Ok,
The location at that's just past the Airfield sadly has a treeline that is too high, and the resulting sky is limited to a strip from zenith to the northwest. I am so grateful for Ivan taking the time to visit this site for us, ta mate,
The other site at Mt Hay Rd is a nasty, nasty, nasty road, no good either.
So, I have three other sites, all easy to get to being just one turnoff from the highway each, & they are at Blackheath and Mt Victoria. Good thing though they are not really any further than Hargraves Lookout and Mt Blackheath. One is actually closer than these two.
* 1, Old Blackheath Aerodrome - who the blazes knew there was an aerodrome there once???
Anyway, the site is a big gravel strip at the end of the town of Blackheath at 318 Hat Hill Rd. Car access is easy with a parking lot. No street lights, though its proximity to Blackheath may see a car or two go past. Google streetview shows it horizon is very good with a low treeline.
* 2, Mt Victoria Quarry - this is an abandoned stone quarry at 89 Mt York Road, Mt Victoria. I've been here one time doing a reccie of possible sites. There is a gate which is open, and the treeline is good. Bugger all traffic here at night.
* 3, Roadside Obs on Victoria Falls Road - this site is 3km down Victoria Falls Rd from the Highway. It is an unsealed road which is as long as the unsealed section of road leading to Katoomba Airfield. This location (co-ordinates are on the image below) has a couple of roadside cuttings where to set up from, but there will be no one on this track at night so setting up on the road should be fine (
). Google Streetview shows this location as a ridgetop with a MAGNIFICENT horizon! though this also makes it exposed
All these sites are easy to get to, no harder than the Airfield. ALL also happen to be around 1020m above sea level. So, which one?
1, Big area, sealed road access, great horizon, but right next to a town?
2, Old quarry, sealed road access, good horizon, but tricky surface?
3, Roadside, unsealed road access, magnificent horizon, but exposed?
1, 2 or 3?
Adian, Browntown oval has dew to contend with as Wavy mentions. The three above sites are all sand/gravel, so dew situation will be like the Airfield.
Alex.