Families are invited to dive into a world of miniature marine craft when the three-day Model Newcastle Regatta sets sail on a giant pond at Newcastle Museum this month.
The regatta is a feature event of Newcastle Museum’s Model Newcastle exhibition and will showcase model boat sailing and mini tugboats alongside hands-on activities, science shows and family fun over the January long weekend.
A model of former Newcastle tugboat Svitzer Mayfield built by Lindsay Muxlow on display in Model Newcastle: Big Stories Little Things. City of Newcastle Director Museum Libraries Archive and Learning Julie Baird said the event will build on Model Newcastle’s celebration of history, creativity and community.
“School holidays are the perfect time to explore, learn and play, and we’re proud to facilitate accessible, exciting events where children could discover a new passion during their break,” Ms Baird said.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Newcastle Marine Modellers Association who will bring their expertly crafted models to present live demonstrations of docking manoeuvres and display circuits across the three-day regatta, providing a unique way to learn more about our harbour city.”
The regatta will showcase everything from steam-powered vessels to intricate naval and merchant ships, some taking more than 200 hours to build for maximum accuracy.
The event will culminate with the Sailor’s Sunday Special, featuring three science shows, food trucks and hands-on activities for children to make their own bark canoes or mini tugboats.
The Model Newcastle exhibition is the inspiration behind a range of events throughout January including free science shows covering the power of steam and the 1989 Newcastle earthquake. LEGO challenges, marionette making workshops and Minecraft sessions will give children the chance to build create and imagine their own version of Newcastle.
The exhibition celebrates Newcastle’s rich history through intricate models, from railways and cityscapes to puppetry and dollhouses, bringing pieces together from Newcastle Museum’s collection, local makers and storytellers to bring this to life. The show will be open daily during the school holidays with tickets on sale at the Museum.
Science enthusiasts can continue learning with free drop-ins for all ages as Newcastle Museum’s popular presenter “Scientist Catherine” will answer burning questions and present demonstrations designed to spark conversations about physics, chemistry, biology and geology.
The school holidays fun will continue across January at City of Newcastle’s cultural and recreational venues, with a range of programming on offer.
Newcastle Libraries will dive into the deep blue with Ocean of Stories, at Lovett Gallery celebrating programming activities, visual storytelling and Australian illustrators. Families can enjoy themed crafting sessions, storytimes and creative workshops, from making fantastical fish collages to tales of underwater creatures.
Young readers are also being encouraged to take part in the Big Summer Read challenge, which rewards children for logging reading hours throughout the holidays. Participants can sign up online and collect a paper reading log from any City of Newcastle Library branch.
Wallsend Library will offer two Nintendo Switch gaming events on 12 and 19 January, while library explorers sessions at both Wallsend and Newcastle City Library will help children prepare to navigate the library before starting school.
Newcastle’s Civic Theatre will bubble over with excitement on 19 January when Dr Hubble’s Bubble Spectacular fills the auditorium with giant bubbles, tornado bubbles, and even square bubbles in a show that promises fun for all ages.
Newcastle Art Gallery will be hosting Shadow Stories, a hands-on workshop inspired by featured artist Maggie Hensel-Brown. Primary age children will design their own shadow puppets and cast light to make their creations dance across the gallery walls. Bookings are essential, with various Friday sessions throughout January.
Nature lovers can head to Blackbutt Reserve for daily animal feeding sessions and seven scenic walking trails, offering an up-close look at wombats, koalas, and native birds.
To cap off the holidays, families can join the community celebration on Saturday 31 January at Foreshore Park, marking the opening of the new kiosk and amenities building with a free event featuring entertainment and activities for all ages.
For a full list of school holiday activities and to book sessions visit the relevant websites for the Ne wcastle Museum, Newcastle Libraries, Civic Theatre Newcastle, Blackbutt Reserve and the Newcastle Art Gallery.