Dark Sky Places
Designating Darkness
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The Australasian Dark Sky Alliance support the
International Dark-Sky Association
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who "preserve and protect the night time environment and our heritage of
dark skies through quality outdoor lighting."
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For over 30 years, The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a United States-based non-profit organisation has led the charge in designating dark sky places from all around the world, educating the public on good lighting principles and creating the most successful grassroots movement of its kind.
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IDA Dark-Sky Designated Places in Australasia include:
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The Australasian Dark Sky Alliance receives a large number of requests relating to lighting issues, council approaches and the creation of dark sky places.
As a volunteer-led charitable organisation, we rely solely on the support of our members, sponsors and donors to make this possible. and, try as we might, cannot respond to all individual requests.
Information provided is of general in nature,.
If you have a more specific request relating to lighting, dark sky places, Australian standards or your local area, these will be considered on a consultative basis. Fees associated with this, will go towards ongoing public education. allowing us to assist more people.
Designation Categories
International Dark Sky Communities
Communities are legally organized cities and towns that adopt quality outdoor lighting ordinances and undertake efforts to educate residents about the importance of dark skies.
International Dark Sky Parks
Parks are publicly- or privately-owned spaces protected for natural conservation that implement good outdoor lighting and provide dark sky programs for visitors.
International Dark Sky Reserves
Reserves consist of a dark “core” zone surrounded by a populated periphery where policy controls are enacted to protect the darkness of the core.
International Dark Sky Sanctuaries
Sanctuaries are the most remote (and often darkest) places in the world whose conservation state is most fragile.
Urban Night Sky Places
UNSPs are sites surrounded by large urban environs whose planning and design actively promote an authentic nighttime experience in the midst of significant artificial light at night, and that otherwise do not qualify for designation within any other International Dark Sky Places category.
Dark Sky Friendly Developments of Distinction
Dark Sky Friendly Developments of Distinction recognize subdivisions, master-planned communities, and unincorporated neighbourhoods and townships whose planning actively promotes a more natural night sky but does not qualify them for the International Dark Sky Community designation.