Science to be stripped naked at this festival
Science has been stripped down to the bare bones this week for the Science Week Festival 2011: Naked Science.
The national festival is this year celebrating science based on observation and using simple tools and events in Broome start on Sunday.
A highlight is set to be a conversation with Yawuru traditional owner Neil McKenzie on Saturday, August 20.
He will cover changes to Yawuru and Kimberley coastal land over time, from the perspective of traditional owners.
“It’s a story of what life was like here before the effects of industry, pollution and population increase, and how the biodiversity of Roebuck Bay has been affected,” he said.
This Sunday there will be birdwatching at Broome Bird Observatory and a tour of dinosaur prints on Broome’s coast.
On Monday, there will be a weather watcher’s tour with Broome’s meteorologists and, on Tuesday, the art of making potions and lotions from local plants with Robyn Wells.
Kevin Smith will present the antics of flatback turtles on Cable Beach on Wednesday, and Greg Quicke will offer discounts to a limited number of Astro Tour customers that night.
On Thursday, explore whales, reef, coral and pearls with James Brown and Ali McCarthy of Cygnet Bay’s Kimberley Marine Research Station and whale researcher Richard Costin.
Investigate the art of traditional fire making and burning with fire-raiser Tiepen Forrest. Pat Lowe and Backroom Press will present stories from Jimmy Pike’s last book.
As the week winds up, Engawa Architects presents innovative housing design to suit the Broome climate on Saturday, and Kandy Curran will explain there’s more to Town Beach than meets the eye – bring old shoes or mud boots.
To finish on a high, Carol Palmer presents a big screen event in the park on Australia’s only native dolphin, the snubfin.
To book, phone Environs Kimberly on 9192 1221 or visit www.scienceweek.gov.au.
