ArnhemLand Astronomy & Science Fair Report

This National Science Week Event showcased the relevance of science in our everyday lives and demonstrated just how easy and accessible science can be to the community.

When: Saturday the 16th of August from 10am onwards

Where: Hindle Oval # 1 (Town Oval) Nhulunbuy NT

The 2nd Annual Science Fair for Gove, this year's event has expanded to include displays from The Fisheries Dept, Nhulunbuy Regional Fishing Club, a live broadcast from 106.9 Gove FM and more. Our Keynote speaker is Internationally renowned Prof. Ray Norris from CSIRO, who always has an entertaining and informative presentation to deliver. As we did during last years highly successful event we will have school science displays, a variety of guest speakers, Amateur Rocketry, Solar & Lunar Observing, Food and drinks stalls, prizes and loads of fun activities for the kids.

Presenters - and their topics

• Professor Ray Norris - Origin & Fate of the Universe, Aboriginal Astronomy


• Matt Brazier - Environmental Stategies - More or Less


• Ian Maclean - Aboriginal Astronomy - Teaching and Learning

Stallholders - Displays

• Gove Amateur Astronomers - Solar&Lunar Viewing, Astronomy Publications and More ...


• Nhulunbuy Regional Sports Fishing Club (NRSFC) - Tag and Release Boating Display, How-To Presentations


• Department of Fisheries - Sustainable fisheries

Food Drinks and Fun

• GAA - Fairy Floss & Popcorn


• NCNC - Fresh Cakes & Glow Products


• Healthy Hopper - Fresh Coffee & Delicious Smoothies


• NRSFC - Sausage Sizzle


• Much more to come ..... !!!

Entertainment

• Live Band >Bunna Lawrie & The Whale Dreamers 4 pm till late


• Bar service from 4pm till 10pm!


• Live Broad cast throughout the event from 106.9 Gove FM

GAA Update:

August was a busy time for GAA !

Firstly with the Garma festival where we presented tours of the night sky to the festival visitors from all around the world. The tours were given to Aprox 400 people over the course of the 4 nights.

In the Garma Key forum I was fortunate to have been joined by Professor Ray Norris in doing a presentation to the Key Forum group. Both Professor Norris and I presented to an audience of over 150 people each, on our topics related to Aboriginal Astronomy.

This generated significant media interest with Prof: Norris being interviewed by Phillip Adams for the Late Night Live show on ABC radio national (if you search the ABC site you can listen to the podcast of the interview)

Many Thanks to Tony, Eleonore, Ray & Cilia for their help at Garma.

Garma was followed this weekend just gone by our second annual "Arnhem Land Astronomy & Science Fair". This years the event was held on Hindle oval with a big presence from the NRSFC (Fishing Club) as well as Dhimurru, AQIS & GAA while presentations throughout the day on Space Science, Astronomy and the Environment continued.

In the evening the 10 piece Band "Bunna Lawrie & The Whale Dreamers" were live on stage. The band was very well received by the Audience and are they are keen to come back next year for more. Delicious Hot Curries and Soups were served by the NPS Year 5 Canberra Trip fundraiser and were eagerly devoured by the crowd, in the cool conditions on the night.

GAA showed a continual stream of people through our telescopes, with safe solar viewing during the day & views of the moon and Jupiter through the evening. With several new members joining the club as a result.

The Volunteers and Sponsors are too numerous top mention here, but we give them our wholehearted thanks for their support and participation.

The Science week Activities are not Over though, we have secured funding and sponsorship to bring the Stardreaming planetarium (that was so popular last year) back to the Gove Peninsula !

The Planetarium was in the town hall for shows on Saturday the 20th September. A steady stream of people came to the dome throughout the day.

All this was made possible with the fantastic support of our growing list of sponsors

• NT Community Benefit Fund


• CSIRO NT Science Week Committee


• Australian Air Express


• Rio Tinto B&A Technology


• Manfield Colair


• Gil's Graphics


• The Arnhem Club


• Rio Tinto Alcan Gove


• 106.9 Gove FM


• Walkabout Hotel


• Professor Ray Norris

Last years event was a roaring success, check out our report on the
2007 Astronomy and Science Fair