Hi Mike,
to IIS mate!
Yes, this topic does get brought up a fair bit, but that is actually a good thing. The topic comes and goes, so the threads that list sites here around Sydney and other cities, come and go from sight. It also helps us dark sky hunters update our resources as access to sites change - some become inaccessible, others become available.
As you noted, safety is paramount for all of us, and the following links and sites are noted for being safe. And of course, it is always better to go with a mate to remote places if you are the only mad dogs doing anything astro.
Being based close to UNSW, you are located pretty much smack bang equidistant from dark skies north, south and west - two hours.
There are several astro clubs that welcome casual visitors to their sites. You'll find a list of these here:
Club and Society listing
Informal gatherings are listed in the
Star Parties, Club and Community Events. Regular gatherings close to Sydney are noted here, particularly at 'Mangrove Mountain Pony Club' and 'Katoomba Airfield'.
Here is a link to another
'Where around Sydney is there a dark sky site' thread that notes many sites that you can access. While no co-ordinates are supplied, the individual sites will regularly be found in a search engine .
You can also start a post asking for a viewing mate or for more up-to-date information on any gatherings formal and informal. We are usually a friendly mob here,
Alex.
