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travel time
Good points, for sure. It's always a challenge living in the middle of a big city. Mel is no different. Finding a fairly dark yet secure and safe site (no giant ditches to fall in!) with the comfortable amenities (power, toilet, etc) that is close is always a challenge.
Ken and Eric will have more accurate facts re all this, but I can give you my first timer impression of Snake Valley.
Snake Valley is just 20 min from Ballarat. Straight roads from Ballarat, easy drive. The observing site is the town sports oval. While you can't back your car right up to the spot where you will set up your scope, it's a short carry.
The field is short grass. If you have an extension cord, you can run power out to your scope.
There is a building with a toilet, and a heated (or heatable) room with a microwave and power for simple snack prep. And two couches, and more space to lay out a cot if one wanted (and had a collapsible cot) to nap or sleep. Very uncrowded for sure. Low key. Instantly comfortable place and crowd, to be sure.
But, yes, an easy 1.5 hour plus drive each way, more if leaving Mel at the wrong time of day.
Then there is the MPAS site in Mt. Martha. More dedicated site, with very nice clubroom. Again, very comfortable. Concrete pads with power, and if you time it right you can back your car up to the pad and leave it there except on busy and/or public nights. Closer, only about 45 min from the SE Mel suburbs. But, less dark. The zenith to the south and west are fine, easily mag 6.0, but north is all Frankston and Mel sky glow which I would say precludes me from pointing a scope there.
If you live in MEL and want truly dark sky, you'll have to drive at least 1.5 hours anywhere I think....
Scott
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