Night time delights
Astronomy tours and experiences to check out in Australia.
IF you’re visiting Australia any time soon, turn your eyes to the sky as it illuminates with stunning, starry views.
In the Northern Territory, head to Uluru where Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia has introduced a new element to its Wintjiru Wiru celestial cultural storytelling experience. Called the Wintjiri Wiru Twilight, it features an evocative 90-minute drone light show that tells a chapter of the Mala story. This experience is open for both adults and children.
Check out also the Light-towers experience at Discovery Resorts: Kings Canyon, where artist Bruce Munro’s latest Australian installation features 69 multicoloured light towers that glow hypnotically against the ancient geology of the canyon.
Meanwhile, the 4WD Sleepout Tour at Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary in Flinders Ranges in South Australia gives guests a chance to spend a night – or more – under the twinkling stars. But don’t worry about this experience being too rustic, though, as meals are prepared by a chef, and local wines are on the menu for adults.
If you’re in New South Wales, look out for a new astronomy tour by astrophysicist Dr Dimitri Douchin and his partner Caroline. Their latest venture, Jervis Bay Stargazing, runs for 90 minutes from the shores of Vincentia in the Shoalhaven region.
For those who fancy the idea of viewing the sky from the sea, Eco Abrolhos has launched a new five-day stargazing boat tour around the Albrohos Islands off Western Australia’s southwest coast. Hosted by local astronomer Donna Vanzetti, days are spent fishing, hauling up cray pots for dinner, snorkelling or spotting sea lions and marine birds. When the sun goes down, guests search the skies for gaseous nebulae, distant galaxies, and other unfathomable wonders of the universe.