В Ньюкасле пройдет фестиваль науки с боевыми роботами и солнечными гоночными машинами

Visitors will have the chance to try their hand at the global combat robotics craze when the Hunter Science Festival returns to Newcastle Museum this month for National Science Week. The free, family-friendly festival will take over the Museum and surrounding grounds on Sunday 23 August, bringing together scientists, educators and innovators for a full day of interactive discovery across 40 stalls. The Pretty Amazing Jono will add a touch of magic to the Hunter Science Festival celebrations on the outdoor stage in Museum Park. City of Newcastle's Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries and Learning, Julie Baird, said the festival continues to grow as a highlight of the region's National Science Week celebrations. "Hunter Science Festival is all about making science accessible, engaging and fun for our community," Ms Baird said. "From hands-on experiments to live stage shows and the chance to meet real scientists, this event is designed to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of innovators. "Now in its fifth year, the festival has grown significantly, attracting 7,000 visitors in 2025. We're excited to expand the program even further in 2026 with more exhibitors, more activities and a new outdoor stage." The festival is supported by a $20,000 National Science Week grant from the Australian Government. The Bubble Laboratory will amaze and delight audiences in their debut appearance at the Hunter Science Festival. This year's program will feature a full day of professional science entertainment on the new stage, where visitors can bring a picnic and relax on the lawn while enjoying science magic from The Pretty Amazing Jono, explosive demonstrations from Fizzics Education and bubble theatre from The Bubble Laboratory. Festivalgoers can also try their hand at combat robotics, using remote controlled, palm-sized 3D-printed battle robots in a purpose-built perspex arena. Lake Macquarie City Council Fab Lab Lead Claire Chaikin-Bryan said the festival is an exciting opportunity to introduce the community to the world of robotics. "We love being part of Hunter Science Festival because it sparks conversations with kids and families about creativity and what they can make themselves," Ms Chaikin-Bryan said. "This year, we're excited to bring Hunter Combat Robotics to the festival for the first time. Visitors will be able to see combat robots up close, take a turn at driving them and discover how design, electronics and engineering come together through hands-on making." Visitors can also meet a robot dog from Fizzics Education and a humanoid robot from the University of Newcastle's NUbots team. Beyond robotics, the festival offers a wide range of interactive experiences, including building and racing solar-powered mini electric vehicles, holding a real shark egg, using a radio telescope and exploring rocks, fossils and dinosaur displays. The popular HMRI Poo Palace will also return, offering a unique walk-through journey of the digestive system, while visitors can also enjoy a range of science-themed treats including cupcakes from award-winning local baker KT Bakes Cakes. City of Newcastle teams will be on-site throughout the festival, with activities including climbing aboard a garbage truck, collecting native seeds to take home and learning about sustainability, climate change and local wildlife. The festival was developed in collaboration with the Hunter Innovation and Science Hub (HISH) and showcases a range of organisations such as the Newcastle Astronomical Society, Australian Native Bee Association and the University of Newcastle's SMART Program. HISH President Peter Melling said its free bushcraft boat building activity, one of 10 HISH exhibits at this year's festival, offered a hands-on learning experience. "Thanks to a community grant from Port Authority of NSW, we are able to offer local kids the opportunity to explore the science behind boat building," Mr Melling said. "Using locally sourced, 100% biodegradable materials, participants can design, build and test their own model boats - not only gaining an understanding of engineering and the mechanics of buoyancy, but also learning about the important role our waterways play in the Newcastle community." Newcastle Museum will host a range of other events to celebrate National Science Week, which runs from 15 to 23 August 2026. Explore the fascinating hidden world of glow-in-the-dark fungi on Monday 17 August with Glenrock Ghost Fungus Tours founder and award-winning physics researcher Karen Livesey, or listen to Dr Karelle Siellez explain how the cosmos communicates its most violent events as part of the national Marie Curie Lecture Tour on 21 August.