Lord Mayor's School Starter Picnic

Is your child starting school in 2026? Then you are invited to this fun and free picnic event!

A tradition since 2006, the picnic offers a wealth of activities for kids to enjoy as well as providing the opportunity for school starters and their families to learn more about the move to ‘Big School’.

One of the activities on offer on Sunday 26 October will be story time with Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown.

“Story time is my favourite part of the picnic and I can’t wait to share a fun interactive story with the children,” she said.

“Education is more important than ever, and we want to provide our community with the best tools to begin. Events like this give us the opportunity to connect families with information, community services and each other, all wrapped up in a joyful package. Starting school should be fun and exciting, and this picnic will contribute to that.”

Running from 10am to 12pm on Sunday 26 October, the event will take place at the southern end of MacCabe Park, Wollongong.

There will be crafts, mascots, painting, Aboriginal cultural games, an SES & Fire Truck to explore, and a free goodie bag for each school starter.

As an accessible and inclusive event, there will be a quiet tent with sensory play available for use. We’ve also created a Social Story you can download here.

This is a free event, but we ask that you RSVP. For more information or to book your spot, please contact:

• John on (02) 4283 9943 or email transitiontoschool@bigfatsmile.com.au
• Tracey on (02) 4227 7111 or by emailing Council.

Further details are available on the event listing. For those seeking additional resources about starting primary school visit the Transition to School website to learn more.

We look forward to welcoming you all to this fantastic day!