Palm Beach might be famous as the setting for television soap opera Home and Away, but the real stars are light years away from the waves breaking on the sand.
It is a miracle any can be seen so close to a major city, and efforts to preserve the night sky have led to the creation of Australia’s first “urban dark sky place” at Palm Beach headland.
Stars visible on the Palm Beach headland.Credit: Nick Moir
For advocates, darkening the skies in urban areas not only provides a better view of the stars, it promotes a more natural circadian rhythm for residents, reduces unnecessary energy use and is better for wildlife. But safety concerns mean creating urban darkness is not as easy as turning off the lights.
University of Sydney Associate Professor Emrah Baki Ulas worked with Northern Beaches Council and engineers from Steensen Varming to develop a lighting management plan for Palm Beach, which focuses on reducing light pollution while maintaining the function of outdoor illumination.
“Nighttime visitors to the reserve can now enjoy a clearer view of the stars and constellations than before, with reduced glare from city lights,” Ulas said.
The plan includes the use of shielded street lighting to direct light downward and installing warmer, low-intensity lights that reduce glare and are less disruptive to wildlife and human sleep patterns.
Northern Beaches mayor Sue Heins said she was awestruck by the starlit sky visible from the designated dark sky place, which covers 62 hectares and includes Governor Phillip Park and Barrenjoey Headland.
“I think most people look at the starry night and are in awe,” she said.
Ulas said advances in technology meant it was easier to alter lighting based on need, as well as daily and seasonal cycles.
“Contrary to times when artificial illumination was scarce and brighter was better, today we live in cities that are inundated by excessive lighting,” he said.
Light pollution also impacts nocturnal animals by altering behaviour such as feeding, mating and migration patterns.
“Sea turtles and birds are particularly affected as they rely on natural light cues for navigation,” Ulas said.
The plan to turn Palm Beach headland into the country’s first urban night sky park was approved in 2021 despite opposition from some residents and councillors worried about the safety implications of reduced light. It was awarded its status on June 25.
Waverley Council has also passed a resolution to create dark spaces that protect nocturnal animals from light pollution and enhance views of the night sky in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
More than 200 places around the world are certified dark sky places by DarkSky International. Certified areas must both reduce light pollution and educate the public about the project.
“Culturally, the loss of dark skies erases a connection to the stars that has been significant throughout human history, impacting activities like stargazing and astronomical research, and diminishing our sense of wonder and our connection to the universe,” Ulas said, nominating the Royal National Park and other parts of Pittwater as other potential dark sky places.
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