Vacation care in Hervey Bay compared

Vacation care is not the same product as a school-holiday activity list. It is approved outside-school-hours care with eligibility, enrolment, bookings, session hours and provider policies. A child can be registered with a service and still need a separate booking for each day.

This comparison uses the official Starting Blocks register and provider-owned pages checked in July 2026. It does not claim vacancies. Program themes, excursions, daily fees and booking dates must be taken from the provider’s current holiday program.

Approved-service comparison

Service	Location	Ages published	Official NQS fact	Program/booking source
Helping Hands Yarrilee	Yarrilee State School, Dundowran	School age	Meeting NQS; Aug 2021	Helping Hands
Helping Hands Torquay	Torquay State School	School age	Meeting NQS	Helping Hands
Helping Hands Urangan Point	Urangan Point State School	School age	Meeting NQS	Helping Hands
Helping Hands Kawungan	Kawungan State School	School age	Meeting NQS	Helping Hands
Helping Hands Sandy Strait	Sandy Strait State School	School age	Meeting NQS	Helping Hands
Xavier Catholic College OSHC	Eli Waters	Prep–Year 6 on provider page	Meeting NQS; Nov 2023	Catholic Early EdCare
Star of the Sea OSHC	Torquay	School age	Meeting NQS	Catholic Early EdCare
St James Lutheran College OSHC	Urraween	School age	Meeting NQS; Jun 2024	St James
FCAC Roos Care	Wondunna	School age	Exceeding NQS	FCAC
Bayside Kids OSHC	Pialba	School age	Meeting NQS; Nov 2024	Bayside Kids

The official service census also includes Hervey Bay Kindergarten and TG’s Child Care — Urangan where the registered service type includes vacation care, and Beach Road Child Care Centre where OSHC is listed. Confirm whether a school-holiday program is operating for the dates and age you need.

How to compare the current holiday program

Dates and hours

Match the service calendar to the Queensland school-holiday dates. “Vacation care” on a register does not prove that every weekday or public holiday is offered. Check opening time, collection deadline and closure days.

For Spring 2026, Queensland state-school holidays run Saturday 19 September to Monday 5 October 2026, with Term 4 starting Tuesday 6 October. The current holiday guide covers non-care activities.

Eligibility and enrolment

Ask whether the service accepts children who do not attend the host school. Some OSHC programs may prioritise or structure enrolment around a school community, but the provider must answer the current rule.

Complete enrolment before assuming a booking is confirmed. Providers may require emergency, medical, authorised-collection and subsidy information through their secure system. Do not send that information to this site.

Daily program

Separate in-service days from excursions or incursions. For each day, check:

• stated age range;
• departure and return times;
• food requirements;
• clothing and equipment;
• whether an additional excursion charge applies;
• cancellation and late-change conditions;
• what happens if minimum numbers are not reached.

This guide does not rewrite a provider’s supervision or risk information. Read the current program and service policies.

Cost

Ask for the full daily fee, extra activity charges and how Child Care Subsidy is applied to your family’s account. Hervey Bay Kids does not calculate subsidy or quote an after-subsidy amount.

A lower headline day fee may not include the same excursion, food or hours as another service. Compare the actual day you need.

NQS facts without rankings

The National Quality Standard rating is taken from Starting Blocks. It can be “Working Towards NQS”, “Meeting NQS” or “Exceeding NQS”, among other official states. This directory reproduces the register entry and issue date where captured.

It does not convert that fact into a “best vacation care” ranking. A family still needs current program, location, hours, eligibility and availability information.

Pair care with the holiday guide

Not every holiday weekday needs formal care, and not every event is care. Use:

• the school-holiday guide for bookable and free activities;
• free things to do for no-cost days;
• the rainy-day guide for weather backups;
• age filters for primary-age providers.

Keep the categories clear: a two-hour workshop does not replace a full vacation-care day.

Refresh timetable

This page should be rebuilt four times per year:

1. confirm official Queensland holiday dates;
2. check each approved service is still current in Starting Blocks;
3. add the provider’s new program and booking link;
4. remove previous-break themes and dates;
5. recheck two to three weeks before the break.

If a provider has not published a program, the table remains linked to the service but does not invent activities.

Frequently asked questions

Does every OSHC service take children from every school?

Not necessarily. Ask the provider about eligibility, transport and enrolment for the specific program.

Are places available?

This site never claims availability. Contact the service.

Are NQS ratings current?

They were checked in July 2026 and link to the live Starting Blocks record. Recheck before relying on one.

Is a holiday workshop vacation care?

No. A workshop may last only part of a day and is not presented here as an approved care service unless it appears in the official register.

Sources checked July 2026: ACECQA/Starting Blocks approved-service records and provider-owned service pages. No parent reviews or staff names are used.