Councils (thesedays) = strident Corporate Identities
Its makes me very happy to read someone else is also noting the passing of some very special dark skies : RIP Truly Dark southern central SA Skies ( I hear the bugle sounding its sad lament) .
The enviroment and dark skies dont stand a chance against us really, they were doomed from the start!
I remember traveling on the back of a small flat bed truck all the way to an isolated hindmarsh island shack, nearly every weekend for years, in my youth in Adders at least 25 years ago - and just staring at the Milky Way for the duration of the trip in a dream (despite some small cabin lights) , as it wound through Woodside/Hahndorf down through meadows and bull Creek and on. We also use to sleep and fish in the coorong sand dunes (near the Murray Mouth) and it was indeed seriously dark down there.
Night fishing was what got me into Amateur skywatching in the beginning,
Slice, you mention travelling 70 clicks east (down the Dukes highway I assume - scary at night!!) I have met quite a few non-astronomy people people who have remarked about the amazing views of starry skies near Coonalpyn or that general area down to tintinara (sic)?(at the right times of year) and beyond.In fact one friend in particular who worked drove/codrove removal trucks with his brother all over SA/Vic/NSW/southern QLD for many, many years, 24 hours a day.
And when he heard me say that I was interested in astronomy one day- he couldnt wait to tell me about an amazing experience he had with starry skies while on break (have a leak/stretch the legs/cup of tea). It was near Coonalpyn. he said that night he had seen the most amazing night skies he has ever seen in all his travels in all his life (with obviously) many pit stops everywhere over the years - and he has spent a lot of time in the flinders and all over Oz in fact ... NT,QLD also.
They uaually remark that its so 3D its like your floating off into space
I too have seen similar skies down there myself over the years - that blew my mind! But I like the western grampians and the hay plains too -they are very special too.
I am sure everybody has these types of stories - I would like to hear them if are willing to share them.
Fringey