Here are Queensland highlights from the national festival that reaches more than 3 million people through 2,500+ events. National Science Week will run 15 to 23 August 2026.
Direct contact details for each event listed below and online.
Contact national publicist Tanya Ha for contacts and tips: [email protected] or 0404 083 863.
Highlights for Queensland:
- Queensland innovation
building Australia’s Moon rover, microplastics, and more – Brisbane
- Reading a mosquito’s DNA – Cairns
- Planetarium concert
explores music, misinformation, and the cosmos
- Electric flying taxi
made by Sunshine Coast students – Sunshine Coast
- Catch a doper – Cairns
- Gold Coast Airshow
Super-fast planes, an Aussie astronaut, and the little robot going to the moon – Surfers Paradise
- Sport psychology VR
- inside the brain of a professional ruby player – Toowoomba
- Quantum tech isn’t coming; it is already here – Fortitude Valley
- Dungeons, Dragons and neuroscience – Fortitude Valley
- Superbugs outsmarting medicines – Saint Lucia
- What is your brain doing while you daydream? – Noosaville
- Venomous platypus – Enoggera Reservoir
- Gin from bushtucker: distilling Indigenous botanicals and science – Townsville
- Saving the Tasmanian devil from cancer – Enoggera Reservoir
- Flower power: what is Australia’s most amazing wildflower?
- Launch event in Cairns: science in sport with guest Olympians on Saturday 15 August.
More on these below including contact details for interview.
Or find more stories in your area at ScienceWeek.net.au/events.
Visit the Media Centre for all media releases and images.
Queensland launch in Cairns:
10am on Saturday 15 August
Science in sport with guest Olympians
National Science Week kicks off in Cairns, the city set to host preliminary football and basketball at Barlow Park for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Launch event with:
- James Connor: Cairns-born Olympic diver, who represented Australia in the 10m platform at the London 2012 Olympics (aged 17) and again at Rio 2016.
- Korey Boddington OAM, Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder in para-cycling. Boddington won gold in the men's C4-5 1000m time trial at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, breaking the world record in the process. A serious motocross accident at 15 left him with an acquired brain injury and having to relearn how to walk and talk; he took up competitive track cycling in 2023 and was Paralympic champion within a year.
The launch is part of STEM in the Tropics, a pop-up science fair with hands-on activities spanning conservation, eco-tourism, local innovation and business, and First Nations bush foods initiatives.
Where: Tank 5 in the Cairns Botanic Gardens
Media enquiries: Dr Anita Milroy, [email protected] or 0417 602 412.
More information: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/stem-in-the-tropics-queensland-launch-for-national-science-week/cairns/
Building Australia’s Moon rover and other Queensland innovation stories – Hamilton
Microplastics researcher Dr Cassandra Rauert and the robotics engineers building Australia’s Moon rover will headline the Science Week Business Showcase, a free evening exploring how science, technology, engineering and maths shape Brisbane businesses.
Dr Rauert, a Senior Research Fellow at the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, will discuss her world-leading microplastics research and industry partnerships, while EPE Engineers will share how they are building Australia’s “Roo-ver” robot for the Moon.
Environmental scientist and Queensland Chief Scientist Prof Kerrie Wilson will also talk about the strategy driving Queensland's sustainable economic growth.
Thursday 13 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/science-week-business-showcase/hamilton
Media enquiries: Alana Rauert, [email protected] or 0417 041 929.
Dr Cassandra Rauert, Prof Kerrie Wilson and EPE engineers are available for media interviews.
Reading a mosquito’s DNA to find out where it came from – Cairns
Mosquitoes travel further than you would think, and the QIMR Berghofer Mosquito Genomics team can now read their genomes to work out how invasive species are moving, surviving and adapting.
Through the Mozzie SHIELDS project, the researchers combine that genomics with citizen science, education and population modelling to track the mosquitoes that spread disease, and to design control methods that lean less heavily on chemical insecticides.
Meet the team at the STEM in the Tropics launch and find out how the work runs from the field to the lab, and back to the field again.
Saturday 15 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/uq-skills-sport
Media enquiries: Alyssa Peterson, QIMR Berghofer, [email protected] or 07 3845 3051.
A/Prof Gordana Rasic is available for interviews.
Planetarium ‘pop-rock-funk’ concert explores music, misinformation, and the cosmos – Toowong
Nate Eggins (a.k.a. Conspiracy of One) is returning with his unique Planetarium Variety Show for an evening of:
- Quirky sciency songs like ‘We're All Aliens, Baby’ and ‘The Sound a Duck Makes’, funny rants and audience participation and prizes
- Stunning planetarium visuals
- A workshop on critical thinking and the chance to contribute data to an ongoing study,
- Special guest: Science Communicator Melanie Trecek-King of Thinking is Power and author of the upcoming book A Field Guide to Spotting Misinformation.
Returning to the cosmic skydome are Nate and his band to bring you a special stripped back and intimate performance including songs from his debut album ‘Road to Reason’.
Audiences will gain new and interesting perspectives on science and our modern world, level up your thinking and learn how to spot pseudoscience pretenders - all while tapping their feet.
Friday 21 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/planetarium-concert-live-music-in-the-skydome-3/toowong/
Media enquiries: Nate Eggins, [email protected] or 0402 593 431.
Nate Eggins is available for media interviews. Footage and photos from past events available here.
Flying taxi made by Sunshine Coast students – Sunshine Coast
A group of Sunshine Coast high school and university students have built a full-scale electric flying taxi, assisted by industry mentors.
Their eVTOL - Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft, often called an air taxi - is capable of flying autonomously from Maroochydore to Brisbane in just 20 minutes.
The full-scale aircraft seats one person. It can fly at speeds exceeding 250 km/h, cover distances over 200km, reach altitudes of up to 3,000 ft, and take off and land on a helipad. It is built primarily from carbon fibre composite, with aerospace-grade aluminium, titanium, glass, and a small amount of steel.
The project is an initiative of Manufacturing Excellence Forum, developing its own eVTOL in partnership with the University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast Council, and the Queensland Government, backed by the effort of more than 50 students.
Meet the people involved and see the prototype and scale models at the Future Flight Science Fair at Javelin Aerospace & MKRS Space Sunshine Coast. Visitors will also have the chance to design, 3D print, and launch their own glider, experience a six-degree-of-freedom flight simulator, and other activities.
Saturday 15 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/future-flight-science-fair
Media enquiries: Bhavna Reetoo, eVTOL Sunshine Coast Manufacturing Excellence Forum, [email protected] or 0451 042 406.
Catch a doper – Cairns
The University of Queensland is only the second university in the world to become an Academic Centre of the International Testing Agency, the UNESCO-recognised body responsible for anti-doping at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
At the STEM in the Tropics launch, UQ Skills explains the science behind anti-doping and the jobs that go with it – Doping Control Officer, Blood Collection Officer, chaperone, clean sport educator – with interactive activities to test your knowledge.
Ahead of Brisbane 2032, these are roles Queensland is going to need to fill.
Saturday 15 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/virtual-reality-flights-with-the-fnq-aviation-museum-2
Media enquiries: Stanton Dunn, UQ Skills, [email protected] or 0493 291 699.
Meet an Aussie astronaut and the little robot going to the moon at the Airshow - Surfers Paradise
Queensland students will be able to test-drive a model of the first Australian-built moon rover (nicknamed the Roo-ver), as well as meet astronaut and 2026 Australian of the Year Katherine Bennell-Pegg, at the Pacific Airshow Gold Coast.
The space-faring Australians are attending the airshow to showcase the science and engineering behind flight, both in and out of atmosphere, at the NXTGEN STEM LAB. Schools can register to attend for free on the Friday as part of the Students with Altitude program.
The Pacific Airshow Gold Coast runs for three action-packed days, with some of the best pilots in the world flying super-fast planes in tricks, flip and stunts high over the ocean.
Friday 14 August – Sunday 16 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/pacific-airshow-gold-coast/surfers-paradise
Media enquiries: Jesse Burns, [email protected]
Interviews with performers can be arranged on request. Footage and images available for media use here.
Get inside the brain of a professional ruby player – Toowoomba
Step inside the brain of a professional rugby player as science and sport come together through an immersive virtual reality experience.
The ‘Brains, Boots & Beyond’ is an interactive VR installation that explores neuroscience, sports psychology and wellbeing.
It’s the brainchild of Queensland learning design consultancy Concinnity in partnership with Toowoomba’s Western Clydesdales rugby league club and the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ).
Avatars of Clydesdales players guide people through the virtual reality experience, revealing how the brain manages focus, resilience, teamwork and recovery.
UniSQ will host the installation with a public launch event and daily sessions. Queensland Museum Cobb+Co will also host sessions.
Launch: Tuesday 18 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/brains-boots-and-beyond-exploring-sports-psychology-in-vr/darling-heights/
Media enquiries: Anna Nicholls, [email protected] and 0400 912 171.
Available for media interviews:
A/Prof Edward Bliss: a UniSQ neuroscientist whose research explores how exercise, lifestyle and blood flow to the brain influence cognition, healthy ageing and human performance.
Anna Nicholls: is the founder of Concinnity Consulting and Project Manager of ‘Brains, Boots & Beyond’, who has more than 30 years' experience in learning and development, including digital innovation.
Brian Canavan (launch guest speaker) is a respected rugby league administrator and current Chair of the Queensland Rugby League. Brian has long championed the role of sports science, athlete development and evidence-based performance, making him a passionate advocate for the intersection of neuroscience, human performance and elite sport.
Quantum tech isn’t coming; it is already here – Fortitude Valley
Under the theme ‘Make it in Queensland’, the Qx Summit puts the state’s quantum, semiconductor and deep tech breakthroughs on show – the ones already being deployed, locally and globally.
Speakers from industry, government and research trace how the research is translating into health, sports tech, logistics, AI and defence, and examine how Queensland is positioning itself to attract investment, talent and partnerships.
Sessions also cover the skills, education and training pathways already feeding the state’s advanced technology workforce, with time to meet investors, researchers and policymakers.
Tuesday 18 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/qx-summit-queenslands-advanced-technologies-future
Media enquiries: QUBIC, The ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology, [email protected]
Dungeons, Dragons and neuroscience, improvised live – Fortitude Valley
Cutting-edge research meets role-play in Monsters and Molecules, a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired comedy show improvised live on stage. Can comedian Jaimeson Gilders, educator Joel Gilmore and Professor Lezanne Ooi save this fantasy world from total chaos?
Along the way, and with the ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology, the show explores the quantum research mapping one of the most complex systems in existence: the brain. Hosted by science communicator Shu Ezackial with live music by Sean Sully.
Wednesday 19 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/monsters-and-molecules-journey-to-the-centre-of-the-brain/fortitude-valley
Media enquiries: Shu Ezackial, [email protected]
Hunt the superbugs outsmarting our medicines – Saint Lucia
Some bacteria are fighting back against modern medicines. This hands-on adventure lets visitors become a scientist for the day to explore the world of these “superbugs.”
Through interactive demonstrations, participants discover how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, how researchers detect harmful bacteria and develop new ways to fight infection, and how everyday actions like proper handwashing help slow the spread.
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest health challenges facing the world today; the event aims to leave visitors with a new appreciation for the tiny microbes that have a huge impact on our lives.
Friday 21 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/journey-into-antimicrobial-resistance-adventures-in-the-invisible-world/saint-lucia
Media enquiries: Lyman Ngiam, Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance, [email protected].
What is your brain doing while you daydream? – Noosaville
Eighty-six billion nerve cells, all talking to each other with electricity. British neuroscientist Dr Hannah Critchlow takes an audience inside the most complex machine in the universe – what happens while you sleep, drift off, or lock onto a tricky game.
Critchlow is the author of Brainwave: Find Your Focus and Unleash Your Brain’s Superpowers.
Friday 21 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/the-science-of-brainwaves-with-hannah-critchlow
Media enquiries: Rachel Smith, Noosa Libraries, [email protected] or 07 5329 6578.
Yes, the platypus is venomous but only in spring – Enoggera Reservoir
A duck’s bill, a beaver’s tail, lays eggs and makes milk – and, it turns out, one of the very few venomous mammals on Earth. Platypus Venom Revealed uncovers how only male platypuses produce venom, and only during the spring breeding season when they compete with other males.
Brought to you by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, the family-friendly event explains how platypus venom works, why it’s so different from snake or spider venom, and how researchers keep discovering new things about this unusual animal.
Saturday 22 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/platypus-venom-revealed-2/enoggera-reservoir
Media enquiries: Dr Junming He, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, [email protected].
Ambassadors available for interview: Director Professor David Craik, COO Dr Richard Kim and Dr Junming He.
Gin from bushtucker: distilling Indigenous botanicals and science – Townsville
Native lemongrass distilled into gin tastes like roses for some people and lemon for others, depending on their genes.
Proud Wiradjuri woman and gin distiller Clair Ryder blends Traditional Knowledge with modern science and innovative distilling, using ingredients that are ethically sourced with the blessing of Traditional Landowners.
Clair can talk about the chemistry behind native aromatics, the ecological significance of key species, and the cultural knowledge that has shaped their use for thousands of years.
She is presenting ‘Bush Alchemy’, a 90‑minute guided experience hosted by On Country Craft Distillery, the only distillery owned and operated entirely by First Nations women in Australia.
This session blends scientific insight with tasting raw bushtucker ingredients. Participants then experience how those same botanicals evolve when infused into spirits and incorporated into food.
Saturday 22 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/bush-alchemy-exploring-indigenous-botanicals-and-bushtucker-in-spirits/douglas/
Media enquiries: Clair Ryder, [email protected] or 0478 599 035.
Racing a contagious cancer to save the Tasmanian devil – Enoggera Reservoir
Tasmanian devils are threatened by devil facial tumour disease – a rare transmissible cancer that spreads when the animals bite one another. This event reveals how scientists and conservation teams are racing to protect them.
From special breeding programs to tracking devils in the wild and returning them to their homes, visitors will learn how understanding the animals’ health, genes and habitats could keep this iconic species around for future generations.
Sunday 23 August: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/saving-the-tasmanian-devil-2/enoggera-reservoir
Media enquiries: Dr Junming He, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, [email protected].
Ambassadors available for interview: Director Professor David Craik, COO Dr Richard Kim and Dr Junming He.
What do you think is Australia’s most amazing wildflower? – online
ABC Science wants Australians to discover our hidden “flower power”, the kind you find in botanical gardens rather than hippie communes.
With the help of experts, ABC Science has selected ten flowering plants from across the country.
Not just another banksia or waratah, but blooms from the unsung understory that also do something unbelievable. These ten wildflowers are more than just a pretty face; each one hides a surprising superpower. The public will decide which is the most amazing.
Voting to decide Australia’s most amazing wildflower will start just before National Science Week in August, with the winning bloom announced on Friday August 21 in a live broadcast on Radio National.
Wednesday 5 August – Friday 21 August. To find out more and vote, go to www.abc.net.au/wildflowers.
For interviews with Dr Ann Jones, contact Rob Caulley, ABC Publicity, [email protected].
About National Science Week
National Science Week is Australia’s annual opportunity to meet scientists, discuss hot topics, do science and celebrate its contribution to our lives. Science drives economic and social change – from safe and nutritious food to reducing cancer deaths; from smart phones to AI; from under Antarctica’s ice floes to distant planets.
First held in 1997, National Science Week has become one of Australia’s largest festivals. Last year about 3 million people participated in more than 2,500 registered events and activities.
National Science Week 2026 runs from Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 August. Event details can be found at www.scienceweek.net.au.
National Science Week is proudly supported by the Australian Government, alongside key partners Questacon, CSIRO, the Australian Science Teachers Association, and ABC Science.
