Around 200,000 hectares of land located at the head of Lake Whakatipu has officially been certified as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.
Named the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary, it is the fifth sanctuary in Aotearoa to get the title, and25th in the world.
The initiative is run by Dark Sky International which certifies communities, parks, and protected areas around the world that preserve night-sky visibility through responsible lighting policies and public education.
The sanctuary stretches from Bennett’s Bluff to the northern boundary of Mt Aspiring National Park and more than 75% of the sanctuary falls into UNESCO Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Wilderness.
The Routeburn, Greenstone-Caples and Rees-Dart tracks also all fall within it.
The sanctuary stretches from Bennett's Bluff to the northern boundary of Mt Aspiring National Park. Photo / Corrine Davis
The sanctuary surrounds the townships of Glenorchy and Kinloch and in the coming year they will be brought into the International Dark Sky Places programme as an International Dark Sky Community. It’s an approach similar to the Kaikōura International Dark Sky Sanctuary certified in 2024.
It will also be one of the rare places where you can see the total solar eclipse in 2028, with the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary being the only sanctuary in its path.
Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Skies Group chairperson Leslie Van Gelder said it is a huge achievement.
‘‘We’re really hopeful that particularly for Tāhuna Glenorchy that people will come and spend the night, and so once they realise there’s only one small spot on the planet where you can see the aurora and you can see the core of the Milky Way and we sit in that sweet spot.
“Only 10,000 people live in that band in the whole world, and we’re among them,” Van Gelder said.
One of the sanctuary’s key aims is to engage with Ngāi Tahu to improve people’s awareness of the knowledge that is held in the planets and the stars that have helped guide countless previous generations.
Kāi Tahu ki Tuawhenua representative Jana Davis said it is important more people are made aware.
“There are different ways Māori refer to our stars, ngā whetū (stars), or tīpuna whetū (ancestral stars), or whetū mārama (bright and beautiful stars), and they hold deep significance for Kāi Tahu whānau.
“These same stars guided our tīpuna (ancestors) from Hawaiki across the vast Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa (Pacific Ocean), weaving stories that transcend space and time.
“As Kāi Tahu whānau, we are dedicated to protecting these pristine night skies and our taiao (environment).
“They are a taoka (precious), connecting mātauraka Māori from our tīpuna to our mokopuna (descendants). The Dark Sky Sanctuary ensures these stories and connections will endure for generations to come,” he said.
“DoC was excited to support the application of the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary and our hut rangers played an important role in taking the necessary light readings in difficult to access areas.”
The Department of Conversation manages a large part of the new sanctuary, with Mt Aspiring National Park straddling the spectacular mountains and valleys at the southern end of the Southern Alps/ Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, renowned for its exceptional beauty and large core of wilderness.
“The new designation will further protect these values into the future,” Davis said.
Selwyn District Council has also started work to get Dark Sky accreditation at Arthur’s Pass and Castle Hill.
Community and economic development head Clare Quirke said it would be a boost for all the locals.
There are five Dark Sky Sanctuaries in Aotearoa, including Tāhuna Glenorchy. Photo / Corrine Davis
“They include job creation and support for local businesses to create income. They also boost tourism and extend the tourism season.
“Obviously there’s environmental benefits of reducing pollution, energy conservation and protecting wildlife, particularly nocturnal fauna and flora,” Quirke said.
