The 21 Best Places For Stargazing In Australia

Our most stellar natural light shows are utterly enchanting – once you know where to find them.

We’re a sun-loving nation, home to some of the world’s most extraordinary daylight attractions. But our starry nights are seriously underrated. Dotted with state-of-the-art observatories, dark sky parks that limit light pollution and spectacular scenic vantage points, Australia is a stargazer’s wonderland. Allow us to shine a light…

1. Uluṟu, NT

Astro Tour Uluru — Join Astro Tours to explore the evolution of our universe using telescopes. (Credit: Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia)

For a deeply spiritual experience, it’s hard to beat peering up above Uluṟu-Kata Tjuta National Park towards an infinite blanket of twinkling lights. Free of artificial luminosity and big-city pollution, the sacred land offers magnificent views of the Milky Way, Southern Cross, Magellanic Cloud galaxies and other constellations.

Ayers Rock Resort runs Astro Tours that explore the evolution of our universe using telescopes, so it’s a great pick if you’d like some guidance.

2. Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, Tas

Aurora Australis, South Coast Track — Witness the spectacular Aurora Australis in Tasmania. (Credit: Matty Eaton)

It’s no secret Tassie is the best place to view the southern hemisphere’s fantastical Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, but did you know Hobart’s Mount Wellington is an ideal viewing spot?

Wait for a dark, clear night, and climb hard because the higher you get, the more likely you’ll spot the elusive lightshow. For your best bet, bring a camera – a slow shutter will capture it easier than your peepers.

3. Sydney Observatory, NSW

night sky with twinkling stars at the Sydney Observatory in Millers Point — Admire the shimmering night sky. (Credit: Courtesy of Powerhouse. Credit: Geoff Wyatt)

Explore the night sky from the depths of one of Sydney’s most colourful corners at the Sydney Observatory in Millers Point. The heritage-listed building, striking in its old sandstone glory, provides a sweeping vantage point plus plenty of fascinating relics to stickybeak in its museum as your astrological enlightenment lingers into the evening. Nightly tours run from Wednesday to Saturday.

4. Mudgee Observatory, NSW

Couple enjoying the firepit while stargazing from the DulliTent at Sierra Escape, Piambong. — Admire the night sky in Mudgee. (Credit: Guy Williment)

Once you’ve ticked off the very best Mudgee wine tours and experiences, head to the west of the region to experience the Mudgee Observatory. Telescopes and binoculars are on hand to sharpen your vision and there’s also a planetarium and theatre that screens educational films. Tours are also scheduled regularly, so check the website for up-to-date session times.

5. Grampians National Park, Vic

the Hollow Mountain Lookout at Grampians National Park, Vic — Hollow Mountain is great for fantastic star views. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

After a day spent wandering through walking trails, waterfalls and sensational bushland, make tracks to Reed Lookout in Victoria’s Grampians National Park for a magical light show. The sky gets extremely dark out there, and there’s nothing but clear yonder to stare into, so the popular lookout spot will throw up sensational stargazing conditions all year round. The Hollow Mountain Lookout provides another amazing vantage point.

6. Leon Mow Dark Sky Site, Vic

If you’re an avid stargazer, you’ll be all over dark sky parks and just how magnificent they are. The wide-open spaces offer killer clear skies due to the limitation of street lights, lights turning off at a certain hour each night and the removal of upward-facing lights.

Leon Mow Dark Sky Site is a great example, located near Heathcote in Victoria. You’ve got to become a member of the Astronomical Society of Victoria to access it but once you do, you’ll be spoilt with telescopes, amenities including a kitchen, showers and toilets, and invitations to members’ parties that celebrate the wonders high above.

7. Springbrook Research Observatory, Qld

Fancy spending your Friday or Saturday night under a blanket of stars? The Springbrook Research Observatory on the Gold Coast opens its doors to the public twice a week and loves turning visitors into avid stargazers. The hinterland hotspot consists of a primary dome with a viewing rooftop, as well as loads of telescopes to help you zoom in on all the magic.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

8. Yagurli Tours, Burketown, Qld

Yagurli Tours in Burketown, Qld — Drive to Queensland’s Burketown for the magical Yagurli Tours. (Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Learn more about the night sky and the Indigenous land it looms over with Yagurli Tours in Queensland’s Burketown. Local guides are on hand to share Dreamtime stories and tales from Australia’s largest salt pans, located right on site. Telescopes come with every tour as do light snacks and mozzie spray.

9. Arkaroola Dark Sky Sanctuary, SA

a night sky filled with stars at Arkaroola Astronomical Observatory — Arkaroola Astronomical Observatory turns into an otherworldly backdrop at night. (Credit: Tourism Australia/South Australian Tourism Commission)

One of the country’s most famous dark sky parks, Arkaroola Dark Sky Sanctuary in South Australia, is a remote gem providing a choose-your-own-adventure stargazing journey.

Pick from three Astronomy Experiences spanning telescope use or simply sitting in a camping chair and looking up, as well as the Ridgetop Sleepout, an overnight stay that takes in some of the grounds’ best vantage points.

10. Wilpena Pound, SA

a vibrant night sky at Wilpena Pound — Wilpena Pound is blessed with spectacularly clear skies. (Credit: Michael Waterhouse Photography)

A spectacular amphitheatre of mountains located 429 kilometres from Adelaide, Wilpena Pound is a natural wonder, and its majesty should be seen to be fully comprehended.

While you’re at it, just look up for crystal clear stargazing. Mountain ranges and gorges on ground level, a moving light show up above, the scene is staggeringly beautiful and deeply enriching.

11. Lake Ballard, WA

Antony Gormley Sculptures at Lake Ballard — Stare in awe at Antony Gormley’s sculptures at Lake Ballard. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

Located in Menzies, Lake Ballard and its 51 steel sculptures produce the most surreal stargazing experience in Western Australia.

All speckled and electric up high as a rugged land dotted with otherworldly artwork mystifies down low, Lake Ballard’s sculpture masterpiece is the result of British artist Sir Antony Gormley getting 51 locals to strip naked and pose for digital scans which were cast into moulds. Weird, wonderful stuff.

12. Lucky Bay, Esperance, WA

Aurora Australis in Lucky Bay, Esperance WA — Chasing the Aurora Australis in Lucky Bay. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

Another spot for anybody chasing the Aurora Australis, plus those keen to see kangaroos on a beach, is Lucky Bay in Esperance. The postcard-perfect swimming spot with clear night skies and no light pollution delights star seekers while the Southern Ocean glistens below to create a marvellous medley of pure magic.

13. Earth Sanctuary, NT

stargazing at Earth Sanctuary, NT — Get the best view of the Milky Way at Earth Sanctuary, NT. (Credit: Tourism NT/Plenty of Dust)

A smorgasbord of astrology tours is on offer from Earth Sanctuary in the Northern Territory, where remote nothingness and little artificial light create stellar conditions for nightly gazing.

Choose to go on a one-and-a-half-hour big group tour or keep things cosy by spending the night with a small group outdoors and keeping watch up from sunset to sunrise.

14. Franklin, Tas

Aurora Australis in The Tyndall Range, commonly called The Tyndalls, is a mountain range that is part of the West Coast Range located in the Western region of Tasmania. — The Aurora Australis flutters its stuff over Franklin on occasion. (Credit: allaboutadventure)

If you’ve already ticked off Kunanyi/Mount Wellington in Tassie, try the little town of Franklin next. The Aurora Australis flutters its stuff over this way on occasion, and if you don’t catch it, you’re almost guaranteed a glimpse of the Milky Way all year round.

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15. Warrumbungle National Park, NSW

bright stars over the dark sky parkin the Warrumbungles — Admire the exceptionally star-studded skies at Warrumbungle National Park’s dark sky park. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Another brilliant dark sky park that bans light pollution, Warrumbungle National Park is a two-hour drive from Dubbo. No artificial light means the Milky Way can radiate down uninterrupted, making for sensational scenes if you’re camping in the park’s rich bushland.

Walking tracks will keep your days busy, but it’s the spectacular volcanic mountain vistas that decorate all the starry goodness at night that really put this place on the map.

16. Broken Hill, NSW

a couple stargazing at Outback Astronomy, Broken Hill, NSW — Bring out your telescope and search for constellations with Outback Astronomy. (Credit: Destination NSW)

The country’s oldest mining town is isolated from other towns and city lights, helping it produce magnificent conditions for stargazing. Broken Hill is also home to Outback Astronomy, a company that specialises in stargazing and runs its own guided Sky Shows.

Passionate astrology experts walk you through everything that’s going on up above and show you how to look out for the constellations yourself once you’re back home.

17. Perth Observatory, WA

stargazing at Perth Observatory — Get front-row seats to the best views of the night sky at Perth Observatory.

Just 25 kilometres east of Perth lies the Perth Observatory, where a team of astronomy buffs will teach you everything you need to know about constellations and the night sky.

Plus, their extensive collection of telescopes offers front-row seats to the likes of dying stars (yep, they’re a thing), nebulae, star clusters, the moon, our surrounding planets and more. If you’re keen to dive deep into the world of astrology, this place is a must.

18. Great Ocean Road, Vic

a lightshow at Twelve Apostles, Gibson Steps Beach — Catch the light show off the shore of Port Campbell National Park. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

There’s jaw-dropping beauty to be found right along the snaking coastal stretch, but the vast skies above the Great Ocean Road equally delight. Look up to spy the Milky Way on a clear night and even Saturn and Jupiter sometimes.

While any location along the stretch will do, catching a light show directly above The Twelve Apostles never fails as a memorable road trip activity.

19. Mangrove Mountain, NSW

Journey inland from the Central Coast to find Mangrove Mountain, right near Peats Ridge, and sensational stargazing conditions. Its elevated ground well and truly eliminates potential light pollution, and you’ll likely spot the Milky Way if it’s clear night.

20. Wave Rock, WA

the Wave Rock in Hyden — The curved granite resembles a wave. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

The remote landmark is better known during the daylight hours for its vividly hued granite cliffs but Wave Rock, in the tiny town of Hyden, is also a spectacular spot at night.

Pollution-free conditions make for an unobstructed sky in which to look for scattered constellations. However, it’s the unique streaks that bounce off the rock itself, created when rainwater hits the surface, that make for incredible photographs.

21. Mount Stromlo Observatory, ACT

the dome at Mount Stromlo Observatory — Marvel under the stars at Mount Stromlo Observatory. (Credit: VisitCanberra)

Free stargazing nights are regularly staged at Mount Stromlo Observatory, a Canberra hot spot run by the Canberra Astronomical Society. Guests are invited to soak up stargazing tips from its members and marvel at the Observatory’s 188-centimetre dome set amid rich greenery.

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.

Geelong cellar door wine bar — Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.

Paddock Bakery andPatisserie — Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

At Paddock, one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand.

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

“A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.

And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.

As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.

The rise of a food and wine destination

Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915. Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco.

The Woolstore, one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.

Woolstore menu — Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

Breathing new life into historic spaces

On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.

“We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.”

Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.

handcrafted pieces — Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”

A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”

The 21 best places for stargazing in Australia

Our most stellar natural light shows are utterly enchanting – once you know where to find them.

1. Uluṟu, NT

2. Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, Tas

3. Sydney Observatory, NSW

4. Mudgee Observatory, NSW

5. Grampians National Park, Vic

6. Leon Mow Dark Sky Site, Vic

7. Springbrook Research Observatory, Qld

8. Yagurli Tours, Burketown, Qld

9. Arkaroola Dark Sky Sanctuary, SA

10. Wilpena Pound, SA

11. Lake Ballard, WA

12. Lucky Bay, Esperance, WA

13. Earth Sanctuary, NT

14. Franklin, Tas

15. Warrumbungle National Park, NSW

16. Broken Hill, NSW

17. Perth Observatory, WA

18. Great Ocean Road, Vic

19. Mangrove Mountain, NSW

20. Wave Rock, WA

21. Mount Stromlo Observatory, ACT

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Inside Geelong’s glow-up from factory town to creative capital

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces

Our most stellar natural light shows are utterly enchanting – once you know where to find them.

1. Uluṟu, NT

2. Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, Tas

3. Sydney Observatory, NSW

4. Mudgee Observatory, NSW

5. Grampians National Park, Vic

6. Leon Mow Dark Sky Site, Vic

7. Springbrook Research Observatory, Qld

AI Prompt

8. Yagurli Tours, Burketown, Qld

9. Arkaroola Dark Sky Sanctuary, SA

10. Wilpena Pound, SA

11. Lake Ballard, WA

12. Lucky Bay, Esperance, WA

13. Earth Sanctuary, NT

14. Franklin, Tas

15. Warrumbungle National Park, NSW

16. Broken Hill, NSW

17. Perth Observatory, WA

18. Great Ocean Road, Vic

19. Mangrove Mountain, NSW

20. Wave Rock, WA

21. Mount Stromlo Observatory, ACT

30 stunning spring festivals around Australia

These two secluded cabins have been designed to put your dog first

What’s on around Australia in September 2026

11 stunning spring towns you need to visit

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces