Lake Mac FULL STEAM

Next date: Saturday, 09 August 2025 | 09:00 AM to 01:00 PM

Lake Mac full STEAM returns to celebrate creativity and innovation, making, and engineering for all ages.

Scheduled Events:

9.30am             Mad Science Inventions with Pretty Amazing Jono – Reserve your spot

11am                Australia’s Agricultural Identity – an Aboriginal Yarn – Reserve your spot

12noon            How peacocks get their rainbow feathers – Reserve your spot

ALL day Events

• Check out the Lake Mac Libraries Fab Lab (digital fabrication lab) for demos and mini maker sessions. The Fab Lab is an innovative educational space, the first of its kind in regional New South Wales.
  
  
• High school students imagine the future of Lake Mac in 2045 with the Curious Minds Exhibition. Discover their vision for housing, sustainability and recreation in our community through interactive dioramas.
  
  
• Explore sustainability with local artist, Jenni Goodman, and their Flute: A Dolphin’s Wild Journey Home exhibition
  
  
• Lego and craft activities
  
  
• Solar Telescope - Come chat to our experts from the Physics Department at University of Newcastle about what is going on at the Sun’s surface and why we should care about it.  There are “storms” on the Sun’s surface. When high-energy particles from these storms reach Earth, they can disrupt our communication but also create beautiful aurorae. The Sun’s storms follow an 11-year cycle and 2025 represents a peak in activity! This means that the Sun’s magnetic field is especially complex and energetic, leading to more sunspots -- dark patches on the Sun’s surface which are slightly cooler and are often associated with solar storms.
  You should never look directly at the sun! But using our Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, you will be able to see (fingers crossed!) some sunspots. Come chat to our experts about what is going on at the Sun’s surface and why we should care about it.

Meet the Scientists and Makers

Chloe Wilkins
I’m a PhD student in solar physics at the University of Newcastle who is passionate about science and the mysteries of space. I’m studying the Sun’s magnetic field and how it changes over the 11-year solar cycle. My research focuses on understanding how magnetic activity in the Sun’s atmosphere drives phenomena like the solar wind – a stream of high-energy solar particles that flows through our entire solar system.

Lorenzo Martinelli
I’m a PhD student in stellar astrophysics with a Bachelor’s in Astronomy and a Master’s in Astrophysics and Cosmology from the University of Bologna, Italy. My research focuses on stellar rotation—how it influences the internal structure, evolution, and magnetic activity of stars, including those like and unlike our Sun. By combining cutting-edge simulations with space telescope observations, I explore

Karen Livesey
Karen Livesey is Associate Professor and Head of Physics at the University of Newcastle. She is an award-winning researcher, teacher and speaker. In 2023, she won the Women in Physics medal from the Australian Institute of Physics. She has been interviewed by ABC News, the Guardian newspaper, and various radio stations about science. Currently, she is examining why some frogs are white.

Joshua Gilbert
Josh is a climate and environmental advocate, having bridged the climate change and agricultural discussion to lead one of the first proactive, international climate change motions within an agricultural organisation. He has been named Australian Geographic’s Young Conservationist of the Year, shot a documentary with Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, was a Young Australian of the Year Finalist and shares his Aboriginal wisdom with audiences, such as at his TEDxCanberra presentation. His work on Traditional Native Foods has helped shaped the industry and provides farmers and Traditional Landholders with opportunities for the future. Now, Josh works with Indigenous farmers at large to understand the post-colonial involvement of Indigenous farmers in western agricultural systems, to understand what future involvement may be.

Claire  Chaikin – Bryan
Claire is a qualified Town Planner and Civil and Environmental Engineer with a background in Smart Cities, construction planning and project controls, project management, visual arts, graphics design, digital engineering and computer programming.  She has been working in Smart Cities and innovation since 2016, collaborating with government, researchers and private industry to implement Smart Cities initiatives, in particular in the Internet of Things (IoT) space. Claire has also setup and runs the Lake Mac Libraries Fab Lab, a digital fabrication space open to the community where anyone can make almost anything.

Pretty Amazing Jono
Part mad scientist, part magician and part MacGyver and all entertaining! Pretty Amazing Jono unleashes the power of everyday objects, turning them into stunt props and comedy gold. Jono combines imagination with maker magic and mayhem, inspiring kids to dive into the fully amazing world of STEAM.

This Inspiring Australia NSW initiative is supported by the Australian Government as part of National Science Week.

 

About the venue
Windale Hub has a rear car park accessible from Shade Lane. There is 1 accessible car park with a ramp leading to the building. The building also has an internal ramp. There is a second entry to the library on Lake Street with 2-hour parking available. The library has an accessible toilet, and all meeting rooms have a hearing loop.

This event may be photographed and filmed, and your image could be used in advertising and promotion by Lake Macquarie City Council. Should you wish not to be photographed or filmed please advise event organisers on entry at the event

 

 

 

When

Location

Windale Hub, bilyabayi, 20 Lake Street, Windale, 2306, View in Google Maps