The solar system drive in the region of New South Wales is the “Largest Virtual Solar System Disk of the World”. The project was created to allow tourists to explore the true abundance of our solar system and offers an incentive for travelers to stop and rest, which supports the RTA campaign for safe driving.
Experience can be gained through five different traffic routes, each starting at a different location in the center of New South Wales. Basically, during the daytime, the drives are equipped with three-dimensional planetary models, which are located on the side of five major roads leading to Coonabarabran. The planets are carefully placed in their relative position in the sun, and each stopping point contains interesting facts and information about this particular planet.
All road routes end at Siding Springs Observatory. This observatory is home to some of the largest telescopes in the world and is the resting place of the scale model of the Sun. The Observatory is ideally located in the beautiful Warrambungl National Park. The Warrumbungle region includes the Coonabarabran, Coolah, Dunedoo, Mendooran, Binnaway, and Baradine communities. Coonabarabran is the largest of these cities and boasts a breathtaking view of the Warrambungl mountain ranges. The entire Warrumbungle region offers a friendly country atmosphere and makes this part of the solar system drive attractive and enjoyable.
Control the entire solar system: Dubbo - Siding Spring Observatory
Start your tour of the solar system in Dubbo, where the zoo of the Western Plain is located. After exploring this unusual wildlife park, head to the Dubbo Visitor Center on Newell Highway, where you will find the furthest planet from the sun, Pluto. In fact, Pluto is located 5955 million kilometers from the Sun, but this carefully scaled structure is only 205 kilometers from the Observatory.
Departure in 45 minutes along the Newell Highway will take you to the "windmill house", Gilgandra. At Gilgandra Cooee Heritage Center, you will find Neptune, the first planet to be discovered through mathematical calculations. Its distance of 4508 million kilometers from the Sun was reduced to 133 kilometers from the Observatory!
Another 40 kilometers from the Newell Highway takes you to the Tooraweenah Recreation Area, which is an ideal place to stop for a picnic. Explore the miracle of Uranus, the third largest planet in the system, which actually lies at 2877 million kilometers from the sun.
The final planet on the Newell Highway is Saturn, a planet with rings of rock and ice. Saturn is located in the Kamkina recreation area, which is only 40 kilometers from the Observatory. Stopping here offers another great opportunity to stretch your legs and take a break from driving.
Newell Highway will take you directly to Coonabarabran, where a trip west along Timor Road will lead you to Jupiter. Jupiter’s actual location of 778 million kilometers from the Sun has decreased to 21.5 kilometers. Be careful when staying here, as it is not located in the recreation area and just sits on the side of the road!
In just 15 minutes from the road you will reach Mars, our closest neighbor! This site is probably the most interesting of the planets, because it is considered the best candidate for life (that is, between the Earth, of course). Learn some interesting red planet facts and explore the surrounding Warrumbungle region while you are there!
Move or choose a path of 1.3 km to our home, Earth, which is located at the Observatory. The remaining 4 kilometers of the route will take you through the Observatory, past Venus and Mercury, the nearest planets to the sun!
The final destination on your trip is, of course, the Siding Springs Observatory, which has the sun. The sun, known as the closest star to the earth, gives us the light and heat that we need to survive. This display summarizes the entire solar system experience and allows you to reflect on the vastness of this impressive system.
This route is just one of many with which you can take advantage of your experience in our solar system. The drive offers spectacular scenery along the way, forcing you through rural communities that greet you with a friendly, attractive atmosphere. The proximity of all the planets will allow children to have fun for the trip, which will allow you to enjoy the natural wonders of this area and enjoy a pleasant drive!
