On Sunday 1 February, a Snow Moon will shine above Australia. We’ve rounded up the best spots to see this extra-bright full moon in every state.
Last year’s lunar spectacles had us collectively spellbound, with a Strawberry Moon, Harvest Moon, Beaver Moon and Cold Moon setting the night skies aglow. And while this weekend’s ‘Snow Moon’ isn’t a supermoon (the result of a full moon reaching its closest point to Earth along its elliptical orbit), it is a brighter-than-normal moon worth looking to the skies for. Here’s when and where to catch it.
What is a snow moon and why is it special?
Catch the Snow Moon above the Walls of China, Mungo National Park. (Image: Destination NSW)
A Snow Moon is really just a fancy word to say the second full moon of the year. It derives its name from the snowfall that’s usually seen in the Northern Hemisphere in early February. Of course, we Aussies can’t relate that much – being in the height of summer and all – but the Snow Moon is still significantly brighter than a usual moon.
Whether you’re dusting off the binoculars, setting up your camera at a scenic lookout or simply poking your head out after dinner, this lunar eye-candy will be visible with the naked eye all over the country – making it an easy win for every skygazer out there.
When to see the Snow Moon this weekend in Australia
A Snow Moon is the second full moon of the year. (Image: Pexels/Bruno Scramgnon)
While the Snow Moon will reach its peak the morning of Monday 2 February at 9:09am, the daylight means we won’t actually be able to see the spectacle in all its glory. This means the best time to see the Snow Moon shining brightly is on Sunday evening, 1 February, around 30 to 60 minutes after the sun goes down. During this time, the moon will appear full, large and low on the eastern horizon. It will continue to be visible later into the night, passing directly overhead between midnight and 1:00am (depending on what state you’re in), when it crosses the meridian.
The best places to see this weekend’s Snow Moon in Australia
See the moon from Kata Tjuṯa, NT. (Image: Unsplash/Melanie Dretvic)
The best lunar viewing spots are elevated, unobstructed and distant from the light pollution of cities. If you’re planning to catch the Snow Moon at moonrise (when the moon begins to appear above the horizon), make sure to look towards the east. Below are the top places for viewing the Snow Moon in each Australian state.
NSW:
Walls of China, Mungo National Park
Echo Point Lookout, Blue Mountains
Palm Beach Headland, Sydney
Sydney’s eastern beaches (such as Bronte, Coogee and Maroubra)
Observatory Hill, Sydney
Broken Hill
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WA:
Kings Park, Perth
Perth Observatory, Bickley
Lancelin Sand Dunes, Lancelin
Cape Leeuwin, Margaret River
The Pinnacles Desert, Nambung
SA:
Mount Lofty, Adelaide
Semaphore Jetty or Glenelg Foreshore, Adelaide
River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve
Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
Vic:
Arthurs Seat lookout, Mornington Peninsula
Phillip Island
Grampians National Park
ACT:
Mount Ainslie Lookout, Canberra
Mount Pleasant Lookout, Canberra
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Qld:
SkyPoint Observation Desk, Surfers Paradise
Redcliffe Peninsula, near Brisbane
Double Island Point, Cooloola
Winton
Palm Cove
Tas:
Seven Mile Beach
kunanyi/Mt Wellington summit, Hobart
Constitution Dock, Hobart
Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
NT:
Kata Tjuṯa/Mount Olga, Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
Earth Sanctuary Alice Springs
What other lunar events are happening in 2026?
There’s more in store for lunar lovers! Look out for the total lunar eclipse on 3 March, a Blue Moon on 31 May and a supermoon on Christmas Eve, 24 December.
Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet.
Victoria’s sweeping landscapes hold stories far older than any road map can trace – stories etched into stone, sung through generations and woven into every bend of river and rise of hill. From the lava flows of Budj Bim to the ancient middens of Moyjil/Point Ritchie and the volcanic crater of Tower Hill, the state is home to some of the most significant First Peoples cultural sites in Australia. These places, along with other immersive experiences, offer not only a window into a 60,000-year legacy, but a profound way of understanding Country itself. As more travellers seek connection over checklists, guided tours by Traditional Owners offer respectful, unforgettable insights into a living culture that continues to shape the land and the people who walk it.
Budj Bim cultural landscape
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is on Gunditjmara Country. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Venture beyond the surf and sand of the Great Ocean Road to discover a deeper story etched into the volcanic landscape. At Budj Bim, ancient aquaculture channels built by the Gunditjmara people to trap, store and harvest kooyang (short-finned eel) reveal one of the world’s oldest living cultures. While you’re in the area, head over to the state-of-the-art Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, where you can observe the eels in a special tank, wander the shores of Tae Rak (Lake Condah), and enjoy a bite at the Bush Tucker Cafe. Also nearby is Tower Hill, a dormant volcano reborn as a wildlife reserve, offering trails through bushland teeming with emus and koalas.
The kooyang (eel) tank at Tae Rak. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Dumawul Kooyoora Walking Tour
Guests are guided through Kooyoora State Park on the Dumawul walking tour. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Step into a timeless landscape with Dumawul’s guided tour through Kooyoora State Park, around an hour’s drive west of Bendigo in north-central Victoria. Led by Djaara guides, this immersive half-day journey breathes life into Country, weaving together stories, bush tucker and ancient rock art. Known to the Dja Dja Wurrung people as Guyura – the ‘mountain of light’ – this dramatic granite range is rich with cultural and spiritual significance. The adventure begins with a meet-up at the Bridgewater Hotel on the banks of the Loddon River, before guests are welcomed onto Country with a traditional Smoking Ceremony – a powerful ritual that honours ancestors and cleanses those who walk the land. From there, it’s a gentle wander through rugged outcrops and open bushland, with sweeping vistas unfolding at every turn. Along the way, guides share their knowledge of how the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples have cared for and adapted with this land for generations, offering a rare and moving window into an ancient way of life that continues to thrive today.
Knowledge of the Dja Dja Wurrung is shared on the trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Kingfisher Cruises
Cruising the Murray with Kingfisher Cruises. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Glide quietly through the Barmah-Millewa forest – the nation’s largest river red gum ecosystem – on a scenic journey along the Murray River and into the Barmah Lakes with Kingfisher Cruises. Led by passionate guides who share stories of the cultural significance of this ancient landscape, these cruises reveal the stories, totems and traditional knowledge of the Yorta Yorta people. As you navigate narrow waterways and spot native birds, you’ll gain a richer understanding of how First Peoples have lived in harmony with this floodplain for tens of thousands of years. It’s a gentle, immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression – one where every bend in the river carries echoes of culture, connection and Country.
wawa biik
Exploring Nagambie with Taungurung leaders. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Translating to ‘hello, Country’ in the language of the First Nations People and Custodians of the rivers and mountains of Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, wawa biik guides a range of authentic and deeply immersive experiences. Leaving from either Nagambie or Euroa, the tours are woven with ancient stories of the Taungurung, telling how a sustained connection and responsibility ensures the continued health of biik – benefitting the people, animals and plants that live in and around the Goulburn River. During the wawa Nagambie experience, guests participate in a Welcome Smoking Ceremony, and enjoy lunch and conversation with two Taungurung leaders as they cruise through the wetlands of tabilk-tabilk (place of many waterholes). The 4.5-hour tour begins at Tahbilk Winery, which is set in the wetlands of Nagambie on Taungurung Country and collaborates with Taungurung Elders to share knowledge of biik.
Bataluk Cultural Trail
Cape Conran on the Bataluk Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)
The Bataluk Cultural Trail winds through East Gippsland like a thread stitching past to present, tracing the deep connection between the Gunaikurnai people and their land. Starting at the Knob Reserve in Stratford, visitors walk among scarred trees and ancient stone tools once used for survival and ceremony. At the Den of Nargun near Mitchell River, the earth holds stories of women’s sacred spaces, cloaked in myth and legend. Further along, Legend Rock at Metung tells of greed and consequence, its surface etched with ancient lore. At Cape Conran, shell middens lie scattered like breadcrumbs of history – 10,000 years of gatherings, stories and saltwater songs still echoing in the wind.
Healesville Sanctuary
Get up close with a resident echidna at Healesville Sanctuary. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Set on the historic grounds of Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, Healesville Sanctuary honours the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation through immersive storytelling and connection to Country. Along Wurundjeri Walk, visitors are invited to reflect on the land’s rich First Peoples history, with native plants revealing their traditional uses. Wurundjeri Elder and educator Murrundindi shares culture in-person with the Wominjeka Aboriginal Cultural Experience every Sunday, and most days during Victorian school holidays. Murrundindi’s smoking ceremonies, storytelling and bush tucker knowledge reveal the sacred relationship between people, animals and the environment. Bird-lovers can’t miss the incredible Spirits of the Sky show featuring native birds daily at 12pm and 3pm.
The Grampians
Rock art at Bunjil Shelter in The Grampians. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Known as Gariwerd to Traditional Owners, the Grampians is a place of immense cultural and spiritual significance. This rugged landscape holds more than 80 per cent of Victoria’s known First Peoples rock art, offering a powerful window into the region’s deep heritage. Visitors can respectfully explore five remarkable rock art sites: Billimina and Ngamadjidj in the Wartook Valley, Manja Shelter near Hamilton, Gulgurn Manja shelter near Laharum, and the Bunjil Shelter near Stawell, where the creator spirit is depicted. Each site tells a unique story of connection to Country, shared through ancient handprints, dancing figures and Dreaming narratives etched into stone.
