Susanna Freymark
Work on the Mallanganee observatory site began in May and the revised completion date is early next year.
Kyogle Council said former-cyclone Alfred and wet weather has put the completion date back by several months.
Stargazers will have to wait a bit longer for the observation steel sphere to arrive at the Mallanganee Lookout.
Sections of Bulmers and Lookout roads were recently upgraded. Bulmers Road is open but Lookout Road remains closed as work continues on the site.
The issue of tourists entering Bruxner Highway from Bulmers Road remains and is especially dangerous if a car is coming out of Bulmers Road to turn right towards Casino. Because the turn is at the top of a bend, it is a blind spot. IndyNR.com will contact Transport for NSW about this issue.
Work has also started on a new amenities block and the concrete foundations for the observatory are being done.
Kyogle Council has meet with the neighbour closest to the site and has agreed to construct a fence on the boundary of the property to prevent access from the lookout into the neighbour’s yard.
The council said the cost of the fence will be given at a later date.
Council has made a number of changes to the project mainly due to site constraints but also taking into consideration the neighbour’s concerns such as relocating the amenities building evaporation trenches away from the boundary.
The observatory will be constructed off the northern end of the lookout site which sits at the top the Richmond Range and enjoys spectacular views to the Border Ranges and Wollumbin during the day.
The observatory will be positioned on the precise latitude where the centre of the Milky Way passes overhead with expansive celestial views at night.
An interactive app will be available to help guide visitors through the night sky constellations.
A grant of more than $2million to build the observatory was provided by the State Government’s Regional Tourism Innovation Fund Grant.
The sphere design has already won awards. Read about that here.