Winter doesn’t mean staying tucked up indoors. Right across Australia, the cooler months bring a whole new season of festivals, snow play, sensory-friendly mornings and cosy days out – and more of them are being designed so everyone can join in. Whether you’re planning for a child or adult with a physical, intellectual or sensory disability, here are 20 wintery ways to make the most of the school holidays.

Snow and alpine fun

  1. Adaptive skiing with Disabled Wintersport Australia – sit-skiing, adaptive stand-up skiing and snowboarding at resorts like Perisher, Thredbo and Falls Creek, with programs for all abilities.
  2. A snow day at Mount Baw Baw, VIC – adaptive equipment hire, accessible facilities and gentle snow-play zones designed for all ages and abilities.
  3. Corin Forest, ACT – a winter playground close to Canberra, perfect for a taste of the snow without a long alpine trek.
  4. Snow-play excursions – many community and NDIS providers run supported snow trips over winter, so you can enjoy the magic with support on hand.

Winter festivals and light displays

  1. Riviera Winter Festival, VIC – a foreshore winter village with an accessible ice rink, light displays and food stalls, with wheelchair-friendly pathways and support on-site.
  2. Winter Night Market, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne – warming food and live music brightening the dark winter evenings.

Indoor ice-skating

  1. Accessible ice rinks nationwide – many rinks offer support frames, seated skating aids and ice gliders for wheelchair users, in Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

Sensory-friendly museums and galleries

  1. Winter School Holidays at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney (5-19 July) – hands-on workshops, LEGO® builds, films and dedicated sensory-friendly days, with pram and wheelchair access.
  2. Early Birds at the Australian Museum, Sydney – reduced-sensory mornings before the public arrives, with adjusted lighting and sound and a quiet space.
  3. Sensory-Friendly Sundays, Australian National Maritime Museum – early, gentle openings with reduced crowds and trained staff.
  4. Low-sensory sessions at Melbourne Museum & Scienceworks – quiet mornings with adapted tours and small-group visits.
  5. QAGOMA, Brisbane – free Auslan-interpreted tours, low-sensory viewings, sensory kits, audio-described tours and braille guides.
  6. Quiet Mornings at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium – a warm, indoor sensory session and a lovely way to escape the cold.

Wildlife encounters

  1. Taronga Zoo, Sydney – visual social stories, quiet picnic zones, the Sunflower Hidden Disability scheme, wheelchair paths and free companion tickets.
  2. Adelaide Zoo, SA – a ‘relaxed hours’ program, communication boards, quiet rest areas and wide, paved wheelchair-friendly paths.

Warm days out and iconic experiences

  1. Sydney Opera House performances – relaxed and captioned shows, Auslan interpreting, low-vision access and a Changing Places facility – all cosy and indoors.
  2. BridgeClimb Sydney – crisp winter views with Auslan-guided tours, hearing loops, continuous handrails and lift access to the walkway.
  3. Sydney Tower Eye Skywalk – wheelchair-accessible views from 268m above the city, a great cold-weather indoor-outdoor combo.

Cosy and closer to home

  1. A winter craft or movie afternoon – indoor art and craft, baking something warm, or a blanket-fort movie day are simple, inclusive ways to beat the winter chill together.

A little forward planning goes a long way – check each venue’s access page for sensory sessions, companion card offers and quiet spaces before you go.

How LiveBig can help

Getting out and about in winter is easier with the right support behind you. As a registered NDIS provider of therapy supports, LiveBig works alongside you, your family and your other providers to help you build the skills and confidence to make the most of experiences like these. Our occupational therapists can support social and community participation – from building confidence in new environments to navigating public transport and joining in leisure activities that bring connection and enjoyment. With services including occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, psychology, social work and positive behaviour support – delivered at home, in the community or via telehealth – we’re here to help you do more this winter and beyond. If you’d like to get in touch, speak with one of our friendly clinicians today.