The aurora australis (Southern Lights) is best seen from dark, southern coastlines in Tasmania, southern mainland Australia, and the far south of New Zealand, especially in winter and around strong solar activity.

Top places in Australia

Tasmania offers the most reliable aurora australis viewing thanks to its southerly latitude and low light pollution. Popular spots include Bruny Island, Cockle Creek, kunanyi / Mount Wellington, Carlton Beach, South Arm Peninsula, Coles Bay, Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair and the Central Highlands.

On the mainland, southern coastal areas with a clear southerly horizon work best, such as Phillip Island, Port Campbell and the Twelve Apostles in Victoria, and Victor Harbor and nearby beaches in South Australia.

Best places in New Zealand

New Zealand’s South Island and dark-sky regions are excellent for aurora australis. Notable locations include Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, Kaikōura Dark Sky Sanctuary, and dark rural areas near Queenstown and Wairarapa.

Offshore and dark-sky islands, such as Great Barrier Island Dark Sky Sanctuary, also offer superb conditions with low light pollution and wide southern horizons.

When and how to see it

Your chances improve in the darker months (roughly autumn to early spring) on clear, moonless nights with a strong geomagnetic storm.

Check reputable aurora or space-weather alert services and local photographers’ pages, then head to a lookout with a clear view south, away from city lights, and let your eyes adjust for at least 20 minutes.

Photography tips

Use a tripod, a wide, fast lens (around f/2.8 if possible) and long exposures of roughly 5–30 seconds to capture detail your eyes might miss.

On modern phones, enable Night or Pro mode, lower screen brightness, turn off flash, and bring a power bank because cold conditions quickly drain batteries.

TL;DR: Go as far south as you can in Tasmania, southern coastal Australia, or New Zealand’s dark-sky regions, pick a clear, dark night, watch the aurora alerts, and look toward the southern horizon.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.