Explore the Southern Skies!

OzSky Header Logo
 
Home Trip Overview Observing Site Equipment Your Hosts Trip Costs Testimonials
 
Register Now! Photo Gallery Activities FAQ Info Links Resources Contact Us

Suggested Day Trips and Activities

In keeping with our aim of offering the greatest flexibility for all travellers, we don't make bookings for the suggested trips in Sydney, but merely offer a small list of suggestions of what might be of interest to you during your stay in Sydney.

The day trips in and around Coonabarabran are also kept reasonably flexible, however firm bookings may be made for some trips, such as any private "inside tours" of observatories, where available.


Suggested Pre/Post-OzSky Activities in and around Sydney

  • Sydney Harbour
    • Ferry trip from Circular Quay to Manly (the regular commuter ferry is just as good as a dedicated Harbour Cruise!)
    • Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb
    • Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout
    • One of the many Harbour-side walks
  • Classic Australian Beaches:
    • Bondi Beach
    • Manly Beach
    • Palm Beach
  • Royal Botanical Gardens
  • City Highlights Half-Day Tours
  • Guided / Unguided Tours of the Old Sydney Observatory
  • SCUBA diving around Sydney
  • Zoos and Wildlife Parks:
    • The Australian Reptile Park
    • Taronga Zoo (also via ferry)
    • Sydney Aquarium
    • WildLife Sydney Zoo
    • Featherdale Wildlife Park
  • Sydney Opera House
  • The Rocks, Darling Harbour and Circular Quay
  • Customs House (amazing Scale Model of Sydney)
  • Museums and Galleries:
    • The Australian Museum
    • The Museum of Sydney
    • The Powerhouse Museum
    • The National Maritime Museum
    • The Museum of Contemporary Art
    • The Art Gallery of NSW
  • Regional Winery tours (great to do before or after OzSky, or enroute)
    • Hunter Valley Wine Region
    • Mudgee Wine Region
  • Day/Overnight Trips to The Blue Mountains
  • Jenolan Caves


Suggested Day Activities in and around Coonabarabran

Given that most folks visiting OzSky generally stay up until the early hours of the morning observing, most of the optional day trips or activities will be planned to start after midday, however some may require an earlier departure based on availability of bookings etc.

Afternoon lectures and presentations are often enjoyed on topics including general astronomy, prime observing targets, Australian flora and fauna, geology aboriginal culture and more.

Various day-hikes in the Warrumbungles National Park and Pilliga State Forest are also available for all fitness levels. It should be noted, however, that the region suffered extreme bushfires back in January 2013 and while many of the popular hikes and tourism areas have been re-opened, many still show the impact of those devastating bushfires, even today.

Information on many of the suggested walks is available from the local Tourist Information Office at Coonabarabran, however most of your official volunteers will also be willing to offer first-hand experience and advice about some of the more popular destinations.


Night-time Activities During The OzSky Star Safari

  • Observing the Southern Night Skies…
    • Need I say more?


In case of inclement weather (which is strictly prohibited!) a series of additional talks or presentations may be available, however if you have any talks or presentations of your own which you'd like to present to the group, we would be delighted to include you in the talks schedule.


Some of the other optional day trips and activities:

  • Private inside tour of Milroy Observatory
    • 40” Boller & Chivens Ritchey Crétien Telescope
  • Group Photo (Please wear your OzSky T-Shirt)
  • Group Photo (at night - Trust me, the result is awesome!)
  • OzSky Welcome BBQ Dinner (held on the second evening at OzSky)
  • OzSky Farewell BBQ Dinner (held on the last evening at OzSky)


Suggested Independent Side Trips

In / around Coonabarabran:

  • Guided Wildlife Tours
  • World's Largest Solar System Scale Model
    • Note: Pluto is located at Dubbo
  • 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) Tours *
  • iTelescope SSO Remote Imaging Facility Tour *
  • The Sandstone Caves (Easy/Medium Hike, 2 hrs return)
  • Sculptures in the Scrub (Easy/Medium Hike, 2 hrs return)
  • White Gum Lookout (Easy, 1 hr return)
  • Grand High Tops (Hard, 6 hrs return)
  • Mount Exmouth (Hard, 6 hrs return)
  • Belougery Split Rock (Medium/Hard, 4 hrs return)
  • Tara Cave walking track (Medium, 2 hrs return)
  • Birding Walks
  • Pilliga Pottery
  • The Wool Shop
  • Coonabarabran Art Gallery
  • Aboriginal cultural walks and tours
  • Diprotodon display at the Visitor's Information Centre
  • Gem and mineral collection at Crystal Kingdom
  • Pilliga State Forest
  • Warrumbungle National Park

Further afield:

  • Australia Telescope Compact Array *
  • "The Dish" – 64m Radio Telescope * (Located at Parkes – 4 hour drive, one way
  • Mt. Kaputar National Park (2-hour drive, one way)
  • Dubbo Zoo, Old Dubbo Gaol (2-hour drive, one way)
  • Natural Artesian Hot Spas
    • Pilliga
    • Burren Junction
    • Lightning Ridge
    • Moree
  • Lightning Ridge Opal Mines (4-hour drive, one way)
  • Wine Tasting at regional Wineries


Examples of some of the on-site Talks and Presentations:

  • OzSky Official Opening / Site Orientation
  • Southern Sky Orientation (first two evenings)
  • Guided Sky Tours of the Southern Highlights (first three evenings, then by request)
  • Southern Skies Highlights - "Eye Candy"
  • Venomous Australian Snakes
  • Shooting Stars: A 3-part workshop on astrophotography with a DSLR
  • How to Align and Use the Argo Navis™
  • Ladies of the Night
  • Horror Objects and How to Observe Them
  • Indigenous Astronomy
  • OzSky Trivia Quiz – A fun opportunity to test your knowledge on a range of subjects
  • Cosmic Journeys: An Astronomer’s Travelogue
  • Blowing Bubbles: A Talk on Wolf Rayet Stars
  • Navigating the Universe with "Deep Sky Orienteering"
  • Mount Stromlo Observatory and the Canberra Bushfires
  • Cosmic Alchemy: Unveiling the Secrets of Carbon Stars
  • Celestial Collisions: Meteorite Craters of Australia
  • Exploring the Small Magellanic Cloud
  • Stormscapes: The Art & Science of Storm Photography
  • The Rocket Man: Wernher von Braun and the Space Race
  • A Brief History of Australian Astronomy
  • Challenge Lists and Technology: Exploring the Cosmos with Digital Tools
  • Visual Astronomy and the use of Filters
  • The James Webb Space Telescope
  • The Death Cycle of Stars
  • Exploring the Local Group of Galaxies


* As these facilities are fully operational professional observatories, the availability of tours is not guaranteed, however we will provide, wherever possible, booking details for the various commercial operator tours available.

The public visitor's centre and viewing gallery are usually open from 10am – 4pm most days.

Fully enclosed shoes are required at these venues for safety reasons – Anyone not wearing closed-toed shoes will not be permitted to enter.


Spread the Word about OzSky

Please remember, these OzSky Star Safaris are enhanced by the group of wonderful folks who are present at each event.

If you have any experienced friends or colleagues who might be interested in joining us at the 2027 OzSky "Classic" Star Safari (or a future OzSky event), please let them know about this unique observing opportunity.


Previous Editions:


Next Editions: