Help Create a Central Otago Dark Sky Reserve

Protect Central Otago's Night Skies

Central Otago is home to some of the darkest and clearest night skies left on Earth. Few places can match our combination of exceptional darkness, overhead views of the Milky Way's Galactic Core, and regular displays of the Aurora Australis.

Winterstellar Charitable Trust is leading a community effort to achieve International Dark Sky Reserve accreditation for Central Otago by 2028, in time for the Total Solar Eclipse that will bring worldwide attention to our region.

A critical step on that journey is protecting our skies through better lighting policy. To achieve this, expert planning work is required to develop and support changes to the Central Otago District Plan that will help safeguard our night skies for future generations.

The full planning process is expected to cost around $40,000. This campaign aims to raise the first $10,000 needed to begin preliminary consultation, engage specialist expertise, and lay the foundations for the work ahead.

Every contribution, large or small, helps move the project forward and demonstrates community support for protecting one of the world's great night skies.

Come for the eclipse. Stay for the night sky.