Weather is vital as telescopes are affected by wind, clouds and rain.  Weather forecasts change daily and are unreliable until the day of the tour.  Ultimately, Mother Nature is in charge! We certainly understand this experience is a bit of gamble and requires commitment.  Once you book, you will be asked to continue with your plans to attend this tour until you are contacted on the day of your tour via SMS/ text message with confirmation or cancellation.  Your booking email will state ‘Confirmed’ meaning your seat is confirmed, however the tour departure is not confirmed until the day.

Our team holds a conference at 10am and the majority of the time we are in touch with you immediately after this decision.  However, very infrequently we are undecided, and wait until the 1pm forecasting from BOM.  By 2pm at the very latest you will be notified if the careful examination by astronomers of weather and cloud forecasts are favourable for the tour, or not. We are acutely aware most of our customers require as much notice as possible for travel plans from Adelaide or regional South Australia.  Please understand we cannot provide assurance to you in the leadup to the tour day, so contacting us to forsee Mother Nature's plans, will not result in the certainty you seek, and we ask that you respect and trust the process.  You only need to seek out our Google and Tripadvisor online reviews from others to know that when the gamble pays off, it is an incredible experience!

We want you to see the stars. We study the weather and cancel in advance if we can’t deliver. When we commit to the 5-6 hour journey, we have the best intentions for viewing, however there is no guarantee of weather interruptions. Once a tour commences, you will meet the astronomer on the clifftop regardless. If clouds appear, we will wait for them to clear and then resume the tour, or look at alternatives in a different direction. If the clouds don’t clear when we are already onsite, you will be offered to book another date for a self-drive option from Mannum to the site, to join on another occasion at no extra cost. Once a tour commences and you willingly participate, there is no refund or rescheduling offer.

Stargazing in the wind, rain and clouds is not enjoyable. We want you to see the stars and we cancel in advance when we know we can’t deliver. In the event of weather prohibiting your Dark Sky tour from proceeding, we email you within 24 hours to offer you an alternative tour date if possible. Otherwise, you will receive the option for a refund of payment already processed. Read below for our payment and refunding terms.

Just like booking a seat on a flight, your payment upfront is required to secure the date for your Dark Sky experience. If the tour is cancelled and you are unable to reschedule to another date, you will be refunded.  Funds may take between 1-3 business days to arrive to your bank. If the tour is cancelled and you can make it another time, your booking will remain 'On Hold' and your money in credit.  Booking fees and credit card fees are paid to external parties and are non-refundable.

We’ve considered the ability of our operating environment on this tour to accommodate the needs and preferences of individuals.  Please advise in the notes section of your booking for any accessibility requirements and we will do our very best to ensure your experience is seamless.  We have highlighted below some of the more common questions received regarding accessibility:

Walking on the tour is limited.  The Boardwalk at Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Tours is a flat surface of approximately 100m. Our tour hosts can remain with you at the tour vehicle to show images if you are unable to walk that distance.  There is a short 20m walk from the carpark to the dinner venues.  The Astronomy site is a flat surface with no walking involved.  Stools are provided for seating during the astronomy session.  Walkers and walking aids are welcome, however please note this in your booking so that we can allow space in our vehicles/trailer.

Wheelchair Accessibility is not provided in our touring vehicles, however it is common for customers in a wheelchair to follow behind in your own supplied vehicle and commentary will be provided to you at each stop along the travel path.  Both dinner venues have wheelchair accessible dining areas and toilets.  The astronomy site is a flat, bitumen surface, suitable for wheelchairs.  We have a second telescope which can be adjusted to height specifically for viewing while seated in a wheelchair. 

Deaf customers are very welcome and may bring an interpreter to communicate in Auslan.  We provide red lights at the astronomy site for visual accessibility to your interpreter.

Please Note:  Due to the limited capacity on our touring vehicles our experiences  require payment for support workers, carers and interpreters.  For self drive option, this will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The answer is whenever there is a clear sky!  The stars visible in our night sky change during the year. Sometimes you will see the Milky Way, other times Saturn, Jupiter or Orion. At times a gibbous night shows the Moon crescent.  Every season brings us a different group of out-of-this-world objects to view, so just join this tour when it suits your calendar!

This tour does not operate everyday of the year. Selected dates are generally based on dark dates of the moon phase calendar.  Please refer to the River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve Moon Phase Calendar here. We avoid holding viewing nights when the moon is very bright because you cannot look through a telescope during this time, and we want you to see a Dark Sky.

The area is known for its dry climate, low rainfall of 12-14 inches per year average, and often cloudless skies. The weather here can be vastly different to that of the nearby capital city of Adelaide or Adelaide Hills on any given day.

Spring and summer can sometimes be windy with warm balmy nights, while autumn and winter can be still and calm with crisp clear nights. And when it rains the atmosphere is cleansed, and can bring some of the most spectacular viewing immediately after!

Yes.  We arrive back to Mannum usually between 10.45pm to 11.15pm depending on sunset time, viewing in the sky and the size of the group.  We recommend you stay overnight at Mannum Motel, Mannum Caravan Park, River Shack Rentals, Mannum Airbnbs, Harbour Mannum, Bridgeport Hotel, Riverview House Younghusband, Rabbiter's Hut B&B or Reedy Creek Retreat for accommodation.

When booking, be sure to let them know you are travelling with us!  While our Dark Sky experience is weather dependent, our  local accommodation providers are not.  If your experience is cancelled, please have a Plan B prepared.  The Murray River Lakes and Coorong Tourism website is an excellent resource in planning other terrific experiences in the area! 

There is plenty of parking at the tour departure point, Arnold Park by the River Ferry Crossing, 4 Randell (not Randall) Street Mannum. Parking is free of charge, is under lights and in a public location. Parking is also supplied by your accommodation hosts at their establishments.

The River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve is an excellent way of impressing international clients, team bonding or just getting your corporates amongst nature. Please contact us to custom build a tour for your group using the Gold Stars Sunset Dinner Tour as a base. We have optional guest speakers, additional locations and transport options.