Secret underground food farm; tech saving animals; Poo Palace digestive jumping castle

Here are the New South Wales-based events and activities that were awarded grants from the Australian Government for National Science Week 2026 through the Inspiring Australia program.

60,000+ years of Traditional Knowledge and contemporary science at the Indigenous Science Experience @ Redfern and the Scrub
The hidden hydroponic indoor farm growing food right under Barangaroo, next to the Sydney Harbour
Deaf kids science camp at a nuclear reactor
Saving frogs with smartphones, and more: innovation meets conservation at Sydney Zoo
Quantum technology deep-dive for the next generation
dinosaurs, experts, and explosive shows: science festivals take over Centennial Park and Western Sydney Parklands
Giant inflatable Poo Palace returns for the Hunter Science Festival in Newcastle
Science Symposium 2026 ‘Growing Knowledge: Seeds of Science at Bundanon’

The Indigenous Science Experiences @ Redfern and the Scrub

Grant recipient: Macquarie University

How can virtual reality games open a portal to Torres Strait Islander culture? What does Aboriginal astronomy tell us about the night sky? And how do Indigenous Knowledge Systems help us understand physics, gut health, renewable energy, and more?

The Indigenous Science Experiences at Redfern Community Centre and the Scrub (Western Sydney Parklands) celebrate Indigenous Knowledge Systems and their impact on safeguarding natural resources, sustainable living and innovation. The program, led by First Nations educators alongside university researchers, includes practical workshops and displays on the science of sound, weaving, bush foods, cultural uses of seaweeds, and movement science incorporating Aboriginal dance.

Indigenous secondary students will lead activities, fostering pride and allowing them to serve as role models for youth who are underrepresented in STEM education and careers.

Seed to STEM

Grant recipient: Urban Green Produce Pty Ltd

Did you know Sydney’s CBD has a secret underground indoor farm, right next to Darling Harbour?

Urban Green Sydney will open its underground hydroponic farm in Barangaroo, offering hands-on workshops, a mobile ‘pop-up farm’, and a live-streamed growing experiment.

Visitors can explore how plants grow, how modern food systems work and how simple hydroponic methods can be used at home. They will plant microgreens to take home and test variables such as light, water, and growing media. Grow kits will also be distributed via project partner, Salvation Army West, to vulnerable groups with few science engagement opportunities, including programs for disadvantaged youth, disability programs, and aged care facilities.

Deaf Youth Science Camp

Grant recipient: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

Scientists and deaf educators will unpack the science of rockets, elements, electricity, and more in this three-day youth camp on the site of Australia’s only nuclear reactor.

ANSTO will partner with Deaf Youth Australia to run a four-day science camp for up to twenty Deaf and hard-of-hearing young people at its Lucas Heights campus in Sydney.

Camp activities include hands-on workshops covering atoms and elements, rocket science, 3D printing, and designing and building prototypes; as well as bushwalks, outdoor games, a careers panel, and excursions to the University of Wollongong Science Space, Bluescope Steel’s ‘Inside Industry’ tour, and Symbio Zoo.

This event gives Deaf and hard-of-hearing youth the chance to be fascinated by science in an event delivered in Australian Sign Language, Auslan, and to learn from Deaf educators as relevant role models.

Sydney Zoo Presents Conservation Through Innovation

Grant recipient: Sydney Zoo Pty Ltd

Help scientists save turtles and frogs with smartphone apps, find out about chimps and orangutans from Jane Goodall’s Aussie friends, or build a bee or bug hotel. These are just some of the activities visitors will be invited to take part in through Sydney Zoo’s Conservation Through Innovation program, located in Western Sydney.

Embark on the Discovery Trail and uncover how innovation is helping protect wildlife across the globe, meet 12 threatened species, and discover practical ways to conserve nature in your own backyard.

Family groups can explore science, innovation and First Nations Knowledge Systems at the Innovation Hub, open Monday to Friday and presented in collaboration with leading conservation and science organisations, while school groups can book tailored excursions with educators across the zoo.

Quantum Future Talent: Engage, Connect and Inspire

Grant recipient: The University of Sydney

Quantum Future Talent is a dynamic and engaging event that introduces quantum technology to young students and the wider public through hands-on demonstrations, inspirational talks, and interactive exhibits.

Quantum technology will transform Australia’s future. It is expected to attract $6 billion of investment and create at least 16,000 jobs by 2040. Whether an individual is just beginning to explore quantum science or planning their next step in education, research or industry, this event is designed to inspire, inform, and connect them to the possibilities ahead.

By making complex topics accessible, discussing career pathways, and connecting people with quantum leaders, this event will support National Science Week’s goals to inspire interest in STEM, increase community engagement, and highlight the impact of science on our future.

Science in the Swamp

Grant recipient: Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust

Come face-to-face with a life-size dinosaur puppet. Meet a microscope, join bug hunts, ID a frog, learn about First Nations Knowledge Systems and bush foods, become a bird-spotting twitcher, or wander the wetlands.

With over a decade of experience and strong partnerships, Science in the Swamp turns Centennial Park into a bustling science village for a day of discovery. More than 10,000 visitors are expected to take part in 50+ interactive stalls, live science shows, and hands-on experiments, meeting over 90 scientists and educators from Sydney’s leading universities, museums, and research centres. This free event breaks down cost and access barriers, draws a highly diverse audience, and creates powerful connections between people and science.

New for 2026: a dedicated First Nations Science Village will showcase First Nations Knowledge Systems alongside citizen science, wildlife encounters, and high-energy science shows.

Science in the Scrub

Grant recipient: Western Sydney Parklands Trust

Science in the Scrub transforms Western Sydney Parklands into the region’s largest hands-on science festival, giving thousands of families, schools, and community groups the chance to engage with science close to home.

Over 25 stalls and shows will turn the park into a living laboratory with bug hunts, experiments, citizen science projects, and conversations with more than 60 researchers from NSW universities and research centres. The First Nations Science Village, developed with the National Indigenous Science Education Program (NISEP) and local Elders, will share Aboriginal ecological knowledge through bush foods, storytelling, and cultural demonstrations. This free event celebrates Western Sydney’s diversity and inspires the next generation of scientists.

Hunter Science Festival 2026

Grant recipient: Newcastle City Council

Follow food from lips to lavatory in a giant inflatable Poo Palace, meet stunt clown The Pretty Amazing Jono and his robots, see explosive science stage shows, and eat science-themed baked goods.

The Hunter Science Festival is a free public event held annually at Newcastle Museum. It’s a full day of hands-on science, live shows and interactive displays, presented with help from local researchers, Councils, universities, community groups, small businesses and charities.

This event celebrates science in the community, promotes science as a career choice, and showcases local science achievements and personalities. Highlights include science demonstrations, First Nations scientists, roving entertainment, and popular attractions such as Hunter Medical Research Institute’s Poo Palace.

Science Symposium 2026 ‘Growing Knowledge: Seeds of Science at Bundanon’

Grant recipient: Bundanon Trust

What is cultural burning and why is it important? How do birds and plants depend on each other? And how do you count critters that only come out at night?

These are just some of the topics that will be explored through a two-day Science Symposium held on Bundanon’s Shoalhaven River property, a site combining diverse ecosystems, active restoration projects, and an art museum.

The Bundanon Science Symposium brings together scientists, Indigenous Knowledge Holders, artists, and the community to explore biodiversity, fire ecology, and climate adaptation. Activities include ‘The Birds & the Bees Walks’ to learn about animals that help pollinate plants, Indigenous educators sharing knowledge of cultural burning and its relevance to contemporary fire management, a dinner and night walk to find nocturnal invertebrates and learn how they’re monitored, and a hands-on conservation workshop to connect visitors with local restoration efforts.

Secret underground food farm; tech saving animals; Poo Palace digestive jumping castle