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Tasmania/Lutruwita is a beautiful and special place at night. The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) is one of Australia’s largest conservation regions. Being listed as a World Heritage Site in 1982 and covering nearly 25% of Tasmania/Lutruwita, it is called home by a diverse range of flora and fauna, including many species that cannot be found anywhere else on earth. Beyond its ecological significance, the region is also a diverse Aboriginal cultural landscape, where the cultural heritage of Tasmanian Aboriginal people is preserved.

Unfortunately, despite being so integral to the identity of not just Tasmania but Australia as a whole, the TWWHA faces ongoing threats to its ecosystems, wildlife and long-term conservation goals. As human settlements continually expand, conservation regions aren’t only suffering the immediate impacts of construction and direct pollution, but ongoing impacts as a result of development upkeep or usage. We’re talking about waste removal, transport, expansion, noise and light pollution. Joe Bean and his crew at Wilderness Society have chosen to tackle the latter issue head on.

Through identifying the importance of protecting the area from light pollution, Wilderness Society is campaigning for the Southwest National Park to become a Dark Sky Sanctuary.

Darksky International describes a Dark Sky Sanctuary as:

“An IDA Dark Sky Sanctuary is public or private land that has an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is protected for its scientific, natural, or educational value, its cultural heritage and/or public enjoyment”.

That all sounds great, but what is a Dark Sky Sanctuary?

The International Dark Sky Places Program, led by DarkSky International, works to preserve night-time skies across the globe. By partnering with communities, land managers, and the public, they identify, certify, and protect dark areas for the benefit of both wildlife and people.

These sanctuaries are often remote, protected areas where the natural darkness is integral to the wildlife or culture of the region. Often, significant changes to a sanctuary following a certification aren’t required, as the certification is designed to raise awareness of these sites and promote long-term conservation, instead of a complete overhaul. If you’re not familiar with astro-tourism please check it out! It’s an awesome way to fully appreciate the beautiful and unique nighttime skies we have here in Australia!

The designation would allow Tasmania/Lutruwita to follow suit of places like North America, Canada, New Zealand and mainland Australia by investing in dark sky tourist experiences. With studies showing that it boots tourist numbers whilst benefiting the environment and increasing awareness. Through acquiring a certification into the International Dark Sky Places program, we are taking a huge step forwards towards protecting our landscapes, wildlife and unique ecosystems that make Australia what it is.

A huge thank you to our friends over at the Wilderness Society for the amazing work they do - especially Joe Bean whom helped make this blog possible. It’s people like them who fight to save and protect our fragile natural world.

I cannot encourage anyone reading this enough to head to https://wilderness.org.au/ and educate yourselves about conservation efforts within Australia.

For over 60,000 years, the Palawa people have cared for this land. Their stewardship is an important reminder of our responsibility to protect, conserve, and appreciate the natural world. Australia's landscapes and ecosystems are fragile, beautiful, and irreplaceable. They deserve us to do better. Let’s get out there and give back to our home.

Author: Jim Stewart-Lambert