Outback Astronomy invites you to a mix of food, its property history and stargazing this Easter Sunday.

As part of the Australian Heritage Festival, we’re hosting a special event – Astronomy Unearthed! Sausage Sizzle & Sky Show – on Easter Sunday (20 April 2025), giving you the chance to learn about our property’s history over a delicious sausage sizzle, before settling in for our popular Milky Way Hangout sky show.

Learn more about the Australian Heritage Festival here.

Snack on a sausage and view the history

During an hour or two before the sky show, guests can view “then and now” images of the property – located from archives, locals and former locals who have provided old photographs, our own images taken during our 10 years at the property, and other areas. It’s a fascinating journey through time that you can enjoy while tucking into a classic sausage sandwich. View the past and more recent history of our site—it’s got quite a story to tell and the story is still being told as renovations are not yet quite finished.

Back in the 1930s, our main building was the communications base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), helping connect remote outback communities with essential medical services. It was also the residence of the radio operator who worked for the RFDS. Then in 1954, it hosted the Late Queen Elizabeth II during the Royal Visit. Part of some later building works was an auditorium and later converted into locum accommodation. We have heard quite a few stories from some of those visiting medics!

Fast forward to 2025, and it’s home to Outback Astronomy, where visitors come from far and wide to gaze up at the night sky.

See how things have changed

To bring that history to life, we will put our collection of history on display showing how the property has changed over the years. You’ll have a glimpse of what it used to be like.

We also have a brief history of our changes as seen from up high, having captured the Google Earth satellite imagery to facilitate how the property has developed in recent times.

It is a small but special part of the history you can discover when visiting Broken Hill this Easter.

Milky Way Galaxy’s astronomy unearthed!

After the sizzle and when the it is lovely and dark, you’ll settle in for the fabulous views of the Milky Way Galaxy. This is one of our most popular sky shows and where astronomy truly is unearthed!

This guided tour of the night sky allows us to highlight for your enjoyment the history of the visible story overhead. We point out constellations and all sorts of other wonders overhead, linking human history, some myth and legends and astronomical discoveries to the impressive view of the big sky. We bring the night sky to life in a way that helps you make sense of the view.

What happens if the weather doesn’t play nice?

No worries. The sausage sizzle and heritage programme will still proceed. If the sky show is clouded out our guests may opt to reschedule to the next night or alternatively take a refund. Outback Astronomy acknowledges that most guests invested significantly in travel time and other resources to visit Broken Hill, so refunds are available instead of credit to attend on a future clear sky date.

Please note – if you are attending the sausage sizzle you must also plan to be attending the Milky Way Hangout Sky Show.

Event Details

• When: Easter Sunday, 20 April 2025, from  4:30pm to 8:00pm.
• Unearthed! Sausage Sizzle & Sky Show: Guests should arrive from around 4:30pm (note this is an earlier time than scheduled due to participating in the Australian Heritage Festival celebrations with our visual display of the history of the Outback Astronomy property).
  • History Display we have allowed about 30 minutes – so arrive by 4:30pm
  • Sausage Sizzle starts about 5:00pm and will wrap up by 6:00pm
  • Sky Show Milky Way Hangout starts at 6:30pm and should end about 8:00pm
• Minimum Cost per Person: $20 for the sausage sizzle (see inclusions online) and $75 for the sky show (bench seats – though seating upgrades and additional foods can be purchased when booking online) – you can also bring your own fold up chair; note there is no charge for the history display.
• Where: Outback Astronomy, 18817 Barrier Highway, Broken Hill, NSW.

Book online: outbackastronomy.com.au – bookings are essential and this event is likely to be heavily booked. Scroll through the calendar to 20 April 2025. Get in early if you are keen to explore our little corner of history under the big outback sky.

Why visit Outback Astronomy?

If you haven’t been before, Outback Astronomy is all about sharing the night sky with visitors. We’re tucked away from city lights, so you’ll get a clear, dark sky that’s perfect for stargazing. Our shows are welcoming for first-time sky-watchers and regular astronomy fans alike. No knowledge of the sky is needed.

Images depicting the current day look of the art deco frontage of the Outback Astronomy main building, with an inset image bottom right from about the 1940s. View more of the heritage inside our main building on Easter Sunday, 20 April 2025.