Image source Georges River Council

CARSS BUSH PARK
BUNYALA ST or ALLAWAH AV, CARSS PARK

Carss Bush Park has walking and bike paths, a netted sheltered beach, playground areas, picnic and BBQ facilities, shady trees and is next to the Kogarah War Memorial Olympic Swimming Pool: www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Environment/Parks-and-Reserves/Iconic-Parks/Carss-Bush-Park

Image source www.sydney.com

CRONULLA AND NATIONAL PARK FERRY CRUISES
PUBLIC WHARF, TONKIN ST, CRONULLA

Go on a three hour Scenic River Cruise of Port Hacking and the upper reaches of the Hacking River, with the Royal National Park on the southern shore line. There is a full commentary and morning tea. Other cruises include Dining Cruises, Live Music Cruises and Seniors Cruises: cronullaferries.com.au/our-cruises

Take the ferry across Port Hacking River to Bundeena. The trip takes abour 25 mins and is on calm, protected water: https://cronullaferries.com.au/ferries-to-bundeena. Bundeena has stretches of protected sandy beach, cafes and is near to Royal National Park with bushwalks, picnic areas and Aboriginal carvings on Jibbon Point. You can hire stand up paddle boards and kayaks at Bundeena and go fishing: www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-south/bundeena

Image source Sutherland Astromomical Society

GREEN POINT OBSERVATORY
CNR GREEN POINT RD AND CARAVAN HEAD RD, OYSTER BAY (AT THE bottom of the reserve)

The Sutherland Astromomical Society open their observatory to the public a number of times throughout the year, usually on a Friday and Saturday evening. You can view celestial bodies through their two large telescopes and through a variety of telescopes on the field. There are also astronomy lectures, hot and cold tucker, drinks, books, posters and gifts on sale. No bookings required. sasi.net.au/public-events

Image source Sutherland Shire Council

GUNNAMATTA PARK
NICHOLSON PDE, CRONULLA

This large and shady park has grassy spaces, a playground, barbecues and shelters and a netted, waveless swimming area. It is a a short walk from Cronulla train station: www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Outdoors/Parks-and-Playgrounds/Parks/Gunnamatta-Park-Cronulla

Image source Sutherland Shire Council

HAZLEHURST ARTS CENTRE
782 KINGSWAY, GYMEA

This Centre has regular exhibitions and classes for adults, children, youth and master classes. The Cafe is open 7 days a week, except for some public holdays. There are programs for pre-schools, primary schools and high schools. There is a reference Art Library and you can join the Friends of Hazlehurst. There can also be apecial events though the year such as the 60s Fair Fest: www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Community/Hazelhurst

For babies to 5 years
There are four family programs. 'Tiny Tours' is a a 30 minute gallery tour offered once a month for carers with children aged 0 -18 months. 'Little Looks' runs 60 minutes once a month and includes story time, a tour of the gallery and an art making activity for children 18 months to 3 years with their carer. 'Preschoolers' is a 90 minute workshop for children 3 to 5 years, accompanied by a carer and includes story time, a tour of the gallery and an art making activity. It is offered twice per exhibition. 'Young Artisits' is a program for children 3 to 6 years, accompanied by a parent or carer. It runs monthly for 75 minutes and the emphasis is art making. www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/Community/Hazelhurst/Art-Classes/Family-Programs-18-Months-6-Years

School Holidays
Classes on weekdays for children aged 6 to 13 years often include clay work, drawing and painting, ink and collage work plus more. There can also be a kids film program and art making in the Studio with drop in activities.

Image source Hurstville Entertainment Centre

HURSTVILLE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
16 MACMAHON ST, HURSTVILLE

Children's and family performances and entertainers appear at Hurstville Entertainment Centre from time to time: www.hec.org.au/

Image source Georges River Council

HURSTVILLE MUSEUM & GALLERY
14 MACMAHON STREET, HURSTVILLE

There are permanent exhibitions and regularly changing exhibitions in a three different galleries. There is also the opportunity for adults and children to exhibit their work. The Dragonflies Kids’ Club is an art and craft workshop held on the first Saturday of the month for children aged 4-7. Art Attack workshops are held on the fourth Saturday of the month for children aged 7-12 years. www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Community/Art-and-Culture/Hurstville-Museum-Gallery

For babies to 5 years
Baby Explorers runs once a month for babies up to12 months with an adult and includes a gallery tour and time in the sensory pit of soft and textured materials, interesting sounds, colours and shapes. Free Open Days are held with guided tours and art and craft activities. www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Community/What-s-On?venue=hurstvillemuseum

School Holidays
Workshops for ages 5 to 12 (sometimes for teens) run for 90 minutes on weekdays and can include sketching, painting and creating craft such as making puppets making or dreamcatchers. www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Community/What-s-On?venue=hurstvillemuseum

Image source NSW National Parks

KAMAY BOTANY BAY NATIONAL PARK, KURNELL AREA
CAPTAIN COOK DR, KURNELL

This park includes a sheltered beach, coastal bush and the cliffs overlooking the Tasman Sea: www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/kurnell-area
For babies to 5 years

This is the spot where Captain Cook and the Endeavour crew first set foot on Australian soil in 1770. In the Visitors Centre there is an art gallery, theatrette, historical exhibition, shop and café. The exhibition is about Cook’s visit and includes artefacts from the Endeavour including a canon and shot.
There are also a number of walking tracks that are easy for children. The Burrawang Walk is a 1.2km loop from the Visitor Centre, over the dunes and down to the foreshore. There are interpretive signs outlining the park’s cultural and natural history and historical sites such as Captain Cook’s Landing Place. Part of this walk is stroller friendly.

The Banks-Solander Track is a 0.7km loop from the Visitor Centre and has informative panels. Here are many of the plants that Cook’s botanists, Joseph banks and Daniel Solander collected and described.
Also in the park is one of the best spots on land in Sydney to watch for whales at Cape Solander. A whale watching platform has been built here and volunteers count the whales daily during the season in June and July. There usually isn’t a lot to see. First you look for a spout of water and then you will probably only see the top of the back of the whale for a few seconds. They don’t usually jump out of the water. But even this glimpse is pretty special. Take binoculars if you have some. Also take things for the kids to do while waiting.

Image source Georges River Council

STARLIGHT CINEMA
VENUES IN THE GEORGES RIVER LGA

The Starlight Cinema visits different outdoor spots across Georges River LGA in February and March, screening family movies on selected Fridays and Saturdays. BYO rug or low chairs and picnic or purchase from food venors. All Starlight Cinema events are alcohol-free and smoke-free: www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Community/Events/Council-Events/Starlight-Cinema.

Image source Sydney Tramway Museum

SYDNEY TRAMWAY MUSEUM
CNR RAWSON AV (OLD PRINCES HWY) and PITT ST, LOFTUS

The Museum has over 50 trams in its collection with many on display. Admission also includes unlimited tram rides. They run to Sutherland's outskirts and back taking about 10 mins, and into The Royal National Park and return which takes about 25 mins. Near the terminus in the Park is the Bungoona Path, which is a flat and stroller friendly 1 km walk to Bungoona Lookout.
The Museum is open on Sundays from 10am to 5pm, on Wednesdays in school term from 10am - 3pm and on selected weekdays in school holidays.

Image source Symbio Wildlife Park

SYMBIO WILDLIFE PARK
7-11 LAWRENCE HARGRAVE DR, HELENSBURGH

Symbio has a range of native, exotic and farm animals, Animal Feeds and Keeper Presentations, Happy Snap Animal Encounter Photos (extra cost) and Behind The Scenes Encounters (extra cost). Symbio Zoo Birthday Parties are also available. You can hand feed kangaroos and wallabies, goats and sheep. Purchase feed on entry. The park is a good size for families, with exhibits well-spaced but small enough for little legs to manage.

Native animals include koalas, echidnas, Tasmanian Devils, wombats, a variety of parrots, eagles, a cassowary, dingoes, crocodiles, reptiles and a Walk Through kangaroo and wallaby enclosure. This is where you can hand feed and pat the Eastern Grey Kangaroos and Red Necked Wallabies. Exotic animals include a cheetah, ring-tailed lemurs, red pandas, Tamarin and Marmoset monkeys, and meerkats. Farmyard animals include goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, guinea pigs and alpacas. At Symbio Farmyard and in the open space next to the Kangaroo Walk Through, you can feed some of these.

The Animal Feeds and Keeper Presentations are for the meerkats (twice daily), reptiles, koalas (twice daily), cheetah, dingo and Tassie Devil and Echidna. There is also a large playground, a Splash Park, an amphitheatre, lots of picnic tables with some under shelter, a kiosk and a gift shop. symbiozoo.com.au