Stewart Island/Rakiura dark skies a future astrotourism drawNicole Johnstone/Stuff Venture Southland enterprise and strategic projects group manager Steve Canny. That would allow for official Dark Sky status to be sought, should the Stewart Island public wish, he said. "The International Dark Sky Association (IDA) has developed a multi-level Dark Sky Places Programme, to which Tekapo and Great Barrier Island already belong. Tekapo enjoyed second-tier "reserve" status, through its Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. "This is something potentially very positive for Stewart Island, so we all need to look at it with an open mind," he said.

Source: Stuff December 10, 2017 01:41 UTC