Heavenly mysteries (and dinosaur poo), on display at Wappa Falls Observatory, Yandina
The mysteries of the planets, our sun and the solar system are all under the microscope (or should we say, telescope) at the Wappa Falls Observatory, just outside Yandina.
The observatory complex has been developed over the decades since 1987 – including scores of telescopes (many of them hand-made), artefacts like meteorites and even rock-hard dinosaur poo, and information displays.
The owner of the observatory, Owen Benedick, has spent a lifetime dedicated to the study of the heavens. His facility has captivated, intrigued, entertained and educated more than 100,000 people over those years.
And while his personally-built observatory is by no means sophisticated, it is incredibly effective at giving people of all ages a peak into the truly endless wonders of the night sky. Children in particular are intrigued by the things they learn here, especially the chance to peer through a telescope toward the planets and stars.
“We try to cover everything so that the average Joe Bloggs can understand it,” Mr Bennedick said.
“We get everyone here from university student to disabled kids, adults and families, and we just try to lift them and give them all some inspiration.
“I cover every aspect from radio astronomy, to solar astronomy all the way through to looking at Supernovas and black holes, the sun and the electrical systems of the earth; I cover basically anything and everything to do with astronomy and we try to do it at a price that normal families can afford.
“It’s a hobby that kids can take on without breaking the bank and they’ll never get to the end if it; I’ve been doing it for 60 years and still been finding new things.”
From Mr Bennedick’s childhood desire to own just one 10-inch (30cm) telescope, Wappa Falls Observatory now has 34 telescopes, ranging in size from 10-inch through to the large 24-inch (61cm) telescope housed in his home-made observatory, which has a roof that opens and even revolves to improve access to the skies.
The facility operates on minimal funding and appreciates additional donations.
Bookings must be made beforehand at 0427467944 or 0754467944
Here is a link to the Wappa Falls Observatory website.
Wappa Falls Observatory is just south of Yandina, in a site that is free of light pollution to give an unfettered view of the sky. The facility includes the telescopes, a planet walk to give visitors a practical understanding of the positions and distances of our planets. There’s also a great collection of meteorites.
“We’ve got more than 100 meteorites from all over the world, we’ve got bits of the moon, bits of mars, bits of mercury,” Mr Bennedick said.
“We can show people how they can have a really interesting hobby– or it can become a profession if you want to dig in deep enough; you don’t have to have a PhD to enjoy the starts, you just go outside and look up at them.
“I look through this 16.5-inch telescope, and it’s 2500 times as strong as your eye, and you can see an incredible amount of stuff.
“There’s a lot of things going on up there that people never hear about, and I’ve been studying this stuff since I was a little kid, and I’ve got a reasonably broad knowledge, which usually fascinates a lot of people.
“It’s a pastime that kids can take on without breaking the bank, and they’ll never get to the end if it; I’ve been doing it for 60 years and still been finding new things.”
The Wappa Falls Observatory facility also includes also has a barbecue area, an area for small bonfires and toasting marshmallows, a small bird hide for birdwatchers and photographers, and parking for 60 cars.
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