What will you photograph at Lake Ballard? The opportunities are endless. The wide salt lake, 51kms from the town of Menzies, has stunning hills and of course, the incredible Inside Australia Gormley statues. The 51 black chromium steel statues are sprawled out over 10km2 – take your time to stroll around. It’s best to do this in the early morning or late afternoon. You’ll be able to plan your astrophotography and decide what angle you’d like to capture. You can’t drive onto the lake, so remember you’ll have to carry your gear to the point where you’d like to photograph.
It’s particularly special to photograph the statues at the time of a small crescent Moon to try and capture some eerie shadows cast onto the surface of the lake under the brilliance of the Milky Way.
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Facilities: Toilets. Free self-contained camping/caravanning.
Mobile coverage (Telstra): None but there is limited coverage at the top of Snake Hill, 3km further west of the Lake Ballard Campground on the Menzies-Sandstone Road.
Sky Quality Meter Reading: 21.21 magnitude per arcsecond2 recorded at 7.27pm on 20th September 2024.
21.82 magnitude per arcsecond2 recorded at 7.27pm on 28th February 2024 (kindly taken by a visiting member of the Brisbane Astronomical Society). What is a Sky Quality Meter Reading?
Looking for More Astrophotography Hot Spots?
Stay longer on your Goldfields adventure and you’ll find a couple of other brilliant opportunities for astrophotography.
Kookynie
Kookynie is 70kms north east of Menzies and is known as a living ghost town. The pub operates irregular hours and there a lot of abandoned houses. As you make your way around the old, deserted town, you’ll find an original stone chimney still standing. The chimney would make a great feature under the Milky Way and with a light or little moonlight, the colour of the stone will come to life after dark.
Facilities: None. However, you’re conveniently close to overnight accommodation.
Mobile coverage (Telstra): Good.
Sky Quality Meter Reading: No reading has been made at this location yet. What is a Sky Quality Meter Reading?
Niagara Dam
On the way to Kookynie, Niagara Dam is a great place to camp overnight. Self-contained campers/caravanners are welcome. The bedrock around the edge of the dam is intriguing with crevices, nooks and crannies. There is the possibility of a south east view to capture the rising Milky Way over the bedrock and dam wall. If you time your visit with a small crescent moon setting in the west, the stunning red/bronze rock will be a striking feature.
There are also two small trails that meander around spectacular rock features and small ponds. Take your time to explore these and choose your location for nightscape astrophotography.
Facilities: Free self-contained camping/caravanning.
Mobile coverage (Telstra): Good.
Sky Quality Meter Reading: No reading has been made at this location yet. What is a Sky Quality Meter Reading?
Stargazing & Tourism Information
Observing Site
The local community welcomes you to use telescopes and binoculars or enjoy an evening of stargazing here.
Astrotourism Town
How are WA communities protecting dark night skies for your world-class stargazing experiences?
Visitor Centre
For accommodation, meals and other sightseeing in the local area, check in with the local visitor centre.