Gold Coast Viewing Locations

[Travesso]

Hey guys,

I'm just about to purchase my first decent binoculars (Andrews 20x80 Triplets) and I was driving around the other night with my old 7x50s trying to find somewhere nice and dark to use the 20x80s when I get them. Does anybody have any pick spots? I ended up going up the Currumbin Valley but in these days of terrorism people seem very suspicious of someone stopping on the side of a country road with a pair of binoculars heheh. :P Im considering going camping in Lamington National Park in the next couple of weekends provided things clear up and I get my 20x80s. Any suggestions would be apreciated. By the way I'm on the southern end of the gold coast but I get free petrol ;)

Cheers!

[[1ponders]]

:gday: and :welcome: Travesso. How about Girraween National Park. That should be getting nice and dark out that way. Plus you might be able to get a few hills between yourself and that damn awful skyglow from the Gold Coast.

[Travesso]

Giraween hey? Never heard of it... I'll have to have a bit of a search around for that one. Thanks heaps! It actually does get fairly dark up Currumbin Valley where I went, but there is still a lot of light pollution hey! Nothing compares to the sky I saw in New Zealand on the drive between Dunedin and Queenstown... damn, that was some of the blackest sky I've ever witnessed!

[edit]

I just saw where Girraween is... That sure is a long way from the coast! haha... I'll have to do a bit more planning before heading out that far! :)

[[1ponders]]

Girraween is out on the Boader Ranges near Mt Warning. Lovely spot but damn it gets cold out there.

[Dennis]

Have a look at your local astronomy society, the SAS at http://www.sas.org.au/

They have a dark sky site at Leyburn.

Cheers

Dennis

[[1ponders]]

It's a fair hike though. I didn't realize how far (it's been about 20 years since I was there :lol:)

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests/find_a_park_or_forest/girraween_national_park/

[glenc]

You are welcome to observe from my place.:welcome:
It's 125km SW from Tweed Heads, 9 km north of Casino.

[Travesso]

Hey Glenc I ordered by 20x80mm binos from Andrews on Friday. Hopefully they'll be here this week and I can maybe some time soon take you up on your offer! :D Cheers!

[glenc]

You are welcome, call 02 6662 4756 for a cloud update.
Here is map to find us.
http://maps.google.com/
Copy and paste the lat/long into search maps.
-28.8146, 153.0706
Its best to turn off the Pacific Hwy at Bangalow, head from Lismore towards Kyogle and turn left towards Casino 18 km after Lismore.

Saw 119 objects last night with my 20x80s including 30 galaxies.