National Water Week Events

Main Event

United for Australia's Water Future: Imagining Water Security in 2050
18 Oct, 2023 | 2:30pm – 3:45pm AEDST

Join us for a panel discussion exploring the future of water security in Australia. We ask six experts to imagine water security in 2050, and how we can achieve a desirable future for all Australians, starting now.

Hear from: Matthew Coulton - Bureau of Meteorology; Kate McBride - The Australia Institute; Michelle Hobbs - Griffith University; Dr Paul Wyrwoll - Australian National University; Emeritus Professor Cynthia Mitchell - University of Technology Sydney; and Matthew Dadswell - Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

This is a hybrid event.  With limited seats available at the in-person event, register now to secure your place. Complimentary refreshments will follow the discussion.

Main Event

The Value of Water Careers
17 Oct, 2023 | 1:00pm – 2:00pm AEDST

Join us during National Water Week to celebrate the valuable contribution of those who work in water.

Hosted by the AWA Young Water Professionals National Taskforce, this free webinar will highlight a variety of career opportunities in water and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Young Water Professionals.

Hear from: Chelsea Hayward - Senior Process Engineer, Jacobs and AWA Young Water Professional of the Year 2023; Ben Thwaites - Manager of Wastewater Treatment (Operations), SA Water; and Skye Haigh - Practice Lead for Remote Development, Ekistica.

AWA Members-Only Event

Water Literacy & Education Specialist Network Member Circle - Wat-er you know? Quiz
16 Oct, 2023 | 12pm AEDST

Are you a water professional? Think you know a thing or two about water or want to learn something new? You’re invited to come along and challenge your knowledge during our highly engaging “Wat-er you know?” quiz! To kick off National Water Week, the AWA Water Literacy and Education Specialist Network will be busting some water myths to expose the truth about this most precious resource. Come along at noon on Monday 16 October 2023, bring your lunch, connect with other water community members and discover whether you really are a water x-spurt! We guarantee you’ll learn new facts about water that you can use to share with others! Help us to keep the water literacy rolling during this National Water Week! Registrations for the Member Circle will open soon. Stay tuned!

Public Event

National Water Week at Questacon 
16-22 Oct, 2023 | 9.00am - 5.00pm AEDST

As part of our commitment to raising awareness of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, during this week Questacon will be exploring:

- how water affects our daily lives
- the science of water
- how we can make a difference to water management.

Dive into Q Lab in Gallery 4 where our staff are bubbling to show their splash-tastic water demonstrations.

Over the weekend, Icon Water will be taking over Q Lab with their Free the Poo initiative. They will be bringing lots of exciting activities to engage and inspire visitors. You can learn all about why you can’t flush sanitary items down the loo. Or take a journey through our wastewater network with Free the Poo The Game. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even try out the smelliest job in Canberra with their VR experience!

Public Event

Giant Water Hunt 
20 Oct, 2023 | 6.00am - 6.00pm AEST

Have fun and learn how to be an awesome water saver this National Water Week with our city-wide Giant Water Hunt!

Check out the FREE augmented reality treasure hunt at Jezzine Barracks (Kissing Point), Riverway or Elliot Springs Park using your smart phone and collect all the water smart coins.

Want a sneak peek? Download the Giant Water Hunt poster, follow the steps and watch the artwork come to life!

Join Townsville City Council and help build awareness in our community around the value of water and being water smart.

Additional Details
Age Suitability:    All ages
Accessibility:    
Dog / pet friendly
Service animals welcome

Public Event

Water Day Saturday 
21 Oct, 2023 | 10.00am - 1.00pm AEDST

Celebrate National Water Week with a themed Storytime, some underwater sleuthing with the River Detectives, and other activities for the whole family. There may even be an appearance from some water-loving ducklings!

Presented by Goldfields Libraries, Coliban Water, North Central Catchment Management Authority and the City of Greater Bendigo.

NO BOOKINGS REQUIRED

Public Event

National Water Week Bug Survey 
22 Oct, 2023 | 11.30am - 6.00pm AEST

Greater Springfield's waterways are under the microscope. Dr David Manning will take you to a nearby section of Opossum Creek where Springfield Lakes Nature Care (SLNC) will undertake a Waterbug Blitz. David will collect several samples of water for budding citizen scientists to work together to find waterbugs, photograph & upload the images onto iNaturalist.

Participants will be shown how to collect & identify waterbugs & how to use the Waterbug Blitz App. Then you will have the skills you need to do your own Waterbug Blitz at your local freshwater waterway! All the data will be uploaded to the Waterbug App but participants can photograph any of their waterbug capture & upload their images to iNaturalist.

SLNC will provide tea, coffee, cake & fruit for morning tea. This event is suitable for participants 13 years & over because we are participating in a water way.

On the day participants are requested to bring along:

- A folding chair

- Food & water/drinks for the day for yourself

- Gumboots or waders (spare clothes just in case you get wet)

- Hat, sunscreen, insect repellent – you will be working outdoors!!!

- Your smart phone with the Waterbug App & iNaturalist App downloaded from Google Play or iTunes App Store.

Please meet the co-ordinator David Manning in the undercover area at Grande Avenue Park, Springfield Lakes. Please be prompt as once the induction has been finished, the group will depart to the creek to do water sampling.

Lastly have fun & enjoy photographing some of the tiny creatures & bugs that live in our waterways.

Thank you for being part of this Citizen Science Bioblitz event.

Public Event

City of Coffs Harbour celebrates National Water Week 
22 Oct, 2023 | times vary - see below

From gardening workshops, to guided tours of beloved local waterways and much more; dive right in and enjoy City of Coffs Harbour specially selected program of free National Water Week events.

2040 Documentary Screening

Join us for a screening of the thought-provoking documentary 2040 as part of National Water Week!

2040 presents a hopeful vision of the future, exploring the innovative solutions to climate change that exist right now. Come along to be part of the conversation, as we explore how we can have a positive impact on our planet.

The documentary will be screened in Story Space – a dedicated storytelling/presentation space in the Children’s Library on the ground floor of Yarrila Place.

All ages are welcome. Only those 12+ need to register.

Waterwise Gardening Workshop

Join us for a Waterwise Gardening Workshop to celebrate National Water Week! This workshop will provide you with the knowledge and skills to create diverse and resilient water-wise gardens that thrive all year round. Take home a free native & drought tolerant seedling and get planting at home!

This workshop is perfect for both beginners and experienced gardeners. All ages are welcome.

This workshop will be facilitated by Karla Gillies. Karla has 20 + years' experience in environmental education and bush regeneration. As an avid home gardener, Karla knows that waterwise gardening is about so much more than mulch and succulents!

Coffs Creek Guided Tour

On this guided walk along the Coffs Creek we'll learn about the importance of an often undervalued ecosystem - mangroves! We'll be exploring the diversity of life they support, and the crucial role they play in ecosystem health and water quality.

This tour will be joined by Professor Kirsten Benkendorff from the National Marine Science Centre. Kirsten will demonstrate water quality testing. If you haven't seen a benthic critter before, this could be your chance!

Ages 15+

Location: Meet at the back of Dolphin Marine Conservation Park, at the very end of Edgar Street at Coffs Creek. At the end of tour, we will return back to meeting spot.

Accessibility:

• Stroller friendly

• Accessible toilets

• Accessible entrance and pathways

• Accessible parking

AWA Member Event

Sunwater presents... United by Water with guest speaker Michael Wilson
19 Oct, 2023 | 9.30am - 10.30am AEST

To celebrate this year's AWA National Water Week theme United by Water, Sunwater is pleased to invite you to join us online for a presentation by Michael Wilson, Group Chief Executive Officer of eWater Limited. 

Michael will share his experience and insights into how Australia works collaboratively with our partners in Asia and the Pacific to solve sustainable water resource management challenges at government, organisation, and individual levels. 

About Michael Wilson  
Michael commenced as Group Chief Executive of eWater Limited in 2022, previously serving as Chief Executive of the Australian Water Partnership. With extensive experience in international development, national security and sustainable development policy, Michael has held senior roles in the Australian government, the private sector, and the Australian Water Partnership. He has led the development of cooperation strategies and programming across Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East, focusing on political governance, water resource management, sanitation and hygiene, and gender equality. Michael holds a BA (Hons) in Political Science from the Australian National University and an MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. 
 
About eWater Limited  
eWater Limited has been championing the environmentally sustainable management of water in Australia and around the world. Jointly owned by Australian and State Governments, eWater are the custodians of the collective investment and experience of governments and industry in water resources modelling.

About Sunwater 
Sunwater is a Queensland Government-owned corporation that supplies about 40 per cent of the water used commercially in the state. This equates to more than 1300 gigalitres (GL) a year for irrigation, industrial and urban usage. We own, operate and build bulk water infrastructure and undertake a variety of complex and often interdependent projects. These range from the design and construction of new and improved water infrastructure to the digital transformation of the way we work to ensure operational efficiency. Our purpose is to deliver water for prosperity for the communities of regional Queensland we serve, and we understand our assets are important part of many communities and their overall economic wellbeing.

To join the presentation, click on the link below, Meeting ID: 424 059 609 094 
Passcode: 77RvWX 

Public Event

National Museum of Australia presents... More than a Fish Kill 
15 Oct, 2023 | 3.00pm - 4.30pm AEST

More than a Fish Kill explores how artists, fishery managers and First Nations custodians came together in the aftermath of devastating fish kills along the Barka/Baaka (Darling River) and turned these ecological disasters into catalysts for cultural connection and revival. The film tells the story of a remarkable collaboration that interweaves art, science and ancient knowledge to care for communities, honour our rivers and reshape how we live, now and into the future.

Before the screening, ABC RN Big Ideas host, Natasha Mitchell, will be joined by artist Vic McEwan, Barkandji Elder Barbara Quayle, fisheries manager Matt McLellan and Director of Clontarf Academy Narrandera, John Ingram, to discuss the film and the issues it raises.

Public Event

Waterbug Blitz training  
21 Oct, 2023 | 10.00am - 1.00 pm AEDST

The National Waterbug Blitz invites citizen scientists to work with scientists and look at water quality & river health on a local and national scale!

A free training session is being offered in Wangaratta for volunteers and professionals alike to learn how to collect & identify waterbugs and use the Waterbug App. Then you’ll have all the skills you need to do your own Waterbug Blitz at your local creek or river.

Places are limited so please book early to secure your spot. Further directions to the site will be provided following your booking. Lunch will be provided.
For more information on the National Waterbug Blitz, go to www.waterbugblitz.org.au

For event queries please contact Vanessa Thompson, Rural City of Wangaratta on 5722 0727 or v.thompson@wangaratta.vic.gov.au

Public Event

City of Gold Coast presents... Sensing Water in Place: Connecting with the sounds, smells, and stories of water
28 Oct, 2023 | 2.00pm - 5.00pm AEST

Dive into an afternoon of contemporary art experiences at HOTA Parklands in celebration of National Water Week. Connect with local artists Daniele Constance and Lowana Davies, and with sounds, smells, and stories ‘united by water’. 

Experience our local waterways and tune into the local ecologies with like-minded communities. Get your toes wet, participate in some citizen science, and sip on a drop of native botanical infused water!

Public Event

Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub presents... Water is Life
19 Oct, 2023 | 4.00pm - 7.00pm AEDST

4-5pm: To celebrate National Water Week, we will be offering a special after-school workshop by the incredible Erth Puppetry team. Create a gorgeous water dragon hand puppet to take home.

6-7pm: Be inspired after the workshop by our lively panel of ecologists and environmental science leaders that will talk about water dragons, turtles, platypus and other animals of our waterways, and why they are important indicators of environmental health. Learn how you can jump on board citizen science projects, such as the 2023 Eureka Prize winning 1 Million Turtles, and other ways you can help protect and preserve our local waterways. 

- Ages: 6-12, all children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver 
- Registration essential
- FREE

Public Event

Saltatio Pluviae - Group Show
20 Oct, 2023 | 6.30pm - 10.00pm AEDST

An Australian National Water Week exclusive, this unique and immersive show fuses fashion, dance, music and art based on the theme ‘United by Water’. Join in on an unmissable night celebrating water’s life-giving connection to our community in driving economic growth, supporting healthy ecosystems, and enriching culture

Invite-Only Event

Water Stories: Voices From The Bush To The Boardroom
19 Oct, 2023 | 12.30pm AEDST

Almost a year on from the floods that plagued vast regions across eastern Australia, pH-Seven is continuing to to raise awareness and engagement around water issues and flood-affected communities in regional Victoria.

pH-Seven is a measure of a neutral environment. It is the pH of pure water, and healthy soil, and is considered the optimal conditions for growth. Our aim with pH-Seven is to create inspiring storytelling events with a code of conduct underpinned by neutrality (space, place and mindset). To encourage listening, the absorption of perspectives and encourage greater understanding. Importantly, pH-Seven is a sponsor-neutral event and also a carbon-neutral event.  

Partner Event

Water Night
19 Oct, 2023 | 5:00pm – 10:00pm AEDST

We are calling on Australians everywhere to sign up and join a nationwide community supporting stronger action on climate change and water awareness. Can you go without using taps and running water from 5-10pm, 19th October?

Sign up and show your support for Water! #lifeineverydrop