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 !