Sustainability takes festival's front stage

Katrina Lamont (13), of Dunedin, tests the University of Otago Physical Education yardstick at the Science Festival headquarters in the Community Gallery yesterday.
Katrina Lamont (13), of Dunedin, tests the University of Otago Physical Education yardstick at the Science Festival headquarters in the Community Gallery yesterday.
Science, sustainability and having "heaps of fun" are the themes at the Otago Daily Times Science Festival headquarters in Dunedin's Community Gallery this week.

"I liked making a model wind turbine," Dunedin schoolgirl Katrina Lamont (13) said.

Others enjoyed planting edible gardens and packing for an imaginary space trip - just some of the activities available at the "hub" of the festival.

The "brain box" workshop was very popular with attendees 4 to 8 years old.

It was a place where they could jump around while learning how the brain controls the body.

For adults, there is plenty of information on worm and wind farming and the sea art exhibit was also popular.

"We had about 300 visitors this morning and at the end of the workshop all the kids were smiling," organiser Sue Clarke said. - Keira Stephenson