Science in Oberon
More than you imagine
Saturday, 15th August 2026 at the Malachi Gilmore Hall, Oberon, NSW
To mark National Science Week 2026, Oberon Citizen Science Network is proud to present this free community event, “Science in Oberon: More than you imagine”, at the Malachi Gilmore Hall in Oberon on Saturday, 15th August 2026.
This Inspiring Australia NSW initiative is supported by the Australian Government as part of National Science Week. Oberon Citizen Science Network also gratefully acknowledges support for this event by Oberon Council through its Section 356 community funding scheme.
The National Science Week 2026 event in Oberon will be held at the wonderful art deco Malachi Gilmore Hall in co-operation with its owners, Lucy and Johnny East. The Malachi Gilmore Hall is an architectural gem that looks like it has just landed from Outer Space, despite being built in 1932. 
15th August 2026 event at the Malachi Gilmore Hall, Oberon
| Start Time | Item |
|---|---|
| 10:00 am | Exhibition of science-related projects, demonstrations and posters Please see list of exhibits below |
| 11:30 am | School biodiversity colouring-in competition |
| 12:00 pm | Soup and bread roll ($10 per person) available |
| 12:30 pm | Clr Andrew McKibbin, Mayor of Oberon Official opening of event |
| 12:35 pm | Aunty Ruby Dykes Acknowledgement of Country & biobanking at Tricketts Arch Biodiversity Site Aboriginal Corporation |
| 12:45 pm | Tim Churches, OCSN Co-founder & President Introduction to OCSN and its activities, goals and plans |
| 1:05 pm | Dr Ana Gracanin, Research Fellow, Australian National University Fenner School of Environment & Society Greater gliders and other arboreal marsupials: ecology and conservation |
| 1:35 pm | Jackson Wilburn Wilkes, PhD candidate, School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences (BEES), University of NSW Effects of climate change on platypus populations in the Fish and Duckmaloi Rivers near Oberon |
| 2:00 pm | Malan Bothma, PhD candidate, School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences (BEES), University of UNSW The effects of wind farms on Australian bird species – what we know and what we don’t know |
| 2:25 pm | An interactive scientific musical interlude |
| 2:35 pm | Afternoon tea Tea, coffee and light refreshments available (free) |
| 2:50 pm | Alan Sheehan, OCSN Co-founder & Public Officer Eco-acoustics for biodiversity assessment |
| 3:10 pm | Dr Anne Musser, Jenolan Caves Trust and NPWS Biodiversity at Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve, with a special look at platypus research |
| 3:35 pm | Various speakers Closing remarks |
| 3:45 pm | End of event |
| 4:00 pm | Hall closes |
List of Exhibits
The Malachi Gilmore Hall will be open to public on Saturday 15th August 2026 to view the exhibits from 10am to 12:30pm. A series of talks (please see program above) will commence at 12:30pm. Admission for both the exhibits and the talks is free.
The planned exhibits include:
- a banner by by artist Karly Fowler showing life-size illustrations of many Australian native bat species
- School Colouring Competition
- an interactive kinetic sound sculpture by Lucy East
- OCSN seismic monitoring equipment and analyses of earthquakes both near and far detected by our monitors located near Oberon, including a live view display of OCSN seismic monitoring stations R21C0 and R5969, and a tablet computer demonstrating ShakeNet app that can used to view them and other seismic monitors around the world
- infrared and thermal wildlife cameras designed and constructed by OCSN to detect platypus and rakali in the headwaters of rivers around Oberon, with a live view from a thermal camera, and excerpts of nocturnal videos captured by this equipment
- a live demonstration of a Chladni plate, illustrating resonant frequencies in metal plates
- Birdweather demo showing OCSN stations and bird detections.
- demonstration of Audiomoth mic driving the Audiomoth live app for eco-acoustic detection
- various stereo and electronic microscopes allowing examination of butterfly and moth wings and other natural specimens of interest
- light traps for nocturnal insects
- a display of nature photography in the Oberon region by Warren Lloyd
- displays and demonstration of various electronic test equipment (more details soon)