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A Space Mission at the Local

Thursday, 13 August, will see this neighbourhood pub transform into a hub of lunar logistics. How often do you get to see world-class space technology down the road? The experts at EPE Engineers are building a machine affectionately called the “Roo-ver”. Designed to handle the harsh, dusty conditions of the lunar surface, this robot represents a massive engineering leap for the country. Now, it is sitting right in our backyard for everyday people to inspect.

Science Takes Over the State

The pub exhibition kicks off a massive wave of curiosity across the state. National Science Week runs from 15 to 23 August, drawing millions of Australians to thousands of events. Forget boring textbooks. Communities are turning complex research into brilliant, hands-on fun. Sunshine Coast students actually built an electric flying taxi. Up in Townsville, distillers are making gin using native bush tucker and Indigenous botanical knowledge.

Have you ever wondered what happens in your brain during a game of Dungeons and Dragons? Researchers in Fortitude Valley have the answers. From virtual reality dives into a professional rugby player’s mind in Toowoomba to tracking venomous platypuses near the Enoggera Reservoir, the strange and spectacular sides of science are on full display.

Olympic Science in the Tropics

Everything officially kicks off in Cairns on Saturday, 15 August. Barlow Park, a future Brisbane 2032 Games venue, will host the STEM in the Tropics pop-up fair. Visitors can get their hands dirty learning about eco-tourism, conservation, and First Nations bush foods. Sports science also takes the spotlight. 

Olympic diver James Connor will share his experiences alongside Paralympic gold medallist Korey Boddington. Having survived a severe childhood brain injury that forced him to relearn walking and talking, Boddington conquered competitive track cycling to become a world record holder.

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Protecting Wildlife and Fighting Disease 

Environmental research provides another major drawcard. Deep in the Enoggera Reservoir, experts are working tirelessly to save the Tasmanian devil from cancer. They are even investigating the strange venom of the platypus. Health science is just as active across the state. Saint Lucia researchers are figuring out how to outsmart drug-resistant superbugs, while a Cairns team is reading mosquito DNA to track diseases. Could a Townsville project distilling gin from Indigenous botanicals change the beverage industry? It is just one more way local science is reshaping everyday life.

Published Date 10-August-2026

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