The July school holidays saw something a little different take flight in Kalgoorlie. For six action-packed days, twenty Year 5–6 students joined Curtin University’s BinarX School Holiday Program, designing experiments, building electronics, constructing rockets, analysing flight data and presenting their findings to family and friends. Hosted at Curtin University’s Kalgoorlie campus at the WA School of Mines and supported by the BinarX team and Curtin STEM Outreach, the program marked the first regional delivery of the BinarX School Holiday Program and culminated in a community rocket launch at the Kalgoorlie International Speedway.
Throughout the week, students worked in teams to develop their own science questions, build sensor payloads through hands-on electronics and soldering, construct and customise model rockets, process flight data, and communicate their findings through presentations and videos. The program was designed to showcase the breadth of skills involved in space and STEM careers, from engineering, mining and manufacturing through to data science, communication and creative problem-solving.
Friday’s rocket launch was a highlight for participants and the wider community. Students launched rockets carrying experiments they had designed themselves before recovering and analysing the data collected during flight. What began as twenty places for local students quickly grew into a community celebration, with more than 100 registered attendees and an estimated crowd approaching 200 people coming together to support the young rocketeers and witness their achievements.
The success of the program would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and support of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder community. We would like to sincerely thank the students for bringing their curiosity, creativity and willingness to tackle new challenges throughout the week. Every rocket launched represented days of teamwork, persistence and learning.
We are also incredibly grateful to the staff and students of Curtin University Kalgoorlie and the WA School of Mines for welcoming us to campus and helping create such a positive learning environment. A special thank you goes to Professor Laurence Dyer for providing students with a tour of the WASM Minerals Museum, giving participants a unique opportunity to connect their learning to the rich resources history of the Goldfields region. Students also benefited from presentations and discussions with Curtin student Ella Hawking and industry guest Eric Blood, helping them see the many different pathways available within science and engineering in the space sector right here in WA.
A huge thank you must also go to the Kalgoorlie International Speedway, whose committee generously opened their facilities to support the community rocket launch. Their willingness to embrace an unusual off-season use of the venue helped create a memorable experience for students, families and community members alike. The event provided an ideal space for safe launches while also giving younger children the opportunity to join in the excitement through water rocket activities. A big thank you to Dean and Caroline for welcoming us and we’d love to test out some of those student payloads in the cars once the racing season starts again!
The BinarX School Holiday Program is built on collaboration, and we are deeply appreciative of the organisations whose support made this regional delivery possible.
We gratefully acknowledge the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer, recognised under our partnership as the Legacy Initiative Partner – Regional Delivery Sponsor (Kalgoorlie 2026). Trailblazer support enabled fully funded scholarship places, reduced participation costs for families, and helped connect students with future pathways in mining, resources, critical minerals and related STEM careers.
We also acknowledge Foundation Sponsor the Fogarty Foundation for their continued support of the BinarX School Holiday Program. The Fogarty Foundation’s investment has played a key role in expanding access to STEM learning opportunities and helping us bring the program to regional Western Australia for the first time. The Foundation’s support has also helped ensure that financial barriers do not prevent young people from participating in transformative STEM experiences.
Most importantly, thank you to the families who entrusted us with their young scientists and engineers for the week. Watching students grow in confidence, embrace new challenges and proudly share their work with family and friends is what makes programs like this so rewarding.
Following the enthusiasm shown by participants, families and the wider community, we’re excited about the future of BinarX in regional Western Australia. The success of our first Kalgoorlie delivery demonstrates the incredible appetite for hands-on STEM opportunities in regional communities and reinforces the importance of creating pathways that allow young people to see themselves as future scientists, engineers, technicians and innovators.
To everyone who helped make this week possible: thank you for helping launch not just rockets, but future possibilities.
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Have a student entering Y5-6 in 2027 and want to participate in future BinarX School Holiday Programs?
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE – and we’ll get in touch when we have scheduled our next program!
