The darkness of a Tasmanian town's night sky could be protected
The Tasmanian town of Ross is working towards becoming the first in the state to receive dark sky accreditation from Dark Sky International. Residents and local officials are implementing a lighting management plan to reduce light pollution and preserve the area's exceptionally dark night skies. The initiative, driven by community volunteers, aims to boost tourism while protecting the natural nighttime environment.
- ▪Ross scores 21 on a sky darkness scale where 22 is absolute black, indicating nearly total darkness.
- ▪The town has 99 percent support from the local community, including all businesses, for the dark sky accreditation effort.
- ▪There are 54 street lamps in Ross that must be shielded and converted to downward-facing, warm-colored lighting to meet Dark Sky International standards.
- ▪The Northern Midlands Council has approved a lighting management plan to align with the accreditation requirements.
- ▪A proposal has been submitted to TasNetworks to replace all non-compliant lights in Ross with dark sky-friendly smart lights within five years of accreditation.
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| Original publisher | ABC News (Australia) |
| Canonical URL | https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-17/tasmania-ross-dark-sky-accreditation-tourism/106620330 |
| Publication time | Sat, 16 May 2026 22:24:10 +0000 |
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Tasmanian town of Ross working to be accredited by Dark Sky InternationalBy Mackenzie Archer Topic:Tourism and Leisure IndustrySun 17 May 2026 at 8:24amSun 17 May 2026 at 8:24amSun 17 May 2026 at 8:24amIf successful, Ross will be the first town in Tasmanian to be accredited by Dark Sky International. (Supplied: Scott Bennett)In short:A Tasmanian town is working to protect the darkness of its night sky by getting it officially recognised.This would make the Northern Midlands town the first in Tasmania to achieve the international accreditation.What's next?The local council has approved a lighting management plan, and the town's residents are waiting on a proposal from the state's energy distributor.abc.net.au/news/tasmania-ross-dark-sky-accreditation-tourism/106620330Link copiedShareShare…
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