It has made Google News as well through this post:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1227687012203
Anything that raises public awareness of the threats of light pollution is great for all of us. Restricting development within 18kms of the Siding Springs site is good first step.
"Under the proposed Orana Regional Environmental Plan No. 1 Siding Spring, critical light thresholds for proposed new developments will be established around the observatory in the local government areas of Warrumbungle, Coonamble, Gilgandra and Dubbo."
These local government areas could well attract astronomers looking to relocate or establish dark site remote observatories.
We as a community need to get onto this and lobby for increases awareness of the problem and the creation of other 'Dark Areas' within Australia for the preservation of astronomical activity. You only have to look at places like Chile to recognise that significant investment can come our way through darkness (of course Chile has elevation that we cannot match). Preservation of dark areas in the higher ranges of Australia would be a good goal.
