Australia's Golden Outback 2024 Holiday Planner

Journey to the Stars Experience serene stillness under sheer dark sky while unravelling stories of the stars in Gascoyne Murchison.

By CAITLIN SCOTT

Wooramulla Eco Cultural Journeys

I n the Gascoyne Murchison region, as the sun dips below the glowing horizon, endless constellations light up the sky. It’s one of the few places left where you can stand in silence, enveloped by the sheer darkness of an ancient landscape, and become absorbed by the stars. Scattered around the region, guided stargazing explorations and remote station stays, where the milky way paints the sky at night, provide endless opportunity to admire the stars in all their glory. The tour guides and station stay owners that are blessed year round, share their insights into what makes the sky here quite so spectacular. MELANGATA STATION STAY North of Yalgoo, you’ll find Melangata Station — a small property by the region’s standard, at a mere 125,000 acres, and a true treasure for admiring natural lightshows at night. To stay at Melangata and marvel at the stars, self-contained glamping tents, unpowered campsites, and bed and breakfast stays within its historic

before explaining that she’s talking about packing up the dinner and going outdoors for their meal. There, the post dinner performance differs from those found in the city theatres, and exceeds all expectations. “Even just sitting around the campfire at night, especially with the new moon, you can just look up and the stars are absolutely magnificent,” Jo says. Sometimes guests will take matters into their own hands and carry the verandah furniture out onto the lawn, says Jo, where they can recline and watch the star display at their own pace. However, during the new moon, the station runs dark sky tours in the early evening that are well worth experiencing. WOOLEEN STATION About 200 kilometres from the nearest town and sitting on 331,000 acres, Wooleen Station is a community of its own — an outback haven of historic buildings and lush gardens, run on a philosophy of mindfulness, slowing down, and genuine connection. As the station is completely off

Wooleen Station

homestead are all available options. Once her guests have had a chance to settle in, Jo Clew, owner of Melangata Station, typically seizes the opportunity on the second eve to suggest, ‘How would you like to go out for dinner tonight?’. She pauses to enjoy their quizzical looks,

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