With Jupiter now almost gone, I am planning to getting back into deep sky observing in the next few months and looking for a great dark sky site 2-3 hours from Melbourne to also try my hand at deep sky astrophotography.
I have been a past ASV member and spent many observing sessions at the Leon Mow ASV site in the 90's but I am no longer a member and from what I hear Bendigo now interferes a fait bit. This may also be the case for Murchison.
Based on this light pollution map
http://www.inquinamentoluminoso.it/w...pages/fig9.htm
i was thinking that a place like The Terric Terric State Park 70kms north of Bendigo (200kms from Melbourne) would be a great alternative.
Otherwise as I have spent lots of time climbing in the Gramps that could be good but unsure about the situation there post the fires and I think it's further (ie Ararat is 200km from Melbourne).
Lake Mountain has also been mentioned. Not sure about the windy roads getting up there and weather and fog issues.
For the hard core Victorian deep sky astrophotographers and observers on IIS, what are your thoughts?