If you’re looking for a reason to get out of the house this Saturday, North Narrabeen has you sorted. The Coastal Environment Centre’s annual Open Day is the centrepiece of a bumper lineup of free and low-cost community events all happening on 29 August at and around Lake Park Road — making it one of the busiest days the suburb has seen in a while.
A Day Out at the CEC
Running from 9am to 2pm at the Coastal Environment Centre on Pelican Path, the Open Day is free to attend and promises something for every age group. Families can expect hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, nature crafts, face painting and story sessions for younger kids, as well as a free plant giveaway while stocks last. Animals from Sydney Zoo and Bugs About will also be on site, and the local Scouts will be running a sausage sizzle. Live music will play throughout the day.
For those wanting to dig a little deeper, Northern Beaches Council staff will be on hand from teams covering bushland, biodiversity, waste education, sustainability, road safety and environmental volunteering. It’s the kind of event where you can have a snag, chat to an expert about your backyard compost, and still be home in time for dinner.
Talk the Talk on Solar and Energy
Running alongside the Open Day, from 9am to 2pm, is the Solar and Energy Roadshow — also at Pelican Path. If your power bills have been making your eyes water, or you’re in the middle of planning a renovation, this is worth a stop-in. Council’s Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change team will be available to walk visitors through options including solar panels, battery storage, Virtual Power Plants, electrification and passive design principles.
There’s also a newly launched Solar Sharer Offer being promoted at the event, which is designed specifically to benefit renters who wouldn’t ordinarily have access to rooftop solar savings. No bookings needed — just turn up.
Picnic in the Park
Earlier in the morning, from 9am to noon at Lakeside Park on Lake Park Road, Northern Beaches Council hosted the reimagined Picnic in the Park, Narrabeen. Attendees who came along are encouraged to share their thoughts via a short feedback survey — it takes between three and five minutes and closes at 5pm on Friday 18 September 2026. Participants go in the running to win a $100 voucher to a Northern Beaches restaurant of their choice.
Bush Foods, Bees and Backyard Biodiversity
A series of free talks at the Coastal Environment Centre rounds out the day’s program. Each requires prior registration.
At 10am, a 45-minute session in the CEC’s west side garden will explore Aboriginal ways of knowing and caring for Country, with a focus on native plants — their traditional uses, their seasonal cycles, and their potential place in Australia’s food future. The session reflects a broader vision of integrating bush food knowledge and cultural understanding into everyday Australian life.
At 11am, a keeper talk runs for half an hour, giving visitors a chance to meet green tree frogs, a blue tongue lizard and a bearded dragon up close. The session covers how these animals are adapted to survive in the wild, and how the local community can support their habitats.
From 11:45am to 12:15pm, a talk on native and European bees looks at the role these pollinators play in keeping ecosystems and food systems healthy, and offers practical tips on how to support bee populations at home — handy for anyone with a garden.
At 12:45pm, a broader conversation about Northern Beaches biodiversity runs until 1:30pm, exploring the ecosystems of the local area and the plants and animals that depend on them — including why even a suburban backyard can make a difference.
Low-Tide Rock Pool Tour
To cap off the afternoon, the Coastal Environment Centre is running a guided Rock Platform Tour at the North Narrabeen rock pools from 2pm to 3:30pm. At low tide, local educators lead visitors through the intertidal zone, where sea stars, sea hares, limpets, elephant snails and crabs can be found living between the land and the sea. It’s a great option for families, and tickets are $15 per adult, or $15 for one adult and up to two children under 18. Bookings are essential. Wear closed shoes, bring a hat and sunscreen.
For enquiries about any of the Coastal Environment Centre events, phone 1300 000 232 or email cec@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au. For solar and energy enquiries, contact the Council sustainability team at sustainability@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au. For Picnic in the Park, reach the Events Team on 1300 434 434.
Published 26-August-2026
