Naseby Becomes New Zealand’s First Dark Sky Community

This recognition marks the culmination of 10 years of grassroots effort, initiated by a passionate group of local residents who envisioned preserving the pristine night skies above their town. Their commitment, alongside support from the Central Otago District Council (CODC), has now placed Naseby on the global map as a leader in night sky conservation.

“The people of Naseby have put in a tremendous amount of effort into achieving the first International Dark Sky Community certification for the nation of New Zealand. The country is already a leader for dark skies in many ways, and we at DarkSky International are confident that more communities like Naseby will come to attain this certification and continue the push for greater lighting policies throughout the country,” says International Dark Sky Place Program Manager Amber Harrison.

To mark this milestone, a community event is planned in Naseby for Saturday, 27 September, inviting locals and visitors alike to learn about and celebrate the exceptional quality of Naseby’s night skies. The event will kick off a series of initiatives designed to deepen public engagement with astronomy and light pollution awareness.

Already underway are projects such as the recent purchase of another community telescope and other stargazing tools, with more to come as funding allows.

The journey began in 2016 when Naseby Vision, a local community group, had some early discussions with DarkSky expert John Barentine to explore the possibility of accreditation. By 2018, the community had conducted extensive night sky quality surveys and gained public support.

However, the path to certification proved more complex than anticipated. Central Otago’s lighting regulations required significant revision, prompting CODC to initiate a comprehensive District Plan Change in 2021 in order to allow the establishment of Dark Sky precincts and govern light use.

“When we began, we had no idea how intricate this process would be,” said Jill Wolff, project lead for Naseby Vision. “The Council’s community development and planning teams were incredibly supportive and committed to getting it right so that we could proceed with our application when the time was right.”

Following public consultation and hearings, Plan Change 22 was adopted in October 2024, officially protecting Naseby’s skies from light pollution and paving the way for the final application to be resubmitted - and approved.

Community wide engagement has been key to the town achieving accreditation as an International Dark Sky Community. This is a significant point of difference from other Dark Sky locations in New Zealand. Community participation, stewardship, and awareness of the pristine night sky is embedded in the culture of its residents thereby ensuring that protection of these values will continue well into the future.

“Naseby’s recognition as an International Dark Sky Community is an inspirational example of what happens when community, conservation, and vision come together. This honour not only celebrates our pristine skies today but also safeguards them for future generations of Central Otago residents and visitors, inspiring wonder, learning, and pride in shining brighter than ever - naturally” said Tamah Alley, Central Otago Mayor

Antz Longman, Head of Destination at Tourism Central Otago also praised the community’s achievement:

“We must congratulate the people of Naseby for leading the charge in protecting our region’s night skies. With Central Otago already identified as a prime location to view the next full solar eclipse in July 2028, there’s no better place to experience it than a town that has embraced and safeguarded its exceptional night sky vista’s.”

The accreditation is already inspiring new tourism ventures, including Paul Bishop’s Naseby Night Sky Tours, and expanding creative and educational programmes like Winterstellar. Longman added: “This is just the beginning. The Central Otago Destination Management Plan which captures the views of the region’s communities, recognises the importance of protecting our night skies. We expect other communities across the district will follow Naseby’s lead.

Naseby became established during the gold rush of the mid 1800’s. Its population reached a peak of around 4,000 miners in the 1860’s, with stores, hotels, and even a hospital to serve the community. Many of the town centre's buildings have been preserved, giving something of the air of visiting a movie set. It now has an estimated permanent population of around 150 with that number growing to around 3,000 over the summer season. Sitting at an elevation of 610 metres, or 2,000 feet, above sea level, or as they say in Naseby – 2,000 feet above worry level, the settlement covers 0.86 km2, and is surrounded by Central Otago’s only true area of working forest, with tracks and trails to explore. It also has New Zealand’s only dedicated international standard indoor curling rink, plus an ice luge, ice rink, and downhill summer luge bringing visitors to town year-round.

Naseby, the first International Dark Sky Community in New Zealand, is the place to view New Zealand’s pristine night sky. The community of Naseby will continue spreading the word on how important and accessible the dark sky is in Naseby. They will also continue to monitor the local planning ordinances on dark sky protection and ensure that they are followed for the good of the community. Wolff concludes, “It feels good to know you've put something this important in place for the community and future generations.”

About DarkSky International

The mission of DarkSky is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting. Learn more here. 

About the International Dark Sky Places Program: Founded in 2001, the International Dark Sky Places Program is a non-regulatory and voluntary program encouraging communities, parks, and protected areas worldwide to preserve and protect dark sites through effective lighting policies, environmentally responsible outdoor lighting, and public education. When used indiscriminately, artificial light can disrupt ecosystems, impact human health, waste money and energy, contribute to climate change, and block our view and connection to the universe. Naseby now joins more than 230 Places that have demonstrated robust community support for dark sky advocacy and strive to protect the night from light pollution. Find out more here.

Naseby Vision Inc.
W: www.nasebyvision.org.nz
E: darksky@naseby.nz