Quote:
Originally Posted by JimIrish
Like others, I'm tempted to be a tree-changer. In my case, from a polluted city in China (2008-2015) via (at present) Hoppers Crossing near Werribee in Melbourne to central or north Queensland for winters.
Melbourne is too cloudy and cold in winter for my taste. Astronomical twilight ends too late in summer for an old guy who likes to get to bed before midnight but still fit in some observing if there's no moon or it's not overcast. The latter factor rules out dark sites in northwestern Victoria or anywhere with daylight saving and favours latitudes north of Brisbane, the further north the better. For example, astronomical twilight ends no later than 8:10pm at Rockhampton, but as late as 10:40pm in Melbourne.
I'd like to have a supermarket nearby, internet and a basic rural hospital - not because I like hospitals but places without a hospital generally don't have a GP or pharmacist. Places with affordable housing and modest light pollution include the Gemfields (The Willows, Anakie, Sapphire and Rubyvale) west of Emerald; Monto; and Charters Towers. Further afield, well-known over-wintering sites for southerners include Greenvale. Pentland, west of Charters Towers, is also on the list.
I've used the map of artificial skyglow published by Kyba et al. (2015) to aid site selection.
Thoughts?
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There are some excellent property margains to be had around some of the towns like Dysart, and Moranbah. Due to the downturn in the mining boom there are many low cost, but very nice, housing options in these towns. There is a hospital in Dysart, I have been in it, and a visiting dental clinic. I have spent time in both towns and they have the facilities you seek, and both are about two hours to Mackay, or a little longer to Rocky via Capricorn Way. The issue with any town in the coal fields is the possibility of light pollution from the mining operation. Dysart is pretty far from a working mine, Saraji being the closest at about 45kms. My choice on your list is Charter Towers, near enough to Townsville but up on the plateau and dark, as long as your not right in the city centre - but there are alot of old mine shafts all over the place outside of town so choose your site carefully. More options than Dysat and Moranbah, which can also be very hot in summer.