The inaugural STEAM Fair held at The Foundations in Portland Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 November has been hailed a great success from everyone involved.
There were over 150 schoolchildren participating in a variety of workshops on Friday as part of a preview day and the weekend saw visitors in excess of 1000 people over the 2 days.
The local Wildflower show was a standout success, the first of its kind in the region.
The event had something for everyone with old steam engines and printing presses, computers from the past, the latest VR experiences and a variety of workshops, talks and tours across a range of subjects and science disciplines.
“This was the first event of its kind in the region, and with the great feedback we have received over the weekend, hopefully, it will be the first of many more to come,” said Rich Evans, a member of the STEAMWorks committee that hosted the event.
The Saturday night Opening event hosted in the annexe was the official launch of a new work by artist Tully Arnot in collaboration with local blacksmith Phil Spark. The work titled “Mutualism” explores the unique and endangered Purple Copper Butterfly and was a delight for all the attending guests.
The evening also heard a moving talk by Ian Allan, supervisor of Natural Areas & Arboriculture Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah, who captivated the audience with his story of the instrumental role he played in protecting the Wollemi Pines during the 2019-20 Black Summer Bushfires.
The event was officially opened by Director of Regional Development Australia, who were one of the major sponsors for the event.
For more information on upcoming STEAMWorks events throughout the school holidays, visit steamworks.org.au and join our mailing list.
Photos by Gus Armstrong for ArtsOutWest
