By Sonia Isaacs
OVERWHELMING community feedback has shown support for Sunshine Coast Council’s move to create a hinterland Dark Sky Reserve.
A formal consultation process conducted earlier this year revealed over 95 per cent of survey respondents were in favour of the proposed 873 square kilometer reserve.
Strongly advocated by local astronomer Dr Ken Wishaw, the reserve would protect and preserve the night sky around the Council-owned Kirbys Road Environment Reserve. The plan also includes a buffer zone that includes Maleny, Mapleton, Montville, Witta, Flaxton, and Conondale.
Under the proposal, the Kirbys Road Environment Reserve would serve as the ‘core’ of the Dark Sky Reserve, where light pollution will be managed to maintain the area’s dark sky quality.
Council will now continue discussions with the community and other stakeholders while preparing technical documents, including a lighting management plan for the reserve area. The findings from these consultations, along with the technical reports, will be presented to councillors at an upcoming Ordinary Meeting.
If councillors decide to proceed, the next stage will involve working with Dark Sky International and key stakeholders to submit a formal application to officially establish the Dark Sky Reserve