National Science Week 2025 is lighting up the South Coast of NSW with a packed program of events that are as diverse as they are exciting. From mind bending quantum futures to ancient Songlines under the stars, this year’s events celebrate both the cutting edge of scientific discovery and the deep knowledge held by Indigenous communities. Whether you’re diving into the world of quantum computing and superconducting spintronics in Wollongong, escaping a parasitic outbreak at ANU Kioloa, or uncovering hidden stories from Shoalhaven ecologies at Bundanon, there’s something for curious minds of all ages.
Families can get hands-on at “Science on the South Coast” days in Batemans Bay and Shoalhaven, where the University of Wollongong campuses will burst to life with science shows, robotics, reptiles, flight simulators, sensory science, and more. Explore Indigenous science and storytelling in a planetarium, step into an immersive parasite-themed escape room, or hear from leading scientists and cultural experts working to protect biodiversity and ecosystems.
From Quantum Past to Quantum Future
The first quantum century fundamentally changed the way we understand and interact with our world. It gave us much of the technology underpinning modern life: lasers, LEDs, GPS, MRI, solar cells, electron microscopes, and myriad others. The revolutionary potential of the next quantum century promises applications necessary for solving our greatest global challenges. Join us in celebrating the first quantum century and enjoy a rare opportunity to hear how two different approaches are shaping your quantum future, from quantum computing to superconducting spintronics.
This public lecture is part of the Australian Institute of Physics’s 2025 Marie Curie Lecture Series presented by Dr Sol Jacobsen and Dr Danielle Holmes.
6pm – 7:30pm on Thursday 7 August at University of Wollongong Science Space
The desire to ‘decode’ or explain the world around us is universal – the question of ‘why?’ is asked everyday by children to scientists and everyone in between. At the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum 2025 Science Week events you can ‘explore the unknown’ under the sea, ‘decode’ environment abstract data and discover ‘nature’s hidden language’ in microscopic detail.
Monday 11 & Saturday 16 August at Jervis Bay Maritime Museum
Celebrate National Science Week with us at the Early Start Discovery Space. Join academics from the School of Education and UOW Bachelor of Primary Education Students, who will deliver two unique science experiences exploring this years Science Week theme; Decoding the Universe – Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.
9:30am – Explore patterns through assembling objects and investigating colours!
10:30am – Take the wheel of Sphero Robots to race, roll, and navigate obstacle in a hands-on robotics playground!
9.30 – 11am on Monday 11 August at Early Start Discovery Space
Stories of Indigenous science, Songlines and stars
Enjoy an evening in the Science Space, Innovation Campus at the University of Wollongong. This specially designed planetarium show will take you across different locations in Australia to showcase Indigenous heritage and the role of Indigenous communities and scientists in future-proofing Australia’s biodiversity.
There will also be a presentation by local Indigenous scientists on stars, Songlines and stories.
6:00pm – 9:00pmonTuesday 12 August at Science Space Wollongong
Parasite Pandemic combines interactive science games and activities aimed at sparking interest in the study of parasites. It also aims to provide participants with insights into how scientists tackle global health challenges more broadly.
Are you ready to save humankind from a rapidly spreading parasite pandemic? Step inside the ‘A Race for the Antidote’ Escape Room; visit a Parasite Zoo packed with live and preserved specimens; identify and avoid parasitic infections through virtual reality; meet real-world parasitologists; and explore the fictional world of Manga characters with parasitic mutations.
Parasite Pandemic: Unlocking Science Through Immersive Experience in Kioloa
Thursday 14 – Saturday 16 August at the Australian National University Kioloa campus
Bundanon’s Science Week Symposium returns with a day of fascinating talks and displays on hidden ecosystems, hosted by Clarence Slockee.
The day features presentations from leading scientists and cultural practitioners, including insights into native bees and citizen science with Alison Mellor, the botanical world with Jedda Lemmon, mammal ecology with Katarina Mikac, and Indigenous weeding practices with Crystal Arnold.
Bush regeneration and a special conversation between Bill Gammage and Clarence Slockee round out the program. The symposium includes a Welcome and Smoking Ceremony, morning tea and lunch.
Explore the University of Wollongong campus as it transforms into a hub of science activities! From spectacular science shows to science experiments, lava lamps to lizards, nursing simulations to muscle ultrasounds – we have interactivities for everyone.
Activities include:
Fire and Ice Spectacular science shows presented by the Science Space.
Anatomy models of the different parts of the body.
Interactive health and medicine activities! Have your blood pressure measured, see your muscles via ultrasound, and see how dummy patients and simulations are used in medicine and nursing
Sensory science: hold anatomical models (e.g. the heart, brain, voice-box) while listening to an audio description or reading text.
Science experiments and activities: hands-on fun where you can make a lava lamp, test your taste buds, build designer paper airplanes and more.
Displays and presentations by the Eurobodalla Council Sustainability team on local animals and wildlife.
Visit the UOW campus in Batemans Bay this National Science Week. This is a free event and all are welcome.
2:45pm – 4:30pm on Friday 15 August at University of Wollongong Batemans Bay campus
Explore the University of Wollongong Shoalhaven campus as it transforms into a hub of science activities! From rockets to reptiles to robotics, spectacular science shows to flight simulators, and from inside your body to the sun – we have interactivities for everyone.
Activities include:
Flying a virtual Navy helicopter
Fire and Ice Spectacular science shows presented by the Science Space.
Dragon Training mobile zoo reptile display. See a crocodile, snake, turtle, frogs and more.
Project Bucephalus Lego robotics building and competition with prizes! BYO robot or build one here.
Tours of the observatory, view the Sun with a solar scope, and a telescope display with Shoalhaven astronomers.
Anatomy models of the different parts of the body.
Interactive health and medicine activities! Have your blood pressure measured, see your muscles via ultrasound, and see how dummy patients and simulations are used in medicine and nursing
Sensory science: hold anatomical models (e.g. the heart, brain, voice-box) while listening to an audio description or reading text.
Thecafe will be open, and there will also be a sausage sizzle and a coffee cart. Visit the UOW campus in West Nowra this National Science Week. This is a free event and all are welcome.
10am – 3pm on Saturday 16 August at University of Wollongong Shoalhaven campus
Discover how to extract the DNA from strawberries, have a go at collaborative gaming and digital drawing, find out about nesting boxes from Bega Valley Shire Council’s environment team, chat to members of the Atlas of Life in the Coastal Wilderness group, delve into robotics with Ozobots or take a robotic lunar rover on a moon mission. Plus, talks from renowned botanist, David Jones on native orchids and from Australian National University medical students.
With interactive activity stations and talks for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, delve into a range of scientific pursuits – from medicine to environment, from technology and robotics to biology and botany.
Get inspired this National Science Week by the past, present and future of science across the South Coast. For a comprehensive list of events happening across NSW and Australia visit the official National Science Week website: scienceweek.net.au
Feature Image: Science Space Planetarium Wollongong
National Science Week 2025 is lighting up the South Coast of NSW with a packed program of events that are as diverse as they are exciting. From mind bending quantum futures to ancient Songlines under the stars, this year’s events celebrate both the cutting edge of scientific discovery and the deep knowledge held by Indigenous communities. Whether you’re diving into the world of quantum computing and superconducting spintronics in Wollongong, escaping a parasitic outbreak at ANU Kioloa, or uncovering hidden stories from Shoalhaven ecologies at Bundanon, there’s something for curious minds of all ages.
Families can get hands-on at “Science on the South Coast” days in Batemans Bay and Shoalhaven, where the University of Wollongong campuses will burst to life with science shows, robotics, reptiles, flight simulators, sensory science, and more. Explore Indigenous science and storytelling in a planetarium, step into an immersive parasite-themed escape room, or hear from leading scientists and cultural experts working to protect biodiversity and ecosystems.
From Quantum Past to Quantum Future
The first quantum century fundamentally changed the way we understand and interact with our world. It gave us much of the technology underpinning modern life: lasers, LEDs, GPS, MRI, solar cells, electron microscopes, and myriad others. The revolutionary potential of the next quantum century promises applications necessary for solving our greatest global challenges. Join us in celebrating the first quantum century and enjoy a rare opportunity to hear how two different approaches are shaping your quantum future, from quantum computing to superconducting spintronics.
This public lecture is part of the Australian Institute of Physics’s 2025 Marie Curie Lecture Series presented by Dr Sol Jacobsen and Dr Danielle Holmes.
6pm – 7:30pm on Thursday 7 August at University of Wollongong Science Space
Jervis Bay Maritime Museum
The desire to ‘decode’ or explain the world around us is universal – the question of ‘why?’ is asked everyday by children to scientists and everyone in between. At the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum 2025 Science Week events you can ‘explore the unknown’ under the sea, ‘decode’ environment abstract data and discover ‘nature’s hidden language’ in microscopic detail.
Monday 11 & Saturday 16 August at Jervis Bay Maritime Museum
Science Week at Early Start Discovery Space
Celebrate National Science Week with us at the Early Start Discovery Space. Join academics from the School of Education and UOW Bachelor of Primary Education Students, who will deliver two unique science experiences exploring this years Science Week theme; Decoding the Universe – Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.
9.30 – 11am on Monday 11 August at Early Start Discovery Space
Stories of Indigenous science, Songlines and stars
Enjoy an evening in the Science Space, Innovation Campus at the University of Wollongong. This specially designed planetarium show will take you across different locations in Australia to showcase Indigenous heritage and the role of Indigenous communities and scientists in future-proofing Australia’s biodiversity.
There will also be a presentation by local Indigenous scientists on stars, Songlines and stories.
6:00pm – 9:00pm on Tuesday 12 August at Science Space Wollongong
Parasite Pandemic
Parasite Pandemic combines interactive science games and activities aimed at sparking interest in the study of parasites. It also aims to provide participants with insights into how scientists tackle global health challenges more broadly.
Are you ready to save humankind from a rapidly spreading parasite pandemic? Step inside the ‘A Race for the Antidote’ Escape Room; visit a Parasite Zoo packed with live and preserved specimens; identify and avoid parasitic infections through virtual reality; meet real-world parasitologists; and explore the fictional world of Manga characters with parasitic mutations.
Parasite Pandemic: Unlocking Science Through Immersive Experience in Kioloa
Thursday 14 – Saturday 16 August at the Australian National University Kioloa campus
Hidden messages from the Shoalhaven Ecologies
Bundanon’s Science Week Symposium returns with a day of fascinating talks and displays on hidden ecosystems, hosted by Clarence Slockee.
The day features presentations from leading scientists and cultural practitioners, including insights into native bees and citizen science with Alison Mellor, the botanical world with Jedda Lemmon, mammal ecology with Katarina Mikac, and Indigenous weeding practices with Crystal Arnold.
Bush regeneration and a special conversation between Bill Gammage and Clarence Slockee round out the program. The symposium includes a Welcome and Smoking Ceremony, morning tea and lunch.
10am – 3pm on Friday 15 August at Bundanon
Science on the South Coast – Batemans Bay
Explore the University of Wollongong campus as it transforms into a hub of science activities! From spectacular science shows to science experiments, lava lamps to lizards, nursing simulations to muscle ultrasounds – we have interactivities for everyone.
Activities include:
Visit the UOW campus in Batemans Bay this National Science Week. This is a free event and all are welcome.
2:45pm – 4:30pm on Friday 15 August at University of Wollongong Batemans Bay campus
Science on the South Coast – Shoalhaven
Explore the University of Wollongong Shoalhaven campus as it transforms into a hub of science activities! From rockets to reptiles to robotics, spectacular science shows to flight simulators, and from inside your body to the sun – we have interactivities for everyone.
Activities include:
Thecafe will be open, and there will also be a sausage sizzle and a coffee cart. Visit the UOW campus in West Nowra this National Science Week. This is a free event and all are welcome.
10am – 3pm on Saturday 16 August at University of Wollongong Shoalhaven campus
Discover more great events presented by the University of Wollongong during National Science Week.
Science Fun Day at Bega Library
Discover how to extract the DNA from strawberries, have a go at collaborative gaming and digital drawing, find out about nesting boxes from Bega Valley Shire Council’s environment team, chat to members of the Atlas of Life in the Coastal Wilderness group, delve into robotics with Ozobots or take a robotic lunar rover on a moon mission. Plus, talks from renowned botanist, David Jones on native orchids and from Australian National University medical students.
With interactive activity stations and talks for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, delve into a range of scientific pursuits – from medicine to environment, from technology and robotics to biology and botany.
10am – 1pm on Saturday 16 August at Bega Library
Get inspired this National Science Week by the past, present and future of science across the South Coast. For a comprehensive list of events happening across NSW and Australia visit the official National Science Week website: scienceweek.net.au
Feature Image: Science Space Planetarium Wollongong
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