With over 50 events and activities across the city, City of Newcastle’s Count Us In festival celebrates community inclusion and accessibility across Newcastle. The festival runs for three weeks until 24 September.
Delivered in partnership with Community Disability Alliance Hunter and other community and business groups, the festival proudly presents a program that demonstrates, showcases and inspires!
The Count Us In festival is curated by City of Newcastle and people with lived experience of disability, with a program of events and activities that help all Novocastrians better understand and experience access and inclusion.
Throughout the duration of the festival be sure to participate in key family friendly events including Count Us In Vibes at Museum Park, JD’s World of Magic and the Families Supporting Families Inclusive Disco.
Some event highlights include:
Count Us In Vibes
Museum Park will come alive with an afternoon of performers of all abilities delivering music and dance, along with information and opportunities to learn about disability inclusive activities across Newcastle.
Date: Friday 22 September
Time: 2:00pm–6:00pm
Location: Museum Park, 430 Hunter Street Newcastle NSW 2300
Booking: Not required
Cost: Free
Families Supporting Families Disco
Families Supporting Families are hosting an inclusive family disco where you can dance, move and sing while music fills the air. A family-friendly event with a relaxed attitude to accommodate people with disabilities and their significant others to all enjoy being themselves.
Date: Sunday 10 September
Time: 3:00pm–5:00pm
Location: Wallsend Diggers Club, 5 Tyrell Street Wallsend NSW 2287
Booking: Essential https://events.humanitix.com/family-disco
Cost: Free
JD’s World of Magic
Families Supporting Families are hosting JD’s World of Magic Show with international award-winning magician, Joel Howlett. A family-friendly event with a relaxed attitude to audience noise and movement to accommodate people who may require a more flexible environment. This is a show that is sure to entertain and delight all ages!
Date: Saturday 16 September
Time: 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Location: Fort Scratchley Function Centre, 1/3 Nobbys Rd, Newcastle East, NSW 2300
Booking: Free, Bookings Essential https://events.humanitix.com/jds-magic-show
Cost: Free
Surfing the Spectrum Nobbys
Surfing the Spectrum is an inclusive learn to surf event for young people 5-18 years old who are on the autism spectrum or a sibling of a person on the spectrum. This event is an opportunity to learn to surf, water skills, water safety and have lots of fun.
Date: Saturday 23 September
Time: 9:00am–1:00pm
Location: Nobbys Beach, Newcastle NSW 2300
Booking: Essential Contact Tahlia Anderson M 0490 790 988
Cost: Free
The Power of Play
Play is a child’s work AND their joy. Play has the power to promote development and relationships no matter your child’s age. The Newcastle Toy Library, in partnership with experienced Paediatric Occupational Therapist, Lara Betland, are offering an information session on how play can be used to promote infant and child development, and how parents and carers can further enhance the power of play by being a play partner.
Dates: Monday 18 & Friday 22 September
Time: 6:00pm – 7:00pm on Monday 18 September or 10:30am–11:30am on Friday 22 September
Location: New Lambton Library, 95 Regent Street, New Lambton NSW 2305
Booking: https://whatson.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/
Cost: Free
Sharing Culture Storytime
Uncle Amos Simon from Muurrung Marai is generously sharing Awabakal and Gathung language and culture through song, dance, puppets, guitar and yadaki (didgeridoo)
Date: Saturday 2 September
Time: 11:00am -11:45am
Location: Wallsend District Library, 30 Bunn Street Wallsend, NSW 2287
Booking: Reserve your spot here
Cost: Free
Lego Club
Share your skills, master cool builds and make new friends. We have buckets loads of LEGO® and a different challenge each week. Fun guaranteed! Suggested ages: 5-12 years
Date: Tuesday 5, 12, & 19 September
Time: 4:00pm-4:45pm
Location: Wallsend District Library, 30 Bunn Street, Wallsend 2287
Booking: Not required
Cost: Free
Variety Activate Sports Day
Variety Activate Inclusion Sport Day engages children of school age into a range of adaptive sports lead by Disability Sports Australia, Sport NSW and sporting associations representatives.
Date: Thursday 7 September
Time: 10:00am–1:00pm
Location: Newcastle Basketball Stadium, 27 Young Road Broadmeadow, NSW 2292
Booking: Via schools
Cost: Free
Wetlands Count Us In
Visit the Wetlands and take a tour of our grounds, view our gallery, enjoy the view from our cafe, enjoy morning tea, experience the animal house and hand feed geese whilst relaxing in our magnificent wetlands, why not even try your luck fishing from our accessible fishing platform
Date: Thursday 7, 14 & 21 September
Time: 9:30am–1:30pm
Location: Hunter Wetlands, 1 Wetlands Place, Shortland NSW 2307
Booking: Essential, via Bruce Tozer M 0417 413 095 E marketing@wetlands.org.au
Cost: Free for specific events (General entrance fee applies otherwise)
As well as the events included above, the 2023 Count Us In Festival includes many other events including Count Us In Business Lunch featuring 2022 Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott AO, Healthy Humans Zumba, Deaf Community Art Workshop, Newcastle Transport Travel Experience Day and How to be a Good Ally.
For a full program of events and activities and booking information, visit City of Newcastle’s website.
Started in late 2012 by a local mum, Newy with Kids has grown into a thriving go-to family guide for the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter region. Parents visit the Newy with Kids website to find things to do with babies, kids and teens. Whether it’s local attractions, upcoming events, kids eat free, school holiday activities or birthday party ideas, Newy with Kids is the best website for local parents to find local kid-friendly activities and information 24/7.