Located on Gomeroi Country, outside Narrabri in north-west New South Wales, our Paul Wild Observatory has played an important part in radio astronomy research since the 1960s with the establishment of the world's first radioheliograph. It is named for Paul Wild, who headed the development of the site and later became Chairman of CSIRO.
The observatory is one of three that make up our Australia Telescope National Facility, an internationally renowned radio astronomy facility of observatories, telescopes and data archives that we develop and operate.
Since 1988, the observatory has been the site of our Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), an array of 22-metre dish antennas. Five of ATCA's six dishes sit on a three kilometre stretch of railway track, right in front of the visitors centre.
Opening hours
The visitors centre is self-guided.
It is open from 8.00am to 5.00pm (including public holidays) daily and entry is free.
Help us protect our science
The radio noise created by our modern gadgets like phones, smart watches and Bluetooth devices can overwhelm the weak signals from space our telescopes are trying to detect.
Please protect our science and research by switching your phone to airplane or flight mode, and turning off other WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled devices before you arrive. We welcome photography and digital video when you visit, however, please ensure that your device is in airplane or flight mode.
Getting to the observatory
Our Paul Wild Observatory is about 25 km from the town of Narrabri and 500 km from Sydney.
Over the years, it has been known as the "Narrabri Observatory" or the "Compact Array Observatory". A sign on Yarrie Lake Road points to the "Australia Telescope".
Enter through the observatory gates and follow the signs to the visitors centre parking bay.
Please drive carefully as there are often kangaroos and sheep grazing on the site, particularly approaching dawn and dusk. During and after rain a series of causeways and floodways can become quite deep. Please slow down and cross with care.
Things to see and do
Whether you're just passing through, or staying in the region for a while, our Australia Telescope Compact Array is a fascinating place to visit. Bring a picnic, explore the garden, read about the history or just enjoy the view.
Take a look at the astronomy exhibition
The 270-tonne dish antennas that make up ATCA are an impressive sight. They're connected by wide-gauge railway track so that their position can be changed to meet the needs of the science teams using the instrument.
You can see the antennas from the visitors area, which features indoor and outdoor exhibits and small cinema. If you're lucky, you might even see a change in the configuration of the antennas.
Bring a picnic
Kangaroos and galahs are regular visitors to the observatory, and occasionally emus, echidnas and (very occasionally) koalas pay a visit too. Bring a picnic and stay a while to enjoy the woodland setting.
Located on Gomeroi Country, outside Narrabri in north-west New South Wales, our Paul Wild Observatory has played an important part in radio astronomy research since the 1960s with the establishment of the world's first radioheliograph. It is named for Paul Wild, who headed the development of the site and later became Chairman of CSIRO.
The observatory is one of three that make up our Australia Telescope National Facility, an internationally renowned radio astronomy facility of observatories, telescopes and data archives that we develop and operate.
Since 1988, the observatory has been the site of our Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), an array of 22-metre dish antennas. Five of ATCA's six dishes sit on a three kilometre stretch of railway track, right in front of the visitors centre.
Opening hours
The visitors centre is self-guided.
It is open from 8.00am to 5.00pm (including public holidays) daily and entry is free.
Help us protect our science
The radio noise created by our modern gadgets like phones, smart watches and Bluetooth devices can overwhelm the weak signals from space our telescopes are trying to detect.
Please protect our science and research by switching your phone to airplane or flight mode, and turning off other WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled devices before you arrive. We welcome photography and digital video when you visit, however, please ensure that your device is in airplane or flight mode.
Getting to the observatory
Our Paul Wild Observatory is about 25 km from the town of Narrabri and 500 km from Sydney.
Over the years, it has been known as the "Narrabri Observatory" or the "Compact Array Observatory". A sign on Yarrie Lake Road points to the "Australia Telescope".
Enter through the observatory gates and follow the signs to the visitors centre parking bay.
Please drive carefully as there are often kangaroos and sheep grazing on the site, particularly approaching dawn and dusk. During and after rain a series of causeways and floodways can become quite deep. Please slow down and cross with care.
Things to see and do
Whether you're just passing through, or staying in the region for a while, our Australia Telescope Compact Array is a fascinating place to visit. Bring a picnic, explore the garden, read about the history or just enjoy the view.
Take a look at the astronomy exhibition
The 270-tonne dish antennas that make up ATCA are an impressive sight. They're connected by wide-gauge railway track so that their position can be changed to meet the needs of the science teams using the instrument.
You can see the antennas from the visitors area, which features indoor and outdoor exhibits and small cinema. If you're lucky, you might even see a change in the configuration of the antennas.
Bring a picnic
Kangaroos and galahs are regular visitors to the observatory, and occasionally emus, echidnas and (very occasionally) koalas pay a visit too. Bring a picnic and stay a while to enjoy the woodland setting.
Stopping by Parkes, NSW?
You may also want to visit our Parkes Observatory Visitors Centre.