The weather is warming up … time to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine! With so much to do and see in Newcastle, how will you choose to spend your summer? Here are some ideas from Newcastle City Council:

HOLIDAY REVELRY NEW YEAR ' S EVE 2016 Saturday 31 December, Honeysuckle Precinct Enjoy the last day of the year admiring Newcastle ' s working port with live music, family-friendly entertainment and 9 pm fireworks in the Honeysuckle precinct. Book in for dinner, grab some take away or bring a picnic and join the fun.

AUSTRALIA DAY 2017 Thursday 26 January, City Hall and Honeysuckle Precinct We will welcome new citizens and award our high achieving Novocastrians at the annual Australia Day citizenship and awards ceremony. The festivities will continue harbour side with plenty of family friendly fun.

SCHOOL ' S OUT! The 2016 / 17 summer school holidays run from Monday 19 December 2016 to Friday 27 January 2017. Our venues offer a range of hands-on activities throughout the school holidays that create a magic mixture of fun and learning.

There will be art workshops at Newcastle Art Gallery, science shows at Newcastle Museum, story time and craft at Newcastle Region Libraries, Blackbutt Reserve ' s Junior Ranger Fun Day and more! For all the details,

26 | www. intouchmagazine. com. au go to Council ' s website where you can find more information and, in early January, you can download a copy of our brochure.

FANCY A DIP? Beach season is here! Our professional lifeguards are on patrol at Nobbys, Newcastle, Stockton, Dixon Park and Merewether beaches as well as Merewether and Newcastle Ocean Baths all summer long.

Beresfield, Lambton, Mayfield, Stockton and Wallsend swimming centres are now open. For your safety, please swim only at patrolled beaches. For patrol times and baths cleaning schedules, please visit www. newcastle. nsw. gov. au.

GET ON YOUR BIKES Take off on an outdoor adventure using pedal power! There is so much to enjoy by bike in Newcastle. It ' s great for your health and your hip pocket, plus its just plain fun and great family time. For maps of some of the area ' s most enjoyable paths as well as cycling news, tips for riding safely and some inspiring videos. Visit Council ' s new cycling website, find your path and get on your bike today. www. onyourbike. com. au.

INDOOR SUMMER FUN Need to beat the heat? Make your way to Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle Museum or Newcastle Region Libraries for their wonderful summer exhibitions. Better yet, visit all three!

JOHN OLSEN: THE CITY ' S SON Newcastle Art Gallery until 19 February 2017 A ' Newcastle boy ' celebrates his birthplace with an exhibition showcasing more than 35 works of art from the Gallery ' s collection including ceramics, prints and paintings spanning 1954-1992, plus a brand new Olsen painting created just for Newcastle and this exhibition.

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR City Library until 25 February 2017 This world-renowned exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London,

features 100 awe-inspiring images of the last year, from fascinating animal behaviour to breathtaking wild landscapes.

HUMANOID DISCOVERY Newcastle Museum until 30 January 2017 Appreciate your body this Summer with this blockbuster exhibition that ' s all about the miracle of the human body and how it works.

For most of us, the idea of flying an airplane is a distant dream. Not so anymore! Companies such as Jet Flight Simulator Newcastle have now made it possible for everyone to experience just what it is like to take to the skies in command of a virtual airliner.

The simulator is based on the Boeing 737-800NG with scenery add-ons for improved visual detail. Although it is mounted on a fixed platform, it is very realistic and has fully functional Instruments and systems including overhead panel, autopilot and Flight Management System. In fact, the simulator is regularly used by in-pilot training programs to further the experience of trainee pilots.

Upon arrival at the Tudor Street premises, you are met by your co-pilot and provided with a short brief before you familiarise yourself with the cockpit, discuss your flight destination, go through the preflight check and navigation systems and

GO TO THE DOG PARK Bring the family pooch out to one of the city ' s designated off-leash areas- just remember these great tips for being a responsible dog owner. Always:

• Pick up dog poo

• Keep your dog on a leash, unless you are in a leash free area

• Microchip and register your dog

• Have your contact details on your dog ' s collar.

carry out power and pressure checks. Now you are ready to roll!

Once clearance is given, you soon find yourself accelerating down the runway with your co-pilot calling out the speed as you raise the pitch altitude and slowly pull back on the control to lift the nose. You are airborne!

Incredibly, you can choose from over 22,000 airports from which to take-off and land, as well as the weather conditions you wish to fly in. You can also choose a short flight such as a flight to Sydney or select from the longer 60,90 or 120 minutes sessions and land at the very challenging Hong Kong airport or fly over New York at night.

Regardless of your age, experience, or which flight package you choose, you can be sure your flight adventure will be unforgettable and makes for a fantastic gift.

See special offer on page 18!