If you haven’t been to the River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve, about an hour and a half from Adelaide, you haven’t really seen the stars.
I say that with certainty because I’ve experienced it myself. I’ve stood beneath that endless night sky, watched the Milky Way stretch across the horizon with the naked eye, captured remarkable photos on my iPhone, and seen international visitors moved to tears at the sight of Saturn’s rings through a telescope.
What amazes me most is that when I recommend the Dark Sky Reserve to South Australians as a truly magical experience, nine times out of ten they’ve never been, and many haven’t even heard of it. It’s an internationally recognised, environmentally protected wonder right here in our own backyard, yet it remains one of our state’s best-kept secrets.
So the news of a proposed underground planetarium and observatory designed to elevate awareness of the Reserve is truly exciting.
Australia’s only officially listed Dark Sky Reserve could soon become home to an underground planetarium and observatory, in what would be a first for the nation.
It’s another reminder that we often overlook what the rest of the world travels thousands of kilometres to experience, the breathtaking natural beauty that’s right here at home in South Australia.
The proposed facility in the River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve, within the Mid Murray Council area near Mannum, will create an immersive space where visitors can explore the cosmos both above and below the earth’s surface.
By building below ground, light pollution is minimised to protect the purity of the night sky above. The structure also stays naturally cool and stable, preserving delicate instruments while blending into the surrounding landscape.
In a place as historically and environmentally significant as the River Murray Dark Sky Reserve, this design is a clever way to balance science, sustainability and aesthetics, allowing visitors to experience the universe while leaving only the faintest trace on the land.
The project, which has been in development for several years, is being led by Mid Murray Council in partnership with Mid Murray Landcare. Plans are now progressing toward a formal business case after the partners secured grant funding and began forming an independent board to oversee the project.
For Dark Sky Reserve tourism operator Kelly Kuhn, founder of Juggle House Experiences, the underground planetarium and observatory is a game changer.
“This really will be a centrepiece for the region, something the whole state can hang its hat on.”
Kelly, who has been running guided stargazing tours for six years, says the region has already captured the imagination of visitors from around the world.
“We’ve hosted people from 18 different countries so far,” she says.
“For many, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment. People from big cities are used to bright lights and late nights, so when they visit South Australia, they’re looking for something meaningful after dark.”
She believes the new facility will not only enhance that but also help stabilise the industry.
“At the moment, we hold a lot of risk,” she explains.
“If the weather turns bad, we have cancellations. Having a space like this would give people an indoor experience when the sky isn’t visible. It’s the perfect backup.”
Beyond the stars, the conversation is turning to what many are calling noctourism, the growing global trend of exploring destinations at night.
“It’s a relatively new concept, but it’s huge,” Kelly says.
“People are searching for night markets, ghost tours, rooftop bars, nocturnal wildlife tours, and dark sky experiences are right up there.”
Booking.com recently named noctourism as a key travel trend, reflecting a shift in how travellers seek out sensory, transformative experiences.
Kelly agrees South Australia is perfectly positioned to lead.
“We’re the only Dark Sky Reserve in the country,” she says.
“There are around 200 dark sky places in the world, and ours is the closest to any capital city. That’s a big deal. People are literally Googling ‘dark sky’ and ‘night activities’ when they plan their holidays.”
For her, the proposed underground planetarium is about education, connection and understanding.
“It’s about sharing information and giving people a background of what light pollution really means, how it affects our health, our wildlife, and why we need to protect these places. It would be education by day and magic by night.”
The demographic for her tours is proof that stargazing transcends age and culture.
“It blows my mind,” she says.
“We’ve had everyone from teenagers to people in their eighties, from Sydney, Europe, the USA and Vietnam. There’s no pattern. Everyone is just fascinated.”
Looking ahead, Kelly believes South Australia should move quickly to claim its place as a noctourism leader.
“This is just the beginning,” she says.
“The dark sky movement is only going to get bigger. We need to get ahead of the game.”
For more information on The River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve, click here.
For more information on International Dark Sky Places, click here.
For more information on Juggle House Experiences, click here.
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