I've visited the world's top dark sky sites, the Warrumbungles is No.1

Sydney-based dark-sky expert Marnie Ogg has travelled the world in search of the most breathtaking sky-watching sites - but it's an Australian spot that stands out for her.

“I’m pretty taken with the dark emu in the sky,” says Marnie Ogg, a Sydney-based dark sky expert and founder of small-tour operator Dark Sky Traveller.

“For the First Nations peoples of Australia, this was a vital part of their culture. The emu’s position in the sky signalled when to collect eggs, guiding generations of people through an intimate relationship with the land and the cosmos.”

Marnie says she travels for stars because she has always found comfort in darkness.

“I’ve discovered so many unexpected insights about human nature,” she says. “I’ve seen people stand beneath the stars, gazing up in silence, only to be overcome with emotion.”

Here, Marnie shares her favourite dark-sky sites around the world: 

Warrumbungle National Park, NSW

I have never seen a sky darker than in the Warrumbungle National Park in NSW. My husband, astronomer Fred Watson, and I went about seeing it designated as the first Dark Sky Place in Australia, by Dark Sky International. When we officially opened the park, I ran an event. As we listened to the speakers, someone tripped over the power cable, plunging us into darkness. The collective gasp will always stay with me. “Oh! Wow!” The night sky was clear, so bright and so magnificent.

Abisko National Park, Sweden

You can get to Abisko National Park on the border between Sweden and Norway by road, but it is far more exciting and adventurous to go by the iron-ore train that travels from the ore-mining town of Kiruna to the Norwegian town of Narvik. The basin is renowned as the spot to view the aurora borealis. So much so, they built the Aurora Sky Station on top of a mountain, with the only way to get to it by chair lift.

La Serena, Chile

I watched a total solar clipse near La Serena in Chile. From our vantage point, we could see several major observatories, including Cerro Tololo, Cerro Pachón, Gemini South and the Vera Rubin Telescope, each a remarkable feat of astronomical research. The eclipse itself was spectacular – the sun’s prominences were strikingly visible and we even spotted stars appearing around the sun. Total solar eclipses are breathtaking, but they definitely require patience and planning.

Arkaroola, South Australia

Arkaroola in South Australia holds a special place in my heart. As a designated Dark Sky Sanctuary, it boasts some of the darkest skies in Australia, along with a remarkable geological history that every Australian should know. The true magic unfolds on the ridge as the sun sets: the Belt of Venus rises, casting a pink glow across the sky. The red dirt deepens in colour, shifting to blue as twilight takes hold. Everyone should witness it at least once.

Marnie Ogg’s travel highs and lows

A roll call of mishaps

I’ve been robbed, set my GPS to the wrong hotel in a different city and had food poisoning so bad I had to crawl to the bathroom. I’ve also endured terrible accommodation, the most memorable in Egypt where I switched on the light and saw the floor ripple as cockroaches scattered.

Team green

My best travel experience was a recent visit to Greenland. With fishing recognised as a human right, hunting is seen as a means of sustenance not sport, and they have a deep commitment to sustainability. I learned so much about living in harmony with nature.

Originally published as I've visited the world's top dark sky sites, the Warrumbungles is No.1