A new after-dark experience in the Yarra Valley is inviting Melburnians to rethink the night sky as a living, interconnected system tied to land, culture and wildlife.
Healesville Sanctuary has launched “Sky Country Tours”, an intimate stargazing experience led by Gomeroi astrophysicist and science communicator Krystal De Napoli.
Set within the rarely accessed Coranderrk Bushland, the tour blends astronomy, storytelling and environmental awareness in a way that feels distinctly grounded in place.
A different way to see the stars
As dusk settles over the sanctuary, guides lead guests through towering eucalypts to Lake Coranderrk, where the bushland becomes the evening’s open-air classroom.
Here, the focus shifts upward. But rather than pointing out constellations in the Western sense, De Napoli reframes the sky through a First Nations lens, where stars are part of a broader ecological system.
Long before telescopes, First Nations Australians used the night sky to track seasonal change, navigate Country and understand the behaviour of animals and plants. These knowledge systems—among the oldest continuous astronomical traditions in the world—remain deeply relevant today.
Why dark skies matter
Throughout the two-hour experience, guests learn how “reading” Sky Country can reveal shifts in weather, signal animal breeding cycles and map out seasonal transitions aligned with the Kulin Nation’s calendar. It’s a perspective that positions astronomy as lived knowledge.
The experience also turns attention to a more modern issue, which is light pollution. As Melbourne’s urban glow continues to expand, it makes darker skies harder to access—affecting not just stargazers, but also native species whose behaviour depends on natural light cycles.
Moreover, De Napoli highlights that preserving dark sky environments like Coranderrk Bushland is about visibility and ecological balance.
A tour that changes nightly
The experience adapts to the sky itself. On clear evenings, visitors may spot planets, the moon or shifting constellations reflected in the lake. If cloud cover rolls in, the experience moves to a nearby bush hut, where the storytelling continues indoors.
In addition, the launch builds on Healesville Sanctuary’s growing recognition in cultural tourism. The site was inducted into the Victorian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame in 2024 after three consecutive wins in the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences category.
Running on select evenings across May and June, Sky Country Tours offers a slower, more reflective way to experience the Yarra Valley—one that encourages visitors to look up, but also to think more deeply about what they’re seeing.
Tour Details
- What: Sky Country Tours
- When: Thursday to Saturday nights, May-June 2026
- Time: 5:30pm–7:30pm
- Where: Healesville Sanctuary, Yarra Valley
- Price: From $55 (children) to $110 (adults)
- Bookings: Head here.