Kid Tested Adventures in Eltham and Surrounds

Wondering what to do with the kids? Kid-tested and parent-approved, the Nillumbik Shire is packed with activities for families who love getting out and exploring. Kids of all ages and parents alike are certain to have a great day out.

Here are our recommendations:

There's so much to explore at Edendale Community Environment Farm. Families can wander the gardens, pet the friendly goats and alpacas, visit the poultry pens, feed a guinea pig, pop into the indigenous nursery or kick back at the alfresco Eden Café.

Kids can also get their hands dirty in the veggie gardens and explore the orchards while learning about sustainability and the critical role that all creatures play in our ecosystem.

With a focus on the environment and lifelong learning, a visit to Edendale is a great way to spend some time.

Walk along the Diamond Creek Trail to the Eltham North Adventure Playground, an impressive park where kids can explore, climb and swing on the new state-of-the-art equipment. This incredible playground also has ideal picnic spots with BBQ facilities, a large shelter for shaded lunch spots, bike trails, waterplay troughs, cubby houses and an accessible liberty swing explicitly designed for wheelchair users.

Experience the feeling of being transported to another time and place as you meander around the stunning buildings and grounds of Montsalvat.

Set on 12 acres, Montsalvat is Australia's oldest continuously operating artist collective. Open Wednesday - Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm, it's a great place to spend the day discovering art, history and exhibitions, then picnic on their beautiful lawns.

From mudbrick cottages to vaulted halls, explore a world handbuilt by Justus Jorgensen and his followers.

If you're out and about in our region on a Saturday, we highly recommend visiting St Andrews Community Market. The market is on every Saturday from 9:00am - 2:00pm and has been part of the fabric of this vibrant community for over 40 years. Wander amongst the stalls and pick up all manner of pre-loved goods, homegrown veggies, preserves and much, much more.

Spoil the kids with a visit to The French Lettuce in Hurstbridge. Enjoy delicious delights from an all-day menu that includes wonderful breakfast and lunch dishes, and, of course, their famous Vanilla Slice, awarded the best in Melbourne by The Age. A must-try!

For keen cyclists who come via the nearby bike trail that leads to Eltham and beyond, off-street bicycle bays await. Dogs are welcome alfresco!

If it's a hot day, the Diamond Creek Outdoor Pool is an excellent place to cool off. The heated 25-metre pool is shaded and offers a toddler splash and play area under a shaded structure as well as change rooms, a kiosk, on-site BBQ facilities and a picnic area.

Outdoor swimming season typically begins in early November and they're open daily with adult, child and family swim passes available. They can also host children's birthday parties and offer swim lessons. Click here for more information.