First Nations Australians are the world’s original astronomers, and now Melburnians have a rare chance to see the night sky through the lens of Aboriginal knowledge.
Healesville Sanctuary has launched Sky Country Tours, an immersive new stargazing experience led by Gomeroi astrophysicist and Aboriginal Cultures Education Officer, Krystal De Napoli.
Held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the two-hour tours take guests behind the scenes into the beautiful Coranderrk Bushland, walking through native forest to the shores of Lake Coranderrk.
Sky Country Tours
- Healesville Sanctuary
- Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights in May and June
- Tickets on sale now
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Under the dark sky oasis, De Napoli guides participants through Indigenous astronomy, revealing how First Nations people have read the stars for tens of thousands of years.
Participants will learn to identify constellations, variable stars, planets and the moon while discovering how Sky Country serves as a sophisticated calendar for forecasting seasonal changes, tracking animal and plant cycles, navigation, and preserving ancient histories.
The experience also highlights the serious ecological impact of light pollution on native wildlife and the importance of protecting dark skies.
“For me it is really exciting to tap into the curiosity that lies within people and hopefully inspire them to care about keeping our skies dark, because not only is that important for us to keep seeing the stars but also for the health of a lot of native species,” says De Napoli.
The tours are seasonal and responsive – themes shift with the changing night sky. On cloudy nights, the session moves indoors to the Bush Hut for an alternative cultural and astronomical presentation.
Healesville Sanctuary continues its winning streak, recently inducted into the Victorian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame after securing gold for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences for three consecutive years.
This is a unique opportunity to deepen your connection to Country, culture and the cosmos right on Melbourne’s doorstep.
Get your tickets here.
