Top 5 Activities for Your Summer Bucket List

13 Jan 2026

Running out of ways to keep the family busy these holidays? The National Trust has you covered.

With pirate adventures, historic mysteries, heritage farms and road trip destinations across Victoria, these school holiday ideas are sure to make your summer unforgettable.

Here are five must-do experiences to add to your summer bucket list.

Browse the full list of what’s on these School Holidays here

Unravel Family-Friendly Mysteries

These holidays, get ready for something new at Old Melbourne Gaol.

Billie B Brown and the Case of the Missing Treasure is a self-guided mystery trail for young sleuths, inspired by the bestselling books by Sally Rippin. It’s immersive, hands-on, and included with your entry. Old Melbourne Gaol is open daily from 10am to 5pm, and the experience runs throughout the School Holidays.

Over at Pentridge Prison Tours, older kids can take on PrisonBreak Explorers 2. It’s packed with puzzles, clues, and stories of real-life escape attempts through the infamous H Division. Tours at Pentridge run twice daily at 10.30am and 12.45pm, and the experience is included with the PrisonBreak Explorers ticket.

Want more family fun? From Pirate Day to Adventure Trails, you can view all school holiday activities here.

Wander Through a Forgotten Time at a Heritage Farm

Step into 19th-century farming life at Gulf Station in the Yarra Valley.

Explore the farmhouse, schoolhouse and barns, meet the Clydesdales, and enjoy a picnic under shady trees.

This is a peaceful place where kids can explore and play while learning about Victoria’s pioneering families.

Gulf Station is open on the first Thursday and last Sunday of each month, so plan your visit accordingly.

Explore Historic Mansions, Cottages and Gardens

Victoria’s most beautiful historic homes are open for summer.

Rippon Lea Estate is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with mansion tours running every day and garden tours on select days. Wander the 14-acre gardens or explore inside one of Melbourne’s grandest 19th-century homes.

Como House & Garden is open for tours Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm, with garden tours each Sunday. It’s Australia’s first house museum and full of stories from fashionable early Melbourne life.

La Trobe’s Cottage, one of Melbourne’s oldest surviving homes, is open on Sundays and select Fridays in January, with special activities for children to enjoy during the holidays.

Labassa Mansion opens on Sunday 18 January, from 10.30am to 4.30pm. It’s a rare chance to step inside a mansion of 19th-century glamour and discover intricate stained glass, painted ceilings, and hidden critters in the décor.

Meet the Man Behind the Legend

At Old Melbourne Gaol, take the Ned Kelly’s Last Stand tour and follow the story of Australia’s most infamous outlaw.

You’ll see where he was held, stand in his final cell, and decide for yourself whether he was hero, villain, or something in between.

This tour runs on weekends and can be added to your general admission ticket.

For older kids or teens, Night Tours offer a more atmospheric experience, showing a darker side of Melbourne’s criminal past.

Explore Heritage on a Road Trip

Follow our Trust Trails, where National Trust properties sit alongside wine regions and local produce.

If you’re travelling along the coast, stop at Mott’s Cottage and Mills Cottage in Port Fairy. These two heritage gems are open every Saturday in January and February, offering insight into 19th-century coastal life.

Closer to Melbourne, take a drive along the Mornington Peninsula Driving Trail. Visit Mulberry Hill, home of Picnic at Hanging Rock author Joan Lindsay, and McCrae Homestead, one of Victoria’s oldest homes.

McCrae Homestead is open every First and Third Sunday and Mulberry Hill every Third Sunday, so plan your roadtrip so you can experience one or both of these properties.