Firmament & Fauna

Golden Nugget Discovery Tours and the Ballarat Observatory are joining forces to present to you an extraordinary dual journey – a nocturnal wildlife exploration paired with an insightful night sky viewing. This combination will surely appeal to both nature enthusiasts and space lovers. In our mission, we aim to raise awareness about the critical importance of preserving our natural environment and our home, Planet Earth.

As dusk settles over the Australian outback, an entirely different world stirs into action. You’ll be led through the rustling foliage by a seasoned guide, who will help you safely navigate and hopefully encounter a selection of the unique nocturnal creatures that call the bush their home. Depending on their nocturnal activities and presence, you may come face-to-face with Kangaroos, Wallabies, Possums, Gliders, Owls, Frogs, Bats, and other captivating nighttime wildlife.

Following the exhilarating bushwalk, your journey takes an upward turn to the heavens at the Ballarat Observatory. Here, the mysteries of the cosmos will unfold before your eyes as you gaze through our advanced telescopes to witness the beauty of the night sky. Our experienced astronomers will enrich your stargazing with their wealth of knowledge, explaining the importance of the dark sky for all life forms, and revealing the celestial bodies’ captivating tales.

In the event of a cloudy sky obscuring the stellar view, rest assured that the experience doesn’t end there. We have a plan B! You’ll be treated to an engaging program including Astrotour movies that delve into various Astronomy topics and a virtual tour of the starry night sky, ensuring your cosmic journey isn’t compromised.

The tour commences 2 hours before sunset with the wildlife exploration, and after basking in the sights and sounds of the bush after dark, participants are expected to arrive at the Ballarat Observatory 1.5 hours post-sunset for the celestial exploration.

These exceptional tours are exclusively available on Tuesday and Friday nights. For bookings and more information, please contact the Ballarat Observatory on 5332 7526 or 0429 199 312 or visit our booking portal at http://www.trybooking.com/BOXIT. 

Please make your reservations up to 5 days before the tour to ensure we can accommodate everyone comfortably. Please note that the places are limited, and we encourage an early booking to secure your spot.

We kindly ask all our participants to read through our Terms and Conditions prior to making a booking. We look forward to guiding you on this extraordinary journey through our unique wildlife and the awe-inspiring cosmos above.