It has become the first town in New Zealand to achieve an International Dark Sky Community accreditation by DarkSky International.
The recognition marked 10 years of grassroots effort, initiated by Naseby Vision, a passionate group of local residents who envisioned preserving the pristine night skies above their town.
Their dedication, alongside support of the Central Otago District Council, had now placed Naseby on the global map as a leader in night sky conservation. International Dark Sky Place programme manager Amber Harrison said the people of Naseby had put a tremendous amount of effort into achieving the first International Dark Sky Community certification in New Zealand.
The journey to accreditation first began in 2016, when Naseby Vision had early discussions with DarkSky expert John Barentine to discuss the possibility.
By 2018, the community had conducted extensive night sky quality surveys and gained public support.
This prompted council to initiate a comprehensive District Plan Change in 2021 in order to allow the establishment of Dark Sky precincts and govern light use.
Naseby Vision dark sky project lead Jill Wolff said the organisation had no idea how intricate the process would be.
“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, council’s plan change 22 was adopted in October 2024, and Naseby’s skies were officially protected from light pollution, paving the way for the way for the final application to be resubmitted and then approved.
Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley said the town’s recognition proved to be an inspirational example of what happens when community, conservation, and vision came 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’’
To mark the milestone a community celebration is planned for September 27 in Naseby, locals and visitors alike can learn about and celebrate the exceptional quality of the town’s night skies.
The event would begin a series of initiatives designed to deepen public engagement with astronomy and light pollution awareness.
— Allied Media
