DarkSky International officially designated Kaikōura as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. It’s an important achievement for the Kaikōura Dark Sky movement that
began in 2000 to help protect the endangered Hutton’s shearwater. The
recognition also underscores the continued commitment to preserving the
natural darkness of the Kaikōura night sky.

Offering some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most breathtaking natural landscapes, Kaikōura’s majestic mountains lie within two ranges rising straight from the Pacific Ocean.  The Kaikōura Sanctuary covers 98% of the local district (approximately 2,039 km²), with over half of the area under protection from the Department of Conservation. Filled with stars, celestial wonders, and a stunningly clear Milky Way, it celebrates pristine dark skies that have a sky quality measuring on average 21.58 magnitude per square arcsecond (mag/arcsec²). Sanctuary status is only awarded to locations that possess an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and public enjoyment.