The Big Dark Sky

It’s been a busy first week of travel for our little troupe. Just as we left home we hit the “significant weather event” that was soaking much of the east coast (Dad, if you’re tuning in somehow, that’s what we used to call “really heavy rain”). It was a white-knuckle drive up the Brown Mountain but we made it to Canberra unscathed and set up camp in an all-too-familiar muddy bog. Flashback to the first three months of our 2023 travels.

As we set up camp, it didn’t take long to discover that the significant weather event had made its way inside during the drive, resulting in a sodden bed, damp carpet and a wet patch on the couch. Words were uttered.

But we got the heaters going, dried things out and managed to squeeze in a quick Sunday lunch with the family before joining our travelling companions on Monday morning.

We had short stops in Young (cherry capital of NSW, if not the world); and Parkes, known for the annual Elvis festival and the radio telescope responsible for receiving the signals from Apollo 11 that broadcast the moon landing to the world.

But it wasn’t until we reached Coonabarabran on Thursday that we started to regain our travel mojo. We are on the traditional lands of the Gamilaroi, Wiradgeree and Weilwan peoples.

Coona, as the locals call the place, is a pretty little town on the edge of the Warrumbungle National Park. The town is known as the “capital of Australian astronomy” - there’s zero light pollution here and in 2016 the Warrumbungles were named the nation’s first “Dark Sky Park” by the International Dark-Sky Association. Who knew there was such a thing? Well, astronomers probably. But not us.

We had heard of the Siding Springs Observatory though (although we couldn’t have explained, if asked, what it’s for). It’s on the edge of the Warrumbungle National Park and it houses Australia’s largest optical telescopes. It’s where astronomers come to do what astronomers do. Stargazing and research and such.

One of the many benefits of travelling with human companions is the ability to occasionally off-load the canine companions … erm, that is, I can draw on the kindness and good-will of my friends to take care of my beloved Labradors while I explore national parks. So I did, and we’re very grateful.

We hope you enjoy the photos of our travels this week.