The first blood moon since 2022 is here. Here’s how to see it

Elizabeth WhiteheadBy Elizabeth Whitehead
hero media
Australians are placed to just catch this rare celestial event.

The blood moon, or total lunar eclipse, has captivated humans for millennia. The ancient Mesopotamians believed it meant demons were attacking the moon. The Chinese understood it to be a dragon biting it. Even today, new-age astrologers have their own myriad interpretations surrounding eclipses (a great love about to enter your life? An unexpected revelation?).

The Blood Moon is a rare celestial event that occurs roughly every 1.5 years, but its timing varies. For instance, there hasn’t been a total blood moon since late 2022. But the stars have aligned (so to speak), and we are in for a celestial treat in 2025 with not just one, but two blood moons set to occur. And the first took place on Friday, 14 March. Here’s what to know.

blood moon lunar eclipse
The blood moon is a rare celestial event that happens on average once every 18 months. (Image: Flickr/PiConsti)

What is a ‘blood moon’?

A lunar eclipse occurs under very specific conditions, when the Sun, Earth and Moon are in close alignment and when the Moon is in full phase. This happens, on average, about three times per year. But a blood moon is a special kind of lunar eclipse that happens when the alignment on the Sun, Moon and Earth is exact, occurring on average every 1.5 years.

lunar eclipse blood moon
A blood moon happens under special conditions, when the Earth, Sun and Moon are perfectly aligned. (Image: Getty/PhilVisualHK)

The Earth blocks the sun, meaning that the light can only pass through the Earth’s atmosphere causing it to scatter, with longer-wavelength red and orange to refracting onto the moon and giving it a stunning red tint.

When to see it

Parts of Australia will be able to see a partial blood moon, but will get a better view of the next event later in the year. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

The further east you are in Australia, the more of the eclipse you’ll see. Australia is right at the edge of the eclipse’s path, so unfortunately it will only be partially visible, and Western Australians will miss out completely. (If you’re in WA though, don’t fear – you’ll be perfectly placed to see the next blood moon, set to take place on September 7, 2025).

Australians in the east can start observing the eclipse from the time the moon rises, as it will already be in progress. Here’s when to set your alarm for:

Brisbane: 6:04pm
Sydney: 7:13pm
Canberra: 7:29pm
Melbourne: 7:40pm
Hobart: 7:32pm

If your city isn’t on this list, just head out whenever the moon starts to rise.

The eclipse will last between 10 and 42 minutes, depending on where you are. Aussies further east will experience the eclipse for longer. Happy moongazing!

Elizabeth Whitehead
Elizabeth Whitehead is a writer obsessed with all things culture; doesn't matter if it's pop culture or cultures of the world. She graduated with a degree in History from the University of Sydney (after dropping out from Maths). Her bylines span AFAR, Lonely Planet, ELLE, Harper's BAZAAR and Refinery 29. Her work for Australian Traveller was shortlisted for single article of the year at the Mumbrella Publishing Awards 2024. She is very lucky in thrifting, very unlucky in UNO.
See all articles
a spacious apartment with marina view at Trinity Point, Lake Macquarie NSW 
Australia

Australia’s newest hotels worth planning a trip for

Check into Australia’s most exciting new hotel openings, from buzzy city stays to dreamy coastal escapes.

Read more
Curtains Jazz Club
Australia

The standout new restaurants to try across Australia

Australia’s dining scene never sits still – and these are the openings, revamps and buzz-worthy venues worth knowing about right now.

Read more
park hyatt sydney exterior
Australia

7 luxe Aussie hotels made the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards for the first time

Australian luxury hotels have been ranked as some of the best in the world.

Read more
coolest converted hotels
Australia

Australia’s coolest converted hotels revealed

From former banks and prisons to convents, silos and shearing sheds, Australia’s historic buildings are being reborn as boutique escapes. 

Read more
hero media

This geological wonder is hiding in the heart of Victoria

    Michael TurtleBy Michael Turtle
    Continue
    Mythical, historical and most of all, spectacularly beautiful, Buchan Caves demands you take your time – and a tour. 

    In the pools of water, so still they could be mirrors, the reflections of the stalactites make these limestone towers seem even taller. Almost 400 million years ago, an underground river carved through the rock to create the Buchan Caves . Now, artworks created by dripping water adorn these subterranean galleries: stalactites hanging from the ceiling, pillars connecting some to the ground, even curtain-like wave formations clinging to the stone.

    Caves House
    Visit the caves for the day or stay onsite in the campground or at the self-contained Caves House. (Image: Ben Savage)

    “This is called the Fairy Cave because it’s full of fairy dust,” a guide tells visitors as they enter a cavern glittering with “calcite that’s solidified into thousands of tiny little diamond shapes”.  Buchan Caves is Victoria’s largest cave system, but Fairy Cave is a highlight and, along with nearby Royal Cave, is accessible only by tour. Naturally cold, naturally dark, these caverns deep below the surface light up as the local experts tell their stories. 

    couple walking in cave
    You’ll need to book a guided tour to see the caves. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the hundreds of caves, some can be easily accessed from the surface. For instance, a casual stroll along the FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk, as kangaroos watch on from beneath acacia trees, leads into the 400-metre-long Federal Cave and its natural steps of white limestone. A slightly longer track, the Granite Pools Walk heads through soaring forest down into moss-covered gullies where the calls of lyrebirds trill through the leaves. 

    A quick history lesson on Buchan Caves 

    Buchan Caves
    Buchan Caves are a must-visit attraction in Gippsland. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the geology and the nature are millennia of history. This part of East Gippsland connects the high country to the coast and was long a place of refuge for the local Gunaikurnai people on seasonal migrations to the mountains. Archaeological studies show humans lived here up to 18,000 years ago, with artefacts such as small stone tools found around the site. But not too far into the caverns – oh no! The Gunaikurnai didn’t dare venture deep into the dark at Buchan Caves, telling stories they were inhabited by gnome-like nyols (small grey-skinned creatures that could steal memories). 

    Buchan Caves Hotel
    The Buchan Caves Hotel was rebuilt after burning down in 2014. (Image: Jess Shapiro)

    By the early 1900s, more people had started to hear about these incredible caves and so the Moon family set up home at the site and started to run tours below ground for intrepid visitors. More than a century later, their historic residence is available as accommodation, with the three-bedroom house sleeping up to eight people and now equipped with modern amenities the Moons could only have dreamt of. 

    But whether you stay overnight or just spend the day here, it’s worth taking your time to explore more than just the main caves, to get a deeper understanding of one of Victoria’s fascinating geological attractions.