated on one phone, and every spoken line is also on screen.

  • 15+

    Stay on the Line is for players aged 15 and over only. It is a psychological thriller played around your own home, so keep it for the teenagers and the grown-ups.

Older kids and teens

The town mysteries suit older kids, teens and family teams: a case to solve across a town, with suspects, clues and a leaderboard. Chapter 1 of every mystery is free, so you can try one before you buy. Read our guide to outdoor escape rooms.

Making a hot day easier

  1. 1

    Go early or late. Summer middays are hot. Start before 10am or after 3pm, and plan a shady stop.

  2. 2

    Pack for the sun: hats, sunscreen and a full water bottle each. The trails are outdoors.

  3. 3

    Watch the sky. Summer storms often build in the afternoon. If you hear thunder, head inside: your progress is saved, so you can finish another day.

  4. 4

    Charge the phone. A game uses GPS and the screen, so start with a full battery or bring a power bank.

Planning a party? See groups and parties. Want more ideas that cost nothing? Read free things to do on the Sunshine Coast.

Updated 18 October 2026. Check opening times and conditions before you go.

Questions

When are the Queensland summer school holidays?

For Queensland state schools, the summer holidays run from Saturday 12 December 2026 to Tuesday 26 January 2027. Some regional, rural and remote schools finish on 3 December 2026, and Catholic and independent schools can differ, so check with your school.

When are the autumn school holidays in 2027?

Term 1 2027 ends on Thursday 25 March and Term 2 starts on Monday 12 April, so the autumn holidays run from Friday 26 March to Sunday 11 April 2027 for state schools.

Are your story trails free for kids?

Yes. The story trails are free from start to finish, and so is The Keeper's Log, which you play at home. The mystery games are paid, with Chapter 1 free.

What can we do on a rainy day?

Play a pocket case at home. The Keeper's Log takes about 10 to 15 minutes, is played seated on one phone, and every spoken line is also on screen.

More guides

The Caloundra lighthousesTwo heritage towers, a road trip and a wartime headland.Free things to doBeaches, waterfalls, lookouts and free museums, coast to hinterland.Outdoor escape roomsEscape games played in real streets, town by town.Groups and partiesTeam days, Christmas parties, birthdays and school groups.Best mystery games at homeParty kits, phone mysteries, boxed case files and puzzle apps: what each is best for.

For the holidays

Our family games