Night Sky
Standing beneath the stars of the Milky Way in Kondinin, Hyden and Karlgarin is a spectacular experience, especially if you’re visiting from a brightly lit city. Our night sky is world-class and there are several dark sky locations where the community welcomes you to stargaze with telescopes or binoculars, practice astrophotography or simply roll out a picnic rug and immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring dark night sky.
Of course, no visit is complete without a stop at Wave Rock— it’s an amazing experience seeing the Milky Way framing the famous wave. Have your camera at the ready to capture some incredible nightscape scenes.
Near Kondinin, there’s another great astrophoto opportunity awaiting you. On top of Yeerakine Rock is the Light Horseman sculpture and it makes a fascinating subject under the stars. Pack a picnic for the sunset and watch as the stars pop out from the inky blue Wheatbelt sky.
In the heart of Karlgarin, Stafford Park offers a charming glimpse into the past with its display of vintage farming equipment — including a beautifully weathered wooden wagon. By day, it’s a nod to the region’s rich agricultural heritage; by night, it transforms into a striking foreground for Milky Way photography, blending history and the cosmos in one perfect frame.
The Shire’s wide open skies are made for stargazing, with plenty of high points to watch breathtaking Wheatbelt sunsets and full moon rises. On dark nights, the stars put on a show — so grab your camera or telescope, or simply lie back and let the Milky Way carry you away.
Find us on the Astrotourism Towns Map at https://astrotourismwa.com.au/map and discover how we’re helping to protect the dark night sky in Western Australia.
What Makes WA so Special for the Night Sky?
Stargazing in Western Australia is a world-class experience and WA is home to some of the darkest night skies in the world. Perth is the world’s most isolated capital city on a continent, and it’s very easy to escape bright city lights to experience wonderful dark night skies full of stars.
The beautiful Milky Way sparkles directly overhead in the Southern Hemisphere and the views are magnificent. From the Southern Hemisphere you can see the Southern Cross, the Magellanic Clouds and the beautiful Aboriginal constellation of the “Emu in the Sky”.
On a moonless night, the stunning Milky Way Galaxy stretches across the night sky in all its glory. It feels so close, you could almost touch it! It’s something that everyone on Earth should experience more often.
Country WA is uncrowded and its welcoming small towns have low levels of artificial light pollution. The nights are darker for astrophotography and the air is clean and pure for crystal clear stargazing.
Stargazing Tips for Beginners
When you head out to do some stargazing, remember to turn out all your lights and switch off your mobile phones. Artificial light reduces your ability to see the stars! The darker the night sky, the more stars you’ll be able to see.
Allow yourself about 10-15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. You’ll get your night time vision and will be surprised at how well you can see in the dark. The stars will become brighter and the view gets better and better.
Keep your eye out for shooting stars and satellites like the International Space Station. Notice how the sky changes over time as Earth spins on its axis. Everything rises in the east and sets in the west.
Moonless nights are best to see the Milky Way; the thick band of stars stretched from horizon to horizon. You’ll also be able to see the Magellanic Clouds that are two satellite galaxies near our Milky Way Galaxy. They appear as faint clouds in the southern sky throughout the year.
If you happen to be travelling at full Moon time, there’s nothing more magnificent than to sit back and watch as the golden orb rises on a far distant horizon. It’s spectacular but does mean that the stars of the Milky Way will be washed away with the reflected light from the Moon. It just means you’ll have to visit again. See you under the stars soon.
