Moving to WA - maybe

[JimmyH155]

Hey, you guys over there in Perth area. We might be moving to the west. My work would be in Belmont.
Two questions.... Son to study at Curtin Uni
Me to find dark area to live. Any ideas?? Probably renting. I googled up Belmont and there seemed an awful lot of houses (= light pollution)
Jindaloop? Further north??
Any suggestions????

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

I hear halfway between Kalgoorlie and Port Headland has some pretty dark skies.

[astroron (Ron)]

Perth's light pollution is worse than Brisbane You will have to go a long way away from Perth to get dark sky's
Sorry to dampen your thoughts
Ron

[rogerg (Roger)]

Easy. Belmont is very well located for you to live somewhere dark.

Head east. DO NOT head north or south along the coast like the rest of the beach addicted population

Head east and you can get a house in suburban or semi-rural hills areas (Kalamunda - outer eastern parts, Bickley, Carmel, Pickering Brook, Parkerville, Stoneville, Mundaring, Gidgegannup, Chidlow, etc). All of those will be about a 30 minute drive from Belmont in normal medium traffic congestion.

I live 35km from my work near the CBD, takes me 45min in peak hour each way, drive through Belmont every day on my way to/from the hills. I walk out side at night and can easily see the Milky Way and LMC, SMC takes a little more adaption, and I have a streetlight 20m from my house!

Completely different story if you live "on the flats" as opposed to in the hills.

When/if you're seriously looking, I'd be happy to give more detailed information. There are better and worse areas for possible future light pollution of course.



Oh, and if you want really dark, you do need to travel, because it's all so flat the light pollution dissipates gradually. I travel to a spot about 1 hr 45 from my home in the hills and you cannot see any light pollution there, but it is about a 2 hour drive as I said, closer and you'll see the glow of Perth.

[Blue Skies (Jacquie)]

What rogerg just said.

[Blue Skies (Jacquie)]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

I hear halfway between Kalgoorlie and Port Headland has some pretty dark skies.

And I think you might find yourself pretty disappointed! It's amazing how many mines are out there in the middle of nowhere - and the flat landscape does nothing to hide the glow mounds. The Nullabor might be better...

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Originally Posted by Blue Skies

And I think you might find yourself pretty disappointed! It's amazing how many mines are out there in the middle of nowhere - and the flat landscape does nothing to hide the glow mounds. The Nullabor might be better...

What a bugger. All that beautiful sky getting blotted out.

[TrevorW]

Try Roleystone, Bedfordale, Kelmscott, Byford, Churchmans in the hills, they are all relatively close to Belmont and Curtin Uni via major arterial roads. Closer to Curtin than others suggested. You won't be disappointed. ON average Perth has more clear nigths than most other major cities and with a smaller population naturally there is less night glow.

[beren]

I live about 15 minutes north of the Perth CBD, from home my north to eastern horizons are okay during new moon but for reasonable dark skies you need to head up to the Darling ranges to get some respite from LP on the coastal plain. Good thing about Perth is you have large reserves of state forest that extend east and south-east in the ranges. If your a little adventurous there's heaps of nice spots to set up, to get to my favorite spot takes less then 45 minutes

[JimmyH155]

Thanks guys for all that advice I will be busy next few days on Google Earth checking out those suburbs. I am a bit frightened on taking the plunge of moving lock, stock and barrel (including pianola piano) from East coast to West coast, but we have been here 15 years, and my son tells me that 2000 people a week are pouring into SE Qld - thats horrible. We went to Glasshouse Mountain lookout yesterday, and had to park 100 metres from the car park
They are going to make me an offer, so I will keep you gys informed, and thanks Rogerg for offer of more advice later

[MikeyB (Michael)]

A word of warning on your accommodation plans, Jimmy - by all reports, renting property is not easy here in Perth at present. In fact I've heard that some agents have an open house for potential tenants and then auction the lease on the spot to the highest bidder. Also, be aware that rental storage space is difficult to find too, so you need to have somewhere arranged to put all your household gear when it arrives.

I work in Belmont and live just 5 minutes away in Kewdale. I can vouch for the lack of dark skies hereabouts, unfortunately.

[MrB (Simon)]

Hi Jimmy, the following attachment of Perth's light polution might help you a little:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/a...se.php?a=38396

The black 'X' in the image is Rockingham, the red 'X' is a place called Bakers Hill, you might find it on a decent Australian atlas, with these two you should be able to get a decent reference to then locate the places mentioned by RogerG (Kalamunda, Bickley Stoneville etc) which will fall roughly in the green/blue area's east of the city.(below and left of the red 'X')

To give you an idea, the black Rockingham 'X' is where I live (edge of the orange zone) I can see stars down to 6th mag no probs and on good nights can just make out SMC averted naked eye. From the red zone(about 5k from city centre) I can see plenty of the brighter stars but not a lot else. From Yunderup(South of Perth but freeway almost finished) which is right on border of the green/blue zone, the sky is impressive but obviously not perfect.

[JimmyH155]

Thanks for that MickeyB. I had heard that accom is hard to find. What about a tent in Kings Park?? Don't think the wife would approve. I hope they will offer me a few weeks in furnished accom for a start. That LP chart is interesting, MrB, Yes I will start off at the red X and work outwards