Starry Coast to Galactic Outback Dark Sky Stargazing Trail

From the coastal horizons of Shark Bay to the deep inland skies of the Gascoyne, this journey offers a striking contrast in night-sky viewing. Around Denham, the stars connect naturally with stories of maritime navigation, while further inland the red earth, rugged ranges and open horizons create memorable settings for Milky Way viewing and astrophotography.

The Gascoyne is especially rewarding on moonless nights, when the Milky Way can appear bright and detailed overhead. From April to October, look for the Milky Way core and notice how it changes position through the evening. In Gascoyne Junction, an historic Cessna aircraft offers a distinctive nightscape subject, while The Waterhole provides a darker setting for relaxed stargazing.

Under dark southern skies, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds appear as faint cloudy patches, best seen around New Moon. Look south between the bright guide stars Canopus and Achernar to help find them. Further inland, Burringurrah / Mount Augustus and Mundatharrda / Kennedy Range offer dramatic outback landscapes for night photography, especially when a thin crescent Moon softly lights the ranges without overpowering the stars.