It’s the most wonderful time of the year
National Science Week 2026 is here! It will run from August 15-23 and there are IRL and online events happening all around the country. The theme? Seeds of Science: Nurturing knowledge for all.
There’s lots to discover, learn and get hands-on with this National Science Week, and we’ve rounded up some fun events to get along to below.
Online / country-wide National Science Week 2026 events
Careers with STEM Webinar – Agricultural Careers
Okay, yep. This is our event but that just means we know it’s going to be a good one! In this free webinar, you’ll meet three people who are tackling global challenges with agriculture.
Careers in agriculture go far beyond the farm, spanning areas like biotechnology, environmental management, data science, policy, agribusiness, and global development. People with skills in these fields are now in high demand to help grow sustainable, nutritious and resilient food systems that improve the health of communities and the environment.
Wed. 5 Aug | Register now
Block by Block – Building a Sustainable Future with Snowy Hydro
Designed for students in Years 7 to 10, this interactive challenge has you stepping into the shoes of energy company decision-makers. Armed with 20 blocks, you must prioritise critical sustainability topics from renewable energy to community safety. Watch out for the curveballs!
Thu. 13 Aug – Mon. 31 Aug | Learn more
Science of the Sea LIVE!
Meet an amazing marine scientist from Seabin Foundation’s Ocean Health Lab and help them to complete a real science experiment from beginning to end.
Mon. 17 Aug | Learn more
Create your own Eco-superhero with Lee Constable
Dive head-first into the world of rubbish – what happens to our rubbish? Is recycling really that important? Why should we care about waste management?
After a whirlwind training session, you’ll have your rubbish knowledge and creativity put to the test through designing your own eco-superhero.
Tue. 18 Aug | Learn more
DeadlyScience – Science of Seeds, Stories of Country, Food for the Future Webinar
Tune in for a powerful conversation celebrating First Nations agricultural science, cultural knowledge and food futures.
Tue. 18 Aug | Learn more
Diving into the deep for National Science Week
Through live demonstrations and interactive elements, investigate each layer of the ocean and discuss its environmental conditions, the species that have adapted to survive there and the technologies used to explore it.
Thu. 20 Aug | Learn more
Live Session – Python Coding at Any Level
This is a real, live class with a real instructor, not a pre-recorded video! Choose your topic and level of Python experience and ask questions and get help in real time.
Thu. 30 Jul, Tue. 11 Aug, Wed. 12 Aug, Thu. 13 Aug, Mon. 17 Aug, Tue. 18 Aug, Wed. 19 Aug, Thu. 20 Aug, Mon. 24 Aug | Learn more
Time for Tech Livestream – National Science Week in Schools 2026
STEM meets comedy! The sketch show highlights how science is solving the world’s biggest challenges, right from the ground up.
Mon. 10 Aug – Fri. 28 Aug | Learn more
Inspiring Role Models in STEM
Hear from Katherine Bennell-Pegg, the first Australian to qualify as an astronaut under Australia’s space program, and Future You Pathfinder, aerospace engineer Renee Wooton. What motivates them? What are the best parts of their jobs? How did they get to where they are today?
Wed. 19 Aug | Learn more
ACT
Glass Lab – Seeds of Science
Explore how artists experiment, test ideas and learn about the natural world, just like scientists do. Watch as seeds, leaves and other natural materials are changed by heat, leaving behind amazing patterns trapped in glass.
Sat. 15 Aug | Learn more
8-Bit Instagram – Image Filters Built From Scratch in Microsoft Excel
Break down the maths behind image processing, and how maths can “know” things about an image. Image filters use formulas to detect edges and give the outlines of shapes – and so can you. You’ll do a little bit by hand, on paper, doing all the maths (only basic addition and multiplication) manually before moving to excel to test and create different image filters. You’ll also get chance to be creative, with prizes for the crowd favourite excel art.
Thu. 20 Aug | Learn more
Tower Titans Challenge
Join a team and become a builder in a race against time. Your mission? To build the tallest, strongest tower you can, using just straws, sticks, tape, and string. You’ll then put your creation on a “shake table”, just like a real earthquake simulator. Only the sturdiest towers will survive!
Sat. 22 Aug | Learn more
NSW
Wings – A creative exploration of Sydney’s birdlife
Mixing creativity and science, enjoy examining the relationship of humans and our natural world through video, photo, installation, live performance and music.
Fri. 7 Aug – Wed. 19 Aug | Learn more
Science and Country – Weaving Knowledge Together
Explore how Indigenous knowledge and Western science together deepen our understanding of the natural world.
Hear leading University of Wollongong researchers discuss Grandfather Sun and how Aboriginal observation and knowledge of Country complement modern science to better understand health, wellbeing and the environment.
Tue. 11 Aug | Learn more
Daniel Joinbee – Indigenous aerospace trailblazer
Join Daniel for an evening in conversation and story. He’ll share his journey from the challenges of his early childhood to his groundbreaking military service, and now his social entrepreneurship as a founder and leader in aerospace.
Thu. 13 Aug | Learn more
NT
Dripstone Science Fair – Explore the unknown
Discover fascinating investigations such as:
- How fishing lures attract fish, including how vibrations attract Barramundi
- The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle
- How tooth enamel reacts to sugar
- Why people associate certain words with shapes (the Kiki and Bouba effect)
Thu. 20 Aug | Learn more
Stargaze and Discover
Head along to Casuarina Senior College for hands on science activities for all ages, interactive explorations in Hydrology and Remote Sensing, and to learn about Woollybutt Wildlife Rescue and science competition opportunities.
Tue. 18 Aug | Learn more
Pop up at Darwin Careers Fair – Physics fun and games
In teams of four, you will need to work together to move a hydraulic arm and use it to complete two tasks. It introduces Pascal’s Principle of Hydraulics, a.k.a. using water under pressure to move big things with little effort!
Tue. 18 Aug | Learn more
Qld
Brains, Boots and Beyond – Exploring Sports Psychology in VR
Discover how science is used in sport, wellbeing, performance, and everyday life through exciting conversations and interactive experiences.
Tue. 18 Aug | Learn more
National Science Week Innovation Challenge at QUT
Working in teams alongside QUT students and mentors, Years 9 and 10 students will use design thinking to develop creative and innovative solutions to real‑world problems inspired by QUT researchers.
Fri. 14 Aug | Learn more
Girls in Physics Breakfast – Painting the universe: A visual and musical exploration of space-time with Dr Karelle Siellez
Join women physicists across all levels for an opportunity to chat, network, and learn about careers in physics!
Thu. 27 Aug | Learn more
SA
Plants for Space – Mission to the Moon
In this workshop, you’ll put yourself in the shoes of plant scientists, psychologists, food chemists and more to prepare a plant-inspired solution for a space mission. You’ll hear from real researchers about how plants grow in space; with limited food, water and space onboard, you’ll need to think creatively!
Sat. 15 Aug | Learn more
Quantum for Youth – Stretchy Spacetime
Get hands-on with one of the universe’s most powerful forces as you build your own “gravity well” and experiment with how planets and objects move through space.
Mon. 17 Aug | Learn more
Secrets of the Seed – Exploring South Australian Plant and Seed Science
Meet rare and threatened plant species, learn about the state’s seed bank, and discover how our scientists and flora ecologists protect plants from extinction.
You can also get involved with some hands-on propagation techniques, with your own native paper daisy seed to grow and take home.
Sat. 22 Aug | Learn more
Tas
Dr Karl – Live in Hobart
Join the legendary Dr Karl Kruszelnicki for a wild ride through surviving a blizzard in Antarctica (barefoot), test-driving four-wheel drives across the Simpson Desert, the reality of beer goggles, and how he helped bring the word ‘selfie’ into the English language.
Sun. 16 Aug | Learn more
CoLab Exhibition
What happens when you pair research scientists with high-school art students, with the goal of inspiring new artworks that communicate scientific concepts and ideas? Head along to the CoLab exhibition to find out!
Sat. 15 Aug, Sun. 16 Aug, Tue. 18 Aug, Wed. 19 Aug, Thu. 20 Aug, Fri. 21 Aug, Sat. 22 Aug, Sun. 23 Aug | Learn more
Astronomical Music
Through song and storytelling, journey from early celestial theories and Renaissance stargazers to the great astronomers and star-struck Romantics who found inspiration in the cosmos.
Sun. 9 Aug | Learn more
Vic
Science on Show at Melbourne Museum
For one special day, meet the minds behind the Museum as scientists, researchers and collection experts share fascinating stories, rare specimens and surprising discoveries.
Sat. 22 Aug | Learn more
Maps – Science Week Opening Session
Join Julian O’Shea as he goes beyond Melbourne to share hilarious true stories about maps, mapping mistakes and the surprising quirks of geography. Discover how the Victorian and South Australian border ended up in the wrong place, why one Australian petrol station has its own time zone, how St Kilda owes its name to a spelling mistake, who invented audible pedestrian crossings and so much more!
Sun. 16 Aug | Learn more
Lights, Chemistry, Action
From lasers to microplastic, public health to solar panels, chemistry connects physics, maths, biology and medicine.
Go and explore the Polyzos Laboratory, Australian Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants and the Ultrafast and Microspectroscopy Laboratories (UML) where researchers are investigating and designing molecules, reactions, and materials to make our world safer, smarter, and more sustainable.
Tue. 11 Aug | Learn more
WA
Noongar Two-Way Learning Walk at Kings Park
During this one-hour walk, Noongar educator, Rickeeta Walley, will teach you about the local plant species and they ways in which they were utilised and manipulated through physical chemistry, pyro-processing, and eco-engineering, for food and tool resources.
Thu. 20 Aug | Learn more
Girls in STEM Career Speed Networking
Here Year 10–12 students can meet women in STEM, share a cup of tea and explore real science and engineering jobs. Students get around 10 minutes with each mentor before they move to the next station.
Sat. 15 Aug | Learn more
Biggest Science Lab Ever
Explore, experiment, and take part in interactive science activities. Try things out, make connections, and see how research unfolds.
Sun. 23 Aug | Learn more
