Sustainability At Perth Observatory

A Practical Approach to Environmental Responsibility

At Perth Observatory, we take pride in being good stewards — of both our night skies and our beautiful bushland surroundings. We recognise the importance of operating responsibly, ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy the same natural beauty, dark skies, and astronomical wonders that we do today.

Our approach to sustainability is simple: we believe in practical, cost-effective actions that make good sense, for the environment, and our visitors

Our Key Initiatives

🌿 Energy Efficiency & Lighting

LED Upgrades: We’ve upgraded key lighting across the site to low-energy LED fixtures. This reduces electricity use while also minimising light pollution, helping to protect our dark skies.
Smart Lighting: Wherever possible, we use motion-activated lighting to ensure we’re only using electricity when it’s truly needed.

🔭 Preserving Our Night Skies

As Western Australia’s oldest observatory, protecting the night sky is at the heart of everything we do. We work to reduce stray lighting on our site and advocate for responsible lighting in surrounding areas.

🚯 Waste & Resource Management

Recycling: Our staff and volunteers actively recycle paper, cardboard, and containers through local council programs.
Minimal Waste Events: We encourage reusable drink bottles, cups, and containers at all events, limiting disposable plastics wherever possible.

🌱 Bushland Care & Land Management

Our observatory is surrounded by native bushland that we carefully maintain through weed control, habitat protection, and responsible fire management practices in partnership with local authorities.

We take our role as custodians of this land seriously, ensuring it remains a safe haven for local wildlife.

🚗 Transport Efficiency

We encourage carpooling for staff and volunteers, as well as visitors attending events.

Our van is maintained for maximum fuel efficiency, with future plans to explore hybrid options if viable.

Future Focus Areas

We believe in setting achievable goals and measuring results, not just making lofty promises.

In the years ahead, we’ll continue to explore:

Further reducing energy use through efficient heating/cooling upgrades.

Growing partnerships with local organisations for environmental projects.

Why We Take This Approach

At the Perth Observatory, we believe in common-sense conservation. Sustainability shouldn’t just be about ticking boxes or following trends — it’s about protecting what we value most, using resources wisely, and ensuring we leave things better than we found them.

We’re proud to take thoughtful, measured steps that benefit our community, our environment, and our visitors.