National programme runs from aerospace to aquaculture
National Science Week will feature Indigenous-led events across Australia in August 2026, spanning aerospace, native botanicals, aquaculture, astronomy and ecological knowledge.
Across 2026, the festival runs from Saturday 15th August to Sunday 23rd August. In 2025, about 3 million people joined more than 2,500 registered events and activities.
In Randwick, NSW, Daniel Joinbee will appear on Thursday 13th August. He will discuss his path from Yarrabah in Far North Queensland to the White House.
Joinbee is a proud Gunggandji man, a Royal Australian Air Force veteran and part of Australia’s first and only 100% Aboriginal-owned aerospace consultancy.
His career includes navy diving and demolitions qualifications. He was the first Air Force officer to earn those qualifications.
During the Randwick session, host Jonathan Webb will speak with Joinbee about Raising Horizons, a programme that helps First Nations communities blaze their own trails.
Clair Ryder in Townsville
In Townsville, QLD, Clair Ryder will present Bush Alchemy on Saturday 22nd August. The 90-minute guided experience covers Indigenous botanicals, bushtucker and spirits.
Ryder is a proud Wiradjuri woman and gin distiller. She blends Traditional Knowledge with modern science and innovative distilling.
One example from her session is native lemongrass gin. It tastes like roses for some people and lemon for others, depending on their genes.
Ryder uses ingredients that are ethically sourced with the blessing of Traditional Landowners. She can also explain the chemistry of native aromatics and the ecological significance of key species.
Groote Aqua at Alyangula
In Alyangula, NT, National Science Week will also highlight aquaculture on Groote Eylandt. That event looks at a seafood future after manganese mining.
Groote Holdings Aboriginal Corporation runs the project with the Anindilyakwa community. It centres on sea cucumber and also produces oysters, fish for local consumption and edible seaweed.
Students from Alyangula, Angurugu and Umbakumba schools will visit the Groote Aqua facility for four days of marine science and aquaculture activities. Following that programme, the site opens to the wider community on Saturday 29th August.
Elsewhere, listed events include Kings Park in WA, Redfern in NSW, Parkes in ACT, Kensington in NSW, Ridgeway in TAS and Wellington Park in TAS.
Those sessions include a Noongar educator on Perth’s six seasons, native bees and seaweed at Redfern, ocean protection in Kensington, and palawa star stories around a mountain fire in Wellington Park.
On Friday 14th August, the National Gallery of Australia event in Parkes, ACT, will feature First Nations astrophysicist and cultural astronomer Peter Swanton reading art through astronomy.
More details on these events are available at ScienceWeek.net.au/events.
