The autumn edition of What’s On in Centennial Parklands has been released with OVER 60 activities and events to choose from! To start you off, here is a list of 10 events and activities you definitely shouldn’t miss out on.

Check them out below:

#10: Up close encounters with wildlife

Centennial Parklands is home to many different birds and animals, and these school holidays we are giving kids the chance to meet some these ‘residents’ with a hands-on shows such as Swamp Creatures (where they will feed an earthworm, hold a hermit crab and pat a phasmid) and Wildlife Up Close Show (meet, touch and have your photo taken with friendly Australian native animals and take a wildlife tour).We’re also running our ever popular Spotlight Prowl!

#9: Release your artistic flair!

Taste of Sydney: 14-17 March 2013

This season we’re running a series of free landscape drawing programs called Sketch Centennial (read previous post) – designed for the novice or experienced artist! Alternately, if you love photography then don’t miss out on the popular Head On Photo Festival or Peter Solness’ new photography workshop, ‘Painting with Light’.

#8: One for the green thumbs!

To celebrate Centennial Park’s 125^th Anniversary we are holding a special plant sale on Saturday 23 March for you to purchase a piece of Centennial Park to take home with you. Meet our volunteer Growing Group, and choose from over 20 species of plants on sale (we will also be holding a Mother’s Day plant sale on 11 May for that unique Mother’s Day present).

#7: New golf expo – a must for all golfers

For all golf lovers! We are hosting the inaugural Sydney Golf Expo on 13–14 March 2013. The two-day expo is a fun and informative free event representing all major golfing brands (showcasing their latest release equipment), and includes great food and entertainment for the whole family.

#6: Big Air School fun at EQ

Our friends at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park will be hosting Big air School at the EQ – stunt shows with prizes, live DJ music, and follows up with workshops where patrons can ride BMX’s, scooters and skateboards on our portable ramps and learn from Australia’s best action sports athletes!

#5: Join a fun Parklands tour

Join us this autumn to catch an earful and eyeful of Centennial Park’s early morning birdlife on International Dawn Chorus Day (first Sunday in May), with our expert birdwatcher, Trevor Waller, or take a guided tour looking at Centennial Park’s majestic trees with our senior arborist, Ted’s Tree Tour on Sunday 7 April.

#4: Fizzics puts the fun in science!

Science educators Fizzics are back in Centennial Parklands this autumn with a range of new and popular programs including: the chance to watch the amazing Liquid Nitrogen Show, see 100,000 volts discharged in a flash in Create a Buzz, and explore things all creepy and gooey in the name of studying the human body in Gross and Gory.

#3: Do we have Easter family fun? Tick!

The Great CP Egg Hunt – 30-31 March 2013

Back for its third year is the Great Centennial Park Easter Egg Hunt! Follow the clues around the Parklands to find a friendly furry Park resident waiting at the end with an Easter surprise. The Sydney Family Show will also be on over the Easter break at the Entertainment Quarter.

#2: Taste of Sydney returns

Tickle your tastebuds at Taste of Sydney, back at Centennial Park from 14-17 March. This aptly termed “pop-up restaurant event” is an opportunity to create your ultimate degustation menu as you sip, sample and graze your way through Sydney’s finest restaurants.

#1: Unleash yourself on the Nike She Runs 10K!

After last year’s success of Painting the Park pink, Nike returns to Centennial Park with Nike She Runs 10K – Unleashed. The idea of the event was originally conceived last year to increase women’s confidence of running at night. The event has become so popular it has now grown from 3,000 runners to 6,000 this year! We can’t wait to see what Nike do to decorate the Park this year! And don’t forget, men can participate too!

Nike She Runs 10k – Unleashed – Saturday 4 May 2013

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These are just a number of our great events and activities program available this season. Find out all the details:

• on our online What’s On program
• by downloading our What’s On calendar
• by downloading our iPhone app

Like our recent announcements about Tropfest and The Color Run, we release details of new and upcoming events throughout the year. In fact, very, very soon we are about to announce something exciting! So make sure you keep in touch with us to know as soon as the information is released, by:

• subscribing to our eNewsletter
• liking us on Facebook
• following us on Twitter
• subscribing to the blog via RSS

Yesterday, Centennial Park was announced as a winner of an inaugural Green Flag Award, an international recognition as one of the world’s leading public parklands.

The prestigious Green Flag Award was awarded for the first time in Australia and New Zealand and, on the back of The Light Garden, caps off a wonderful start to the 125th Anniversary year for Centennial Park!

David Clarke, CEO of Parks Forum (the Green Flag accreditation agency), sent his congratulations and said that the Parklands should be considered alongside some of the world’s highest quality parks. He said: “We know that healthy, well managed parks mean healthier communities and the Green Flag Award shows us which parks are setting the standard.”

So, what is a Green Flag Award?

Centennial Park will shortly be able to fly its very own ‘Green Flag’ for 2013.

The Green Flag Award is an international award which assesses the quality of parks across a number of categories, including their safety, quality of the facilities, management of the environment, historical features, and as great places for people to play and recreate.

Originally a UK-based Award program, “[t]he scheme was set up in 1996 to recognise and reward green spaces in England and Wales that met the laid down high standards. It is also seen as a way of encouraging others to achieve the same high environmental standards, creating a benchmark of excellence in recreational green areas.” (ref: Wikipedia)

Each Green Flag Award application is judged against eight key criteria:

1. A welcoming place
2. Healthy, safe and secure
3. Well maintained and clean
4. Sustainability
5. Conservation and heritage
6. Community involvement
7. Marketing
8. Management

So, what now?

Parks Forum will send us our very own Green Flag to hoist up high for a year in honour of this recognition. We will shortly be raising this flag in Federation Valley.

Great timing?

Absolutely. With Centennial Park celebrating its 125th Anniversary, this Award confirms what we all pretty much know already – the Park is a world-class gem that we are so fortunate to have just moments from the Sydney CBD.

Australian author and Nobel Prize for Literature winner, Patrick White, once described Centennial Park as the “lungs of the city”. The Park is our park – “the People’s Park”. It’s a place that many generations have planned, created, maintained, fought and protested for, and provides an increasingly important service to the community every day.

As David Clarke said above: “healthy, well managed parks mean healthier communities”, and that is what this Award confirms. Centennial Park is an essential part of our global city. Essential for our health, essential for our environment, essential for the liveability of our city.

We don’t just want Centennial Park…we need it.

Simple as that.

- posted by Craig Easdown

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Here’s three slices of Centennial Park life to leave you with…

The People’s Park

The lungs of the city

Green Flag Award winner!

Today we complete our blog series in honour of National Bird Week across Australia. We finish on a bit of a Bird Miscellany – which includes some of our top bird-related blog posts and best bird photos sent to us by park visitors.

Enjoy the feathery treat!

Family meal time – captured brilliantly by Colette Rose

Check out these posts:

• Lost and Found – A Cockatiel Tale: a great yarn about a lost and found moment earlier this year
• Going Cuckoo in Centennial Park: check out this cute little visitor to the Parklands

A Goose Parade – marched by the camera of David Havas

Or check out these posts:

• Having a bird-crush on the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo: see our post on one of our favourite feathery friends
• Our encounter with the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos: the response to our blog post

Zamil Mattar got up close and personal with a black swan

Or maybe these posts:

• Birdwatching – what’s that about?: an insight into this little world
• Wondering what a Birdwatcher’s Breakfast is like?: now you know what it’s about, try it yourself!

A Willy Wagtail captured living on the edge by Russell Pike

Or then again, these posts:

• How many birds nests can one tree carry? Find out here.
• Ibis prosthetics: are they giving Ibis artificial wings now?

An Ibis reflected beautifully in the lens of Andrew Adhigunarsa

Had enough of the birds?

Well, before we leave you for the weekend, we’ll give you just one more very, very cute photo.

A narcissistic chick – a brilliant moment captured by Niki Pollock

Hope you enjoyed National Bird Week.

Spring has sprung in Sydney, and we are not only overflowing with colour and life in the natural world, but overflowing with fun and activities for visitors. Here are the ten best activities to do in Centennial Parklands this season.

#10: MasterChef Live!

Tickets are now on sale!

This ultimate foodie event turns Moore Park into a festival of cooking for three delicious days and features an all-star line-up of top chefs including George Calombaris, Matt Moran, Maggie Beer, Adriano Zumbo, Darren Robertson, Vincent Gadan, Kylie Kwong, Miguel Maestre and many more.

5-7 October 2012. Find out more.

#9: Kids vs Wild

In keeping with our development of opportunities for kids to learn and play outdoors, this survival session features the survival priority of foraging and tracking for wild food. Learn about some of the types of animal evidence left behind to help track a prey item and investigate the types of “bush plants” that may be eaten. For the 5-12 year olds.

4 October 2012. Find out more.

#8: Peter Solness Night Magic Workshop

Night Tree in the Park – by Peter Solness

Now an institution in Centennial Park. Imagine creating your own visually spectacular night photos. You can, and you need little to no knowledge before you try! Renowned night photographer, Peter Solness, developed these workshops as a result of much interest from visitors to his exhibition, ‘Illuminated Landscape’ at the Superintendents Residence at Centennial Park.

21 September, 26 October, 30 November 2012. Find out more.

#7: Cirque du Soleil – Ovo

Cirque du Soleil returns to Australia with a spectacular production for the whole family, presented under the trademark blue-and-yellow Big Top. OVO is a headlong rush into a colourful eco-system teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. If you’ve never experienced Cirque du Soleil, don’t miss this one!

13 September to 25 November 2012. Find out more.

#6: Springtime Spotlight Prowl

Spotlight Prowl in Centennial Park

Returning for spring! Centennial Parklands is home to a variety of nocturnal creatures, from Brush-tail possums, to one of Sydney’s largest colonies of grey headed flying fox. Join our experienced Rangers for a night time walk who use a powerful but harmless spotlight to point out our nocturnal residents and tell stories about their night-time adaptations. This is one of Centennial Parklands most popular programs so book early to avoid disappointment.

5 October 2012. Find out more.

#5: Tiny tots horse camp

You’re never too young to expeience the wonders of riding a horse…well, for the 4-6 year olds, this is their chance! Tiny tots are invited to a 2-day camp run by Centennial Stables, a riding school located in the Centennial Parklands Equestrian Centre. First time offering in the Parklands.

24 to 25 September, 1 to 2 October 2012. Find out more.

#4: CP Bush Rangers Day Camp

Another firm favourite that encourages outdoor learning and exploration through the ‘wild play’ program. Kids enjoy a day of wildlife, bushcrafts, outdoor challenges, games and free play all in the great outdoors of Centennial Parklands. All programs are led by experienced staff who specialise in introducing nature and the outdoors to school age children in a safe, fun and challenging environment. Activities are designed to allow children to play outside, to take part in problem solving and cooperative challenges. For parents who want an alternative to screen time!

3 October 2012. Find out more.

#3: The Biggest Comedy Show on Earth

Book now!

A firm favourite returns – don’t miss it this year! A show for those of short attention span. 10 comics take to the stage for about 10 minutes each over 2 hours in a fast paced showcase of non stop laughs. A traditional comedy club show featuring a variety lineup of the best Australian & international talent, plus Australia’s brightest rising stars.

6 to 22 September 2012. Find out more.

#2: Spooks in the Park

Be very, very, careful. It’s Spook season! Centennial Park will be overrun with ghosts, goblins and ghouls on our newest Halloween event. Follow a map to find lots of ghostly games to play, climb through the nightmare spider’s web and get chased by zombies! Starting out from the Education Precinct in Centennial Park this event is all shivery fun.

27 October 2012. Find out more.

#1: AFTRS Open Young Filmmakers Bootcamp

A new joint initiatve

The Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) Open Young Filmmakers Bootcamp is for young people aged between 9-12 years. In five days teams of young filmmakers will write, plan, shoot, edit and screen a short film. This fun and engaging program will enable young people to create a story of their own and apply the skills and knowledge learnt to create their film. The Bootcamp will be held in the Learning Centre of one of Australia’s most iconic filming locations; Centennial Parklands which has been proud to be the location for many high profile films including Wolverine and the Great Gatsby. The outdoor setting of the Parklands will inspire the young filmmakers on their quest to emulate some of the world’s most famous directors when they shout “Action!”.

24 to 28 September 2012. Find out more.

Bookings now being taken!

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So, there you go. Ten great activities and events to be part of this spring. There are many, many more available – just download our brochure (PDF, 2.7MB) to learn more, or visit our online What’s On section on our website.

What has been your favourite event or activity in Centennial Parklands? Post your recommendations here.

The second in our series of great NSW Government social media sites focuses on Twitter (we previously looked at Facebook). Many people are confused about Twitter and how it works. Some people do it well, and others tell you about what they’re having for breakfast. Here is a short list of 10 great Twitter streams we follow within the NSW Government ranks that you may find worthwhile following.

#10: NSW Institute of Sport

Not just because its subject matter has been topical due to the recent Olympic Games, but because it provides timely and informative updates on performances of NSWIS athletes and events in progress. This is the sort of real-time information stream that Twitter can provide to an audience that seeks that service.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thenswis

 #9: Rural Women’s Network

One from left field? Not really. The Rural Women’s Network Twitter stream is a great example of how Twitter can bring together a geographically distant network of people, and allow engagement and information sharing. Yes, the content is quite specific to the needs and wants of women living in rural areas across NSW, but if you want to see how Twitter can help overcome geographic barriers, then this is a great example.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/NSW_RWN

#8: Wild About Whales

Couldn’t go past this one. Here’s an example of a niche market (whalewatching anoraks!) being catered for by a Government agency that can provide on-the-ground and real-time data. Good personal touch to many tweets as well. Love the #whaleon hashtag as well!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/WildAboutWhales

#7: Powerhouse Museum

It’s not surprising that some of the Government organisations and cultural institutions from our Facebook list also do well on Twitter. The Powerhouse Museum have a wealth of resources and stories to tell. Their Twitter stream can be minimalist (just pointers to other content elsewhere) but always informative and rarely uninteresting. In fact, I’ve found myself becoming interested in things I never knew about before!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/phmuseum

#6: Sydney Observatory

I love this. Turning an old and noble profession into an engaging, relevant and inspiring read. Sydney Observatory is not only a fantastic place to visit, but has an enviable compilation of stories to tell and information to call upon. One for anyone who has ever looked up in the night sky and wondered what’s going on up there.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sydneyobs

#5:  NSW Department of Primary Industries

I’ll tell you one reason why the Department of Primary Industries Twitter stream made our list. I didn’t realise the scale of what they were responsible for until we followed them. It’s a great example of people who have thought hard about how they want to use Twitter and the people behind it are: (1) very knowledgeable about their field of responsibility, and/or (2) have quick access to experts who can provide that knowledge promptly. For people who work within industries covered by NSW DPI, this seems a great service to have access to.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/nswdpi

#4: Fire and Rescue NSW

One of the absolute strengths of this Twitter stream for Fire and Rescue NSW is that it almost ensures anyone following it has utmost and ongoing respect for the work of their staff. It seems obvious to say that we should all appreciate the work of firefighters and rescue workers, but to see and hear about their work in such a real-time manner just expands this respect. Not for everyone, but a great public communications service for the agency. Perfect application for Twitter.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/firerescuensw

#3: Australian Museum

Another example of an organisation equally good at different social media channels. I can’t do any more than quote exactly what we said about their Facebook page: “Making a grand old institution a modern and engaging place for the community. A great example of how exhibitions can be carried beyond the walls of the building they’re housed in.”

Twitter: http://twitter.com/austmus

#2: Discover Sydney (by Destination NSW)

Another high-end example of doing good and doing it well. Does what it says on the tin – it lets you discover Sydney! Engaging for locals, engaging for Australian tourists, engaging for international tourists. Can’t really go wrong with the subject matter they have to play with. Indispensible information service for anyone with an interest in Sydney.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sydney_sider

#1: School A to Z (by Department of Education)

An odd choice for the top spot? Absolutely not. And here’s why. On the surface you’d suspect as an outsider that a large bureaucracy in the Education sector may just crank out a dry, academic and instructional Twitter stream. But no, not at all. What the clever people behind this Twitter stream have decided to provide is an absolutely indispensible service for any parent with a child of school age. Tips and resources for managing life’s learning challenges in the early years, ideas for discussing or addressing some of life’s trickier issues with adolescents, absolutely relevant and creative ways to help empower parents in an age where parenting is seemingly becoming more complex by the day. Can’t recommend it more for parents, grandparents or carers of children at, or about to enter the school system.

Love their new iPhone app as well!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/schoolatoz

And of course, there’s one more!

Of course we have, once again, let modesty overcome us and not gone for the obvious…I mean, we all KNOW Centennial Parklands’ Twitter stream is the top site to follow! 

What we would request, however, is that if you do indeed follow and like our Twitter stream then tell your friends and Twitter followers about us. Retweet something you like. Feel free to comment, respond to or ask us a question. We’re a self-funded public parklands here to provide a service to the community, and we need your support. Even if it is just your digital support!

So that was our list of 10 top Twitter streams in the NSW Government. What do you think of the list? Do you think we missed a great one out there? What other Government Twitter feed do you like in other levels of Government, other states or other countries? Tell us about ones you like and why.