Wongan Hills has been an “Astrotourism Town” since August 2018.
As a founding member of the Astrotourism Towns project we are working to protect our town from light pollution, and invite visitors from across Australia and around the word to view space from our region – and enjoy exceptional stargazing, astronomy, and astrophotography opportunities.
Western Australia is unique in the world when it comes to dark night skies. Being in the southern hemisphere means that the band of the Milky Way Galaxy is directly overhead!
Often used by the local community to watch special astronomical events such as Lunar Eclipses, you’re also welcome to use this site for stargazing, or to take telescopes and binoculars.
Easy to get to and just 2kms from the town centre, it’s ideally positioned away from street lights, and the large sheds there create a good barrier from the town lights. The area that’s been set aside for visitors is in front of the large sheds on your right as you drive into the Airport. More Info
10kms west of Wongan Hills on Calingiri Road is the Lake Ninan Rest Area, which is a large open area on the south side of the lake – making it an ideal place to set up for a night of astrophotography and stargazing.
There are no facilities here, other than picnic tables and waste bins, but there’s easy access to walk to the shore of the lake. The view to the south overlooks another smaller salt lake where you can capture the Milky Way scene at the right time of the year.
Planning to stay overnight or for a few days when you visit our town for astrophotography, astronomy, or stargazing? We can assist you with more info on places to stay, where you can eat & drink, as well as what else you can see and do during the day.
Our region is famous for its tracks & trails, history, and wildflowers. And there’s also a number of other attractions & activities you might enjoy.
Most details are on this website, or you can call in to our local Visitors Centre.
“Stargazing is something you can’t do in a city because the night sky is hidden by artificial light pollution. There are millions of people worldwide who can’t see any stars at all, so we are lucky to see billions every night in country Western Australia.”
One of the aims of Astrotourism WA is to establish a network of towns to create Stargazing Drive Trails. Visit the link below to see a suggested trail in our region.
GOLDEN COUNTRY STARS
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