The Energy Breakthrough is not just about HPVs. On Saturday morning near the Display and Presentation Marquees, there is the Central Highland Water sponsored Innovations in Technology – Crafty Design and Junkyard Challenge. It is a buzz of activity.

From 10 am, the Crafty Design takes place. Students (teams of 4) have built a craft that represents an Invertebrate (a creature without a backbone) that can sail unaided along an 8 metre water tank. The students talk about their craft from 10:00 am and explain to the judging panel: Why they chose that particular nvertebrate? How is the craft propelled? What problems did they have had along the journey? They are also encouraged to talk about the environment, water quality and more.

Then the exciting time is at 2:00 pm when the sail off takes place. You have to jostle for a space to see the action and the weather is always a challenge:
Will the sun be out for the solar craft? Will it be windy and if so what direction will it be coming from? What craft will be the quickest? Will the crafts all make the distance?

So why not wander away from the Human Powered Vehicle action and see our young inventors in action?

Saturday – 10 am to 2:30 near the Display and Presentation Marquees.

In the Junkyard Challenge, the action kicks-off at 11:00 am Saturday in one of the Display and Presentation Marquees. Excitement, anticipation as the students wonder what junk will be available this year.

The challenge this year is to build a Crafty Crane which can move a container of 4 litres of water 1 metre (1.5 metre for secondary students).

Once the junk is revealed, the students rush in to get the best pieces. It is always a great scramble and can be rather hectic! The students can have a mentor at the start, but from then on it is up to the students, and it’s amazing that last year that no two structures were the same.

The final presentation by the students of their particular ‘Junkyard’ structure takes place at 12:30 pm.

Central Highlands Water is committed to environmental education. 

Central Highlands Water are proud sponsors of the Innovations in Technology category of the Energy Breakthrough and they are looking forward to helping provide hands-on learning opportunities for participants again this year. Central Highlands Water is a regional water corporation providing high quality drinking water, sewerage, trade waste and recycled water services to customers in Ballarat and surrounding towns, including Maryborough.

For more information about CHW’s education program, please contact:

Shannon Haintz
Central Highlands Water
T: 03 5320 3251
E: shannon.haintz@chw.net.au
Visit: https://www.chw.net.au/community/education-resources