Six of the best Australian astronomical observatories

Star trek your way around the country at these heavenly observatories.

Anglo-Australian Telescope (Photo: Frances Mocnik)

1. Perth, WA

Australia’s oldest continuously operating professional observatory has been looking up for more than 100 years, and in 2005 was listed on the State’s heritage register. Visitors can gaze through the observatory’s 76 cm telescope, the largest in regular ­public use in the Southern Hemisphere.

2. Arkaroola, SA

Perched in the Flinders Ranges, these three observatories – two full-sized astronomical domes and star chairs with a roll-off roof – claim some of Australia’s best viewing conditions. 

3. Canopus Hill, Hobart, TAS

Situated at a latitude of 43° south and operated by the University of Tasmania, the 1 m telescope provides oppor­tunities for year-round study of the Magellanic Clouds. 

4. Siding Spring, Coonabarabran, NSW

Owned by the Australian National University, this observatory has some of Australia’s largest optical telescopes, including the 3.9 m Anglo-Australian Telescope. Equipped with a robotic wide-field spectrograph, it’s able to simultaneously observe hundreds of galaxies and stars.

5. Paul Wild, Narrabri, NSW

View one of the world’s most advanced radio telescopes, the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Belonging to the CSIRO, the six 22 m antennae observe star formation, the late stages of stars’ lives, supernovae and magnetic fields.

6. Mt Kent, QLD

Located 30 km south-west of Toowoomba, this 1.6 ha University of Southern Queensland site includes three telescopes which specialise in studying the influence of the Sun on climate change on Earth, including drought.