A Day with Kids in Stirling
Stirling is the perfect destination for a day of fun with your little ones. Whether your kids are creative, curious, energetic or all three, there’s plenty to please them here.
A good place to start is the famous Steamroller Park. The brightly-painted vintage roller has delighted generations of kids in the Hills, and the surrounding park is perfect base for a day trip. The fenced playground has a variety of play equipment to keep kids active and amused for ages. The old rotunda is a great spot to make up games of your own and its grassy banks are just right for rolling down (or for lying down). Barbecue facilities and toilets with changing tables make it perfect for a picnic too.
Once the kids have burned off a little energy, it’s just a short walk up the main street to the Coventry Library. It’s worth a visit any time to read or play, or you can join in one of the free sessions for children. There are special programs every school holidays, along with regular activities like Baby Bounce and Rhyme for newborns to 18 months. Action, Rhyme and Stories sessions cater for kids 18 months to three years, while three to five year-olds can enjoy a story and craft activity at Storytime. On Wednesday mornings Library Lions Storytimeis an interactive program for under-fives with special needs.
Heading back outdoors, Woorabinda Lake is one of Stirling’s hidden gems. The lake, built as a railway dam in 1922, is part of the Stirling Linear Park. It’s a great place to explore and get back to nature. You can search for wildlife such as kangaroos, koalas, turtles and lizards, and the bird hide is perfect for watching the huge number of waterfowl and other birds that live there. How many different kinds can you see? It’s fun to visit on a windy Wednesday when the Stirling Marblehead Yacht Club race their remote-controlled boats across the lake.
For young artists there are art classes at The Barn. You could sign up for regular classes or arrange private or semi-private sessions at this beautifully restored studio and gallery, originally the stables for historic homestead Wairoa. Workshops include pottery, basket-making, jewellery and card-making – perfect for Christmas and birthdays.
No day out is complete without a tasty treat and you’re spoiled for choice in Stirling. What would you choose, a gingerbread man from Millie’s Bakery, mixed lollies from the old-fashioned lolly shop at Oak Tree Truffles, a milkshake from one of the town’s many cafes, or one of Lobethal Bakery’s famous chocolate donuts?
Once everyone’s belly is full, visit Boo & Child and Magic Circle for a fantastic range of childrenswear and gifts to take home, or pop into Matilda Bookshop and see their well-stocked children’s section.
Any day is a good day to visit Stirling, but the fourth Sunday of every month is extra special, when Stirling Laneways brings the village to life with market stalls selling food and wine, fashion, garden goods, craft, jewellery and more. Every month features different street performers – giant-bubble-blowers, fire-breathers, butterflies, fairies, body-painters, musicians and dancers are some that have brought fun and colour to Laneways so far. Held on the same day each month, the Stirling Markets add to the carnival atmosphere, with sights, sounds and smells that bring people back to Stirling again and again.
There’s plenty more to see and do, so come and explore for yourself. See you in Stirling!