You don't need to have built anything before.
If you're curious, resourceful, ambitious and keen to learn this stuff, BarkerHacks is for you. No experience needed.
Having built things before is a nice bonus, and it might help you move faster, but it isn't what we're looking for. Nobody expects a polished demo. What matters most is your idea: a real problem, and a smart way to solve it.
You don't need a project on the go either. Come with an idea, or find one on the day. Mentors, organisers and students from schools across Sydney are in the room all day, so there are plenty of people to talk to and learn from.
- No experience needed
Built things before? Great. Never built anything? Also great. Just sign up.
- The idea matters most
Judges look at the problem you pick and how you solve it, not how polished your build is.
- In a team of 2 to 4
Come with friends, or come solo and team up on the day.
- Learn on the day
No project, language, qualification or competition background needed. Ask anyone in the room.
One day. In person. Free.
Wednesday 4 November 2026 at the Barker College Robotics Centre, 1 Carden Ave, Wahroonga, NSW, Sydney, Australia.
- Doors 7:00 am · Hackathon 8:00 am · Concludes 8:30 pm
A full in-person build day.
- Free to attend
Teams of 2 to 4 students. AI permitted and encouraged.
- Bring your own laptop and charger
Everything else is provided on the day.
From an idea to something real, in one day.
The emphasis is on building, not sitting through talks. AI tools are available throughout, and mentors and other builders are in the room all day.
All event times are Sydney local time (AEDT, UTC+11).
- Arrival + briefing
Teams arrive, receive the challenge and the event briefing.
- Build · 10 h 15 m
An intensive build period with AI tools, mentors and other builders on hand.
- Record + upload 3-min demo
Each team submits a 3-minute video: what you created, the problem it addresses, how it works.
- Judges watch every demo
Judges watch each team's video and read your answers to their questions. No live pitches.
- Judges decide the winners
- Awards + closing
- Photos / buffer
Built with AI, not without it.
Software, AI applications, websites, agents, tools, prototypes and other technology projects are all welcome where they fit the challenge.
You don't need to arrive with a finished idea, and nobody expects a polished startup in twelve hours. What matters most is the idea: spot a real problem, come up with a thoughtful way to solve it, and use the tools available to you to get a prototype working well enough to show it.
Projects should be built during BarkerHacks. You may use existing libraries, tools, APIs and reusable components, but judging focuses on what your team creates during the event.
- ChatGPT Pro subscription
Provided to each team.
Under 18s from Sydney high schools.
Any high school student who's curious and wants to learn. Complete beginners are welcome, and so are people who've built plenty before.
You don't need a particular programming language, qualification or competition background, and you don't need a project on the go. Bring curiosity and a laptop, and learn the rest on the day.
- Teams of 2 to 4
Come with friends and build together as a team.
- No team yet? Come anyway.
Team up with other students at the morning briefing.
- Register your team on the day
One person registers the team in the team portal and shares the team code with everyone else.
See you on 4 November.
We'll email you the event information before the day. Please use an email address you check regularly.
The email covers:
Participants under 18 require parent/guardian consent to attend. Consent information is sent to everyone who signs up. Further updates are published at barkerhacks.org.
Sydney high school hackathon FAQs.
The short answers. Anything else, DM the organisers on LinkedIn.
Is there an under-18 hackathon in Sydney?
Yes. BarkerHacks 2026 is a free AI hackathon for under-18 high school students from across Sydney, hosted at Barker College Robotics Centre in Wahroonga on Wednesday 4 November 2026. It's open to any student who wants to build, whatever their experience.
Who can come to BarkerHacks?
Any under-18 high school student from Sydney who is curious and wants to learn. You don't need coding experience, a project you're already working on, previous hackathons or formal qualifications. Having built things before is a nice bonus, but it isn't required, and judging focuses on your idea more than polish. Participants under 18 need parent or guardian consent to attend.
When and where is BarkerHacks 2026?
BarkerHacks is on Wednesday 4 November 2026 at Barker College Robotics Centre, 1 Carden Ave, Wahroonga, NSW, Sydney, Australia. Doors open at 7:00 am, the hackathon begins at 8:00 am, and the event concludes at 8:30 pm. All times are Sydney local time (AEDT, UTC+11).
Is BarkerHacks free to attend?
Yes. BarkerHacks is free to attend. Each team receives a ChatGPT Pro subscription. Bring your own laptop and charger.
How do I sign up?
Each person fills in the sign-up form linked on this page, even if you're coming with friends. You don't need a team yet: teams of 2 to 4 form on the day.
What do I need to do before the event?
Read the email we send before the day. It covers what to bring and the consent form if you are under 18.
DM the organisers on LinkedIn with your OpenAI organisation ID so your Codex account can be upgraded before the day. Bring a laptop and charger.
How is judging done?
There is one track and no live pitches. Judges watch each team's 3-minute demo video and read your answers to a few short questions, with your site alongside. Winners are announced at the awards at the end of the day.
How does team formation work?
Teams have 2 to 4 people. Come with friends, or come solo and team up at the morning briefing.
On the day, one person opens the team portal and enters the event code from the briefing, your team name and everyone's names. The portal gives you a team code. Share it so your teammates can sign in too.
How do I connect to the WiFi?
Event WiFi is provided. The network name and password are revealed at the briefing on the day.
How do I get free Codex?
You should already have sent your OpenAI organisation ID to the organisers, and they will have upgraded your account. If you have not, DM them on LinkedIn before the day.
How do I submit?
Through the team portal, which opens when the event starts. Once your team is registered, answer a few short questions about your project for the judges. Fill them in once, then refine them through the day.
Paste the link to your site (Codex Sites or Vercel) and your 3-minute demo video in the same place. Film your demo once: the portal has a prompt you can paste into Codex so it edits the video for you. Submissions lock at 6:45 pm. Judges watch your demo, then read your answers alongside your site.
Ready to build? Sign up.
Free. Teams of 2 to 4. No experience needed. Wednesday 4 November 2026 at Barker College.