Science in your Swimmers

Head to Bondi on the weekend of 22-24 April 2022 for Science in Your Swimmers. Part of the Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival, two full days of free Ocean Lab workshops for kids and a full program of ocean science and innovation talks will be on offer all weekend with the support of Inspiring Australia NSW.

Sunshine Stage

Head to the Sunshine Stage for talks and Science Sessions curated by Fizzics Education from 10.30-1pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday 23 April 2022

  • 10 am – See Fizzics education present the Deep Blue Ocean Stage Show
  • 11.30am – Meet giants of the seas with Dr Olaf Meynecke, Dr Amy Smoothey, Dr Vanessa Pirotta and Robbi Luscombe-Newman. Hosted by Laura Wells
  • 12.15 pm – Surf towards sustainability with Tom Wilson, Emile Theau and Alastair Pilley. Hosted by Brenda Miley.

Sunday 24 April 2022

  • 10 am – Consider the ocean with Bondi Dance Company
  • 10.30 – Meet Professor Gretta Pecl co-founder of Redmap Citizen Science project who will explain how you can use this opnline tool to help scientists understand the movement of species on the NSW coastline.
  • 11 am – Join Professor David Booth from UTS in Gone Troppo as he outlines why we can expect a tropical future for Sydneys seas under climate change.
  • 11.30 am – Join the Gamay Rangers with Dr Laura Parker and Dr Mitchell Gibbs to understand how ancient wisdom meets modern science
  • 12.15 pm- Join Waverley Council to hear about its inter-generational climate program and then hear from Dr Emma Camp, Dr Jen Matthews, Dr Kate Quigley and Arlian Ecker who will discuss the future of our reefs. Hosted by Dr Vanessa Pirotta.

Ocean Lab

The Ocean Lab will offer hands-on Workshops and STEM activities all day from 10- 4 pm each day.

Ocean in Colour
Expand your imagination in a workshop designed to be colourful and fun. Let your paint pen take a walk, no skills required. Share stories of ocean exploration, marine life, colourful species. Let’s dive in and colour the ocean.

Plastic Oceans Workshop
Come stir up the big cauldron and see what is creating plastic trouble for the sea. Familiar plastic like bubble wrap, foam cups and disposable cups are swirling in our ocean. Just what would they do to our precious sea life? After cleaning up, we will have a competition to see who can come up with the best replacement for our single use culpits.

Deep blue ocean workshop
Join the Fizzics team to explore the life and survival of animals in the big blue. Through hands-on activities discover and learn about habitats, camouflage and adaptations for survival. Use shells and model clay to see how underwater fossils are created and make your own water art using chromatography and the properties of water.

Junkyard Rascals
Junkyard Rascals love to PLAY. outside the box. 100% sustainable, 100% recycled, 100% FUN. Using big second-hand and recycled loose-parts to create pop-up playscapes. Only your imagination knows what a pile of old junk can become!

The Tooth about Sharks
Learn about adaptations, how sharks sense their food and the environments they live in, as well as discover how to be SharkSmart in this fun hands-on workshop.

What’s Your Solution to protect the Great Barrier Reef?
Join Arlian Ecker AKA Plastic Free Boy, our youngest Ocean Lovers Ambassador in this fun hands-on panel as he chats to families and asks kids to help him create a laundry list of solutions for the protection of our reefs.

Sea Dragon Search
Learn about the Sea Dragon Search – Citizen Science Project and discover more about amazing Sea Dragons with scientists from UTS. There will also be a beautiful, illustrated Sea Dragon Colouring-in Activity by Nature Artist Merran Hughes to complete or take home!

Event details

The Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival is set to deliver a variety of ocean science events in Bondi community members of all ages can experience across the weekend of 22-24 April 2022.

With the support of Inspiring Australia, Volvo and Waverley Council, organisers are presenting two full days of free Ocean Lab workshops for kids and a full program of ocean science and innovation talks on their festival sunshine powered stage at Bondi Beach. 

Check the website for a whole range of programs and entertainment and “Dive In” to the Volvo Ocean Lovers Festival, proudly supported by Inspiring Australia.

Feature image shows the Gamay Rangers in action. The Ocean Lovers Festival is supported by Inspiring Australia NSW and runs from 22-24 April 2022. Find out more at oceanloversfestival.com