In September 2024, 98% of the Kaikōura district was officially designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary—an incredible milestone for our region. We are now one of just 4 IDS Sanctuaries in Aotearoa NZ and among only 23 across the globe.
Since the beginning of the year, we’ve been busy behind the scenes—developing a public awareness campaign and supporting exciting new ways for both locals and visitors to experience and appreciate our world-class night skies.
Read on for all the ways you can have fun, learn more, and help keep Kaikōura’s skies dark for everyone to enjoy.
Lead photo taken by jwpk photography at Moana Skies HQ
New Ways to Enjoy Our Amazing Night Skies
Locals are lucky to experience Kaikōura’s pristine night skies year-round—but it’s easy to forget just how special they are!
Being recognised as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary puts us on the map alongside our world-renowned wildlife and scenery. With some of the clearest night skies on Earth, we welcome family, friends and visitors to come and celebrate alongside us.
Night Sky Experiences:
- 📸 Create a star trail with your phone or camera using the new mounts at the Kaikōura Lookout.
- 🔭 Free community stargazing events happening throughout winter (stay tuned for dates and details).
- 🌌 Experience the wonders above with Moana Skies – discover constellations and deep-sky objects through telescopes as well as the naked eye with high powered lasers. Additionally, get up close with the moon, exploring its craters and surface features in stunning detail on a lunar tour. During the day, safely observe the sun through specialized equipment and learn about its powerful energy and structure on a solar tour.
- 📷 Astrophotography and naked-eye tours – learn the principles of astrophotography and techniques to capture epic night images with personal coaching and professional photographer, Rachel Gillespie.
- 🍽 KAI PŌ star grazing – enjoy a full dining experience under the under the milky way and a galaxy of a billion stars or add a picnic platter to your Night Sky Experience at Manakau Lodge.
- 🎢 EcoZip’s Star Flight and night sky experience – those looking for a bit of adventure will enjoy this ziplining and stargazing adventure. Set off at twilight and take 5 zips with the last two in total darkness.
Light is Vital – But Let’s Use It Right
We all rely on light for safety, but too much of it—especially poorly designed lighting—can harm our night skies. Here’s how you can help reduce light pollution at your home or business (and save on power too!)
Ask Yourself:
- Are your outdoor lights on all night? Try switching to sensors or timers.
- Is your bulb warm white (3000K or lower)? Cooler lights create more glare.
- Does your light fixture shine only downward? Fully shielded fittings keep light focused where it’s needed.
Spotlight on Street Lighting
We know there’s been some concern that streetlights might be removed or reduced—rest assured, no changes are planned to any Council-operated streetlights. Your safety remains top priority.
Exciting upgrade coming to the State Highway lights through town -NZTA are preparing to replace the existing orange incandescent lights along the State Highway (which runs right through Kaikōura) with fully shielded light fittings using a warm white colour temperature of 2200K. Work should now commence in May after a short delay.
These new lights will significantly reduce unnecessary sky glow and light pollution from the town, making a big difference for our night sky visibility. It’s amazing that NZTA has gone the extra mile to help reduce our light pollution and crash landings of our precious Hutton’s shearwaters. A win for the stars and these special birds.
New Outdoor Lighting Provisions
In December 2024, the Kaikōura District Council fully implemented their updated outdoor lighting rules. Here’s a very quick summary.
- Use motion sensors – Lights that turn off within 5 minutes comply.
- Install fully shielded fittings with warm white bulbs – 3000K or lower to comply. (This means lights that only shine down and not up or out and are gentler on our eyes and better for wildlife).
Want to learn more?
- Understanding the effects of light pollution
- Updated lighting provisions explained
- How to choose the right light bulb
- Full Council lighting policy
Outdoor Lighting Display Now on the Move!
With help from the awesome team at the Kaikōura Community Shed, we’ve created an interactive visual lighting display showing real examples of “good, bad, and ugly” lighting.
Currently hosted at the Kaikōura Library for International Dark Sky Week, the display will travel around the community over the next 6 months.
Want to host it at your school, business, or event? We’d love to hear from you!
Why It Matters
Light pollution doesn’t just block our view of the stars—it also:
- Disrupts wildlife and ecosystems
- Affects human sleep and wellbeing
- Wastes energy and money
Protecting our night skies is a win-win for the environment, our health, and our local identity.
Stay tuned for more updates, tips, and community stories as we continue this journey to keep Kaikōura’s skies dark and beautiful!
We’re Keen to Hear About Positive Changes!
Have you recently installed dark sky-friendly lighting on a new build? Or made some changes at your home or business to reduce light pollution?
We’d love to hear your story and celebrate the wins—big or small. Your efforts inspire others to do the same. Please get in touch with us and let’s share the glow (the right kind)!
First two shining examples – The Kaikōura Fire & Emergency and St John’s Ambulance Kaikōura buildings both need to be lit all night —but notice how every light is fully shielded and fitted with warm colour bulbs. That’s how it’s done! Thank you for setting the standard.
Ngā mihi nui,
Kaikōura Dark Sky Trust
