[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Wouldn't it be best to ask The Pony Club what would be best for them first? As an Incorporated entity, their charter would be to encourage and include groups from the wider community to make use of their facilities. This includes us Astro nuts. However, they too need to seek ways of increasing their revenue. They may see they would stand more to gain from having a school next door to them.

As people of science, why would you stand against a school being built? Just for our selfish recreation? We already drive in many cases several hours to all directions of the compass to get to dark skies - sadly on occasions we need to make way AGAIN to progress.

As mentioned, there's two to five years before anything happens. Time enough to locate a new site.

No I haven't been to the Pony Club. I mainly go to Katooma Airfield as it is easier for me to get their (it's a four hour round trip for me too). The Airfield itself is teetering on closing due to local councillor personal interests, even though the many groups that use the Airfield, including National Parks & Wildlife, the RFS & the Army, even the Scouts, all add their voices in support of the of keeping the Airfield open. We can only support the Body if the change that is pending is detrimental to it.

I may get roasted for my view, so be it. I don't want to see another dark site lost. Everyone with an interst in astronomy looses. And The Pony Club is one of the most popular too. But you can't go against building a new school just because it clashes with our fun. If the Pony Club is in favour of the school, what then too?