“WISDOM BEGINS IN WONDER” quoting Socrates at QUESTACON

Leaving the best till last is of course Questacon. If you have never heard of Questacon or never been, well it’s all things Science. So break out the nerd hiding inside because this place is AWESOME!! This complex is completely hands on learning. It’s fun, exciting and innovative. We arrived at 8.55am and were literally jumping out of our skins with excitement.

You see, when researching our top attractions, U-tube was a key source for our kids. They already had an idea of what to expect. 1st people in the doors, we were served by a lovely attendant who let us know that we can come and go all day and told us some other top attractions in walking distance. She also gave us key knowledge on what to do first before the crowds flowed and also presented us with a brochure, maps and show times. 1st port of call was ‘MINI Q’ – aimed at the youngest generation. 0-6 year olds. If only I was 4 again. Questacon designers have thought of it all and more. Water play, sensory, role playing, baby space, active space and a quiet space to name some. I loved the fact they had water smocks to prevent having to change clothes each time they play in the water. I love the designated areas with their own role playing like the car service station, the vets, and the bakery. It blew my mind when I saw proper baby seats sitting around a shallow water pool so even the youngest can enjoy the experience. With that buzz out of the way, we went onto explore the other sections. Our youngest was still able to enjoy and found the other sections just as exciting. Our 7 year old was in her element. With funky room names that intrigue and delight, from Awesome Earth, Excite@ Q, Q Lab, Wonderworks - science to move your mind to H20 and others. Each room is completely different from the previous. I think the life size notepad hanging from the roof really narrows down what Questacon is all about. Questacon has a gift shop jam packed with all things science and souvenirs to take home and they also have a Cafe. We stopped for morning tea and had a delicious coffee and the kids had milkshakes packed with flavour along with cakes and yoghurt. The food was fresh, a great variety and it was surprisingly cheap. I totally recommend stopping for a bite to eat. Normally, we skip the shows at these places as they have a reputation for being a waste of time. After our morning tea, I was skimming over the info which was handed to us at the beginning of the day and read the little blurb on a puppet show aimed at 3-8 year olds. It was only going to run for ½ hour and it just so happened to be about Dinosaurs. The kids were keen to have a break so we decided to try our luck. Can I just say… I am so glad we did. It was absolutely brilliant. The Puppeteer had me in hysterics and had all the kids behaving and doing all the actions. He even managed to involve the parents as well. A triumphant effort. We were totally surprised by how much the kids enjoyed themselves. How well they both behaved and how we walked out the doors to head home at 4.55pm. 5½ hours in total of unstoppable play just inside Questacon alone. There is an entry fee higher than most ‘museum’ attractions. At $70 for the family for a day pass, it’s on the high side but I must stress, it’s worth every penny. One other thing which surprised me and I feel it’s a little negative, the parking has a pay station. Most of Canberra does. I think we ended up spending an extra $20 on parking but that was the full day. We did not mind paying this and there probably are other options like street parking. This is the end of our time down in Canberra. I can honestly say we will be returning. I hope you have enjoyed reading our take on all things Canberra and keep following us as we explore other places. Next stop is a day in Newcastle trying out the new memorial ANZAC bridge which hugs the coastline.

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