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Southern Lights in Australia: Where and When to See Them
In Australia the aurora needs an active night. It shows up first near Bruny Island (Alonnah), from about Kp 4. Near Bruny Island (Alonnah), August has historically been the best month (8% of nights).
Can you see the southern lights in Australia tonight?
Not tonight: activity is too low for Australia. The forecast peaks at Kp 2.7, but you need about Kp 4 near Bruny Island (Alonnah). A storm can build within a day, so check again tomorrow.
You also need a clear sky and real darkness: each town's page shows its cloud forecast and best hour tonight.
Where the aurora is visible tonight 3-day Kp forecast
Kp forecast: NOAA SWPC, checked every 10 minutes.
Featured destinations
Kp 7 Melbourne
Victoria
Kp 4.3 Hobart
Tasmania
Kp 4 Bruny Island (Alonnah)
Tasmania
Kp 4 Southport / Cockle Creek
Tasmania
Kp 5 Cradle Mountain
Tasmania
Where the aurora is easiest to see
| Place | Region | Kp needed | Kp for photos | Magnetic latitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruny Island (Alonnah) | Tasmania | 4 | 2.3 | 54.1° |
| Southport / Cockle Creek | Tasmania | 4 | 2.3 | 54.3° |
| Hobart | Tasmania | 4.3 | 2.7 | 53.6° |
| Launceston | Tasmania | 5 | 3.3 | 52.1° |
| Cradle Mountain | Tasmania | 5 | 3.3 | 52.4° |
| Devonport | Tasmania | 5.3 | 3.7 | 51.9° |
| Burnie | Tasmania | 5.3 | 3.7 | 51.8° |
| Geelong | Victoria | 6.7 | 5 | 48.8° |
Largest cities
| Place | Population | Kp needed |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 5,638,830 | 9+ |
| Melbourne | 5,435,590 | 7 |
| Brisbane | 2,780,063 | 9+ |
| Perth | 2,384,371 | 9+ |
| Adelaide | 1,469,163 | 8.3 |
| Gold Coast | 640,778 | 9+ |
| Newcastle | 508,437 | 9+ |
| Sunshine Coast | 398,840 | 9+ |
Live sightings
Where visitors are reporting the aurora right now. A place climbs with every report and drops again as the reports age.
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Latest reports
Live webcams in Australia
Check the sky for yourself with these public cameras. They open on the camera owner's website.
These cameras belong to their owners — we only link to them. Most show little in daylight or under cloud, and some pause in summer.
Regions of Australia
- New South WalesKp 8.3+ · 13
- VictoriaKp 6.7+ · 12
- QueenslandKp for photos 7.7 · 5
- Western AustraliaKp 7.7+ · 8
- South AustraliaKp 6.7+ · 6
- TasmaniaKp 4+ · 7
- Australian Capital TerritoryKp 8.3+ · 2
Practical information for Australia
- Emergency number
- 000 (112 also works from mobile phones)
- Access to land
- Most Tasmanian national parks require a valid Parks & Wildlife Service parks pass per vehicle (24-hour, holiday/8-week, annual options; Cradle Mountain excluded from the 24-hour pass). Check land tenure before parking at night and respect any local closures.
- Winter driving
- Under Victoria's Alpine Resorts (Management) Regulations 2020, every vehicle entering Falls Creek, Mt Baw Baw, Mt Buller, Mt Hotham and Mt Stirling must carry fitting wheel chains during the declared snow season (2026: 7 June - 4 October). Check VicTraffic for live Victorian road disruptions; in Tasmania, elevated roads get snow and ice in winter and closures are posted via Tasmania Police alerts / TasALERT. Road conditions
- Drones
- CASA rules for recreational flying: max 120 m AGL, at least 30 m from people, daylight and visual line of sight only, one drone at a time, and no flying within 5.5 km of a controlled airport for drones over 250 g; see https://www.casa.gov.au/knowyourdrone/drone-rules
- Official space-weather service
- Bureau of Meteorology Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (Aurora Watch/Alert/Outlook)
- Weather service
- Bureau of Meteorology
- Certified dark-sky places
- River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve · Warrumbungle National Park · Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary · The Jump-Up, Australian Age of Dinosaurs
BOM issues Aurora Watches (up to 48 h lead time after a geoeffective CME/coronal hole), Aurora Alerts (aurora under way) and 3-7 day Aurora Outlooks; email subscription is available.
BOM guidance: around Kp 3 aurora may be visible from southern Tasmania; at Kp 7 (severe storm) it can reach southern NSW.
No DarkSky-certified place was found in Tasmania or Victoria.
Compiled from official government, road-authority and weather-service sources. Rules change; check them before you travel.
Questions and answers
Can you see the southern lights in Australia?
In Australia the aurora needs an active night. It shows up first near Bruny Island (Alonnah), from about Kp 4.
What Kp do you need to see the aurora in Australia?
Near Bruny Island (Alonnah) about Kp 4 is enough. In Sydney, the largest city, you need about Kp 9+.
What is the best month to see the aurora in Australia?
Near Bruny Island (Alonnah), August has historically been the best month (8% of nights were clear, dark and active enough), followed by April (8%).
When was the aurora last visible in Australia?
The most recent night in our data with enough activity for Bruny Island (Alonnah) during darkness was 10 October 2026 (Kp 7.3). That has happened on 862 nights since 1995.