The only internationally famous “Dark Sky Park” in Australia is located in Warrumbungle, New South Wales. Regarding dark sky, there is a Dark Sky Association in the world that verifies and evaluates qualified dark sky locations. Of course, they mainly promote the protection of the dark sky and the avoidance of light pollution.
Returning to Warrumbungle National Park, it’s more than 500km away from Sydney, which is a bit far, but only by getting away from the city can you see the true face of the night sky.
Stargazing in Warrumbungle National Park
The stargazing campsite is a volcanic crater. If you want to stay, you can bring your own tent or camper van. We would suggest checking the local highest and lowest temperatures.
The campsite has a beautiful natural environment. In the afternoon, kangaroos may forage behind your tent! When it gets dark, you can go out and look at the stars in the sky. It’s really amazing to look up, and you’ll be wowed. During the day, climbing the mountain is the main activity. In a national park, the thing that is never lacking is walking trails. Remember to get a map from the information centre first!
Also, there is the Siding Spring Observatory here, which is the largest observatory in the southern hemisphere. The opening time is short, so remember to go and have a look if you have a chance. From the observatory, there is a virtual solar system route. Along the way, you can see the big signs of each planet in the solar system. The distance of each planet is in proportion, and each one is set up at a rest stop. There are a total of five routes, depending on which direction you are coming from. They can be considered as some check-in points on a long journey.
Visit the Coonabarabran town
We also want to mention Coonabarabran, a small town next to the park. It’s a famous stargazing town in Australia, and there are several private observatories in the town. You need to book a tour in advance. They will talk about some star knowledge, and you can look up and recognise Venus, Mars, and other constellations that you don’t know. They will also provide telescopes to view some nebulae. Remember to bring a camera to capture the nebulae that you see!
Additional Tips
Here are two more niche attractions to introduce.
Emu Farm
One is the Emu farm that you will pass by when you come down from the mountain. If you go in winter, you can buy Emu eggs, which are huge. One egg is equivalent to frying a box of eggs from the supermarket. In spring, only eggshells are available, but you can still see the emus.
Sandstone Caves
The other one is called Sandstone Caves, which is on the road north of the town. It’s more fun, beautiful, and spectacular than the caves in the Blue Mountains! But the road is not easy to find, so be sure to check it on the map beforehand, otherwise, you may easily miss it!
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