One of the Northern Territory’s most remarkable natural landmarks and one of outback Australia’s most widely photographed sites, has been designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary by DarkSky International.
Karlu Karlu Conservation Reserve (Devils Marbles) has been recognised for the exceptional quality of its night skies and commitment to protecting its nocturnal environment.
Famous for its large, striking granite boulders and cultural significance for the Aboriginal people of the area, Karlu Karlu Conservation Reserve is located 100 kilometers south (1-hour drive) of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.
Almost all of the 1800-hectare Reserve is a registered sacred site and is significant to the Kaytetye, Warumungu, Warlpiri, and Alyawarra Traditional Owners, whose ancestors have managed the area since creation time. Karlu Karlu is a cultural landscape that is central to Traditional Owners’ identity. Stories and traditions, sacred sites and related “dreamings” are important elements of the Reserve’s cultural value.
A site of national significance, for its extraordinary geological formations, Karlu Karlu is home to approximately 116 native plant species, 83 bird species, 10 native mammal species, 30 reptile species, and 4 frog species, as well as one drought-surviving crab species.
“This designation is an excellent example of how dark sky conservation can complement the protection of culturally and environmentally significant places. Its exceptionally dark skies, deep cultural connections, and iconic landscape make it a natural fit for International Dark Sky Sanctuary certification. As the first certified site in the Territory, this creates an exciting opportunity to build broader awareness of dark sky conservation locally,” remarked Amber Harrison, Dark Sky Places programme manager.
“Our night skies are some of the darkest in the world – a stargazer’s dream! And with wide-open spaces like Karlu Karlu, there’s no shortage of exceptional viewing opportunities for visitors to Barkly. We couldn’t be prouder as a government to back the Territory’s unique regions,” said the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, and Parks and Wildlife Marie-Clare Boothby.
The timing of the accreditation is apt: there is a total solar eclipse on July 22, 2028, during which Karlu Karlu will fall within the path of totality. Visitors to the region will enjoy the Moon completely obscuring the Sun over the reserve for almost five minutes.
Extraordinary night skies can be experienced right across the Northern Territory. With open landscapes, remote wilderness and minimal light pollution, visitors can combine astronomy with everything from Indigenous storytelling and fine dining to canoe expeditions and luxury station stays.
For example, at Uluru, Outback Sky Journeys at Ayers Rock Resort combines science with stories connected to the night sky, allowing visitors to gaze upwards from the ochre landscape. The resort’s famous Sounds of Silence experience offers another perspective, with dinner served outdoors overlooking Uluru and Kata Tjuta before a resident star talker decodes the constellations and planets of the southern night sky.
Travellers can go even deeper into the wilderness at Nitmiluk Gorge, where Nitmiluk Tours’ two-day Barrak Barrak canoe adventure offers the chance to paddle into remote sections of the gorge before camping overnight beneath the stars. Far from towns and artificial light, the experience pairs one of the Territory’s great landscapes with the simple pleasure of sleeping beneath an immense night sky
For those looking for wilderness with a little more comfort, Bullo River Station in the Victoria River District offers remote station stays amid 400,000 acres of outback landscape. Its isolation and minimal light pollution make evenings particularly memorable, with guests able to step outside and explore the stars above one of Australia’s great working cattle stations.
