Fossils, drones, green slime and more at Hunter Science Festival 2017

Come out to explore all things science and tech at the Hunter Science Festival this Sunday 20 August from 10am to 2pm at Newcastle Museum. Learn about fossils and drones, make your own green slime, meet the animals from Blackbutt Reserve, and more!

The Hunter Innovation and Science Hub, a coalition of science educators, science agencies and scientists of all passions and persuasions, is again hosting the festival as the culmination of National Science Week activities in the Hunter region.

The Festival is designed to inspire, educate, activate and interest people of all ages, especially families, about all aspects of science and technology, and to showcase career pathways.

This celebration of all things science will feature a huge array of activities and displays that will inform and entertain the whole family. Be sure to catch the science shows, solar cars and robots, as organisations from across the Hunter come together to showcase science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

"We are pleased to be one of the partners in the Hunter Innovation and Science Hub, which develops programs in the Hunter for National Science Week each year, and to host the final event of the week at Newcastle Museum," said Newcastle City Council Interim CEO Jeremy Bath.

"Providing opportunities for young people and families to learn about science and engage in STEM-based activities is a great fit with Newcastle City Council's Smart City Strategy. Today's students will be the ones to take us forward into the future of high-tech, creative, knowledge-based industries."

The Hunter Science Festival will offer a full day of activities on Sunday, with a fantastic mix of learning and fun. Some of the activities on offer include:

• Science shows from Museum Express and SMART (University of Newcastle)
• The incredibly popular NCC garbage truck and recycling education
• Meet the animals from Blackbutt Reserve
• Mini EV (electric vehicle) Festival to build and race solar-powered cars
• Drones, robotics and Virtual Reality glasses from RDA Hunter
• Little Scientists pre-school science investigation

"We encourage everyone to come out and enjoy some fun, interactive science," said Julie Baird, Manager of Newcastle Museum. "There's something for the littlies and the oldies, and everyone in between and many of the activities are hands-on."

"We will have slime making with Children's University, beautiful fossils to handle from the Geological Survey of NSW, fungi investigation with the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, and Hunter Water will show us what's okay and not okay to flush down the loo. It's guaranteed that you will learn something new."