Spring School Holidays FAQs

Spring School Holidays runs from Saturday 28th September to Sunday 13th October 2024.
Gardens open at 9am till 5pm – Last entry at 4pm
Spring School Holidays activities from 10am to 2pm

Amusement Rides operate from 10am to 2:30pm – Ride ticket sales close at 2pm. Last ride at 2:15pm
Ride ticket booth hours: 10am to 2pm

Scavenger Hunt, Nursery Rhyme Tours, Grassy Head Workshop, Spring Rocks Workshop, Face Painting, Koi Fish Feeding, Clay Impressions Workshop, Rose Week Talks, Remote Control Boat Racing, Wheelbarrow Display and Hanging Basket Competition to vote on. Please note not all activities are available every day, please check the times and days for all Spring activities.

All workshops are included in the entry price. All rides are user pay, these include Superslide, Swing Chair, Carousel, Ferris Wheel and Tea Cups. Rides are $6 per person, per ride, or you can purchase a bonus 6 ticket pass for $30, tickets can only be purchased at the rides booth. Height and age restrictions apply.

The Spring School Holidays activities and workshops operate on a first-in/first-served basis with capped numbers, which vary according to activity. We recommend arriving early to the activity you are interested in.

All workshops run from 10am - 2pm, there is a maximum of 20 people per workshop at any one time.

Scavenger Hunt - Every day during the Spring School Holidays starting at 9am to 5pm. In all 10 Gardens.
Nursery Rhyme Tours – Approximately 15-minute walk at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm on the following dates in the Storybook Garden:

Grassy Head Workshop - Every day during the Spring School Holidays from 10am-2pm in the event area.
Spring Rocks Workshop - Every day during the Spring School Holidays from 10am-2pm in the Dome Marquee.
Face Painting - Every day during the Spring School Holidays from 10am-2pm in the event area.
Koi Fish Feeding - Every day during the Spring School Holidays from at 10am, 11:30am and 1pm in the Oriental Garden.
Clay Impressions Workshop - Every day during the Spring School Holidays from 10am-2pm in the Indian Tea House at the Indian Mosaic Garden.
Rose Week Talks - From 30 September to 6 October at 12pm in the Rose Garden.
Remote Control Boat Racing -28 September, 5-7 and 12 October from 10am-2pm in the Lakes Walk. See our event program for more details.

All of our display gardens are open during the event, the Spring School Holiday activities are taking place across the whole site, it is still possible to view the Gardens while these activities are taking place. Only Spring School Holidays tickets can be redeemed between 28 September - 13 October.

Yes, pass outs are allowed providing you leave and return the same day the ticket is dated. See Garden Entry, your tickets will be stamped and required as proof of payment when re-entering the Gardens.

Updates about weather changes or any other event announcements will be posted on our Facebook page. www.facebook.com/huntervalleygardens

Tickets can be purchased online at hvg.com.au. Spring School Holidays tickets are for single use only and are only valid for the date booked.
Spring School Holidays – Gardens open 9am-5pm (last entry at 4pm), activities from 10am-2pm
Adult 16+ $40
Children 4-15 years $30
Children 3yrs and under FREE (must still have a ticket for entry)
Family 2 adults 2 children $122
Family 2 adults 1 child $99
Family 1 adult 2 children $93
Extra Child (4-15yrs) $27
Companion Card $0
Ride tickets can be purchased for $6 per ride or 6 rides for $30.
All rides are in addition to entry and can be purchased at the ticket booth located in the event area.

Spring School Holidays at Hunter Valley Gardens are date specific and can only be used for the day purchased, if Hunter Valley Gardens needs to close due to a severe weather event as determined by management, ticket holders will be offered a change of date (subject to availability) or a gift card.

Tickets may be purchased online via credit card, tickets can also be purchased at Garden entry using cash or credit card. Tickets cannot be purchased over the phone.

Tickets are available online and from Garden entry however, we recommend purchasing tickets online in advance to avoid disappointment. Online sales close an hour before the event finishes for the session on the day.
We do not sell any tickets through third-party sellers, only purchase your online tickets from huntervalleygardens.com.au

If you need to change the date of your booking, visit huntervalleygardens.com.au/bookings and request your change a minimum of 24 hours in advance.

We recommend printing tickets. However mobile tickets are also accepted. Tickets can be retrieved at entry upon presentation of identification. If tickets cannot be presented/retrieved at the gate, this will result in non-entry.

Subject to availability, you may be able to purchase tickets at entry during the day of your visit. However, we strongly recommend purchasing all your tickets online in advance to avoid disappointment.

Most tickets that have not been received are either caught by your email spam filters or the email address was incorrectly entered. If your tickets have not arrived, please use this form http://bit.ly/Booking_update before your date of arrival. The team will get back to you as soon as possible during business hours Monday to Friday.
If you have lost your ticket, please proceed to Garden Entry with your valid identification where a staff member will be able to look up your order at entry.

Refunds are only available if the Gardens do not open on the date of your booking. Tickets may be exchanged for another day, depending on availability or the value transferred to a Hunter Valley Gardens Gift Card which expires 1 year from the date of delivery. Changes to tickets must be requested 24 hours prior to the booked date by visiting http://bit.ly/Booking_update

Online tickets are emailed to the email address you provided. If you have not received your tickets, please check your spam/junk mail. If your tickets cannot be located, you may have entered the wrong email address. Please contact us at https://www.huntervalleygardens.com.au/bookings/ for further assistance.

If you lose your ticket, new tickets can be issued by visiting https://www.huntervalleygardens.com.au/bookings/ and requesting an update to your order.

Our amusement rides bring an added element of fun to the Gardens for both the young and young at heart. Rides include:

• Superslide
• Swing Chair
• Carousel
• Ferris Wheel
• Tea Cups

Children must be supervised at all times whilst on the rides.

Rides will not operate during adverse weather conditions as determined by the manager on site.

Guests can purchase a ticket to participate on our amusement rides providing they meet all the following safety requirements for the ride they wish to participate on.
Our rides are subject to safety requirements that a user must meet to participate. Key height restrictions are listed below, but other conditions can be found on the safety requirements signage at each of the rides.

• Ferris Wheel: Children below 120cm must ride with an adult.
• Carousel: Children below 105cm must ride with an adult (adult must stand next to child), children 106cm and under 16yrs may ride alone.
• Tea Cups: Children between 95cm-120cm must ride with an adult, 120cm and above may ride alone.
• Swing Chair: Children between 110cm–120cm must ride with an adult, 120cm and above mar ride alone.
• Superslide: Children between 110cm-120cm must ride with an adult, 120cm and above may ride alone.

Children must always be supervised
PLEASE NOTE: Heights are checked at each individual ride and access will be approved by the operator.

Rides are $6 per ride, or you can purchase a bonus 6 ticket pass for $30.

1 ticket per ride applies on the Ferris Wheel, Tea Cups, Swing Chair and Carousel. An accompanying adult may stand with a small child on the carousel only without the use of a ride ticket.
The Superslide is 2 rides per ticket – as children between 110cm-120cm must ride with an adult, the accompanying adult rides without the use of a ride ticket.

Ride tickets can be purchased from the ticket booth. See individual event programs for opening times.

Tickets are per person, not per Gondola.

All rides operate on a 1 ticket per seat basis. A parent may stand with a small child on the Carousel or ride the Superslide with children between 110-120cm at no additional cost.

Babies 18 months and below are permitted to ride with adults on the Ferris Wheel for free. They must have a ticket for the Carousel.

No, carers who present a companion card at the ride ticket booth are able to get the same pass as their client or child for free.

Safety is of the utmost importance to us. Due to weather and maintenance, we may temporarily close the rides at times for customer and staff safety, as determined by the manager on duty. We do however endeavour to have them open again as soon as possible.

Yes, our Garden Terrace Café will be open with take away options and limited seating. There will be food stalls in the event area.

You may bring bottled water into Hunter Valley Gardens. Alcohol and soft drinks are not permitted.

No food or picnics can be brought into the Gardens; food is available in the Garden Terrace Café located at the entry to the Gardens and in the food stalls located in the event area. However, you can bring sealed bottled water.

If you do not wish to purchase food in the Gardens, there is the option to purchase food from one of the shops in Hunter Valley Shopping Village or enjoy a packed meal or BBQ in the park near the HVG Shopping Village. We offer re-entry passes if you’re coming back on the same day. For this option, please see staff at the entry gate.

The Garden Terrace Café is open daily from 9am to 4pm and will offer a range of spring treats. The HVG food stall will be open from 10am to 2:30pm offering loaded fries, kids’ meals, burgers and more. You can also enjoy a refreshing Snow Cone from Monday 30th September between 10am-2:30pm in the event area.

Prohibited items include drones, ride-on toys, scooters, roller skates, eskies, skateboards and items deemed to be unsafe by management.

Lost property can be collected from Garden Entry or call (02) 4998 4000. Items that are not claimed within 7 days will be discarded or donated to local charities.

Hunter Valley Gardens is located on a 14-hectare site. The garden paths are approximately 8km and contain loose granite which can be navigated by wheelchairs. Please wear sensible footwear and take all necessary precautions to prevent injury to yourself.

There is free parking available and limited disabled parking, displaying of a disability parking permit is required.

No pets are allowed into the Gardens. Registered guide dogs and companion dogs are allowed into the Gardens with their owners. Documentation for these animals is required upon entry.

Paths and ramps are wide enough to accommodate pedestrians, wheelchairs and strollers.

We do not accept pensioner cards or have a Seniors price for events.

We do not have wheelchairs available to hire, you are welcome to bring your own. 

No filming or photography, of a professional nature (including weddings, special occasions, social media influencers etc.), is permitted in Hunter Valley Gardens without prior written consent from Hunter Valley Gardens.

All commercial filming and photography within Hunter Valley Gardens property will attract a commercial photography fee, for all enquiries contact sales@hvg.com.au