Eyre Bird Observatory

Deep in the Nuytsland Nature Reserve of Western Australia, Eyre Bird Observatory is one of the most isolated research stations in the country, dedicated to studying the birds of one of Australia's emptiest landscapes.

About Eyre Bird Observatory

Eyre Bird Observatory is an educational, scientific and recreational facility set in the Hampton bioregion, sandwiched between the Nullarbor Plain to the north and the Great Australian Bight to the south. It sits about 49 km south of Cocklebiddy on the Eyre Highway and is home to more than 240 recorded bird species.

History

Founded in 1977 by BirdLife Australia (then Birds Australia) in the disused Eyre Telegraph Station, it became Australia's first bird observatory. Its bird-banding program, started the same year, is the second-longest-running in Australia. In August 2008, the observatory also recorded Western Australia's official lowest temperature, -7.2°C.

Location & getting there

The observatory is in Oceania, in Australia, in one of the least populated parts of the continent, reached via the remote Eyre Highway.

Visiting Eyre Bird Observatory

The observatory welcomes visitors and researchers interested in its bird-banding courses and recreational stays; check BirdLife Australia's official website for current access and booking details, given the remote location.

See your named star from here

Eyre Bird Observatory is dedicated to birds rather than astronomy, but its remote, dark, largely light-pollution-free setting makes it a genuinely good place to look up. A star named through Star Register comes with exact coordinates you can use with your own telescope or a stargazing app. Name a star or browse the star catalogue.