Things to Do with Kids in the Hawkesbury These April & Easter School Holidays
/Best Things to Do With Kids in the Hawkesbury
April & Easter School Holidays Guide
If you're planning a family getaway in the Hawkesbury during the April and Easter School Holidays, you’ll find plenty of fun, family-friendly activities across the region. From apple picking in Bilpin and chestnuts in Mt Irvine, to creative workshops, Easter egg hunts, outdoor adventures and farm experiences, the Hawkesbury is packed with things to do for a variety of ages.
Whether you’re visiting for the day or staying a little longer, here are some of the best Hawkesbury school holiday activities for families this April, all within easy reach of our family friendly holiday home, Dido’s Place.
1. Chestnut & Walnut Picking in the Hawkesbury
Credit: dESTINATION NSW
Autumn marks the start of the chestnut and walnut picking season and there is plenty to pick. Every weekend from now throughout March & most of April, including Easter, chestnuts and walnuts are available for picking in Mt Irvine. Wander through the orchard collecting nuts from the ground and then when you return to Dido’s Place, roast them over the campfire.
Two local farms offering nut picking include:
Kookootonga Chestnut & Walnut Farm:
📅 Date: Open everyday. Open all Easter.
🕒 Time: 9am - 4pm
💲 Cost: Chestnuts $10 per kg and Walnuts $12 per kg. No entry fee.
📅 Date: Open Saturday & Sundays. Open Good Friday & Easter Monday.
🕒 Time: 9am - 4pm
💲 Cost: Chestnuts and Walnuts $11 per kg. No entry fee.
✨ School Holiday Tip: Take gloves to protect your hands for picking. Wear suitable sun smart clothing and closed toe shoes. Grab lunch afterwards on the way back to Dido’s Place at family friendly venues Bilpin Cider Co or Hillbilly Cider.
2. Budding Botanists School Holiday Program – Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mt Tomah
📅 Date: Tuesday 7th & 14th April | 🕒 Time: 10.30am - 12pm
🌱 Kids will explore the garden as plant detectives, learning about leaves, flowers, and plant adaptations through a guided walk and a fun hands-on experiment. They’ll also create their own herbarium pressing to take home.
💲 Cost: $21 per Child (5 – 12 years), $19 Foundation & Friends members
✨ School Holiday Tip: Bookings are essential, with limited spots available for children aged 5–12 (accompanied by an adult). Get in quick to reserve your spot.
📍Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens, Mt Tomah
3. Permaculture Hawkesbury Valley School Holiday Programs
credit: permaculture hawkesbury valley
📅 Date: 10th, 13th & 17th April | 🕒 Time: Various times
🧑🌾 A wonderful series of hands-on, farm-based workshops including:
A Homestead Tea Party
Farmer for a Day
The Farmer’s Table: Where Farm-made Cheese & Pizza Meet
Kids Grow Food: Garden to Jar Adventure
The Secret Life of Bugs.
💲 Cost: $54.26 - $59.54
✨ School Holiday Tip: Bookings are essential and limited, so get in quick to reserve your spot. While the kids are busy, pop over to Windsor for lunch, a spot of shopping and indulge in a luxurious facial treatment at Skin Health Central.
📍Australiana Pioneer Village, 10 Rose St, Wilberforce
4. Art Classes at Makers, Painters & Mayhem
📅 Date: Weekdays | 🕒 Time: Various times
🎨 Creative kids will love the school holiday art classes at Makers, Painters & Mayhem. These workshops allow children to explore painting, craft and mixed-media projects in a relaxed studio environment. You can even have your hair braided.
Read all about our Recent Visit here
✨ School Holiday Tip: Parents & Carers have the option to stay or drop off. Why not explore Windsor while the kids are having fun. Try out the new cafe serving Filipino desserts at Hanmades Bakehouse.
📍196 George Street, Windsor
5. Bligh Park Hotel School Holiday Workshops
credit: bligh park hotel
📅 Date: Tuesday 14th April | 🕒 Time: 11 am to 12 pm
🍟 Several fun school holiday workshops for kids, including:
Pizza making classes (SOLD OUT)
Pizza cookie decorating (SOLD OUT)
Design your own basketball (SOLD OUT)
There are also Easter-themed activities for the family planned for Easter Sunday. Check out their website for what’s on.
✨ School Holiday Tip: Get in quick to book, classes are selling out fast! They have the largest indoor playground in Western Sydney and an arcade room to keep the kids busy. They also have a family friendly dining area surrounding the play area so you can relax while the kids have fun!
📍101 Ham Street, South Windsor
6. Pyrography Hat Etching Workshop – Hawkesbury Remakery
credit: hawkesbury remakery
📅 Date: Sunday 12th April | 🕒 Time: 10 am to 12 pm
👒 Join a hands-on hat burning (pyrography) workshop where you’ll design and create your own custom hat using professional tools to achieve unique lines, shading and detailed effects. This 2-hour creative workshop includes all materials, including the hat. Perfect for teenagers looking to try something unique during the school holidays.
✨ School Holiday Tip: Don’t miss out, book your spot today.
📍160 George St, Windsor
7. Apple Picking in Bilpin & Canoelands
📅 Date: Various | 🕒 Time: Various
🍎 The Apple picking season is now in full swing! It is one of the most popular Autumn family activities in the Hawkesbury. Many orchards also have farm shops selling jams and homemade apple pies. Most orchards are also offering other varieties of fruit and vegetables for picking.
Popular orchards include:
✨ School Holiday Tip: Check Facebook sites for opening times, fruit availability and if bookings are required before visiting. Wear closed toe shoes and sun smart clothing.
8. Candy Forest at The Vineyard
credit: the vineyard
📅 Date: Runs until 19th April | 🕒 Time: Everyday 6am - 10pm
🍭 Step into a magical Candyland at The Vineyard Hotel where their “Candy Forest” transforms into a colourful, sweet-filled wonderland the kids will absolutely love. It’s fun and free, with plenty of photo moments and interactive displays.
They also have a number of planned activities over the Easter & Anzac Day Long Weekends. Check out their website for what’s on.
✨ School Holiday Tip: The Candy Forest is outdoors, so choose a day with good weather. Stay for lunch, get in early just before meal time and secure a table. No bookings required. For groups of 10 or more looking to dine at the Vineyard Bistro, it is recommended that you place a reservation in advance.
📍725 Windsor Rd, Vineyard
9. Hawkesbury Show
📅 Date: April 24, 25 & 26 | 🕒 Time: Fri & Sat 9am - 11pm, Sun 9am - 4pm
🎡 The Hawkesbury Show is one of our region’s most iconic annual events. Families can enjoy a full day of activities including carnival rides, showbags, animal exhibits, horse events, live entertainment and fireworks. Kids will love getting up close with farm animals, exploring the pavilions and experiencing the excitement of a traditional country show.
✨ School Holiday Tip: Don’t like crowds? Go early on the Friday.
📍Hawkesbury Showground, 40 Racecourse Road, Clarendon
10. St Albans Village Easter Market
credit: st albans village market
📅 Date: Sunday 5th April | 🕒 Time: 10am – 2pm 🐶 | Dog-friendly (on lead)
🧺 Set in the historic village of St Albans, this much-loved market invites kids of all ages to take part in a massive Easter egg hunt adventure, with chocolate eggs hidden throughout the market stalls. Children can explore the entire market site, visiting stallholders and collecting their sweet rewards along the way.
Beyond the Easter fun, visitors can enjoy a relaxed country atmosphere with artisan stalls, local produce, handmade goods and family-friendly activities. There’s a large kids’ playground nearby, giant lawn games in the shade, and plenty of space for families to unwind.
✨ School Holiday Tip: Make a day of it by stopping at the iconic Settlers Arms Inn (Australia’s oldest continually licensed pub) or the popular Pickled Wombat Café, both located within the village. The journey to St Albans is part of the experience itself. Travel via the free Webbs Creek Ferry at Wisemans Ferry, then enjoy a scenic drive along the Macdonald River surrounded by bushland, farms and breathtaking valley views.
📍2 Wharf Street, St Albans
More Ideas On What To Do These School Holidays?
Check out our recent blogs:
There’s no better base for your Hawkesbury school holiday getaway than Dido’s Place, our multi-award-winning, family-friendly holiday home in the Hawkesbury set on 9 private acres of peaceful countryside.
Designed with families in mind, you’ll enjoy exclusive-use accommodation, plenty of on-site activities to keep the kids entertained, and space to truly relax after a day exploring the region’s best Hawkesbury school holiday attractions.
Imagine the kids running free, toasting marshmallows by the campfire, while you unwind under the stars in the outdoor hot tub.
Located just a short drive from orchards, markets and family-friendly events, Dido’s Place makes it easy to experience everything the Hawkesbury has to offer.
✨ Only very limited availability remains for the April & Easter School Holidays, so book your stay now and don’t miss out.
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