Looking for something a little different to do with the kids these school holidays? Come to Abbotsford Convent and spend the day exploring, making, discovering and getting a little bit lost. It’s completely free to enter and open every day. From secret gardens and strange sounds to ancient trees, hidden stories and hands-on making, here are ten ways to make a day of it.
1. Go on a sound adventure
Grab an o to da te map from the Convent front desk and set off to find the concrete footprints scattered around the Convent grounds. They’re the work of Japanese experimental artist Akio Suzuki, who chose each location as an “echo point” designed for listening. Each o to da te pack comes with a reflections journal and pencil.
Follow the footprints, stop at each point and listen carefully. What can you hear that you might otherwise miss?
2. Learn about the women and girls who shaped history – at the Convent and beyond
New to the Abbotsford Convent, Her Place Women’s Museum Australia makes for an educational addition to your school holiday explorations. Now based inside the Convent building, this not-for-profit museum is free to enter and dedicated to celebrating the stories and achievements of Australian women.
Older kids (recommended age 13+) will enjoy She Shapes History, a walking tour that tells the story of the Convent through the eyes of the women and girls who lived and worked there.
3. Find something unexpected in the shops
Make a beeline for Dragonfly Toys and discover a treasure trove of educational toys, games and curiosities. Then pop into Ink & Spindle to see its enormous 12-metre fabric table . It’s a pretty spectacular sight for small (and big) textile fans. Then pop by Pennie Jagiello’s studio to see how she turns old shoes and found objects into wearable art.
4. Take a sensory adventure to the Irish boglands
Step into the mysterious world of the Irish boglands with Distillation, a unique 50-minute interactive performance presented as part of Melbourne Fringe. Designed to spark curiosity in audiences of all ages, Distillation invites audiences to smell, touch, taste and explore their way through the ancient peatlands of Ireland. Gathered around a table covered in peat, you’ll discover fascinating stories about these 10,000-year-old landscapes through storytelling, sound, video, projection and scent. Every audience member receives a sample of a specially created perfume made from botanicals distilled from the Irish Midlands.
5. Get your hands dirty
Roll up your sleeves and make something with your own hands at a kids’ ceramics class at Big Bite Studios. It’s so satisfying turning a lump of clay into something you can take home, even if it doesn’t quite turn out how you imagined.
6. Go on a tree hunt
The Convent is home to some very special trees. Start at the entrance, where you’ll find a 300-year-old eucalypt, find the ‘Separation Oak’ planted to mark the birth of Victoria, then head into the gardens to seek out the Wollemi Pine, a living fossil tucked away in the fern garden.
See how many other interesting trees you can spot along the way.
7. Have a picnic, then roll down the hill
Pick up some treats from the Bakery, bring your own picnic or grab something delicious from the Children’s Farm café next door, then spread out on the heritage lawns. And don’t forget to leave time for somersaults down the hill. The lawn is practically designed for it.
8. Become a heritage detective
Look closely and the Convent’s buildings reveal all sorts of clues about the people who lived here. What exactly is a cloister? What’s a Tempietto? And did you know the Convent’s Tempietto is turning 100 years old in September?
Wander up the grand staircases and look closely at the steps. Those dents aren’t just wear and tear, they’re the marks left by generations of footsteps.
9. Walk in the footsteps of the Traditional Owners
Take a self-guided walk of the Convent and discover more about the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Convent stands. Follow the digital map here: https://embed.alpacamaps.com/locale/abbotsford-convent/default and learn about a continuous living culture that spans at least 65,000 years.
10. Visit the maker’s market
On 20 September, the Convent will welcome the Making Moves Market an activation made possible by Broadsheet and Australia Post that brings together some of Australia’s most exciting emerging and established local makers. From bespoke fashion labels to jewellery brand, small-batch soaps and artisan foods, there’s something for everyone and entry is entirely free!
11. Follow the path to the river
Head down the historic Cork Oak Path and make your way towards the Birrarung/Yarra River. Take your time, listen to the birds and have a chat to the sheep and cows that graze in paddocks along the Yarra Trail.
The Convent is beloved by art, history and culture lovers, but it’s a wonderland for little people, so make a date with your kids this school holiday.
And bring your four-legged explorer, too
The Convent is dog-friendly, so your school holiday adventure doesn’t have to exclude the family dog.