Tourism operators in regional New South Wales are excited to explore the many tourism opportunities presented by a total solar eclipse in five years' time.
The eclipse is expected to occur on July 22, 2028, and pass through several states, including parts of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.
But Broken Hill astronomer Trevor Barry said the path of totality would pass directly through NSW, with many communities expected to experience total darkness.
"This particular solar eclipse gives the possibility for a great proportion of Australia's population to experience the totality of a total solar eclipse," Mr Barry said.
"It's highly unusual, as far as Australia's concerned, to have the track pass across virtually the entire continent."
Bourke, Dubbo, and even Sydney are on the totality path, while further west Broken Hill is expected to see just under 90 per cent of total coverage.
"Just a slither of one edge of the sun will still be not covered by the shadow, but still the lights will go out in Broken Hill as well," Mr Barry said.
Major tourism opportunity
Despite still being five years away, Destination NSW Country and Outback Chair Clyde Thomson is grateful for the advanced notice.
He said, after seeing around 20,000 interstate and global visitors flock to Exmouth in regional WA to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse last Thursday, there was potential to attract even higher numbers to western NSW in 2028.
"My view is we should start to think about promoting Broken Hill, Bourke, [and] the far west as somewhere to come and see the eclipse," Mr Thomson said.
"That then will enable people to come here earlier and enjoy what [these communities] have to offer but also enable people to judge what accommodation is required."
Mr Thomson said promoting the various attractions of the far west could make it even more enticing for interstate and global visitors to plan longer trips to the area centred around the eclipse.
"People who follow eclipses book years in advance, and (we've got to be) ready for these advance bookings and then start to get a package of events that will be built around that eclipse," he said.
A highly recommended experience
Meanwhile, Mr Barry said the fact the 2028 eclipse totality would last about four times as long as the Exmouth eclipse, at just over four minutes in Bourke, would make the event even more appealing to tourists.
He said, having once travelled to Ceduna in 2002 with his family to witness a total solar eclipse lasting 32 seconds, it was something everyone should experience at least once.
"In the seconds counting down to totality, the temperature dropped, easily five degrees centigrade," he said.
"It was just a phenomenal experience."
