The Queensland spring school holidays run Saturday 19 September to Monday 5 October in 2026, and Victoria Square Apartments sits inside the easiest family patch on the coast. Here is our five-part plan: beach mornings, a wildlife day, a tram adventure, a market evening and a wet-weather backup, all within a short walk, ride or drive.
What does the perfect beach morning look like?
Start at Kurrawa Beach, a six minute walk from our front door with no car seats, no parking apps and no gear haul beyond a bag and a bodyboard. The beach is patrolled year-round with flags set daily, and the flagged section in front of the surf club suits primary-schoolers and confident swimmers alike. Behind the sand, the Kurrawa foreshore playground gives younger kids a second wind while the adults hold a table at the free BBQs. The path from our door is flat and pram-friendly the whole way. It is free from start to finish, and the morning rhythm writes itself: swim by 8.30am, playground by 10, back for lunch before the wind gets up.
Is Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary worth a holiday day?
Yes, and it is the one to book ahead. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is a 20 to 25 minute drive south of Victoria Square Apartments and opens 9am to 4pm every day of the holidays, last entry 3.30pm. The rainbow lorikeet feeding runs twice daily at 8am and 4pm, and between them the day fills with koala encounters, the miniature train and, for kids over about seven, the TreeTop Challenge ropes course. Day passes sit in the mid cost band for a family and holiday sessions sell fast, so book online before you drive. Paths are sealed and pram-friendly, and the shaded picnic lawns mean you can bring lunch rather than buy it. Arrive at opening; the queues for the koala photos are shortest before 10am.
Can the tram be the day out?
On the Gold Coast, yes. The G:link tram runs from Broadbeach South, a short walk from our door past Pacific Fair, all the way north through Surfers Paradise to Helensvale, every few minutes through the day. Kids ride cheaply with a go card or contactless card, prams roll straight on at level platforms, and the front window seat is a holiday attraction in its own right. Ride it to Cavill Avenue for the beachfront, or make Southport’s Broadwater parklands the destination for calm-water swimming behind the sea baths. The whole adventure runs on your own timetable, which is precisely what a holiday week with young kids needs, and the return trip home takes under 15 minutes.
What fills the evenings?
The Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 4pm to 9pm along the Esplanade. Entry is free, the stalls run for more than a hundred metres with the ocean behind them, and buskers keep the kids entertained between the craft and gelato stops. Tram there, walk a stretch of the lit foreshore, tram home: the whole evening is done by 8.30pm with everyone worn out in the right way. On non-market nights, the Broadbeach dining blocks two minutes from our door have family-friendly tables that take early bookings, and the foreshore BBQs stay available for a self-catered sunset dinner.
What is the wet-weather backup?
Event Cinemas at Pacific Fair, a 14 minute walk or a five minute drive with four hours of free undercover parking. School-holiday session times start mid-morning, and between Gold Class for a parents’ break, 4DX for the thrill-seekers and standard sessions for everyone else, one wet day barely covers it. The enclosed arcades handle the before-and-after, with indoor dining for lunch. If the rain sets in for a second day, HOTA Gallery in Bundall is free, fully indoor and a 10 minute drive, with a lakeside playground outside for the moment the sky clears. Neither needs booking, which is exactly what you want when the forecast turns overnight.
Spring school holidays FAQs
When are the Queensland spring school holidays in 2026?
Saturday 19 September to Monday 5 October 2026, with Term 4 starting Tuesday 6 October. That is 17 days, and because NSW holidays overlap for most of it, the Gold Coast is at its family busiest. Book accommodation and the big-ticket attractions as early as you can.
Is Kurrawa Beach safe for kids?
Yes. Kurrawa is patrolled year-round with flags set daily, and the sand slopes gently at the flagged section. The foreshore behind it has a fenced-in feel with a big playground, free BBQs, toilets and showers, so parents can run the whole morning from one shady base.
How far is Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary from Broadbeach?
About a 20 to 25 minute drive south of Victoria Square Apartments, or a direct bus from the highway. The sanctuary is open 9am to 4pm every day of the holidays, with last entry at 3.30pm. Go early: the car park and the koala photo queues are shortest before 10am.
What do you do with kids on a rainy holiday day?
Head to Event Cinemas at Pacific Fair, a 14 minute walk or five minute drive with four hours of free undercover parking. Between the cinema, the enclosed arcades and the indoor dining, a wet day sorts itself. HOTA Gallery in Bundall is the free indoor backup, 10 minutes by car.
A school-holiday week works better when home base does the heavy lifting: full kitchen for the early breakfasts, laundry for the beach towels, separate bedrooms so the 7pm bedtime actually happens, and the beach six minutes away on foot. Check our family apartments and rates to book the spring holidays, and browse our Attractions page for everything else within walking distance of Victoria Square Apartments.
Image credit: Experience Gold Coast