{"id":228208,"date":"2019-02-12T20:44:32","date_gmt":"2019-02-12T10:44:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=228208"},"modified":"2020-07-24T13:49:03","modified_gmt":"2020-07-24T03:49:03","slug":"dark-skies-hang-over-bunyas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2019\/02\/12\/dark-skies-hang-over-bunyas\/","title":{"rendered":"Dark Skies Hang Over Bunyas"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Three of the guest speakers … landholder Bruce Thompson, who owns several properties on the mountains, Dark Sky Defender Marnie Ogg and Dr Ken Wishaw, from the Brisbane Astronomical Society<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/center><\/p>\n

‘It Must Be Driven
\nBy The Community’
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

No representatives from the South Burnett Regional Council were present at Sunday’s meeting.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, Mayor Keith Campbell, above, told southburnett.com.au<\/strong> on Monday that Council would support the concept of a Dark Sky Park – at the Bunya Mountains or elsewhere in the South Burnett – but the initiative would have to be led by the community.<\/p>\n

“The information and level of understanding that we as a Council have now is vastly more than we were privy to when this whole thing started off 12 months ago,” he said.<\/p>\n

“We would encourage this new initiative but won’t drive it.<\/p>\n

“Dark Sky could be good for towns and the visitor economy, and there would be a number of locations\u00a0 in the South Burnett who would welcome more tourists.”<\/p>\n

Mayor Campbell confirmed that Boondooma Homestead was one of the other areas that had been mentioned.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“The uniqueness about the Bunya Mountains is not because the skies are any darker there than in many other parts of the South Burnett, including Boondooma,” he said.<\/p>\n

But if the community desired to have the Bunya Mountains accredited, the SBRC would also have to have discussions with Western Downs Council, the other Local Government which has responsibility for a section of the mountains.<\/p>\n

Mayor Campbell said he understood the position of some Bunya Mountains residents who did not want more tourists visiting the mountains.<\/p>\n

“Council is not going to force this down anyone’s throats,” he said. <\/strong><\/p>\n

“It needs to be community driven.<\/p>\n

“If any community is interested, we would be interested in hearing from them as well.”<\/p>\n

Mayor Campbell assured residents the South Burnett Regional Council would not be spending ratepayers’ funds on an “expensive Light Management Plan” that only one business proprietor was likely to achieve any benefit from.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

February 12, 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

by Anne Miller<\/strong><\/p>\n

A meeting called on Sunday to clear the air over a proposed nomination of the Bunya Mountains as an “International Dark Sky Place” appears to have left the local community as divided as before.<\/p>\n

Proponents of the nomination say it would minimise light pollution, protect the natural environment, enhance tourism opportunities and possibly increase property values.<\/p>\n

However, opponents say the decision to reject the idea has already been made … at a meeting called by the Bunya Mountains Community Association in November where a majority of the 50 or so people in attendance voted “no”.<\/p>\n

Sunday’s meeting, which was held at the Bunya Mountains Accommodation Centre, attracted about 75 residents.<\/p>\n

It was an attempt by supporters of the Dark Sky proposal to provide more information to local residents about the concept – and the meeting was videoed so residents who could not attend could see what occurred.<\/p>\n

Attendees were told at the outset that the original proponent of the Dark Sky accreditation idea, Kingaroy astronomer James Barclay, was no longer associated with the proposal.<\/p>\n

However, enthusiasm for the concept was strong among the guest speakers: Local resident Donna Glass; Wayne Fossey and\u00a0 Shannon Bauwens, from the Bunya Peoples Aboriginal Corporation; Dr Ken Wishaw, from the Brisbane Astronomical Society; local property owner and ecologist Bruce Thompson; and Marnie Ogg who was instrumental in gaining Dark Sky Park accreditation for the Warrumbungle National Park in NSW (the only place in Australia to have accreditation).<\/p>\n

John Learmont, chairman of the\u00a0Bunya Mountains Community Association, was also invited to briefly outline what had occurred at the November meeting and he again emphasised the majority had rejected the proposal.<\/p>\n

Ms Ogg – a former manager of the Sydney Observatory and a 2018 winner of an International Dark-Sky Association Defender Award –\u00a0 told the meeting the International Dark-Sky Association<\/a>\u00a0(IDA) was part of a global movement to protect the night skies.<\/strong><\/p>\n

She said very little would have to be done at the Bunya Mountains to achieve formal accreditation with IDA as there were no lights within the actual National Park, and the accreditation could be limited to the park’s boundaries.<\/p>\n

However, if the houses and commercial areas were also included, there would be changes necessary to some exterior lights – which, it was suggested during the meeting, would actually make the area safer for both visitors and wildlife.<\/p>\n

Ms Ogg said four designated Dark Sky activities would also have to be organised every year, but these could be as simple as a holding a dinner under the stars.<\/p>\n

Less enthusiasm for the nomination was shown from some questioners from the floor who suggested there was nothing to gain from international accreditation as visitors – and tourism operators – could achieve the same benefits now.<\/p>\n

The idea of an international organisation telling people what they could and couldn’t do also rankled some residents.<\/p>\n

There was also concern that marketing the Bunya Mountains as a Dark Sky Park could attract more visitors than the mountains – and connecting roads – could handle.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then there was the cost.\u00a0Although Ms Ogg suggested existing Light Management Plans written for the Sunshine Coast or Siding Spring could be adapted at little cost, a figure of $20,000 or $25,000 – mentioned by a Council representative at a previous meeting – was raised several times from the floor.<\/p>\n

The meeting broke up without taking a vote on the proposal, or forming a committee to consider the matter further.<\/p>\n

However, both the “yes” and “no” camps began collecting email addresses to continue their campaigns …<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What Is A Dark Sky Place?<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The International Dark Sky Places Program began in 2001 to encourage communities, parks and protected areas around the world to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting polices and public education.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The program is managed by the US-based International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) which has established strict criteria for a place to be accredited as a Dark Sky Place.<\/p>\n

There are more than 100 certified International Dark Sky Places in the world, including one in Australia and three in New Zealand.<\/p>\n