6 places to get star-struck in SA

By Clair Morton
Last updated on: September 21, 2018 at 11:06 am

When it comes to our night sky, Australia really is the lucky country – so much so that it’s something we usually take for granted. But just one clear night away from the stobie poles and city lights will be enough to make you appreciate it again.

Here are some of our favourite places to see the stars, from the suburbs of Adelaide to the outback:

Innes National Park

Twinkling bright and beautiful, the stars in Innes National Park on the Yorke Peninsula have to be seen to be believed. Best of all, it’s pretty easy to roll out a swag and fall asleep under a blanket of stars here – there are a number of designated camp sites scattered throughout the national park. Just be sure to book well in advance if you plan to go during school holidays.

Flinders Ranges

Ever looked skyward and thought to yourself, ‘I didn’t know that many stars existed’? It doesn’t really matter if you have, because you’ll be saying it again if you spend a night camping in the Flinders Ranges.

The flat plains around Wilpena Pound make it seem like the stars stretch on forever. For those who like a bit more comfort, Rawnsley Park Station’s eco-villas boast a retractable roof over the bed, which peels back to reveal the night sky. More enthusiastic astronomers should venture to the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, which offers guided tours of the sky with the help of their 3 professionally equipped observatories. RAA members save 10% on accommodation at both Arkaroola and Rawnsley Park.

One of three observatories at Arkaroola in the Flinders Ranges. Photo: Maxime Coquard

Mount Compass

There are really just two ingredients for a great night out stargazing – clear skies and minimal light pollution – and the fact Adelaide is quite small is a definite advantage here. Even though Mount Compass is just an hour away from the CBD, on a cloud-free, moonless night it ticks both boxes. Check out this light pollution map to find other spots of your own.

Kangaroo Island

While the north and east coasts of KI look back onto the Adelaide coastline, the south-west of the island looks out over the vast ocean. On a clear night without any lights, it’s a truly spectacular vision and worth the trip over. Plus RAA members save 10% on Sealink passenger fares.

Watch the Milky Way appear above KI's Remarkable Rocks.

Deep Creek

The southern tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula offers stunning scenery by day, but it’s on a clear night that the Deep Creek Conservation Park truly shines. Far away from civilisation, close to nature, the Milky Way here is something special. There are several meteor showers coming up before the end of the year, so if you time your trip right you might even spot a shooting star.

Adelaide suburbs

If you can’t get out of Adelaide, you’ve still got options. The first one is the Adelaide Observatory, located at the Heights School in Modbury Heights. As well as hosting private group sessions by appointment, the observatory usually opens its doors to the general public on the Friday night closest to the first quarter moon. The next public open dates are 19 October and 16 November.

A guided tour of the night sky is also available by booking a session UniSA’s planetarium in Mawson Lakes – the sky doesn’t have to be clear for this either – the southern starscape is projected onto the planetarium dome’s interior. The Adelaide Planetarium holds sessions on the first, 3^rd and 4^th Saturday of every month.

Happy stargazing!

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