Giant dinosaurs. Balloon vegetables. Museum minds. Female fossil rockers. And a small fish on the big screen.
National Science Week
Great National Science Week CHILDREN and FAMILIES stories up for grabs now around Australia
- Science across Sydney: giant dinosaur puppets, liquid nitrogen science shows, animals, scientists, and crowds of kids having fun – four huge family-friendly events across two weekends
- Balloon veggies persuade kids to eat healthy – Canberra
- Native bees, seaweed and First Nations science at Redfern
- Gnarly inflatable surf wave sets stage for marine education – Darwin
- Saving turtles? There’s an app for that – Sydney Zoo
- The wild ride of a strawberry and VR farm flyovers at the Ekka - Brisbane
- Robot challenges, Aussie wildlife, and Nitro Nat at Science Alive! – Adelaide
- A porcupinefish walks the red carpet – North Adelaide
- Female fossil rockers head to the caves – Naracoorte, SA
- Meet the minds behind the Melbourne Museum
- Solar boats, feral cats, science songs, an augmented reality sandbox, and more at Festival of Bright Ideas – Hobart
- Asteroids, exoplanets, ceramics, and slime moulds – Ulverstone, TAS
- Spinifex cookie dough to repair mine sites, and other seedy stories – Perth
- Snakes, space, rockets, rocks and more while you shop – Canberra
- What do you think is Australia’s most amazing wildflower? – online
More on these below and visit ScienceWeek.net.au/events to find more stories in your area.
Scientists, experts, performers and event organisers are available for interview throughout National Science Week.
Read on for direct contact details for each event, or contact Tanya Ha, [email protected] or 0404 083 863.
Visit the Media Centre for all media releases and images available for media use.
Science across Sydney: four huge family-friendly events across two weekends – Darlinghurst, Centennial Park, Mount Annan and Abbotsbury
Giant dinosaur puppets, liquid nitrogen science shows, animals, scientists, and crowds of kids having fun – great filming and photo opportunities in four different locations.
Saturday 15 August at Australian Museum, Darlinghurst
Sydney Science Trail at Australian Museum features the Museum’s resident dinosaur Winny, Research Institute scientists and their favourite museum objects, science shows with liquid nitrogen, and hands-on activities for kids, all hosted by The Surfing Scientist Ruben Meerman.
www.scienceweek.net.au/event/sydney-science-trail-community-day-3/darlinghurst
Media enquiries: [email protected]
50 stalls, wildlife encounters and a giant ginger dinosaur: Sunday 16 August at Centennial Park
Science in the Swamp transforms Centennial Park into a large-scale, hands-on, outdoor science experience with more than 50 stalls, workshops and activity zones. Highlights include the life-sized roaming Australoventor Ginger, wildlife, interactive robotics, virtual reality experiences, and dozens of scientists to talk to.
www.scienceweek.net.au/event/science-in-the-swamp-2025-2/centennial-park
Media enquiries: Jemma Pepper [email protected] or 0417 740 789.
Frogs, bugs and a botanical insurance policy: Saturday 22 August at Mount Annan
Sydney Science Trail at the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan features behind-the-scenes tours of the National Herbarium of New South Wales and PlantBank, where plants are studied and seeds are saved and stored as a vitally important ‘insurance policy’ against the extinction of native flora. The Gardens team are joined by invertebrate experts who can talk about the importance of creepy crawlies, and the FrogID team who are working to spot and save frogs and other amphibians.
www.scienceweek.net.au/event/sydney-science-trail-community-day/mount-annan
Media enquiries: 02 9231 8122 or to [email protected]
Native animals, Indigenous science, and a pop-up Ocean Lab in Western Sydney: Sunday 23 August
Science in the Scrub at Lizard Log also has dozens of stalls, scientists, activities and Ginger, the giant puppet dinosaur. It also features a First Nations Science Village, the pop-up Ocean Lab, robotics and engineering challenges, native animals, frogs and insects up close, and other activities.
www.scienceweek.net.au/event/science-in-the-scrub-2025-2/abbotsbury
Media enquiries: Jemma Pepper [email protected] or 0417 740 789.
Balloon veggies persuade kids to eat healthy - Canberra, ACT
Move over balloon animals, these balloon fruits and veggies are getting kids eating healthy (note: please don’t eat balloons). Former reality TV star, molecular biologist and official balloon scientist Dr Chloe Lim has partnered with the University of Canberra and Nutrition Australia to create Foodie Fun Play! This hands-on adventure lets curious little eaters explore nutrition through storytelling, science and sensory experiences. Perfect for kids aged 3-8.
Chloe founded edutainment venture, Twistyfic, and made the finals of Channel 7's TV show, Blow Up.
Media enquiries: Dr Chloe Lim, [email protected], 0401 118 648
Dr Chloe Lim is available for media interviews. Photos available for media use here. See Chloe’s TEDx Talk.
Native bees and seaweed at Redfern - Redfern, NSW
Learn how to care for Country with native bees, seaweed and Indigenous technology developed over thousands of years at the Indigenous Science Experience. This free event at the Redfern Community Centre celebrates Indigenous knowledge systems through interactive physics and chemistry experiments, yarning with Elders and a VR experience of Torres Strait Islander culture.
Saturday 22 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/indigenous-science-experience-at-redfern-7/redfern
Media enquiries: Joanne Jamie, [email protected], 02 98508283, or 0439 170 683
Indigenous student leaders, First Nations activity providers, and event organiser Joanne Jamie (non-Indigenous) are available for media interviews. View video from 2024 event.
Gnarly inflatable surf wave sets stage for marine education – The Gardens, NT
Acrobatic performers take on environmental education.
Legs On The Wall theatre company brings Australian surf culture and physical theatre together in a show celebrating our shared obsession with the sea.
Performed on a gnarly inflatable wave, Waverider is a family-friendly physical performance that reflects on the marine life who call the ocean their home, and the importance of looking after each other when plunging into the deep.
After the show the inflatable wave turns into a play zone for audience members.
Presented by Darwin Festival and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
From Friday 14 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/waverider
Media enquiries: Kirsti Abbott, [email protected] or call on 0466 726 525.
Saving turtles? There’s an app for that – Sydney Zoo, Bungarribee, NSW
Help save turtles and frogs with smartphone apps, find out about chimps and orangutans from Jane Goodall’s Aussie friends, or build a bee or bug hotel at Sydney Zoo this August.
Visitors can swing by the Innovation Hub to learn from First Nations educators, map ecosystems through food-web challenges, experiment with thermal cameras used in field science, and explore how human light and sound influence species from hatchling turtles to flying foxes.
Wildlife detectives on the Discovery Trail will meet twelve threatened species, solve an interactive mystery and learn how cool technology, citizen science and kid-led innovation are transforming conservation around the world.
Saturday 15 August - Sunday 23 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/growing-conservation-through-innovation/bungarribee
Media enquiries: Sydney Zoo Media, [email protected] or 02 7202 2558.
The wild ride of a strawberry and VR farm flyovers at the Ekka - QLD
A strawberry has a pretty wild ride before it lands in your sundae. Follow fruit, uncover the wonders of wool and pilot robotics in the Agriculture Hall at the Royal Queensland Show.
The Ag Hall includes the Ekka Learning Trail, with a passport for eight hands-on learning trail points that explore the future of agriculture.
Saturday 8 August – Sunday 16 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/agricultural-education-hall-at-the-royal-queensland-show-ekka/bowen-hills
Media enquiries: Veronica Carew, [email protected] or 0408 323 631 and Kelly Hawke, [email protected] or 0438 340 989.
Robot challenges, Aussie wildlife, and Nitro Nat at Science Alive! – Wayville, SA
- Nitro Nat’s Crazy Colourful Chemistry Show
- Animals Anonymous Wildlife Show
- Super Science with Simon
- Gaming and visual effects
- Plus, robot wars, flying drone displays, space science, and VR experiences.
These are just some of the Science Alive! activities and attractions at the Adelaide Showground.
Saturday 8 August – Sunday 9 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/science-alive-10/wayville/
Media enquiries: [email protected] or 08 8297 1688.
A porcupinefish walks the red carpet – North Adelaide, SA
Audiences can walk the red carpet for the official premiere of two new animated short films, Little Scientists, Big Blue and Porci Explores Marine Parks, made with Fastbreak Films for National Science Week 2026.
Little Scientists, Big Blue follows Porci the Porcupinefish on an imaginative underwater journey through kelp forests and deep-sea ecosystems, while Porci Explores Marine Parks showcases South Australia’s 26 state and Commonwealth marine parks and the science behind protecting them.
Hosted by the Marine Discovery Centre and National Parks and Wildlife Service SA, the family event includes a panel of marine scientists, live music from Sea Star Rock, VR reef dives, marine touch tables and Indigenous science displays, emceed by Lucy Rasheed from Sea Star Rock.
Saturday 22 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/national-science-week-premiere-little-scientists-big-blue/north-adelaide
Media enquiries: Carmen Bishop, Marine Discovery Centre, [email protected] or 0422 885 409
Carmen Bishop and scientists involved in developing the script are available for media interviews.
Female fossil rockers head to the caves – Naracoorte, SA
All female dinosaur-loving supergroup The Ammonites is taking their palaeo-musical show to the Limestone Coast.
The trio – Danni, Morgan and Blair, who graduated from Dinosaur University – are the alter-egos of performers Summa Arrizza, Montana Vincent and Lily Horton-Stewart. Their show explores Australia’s prehistoric past, while shining a light on challenges facing women in science and inspiring girls to follow their lead and dream big!
Friday 14 August to Sunday 16 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/naracoorte-rocks-the-world-beneath-our-feet/naracoorte/
Media enquiries: Michael Mills, [email protected] or 0411 287 381.
Meet the minds behind the Melbourne Museum – Carlton, VIC
For one day, the scientists, researchers and collection experts behind Melbourne Museum step into the spotlight at Science on Show, sharing fascinating stories, rare specimens and surprising discoveries.
Visitors can explore hands-on displays, pop-up talks and family-friendly activities, then gather at the central stage for live quizzes, music, storytime and expert presentations. Young scientists can join a gardening workshop and plant a native seedling to take home.
From ancient fossils to living species and mineral marvels, it’s a chance to experience science up close.
Saturday 22 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/science-on-show-at-melbourne-museum/carlton
Media enquiries: Museum Media, [email protected] or 0466 622 621.
Solar boats, feral cats, science songs, an augmented reality sandbox, and more at Festival of Bright Ideas – Hobart, TAS
- Hear quirky science songs from roving musician Nate Eggins (a.k.a. Conspiracy of One) and his guitar.
- Meet Young Tassie Scientists exploring topics from blood to black holes, plant friends, and growing crystals.
- See Hobart from above via drones.
- Tap into 50,000 years of the Palawa traditional knowledge, Deadly Science, and First Nations engineering in action.
- Build new landscapes in an augmented reality sandbox.
- Become an eco-detective and investigate how invasive species like deer and feral cats impact local wildlife.
- Try curious climate challenges and meet Antarctic scientists.
- Play with mini solar-powered cars and boats.
- Connect with makers and tinkerers from Hobart Hackerspace.
These are just some of the speakers, activities and displays at Princes Wharf 1 on Hobart’s waterfront for the 2026 Festival of Bright Ideas. This much-loved hands-on science festival brings together researchers, inventors, educators and STEM organisations for a day of interactive discovery.
Schools Day: Friday 14 August.
Saturday 15 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/festival-of-bright-ideas-6/hobart
Media enquiries: Tiana Pirtle, [email protected] or 0456 826 322.
Asteroids, exoplanets, ceramics, and slime moulds – Ulverstone, TAS
- Ask Hive Principal Astronomer Dr Martin George about planets, exoplanets, constellations and other celestial wonders. Get his expert guide to stargazing.
- See Sarah Lloyd OAM's extraordinary slime moulds photography.
- Create a new species in clay, guided by ceramic artist Christie Lange.
These are three of the highlights in and around Hive during a three-week feast of science, art, and culture in North West Tasmania.
The program explores ecosystems, agriculture, and astronomy through events ranging from stargazing and school science sessions to family expos, exhibitions, and science‑in‑social‑spaces. Other highlights include science pub quizzes at Penguin Beer Co in Penguin and The Pier in Ulverstone, talks from Young Tassie Scientists, and Aboriginal environmental managers sharing First Nations ecology and regeneration.
Saturday 8 August to Wednesday 26 August: Multiple events and locations.
Media enquiries: Hive Tasmania, [email protected] or 03 6425 2839.
Spinifex cookie dough to repair mine sites, and other seedy stories – Kings Park, WA
- Cookie dough could be the key to rehabilitating mine sites. These sites are like moonscapes – arid and inhospitable – but can be brought back to life if soft spinifex (Triodia pungens) seeds can germinate, take hold and survive. Scientists are developing a ‘cookie dough’ like mixture they can add spinifex seeds to that will feed them, protect them, attract water and keep away pests as they germinate and grow.
- Local water lily species (Nymphaea lukei) that live in coastal freshwater wetlands are under threat from saltwater intrusion. The lilies are very short lived and their seeds don’t like being dried. Scientists are trying to find ways to successfully bank the seeds.
- The seeds of critically endangered Bussell’s spider orchid (Caladnia busselliana) won’t germinate without a particular fungi partner. Conservation efforts are bringing it back from the brink.
Meet the hidden heroes behind these and other seeds who are dedicating their careers to improve restoration and conservation of Western Australia's native flora.
Visitors to the Western Australia Botanic Garden can take a self-guided tour, find story panels hidden in the garden, learn about the resident plants and researchers, and complete a journey passport. People who return a completed passport receive one of the five collectible flora and seed pins, custom-designed by scientists.
Saturday 15 – Friday 21 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/the-hidden-life-of-seeds-national-science-week-with-kings-park-science/perth
Media enquiries: Emily Denham, [email protected] or 08 9480 3688.
Kings Park Science communicator Eugenie Au and scientists are available for media interviews.
Snakes, space, rockets, rocks and more while you shop – shopping centres across Canberra
Pop-up activity centres will give shoppers the chance to discover the science behind native plants, reptiles, engineering, space (and sci fi!), pollen mapping and the environment.
Canberra Centre, Westfield Belconnen, Westfield Woden, South Point Tuggeranong, Majura Park Shopping Centre, Cooleman Court, and Marketplace Gungahlin will host a variety of displays and hands-on science activities during the weekends of National Science Week (15 - 16 and 22 - 23 August).
Media enquiries: Brook Clinton, [email protected] or 0406 356 207.
What do you think is Australia’s most amazing wildflower? – online
ABC Science wants Australians to discover our hidden “flower power”, the kind you find in botanical gardens rather than hippie communes.
With the help of experts, ABC Science has selected ten flowering plants from across the country.
Not just another banksia or waratah, but blooms from the unsung understory that also do something unbelievable. These ten wildflowers are more than just a pretty face; each one hides a surprising superpower. The public will decide which is the most amazing.
Voting to decide Australia’s most amazing wildflower will start just before National Science Week in August, with the winning bloom announced on Friday August 21 in a live broadcast on Radio National.
Wednesday 5 August – Friday 21 August. To find out more and vote, go to www.abc.net.au/wildflowers.
For interviews with Dr Ann Jones, contact Rob Caulley, ABC Publicity, [email protected].
National Science Week: background
National Science Week is Australia’s annual opportunity to meet scientists, discuss hot topics, do science and celebrate its contribution to our lives. Science drives economic and social change – from safe and nutritious food to reducing cancer deaths; from smart phones to AI; from under Antarctica’s ice floes to distant planets.
First held in 1997, National Science Week has become one of Australia’s largest festivals. Last year about 3 million people participated in more than 2,500 registered events and activities.
National Science Week 2026 runs from Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 August. Event details can be found at www.scienceweek.net.au.
National Science Week is proudly supported by the Australian Government, alongside key partners Questacon, CSIRO, the Australian Science Teachers Association, and ABC Science.
