Founded in 2004 by night sky enthusiasts Graeme Murray and Hide Ozawa, we have grown from a modest start to now host over 45,000 manuhiri (visitors) each year on a range of exclusive stargazing experiences.

Hide and Graeme were instrumental in managing the installation of the 1.8m MOA (Micro-lensing Observations in Astrophysics) telescope at the Mount John Observatory on behalf of Nagoya University in Japan. As a recognition of their work, they were given the right to host exclusive tourism experiences at the summit of Mount John. The impressive telescope is the largest in New Zealand, and 20 years later, continues to play an important role in world leading astronomical research.

2004 - First Stargazing Tours

Guided stargazing tours to the summit of Mt John begin, marking the start of Earth & Sky's legacy in astro-tourism and celestial storytelling.

2006 - Dark Sky Reserve Dream Begins

The Dark Sky Reserve Starting Party forms to pursue heritage recognition for the region — although the first bid is unsuccessful, it lays vital groundwork.

2012 - Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve Established

A decade of vision and hard work pays off as the Aoraki Mackenzie region is named an official Dark Sky Reserve, receiving global recognition from UNESCO. The area was awarded Dark Sky Reserve status in April 2012 and today remains the world's first gold status and as well as the largest Dark Sky Reserve in the world.

2016 - Ngāi Tahu Tourism Joins The Journey

Ngāi Tahu Tourism partners with Earth & Sky, ensuring the protection of this taonga for future generations and weaving mātauranga Māori into the experience.

2019 - Rehua building opens – Birth Of Dark Sky Project

With the launch of the striking Rehua building on the Takapō lakefront, Earth & Sky evolves into Dark Sky Project - bringing together science, culture, and awe under one roof. Boasting a state-of-the-art multimedia daytime astronomy experience, an impressive 125-year-old Brashear telescope, and many other astronomical offerings, the centre is proudly a home for astronomy and stargazing in the region.

2024 - Celebrating 20 Years

Dark Sky Project marks two decades of connecting people with the cosmos, championing both scientific discovery and cultural storytelling.

Thursday 19 June 2025 - 20-Year Celebration & Video Launch

A milestone event to honour the journey, with the official launch of our 20-year documentary and reflections from those who’ve shaped our story.

Our success to date is due to the collective efforts of so many including the University of Canterbury, the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve Board, the International Dark Sky Association, the Mackenzie District Council and the Brian Mason Trust, to name just a small few. We are extremely grateful to all of our partners and the generous organizations and people who have helped us along the way.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, we say it takes a village to protect the stars.