Perth Observatory

What Perth Observatory does

Perth Observatory is Western Australia's oldest astronomical observatory, formally established in September 1896 and located 25 km east of Perth in the Perth Hills suburb of Bickley. It is operated by the Perth Observatory Volunteer Group Inc. (POVG), an incorporated association registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ABN 14 565 272 536), under a community partnership agreement with the Western Australian Government (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions) that has been in place since July 2015. The site was entered into the state's Heritage Register in 2005 and is staffed by roughly 30 employees supplemented by volunteers.

The institution's core offerings are visitor-facing astronomy experiences built around heritage-listed telescopes, night-vision cameras, and the R-COP telescope used for Near-Earth Object observation. Products span Night Sky Tours (including exclusive, lunar-focused, Chinese-language, and star-adoption variants), daytime school and OSHC tours, weekday and Sunday guided day tours, school incursions, offsite stargazing events, public talks, a five-week Astronomy 102 course, lunar photography workshops, and Paint & Sip events. Venue hire for corporate events, weddings, and private functions is a secondary line, complemented by an Astroshop, gift vouchers, museum, and library. Virtual Star Parties streamed via YouTube extend reach beyond the physical site.

Revenue is generated through ticketed tours and experiences, venue hire, merchandise sales, donations, the Star Adoption program, and grants from funding partners including Lotterywest, the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification, and the City of Kalamunda. Distribution is overwhelmingly direct-to-consumer via the observatory's own website and a single physical venue, with select events ticketed via Eventbrite. The customer base is highly diversified across families, schools, corporate groups, and wedding couples, with no individually large customers disclosed. A strategic new line, the Perth Sky Sculpture Park, was announced in late 2025 for Spring 2026 launch, adding a contemporary sculpture and nature-based tourism offering to the heritage site.

Name

Perth Observatory

Legal name

Perth Observatory Volunteer Group Inc.

Website

https://perthobservatory.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Perth Observatory is Western Australia's oldest observatory, operating since 1896 as a registered charity in Bickley. It serves families, schools, corporate groups, and wedding clients through guided night sky tours, educational programs, venue hire, and a forthcoming sculpture park.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Astronomy Tourism and Public Observatory Services

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Observation Decks & Viewing Platforms (THAJACAA)

Keywords

• Astronomy education tours
• Public observatory experiences
• Night sky viewing
• Heritage tourism venue
• STEM education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bickley

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tour and Experience Bookings: Revenue from ticketed night sky tours, day tours, school programs, exclusive tours, and special programs like Astronomy 102 courses and Paint & Sip events.
2. Venue Hire: Revenue from hiring observatory facilities for corporate events, weddings, and private functions.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sales through the Astroshop including astronomy-related merchandise, books, and gift items.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from supporters, gift vouchers, and fundraising programs to support observatory operations and priority projects.
5. Star Adoption Program: Adoption of stars generates revenue while providing educational certificates to participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Perth Observatory operates as a registered charity and heritage-listed public observatory, providing ticketed guided Night Sky Tours, daytime School Tours, and educational programs using its professional telescope facilities. It also generates revenue from venue hire for corporate events and weddings, an on-site Astroshop selling astronomy merchandise, charitable donations, and the upcoming Perth Sky Sculpture Park cultural attraction.

Product overview

Perth Observatory operates as Western Australia's oldest observatory (established 1896), offering a diversified portfolio of visitor experiences centered on astronomy education and public engagement. The core offerings comprise Night Sky Tours with multiple variants (exclusive, lunar-focused, Chinese-language), daytime School Tours, and specialized educational programs including the Astronomy 102 course. The organization provides venue hire services for corporate events, weddings, and private functions. Recent additions include Virtual Star Parties via YouTube live streaming for remote audiences. The facility also maintains a Museum and Library as heritage assets. A notable upcoming development is the Perth Sky Sculpture Park (Spring 2026), which will add contemporary sculpture exhibitions to the site.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Night Sky Tours Guided evening observation sessions of the night sky using the observatory's telescopes, allowing visitors to view planets, stars, deep-sky objects, and other celestial phenomena. Variants include Exclusive Night Tours, lunar-focused tours, Chinese-language tours, and Star Adoption & Private Tours, all serving individual visitors, families, and tourists.
• School Day Tours and OSHC Tours Daytime educational tours and astronomy incursion programs designed for school groups and Outside School Hours Care programs, aligned with STEM curriculum outcomes in science and astronomy.
• Astronomy 102 Course A five-week structured educational course for curious adult learners exploring astronomy, stars, galaxies, black holes, and the universe in greater depth, with limited places available per intake.
• Corporate Event Venue Hire Private venue hire of the heritage-listed observatory site for corporate functions, conferences, and team-building activities, with quote-based pricing upon inquiry.
• Wedding Venue Hire Wedding ceremony and reception venue hire at the heritage-listed observatory, offering couples a distinctive setting with heritage significance and scenic night sky backdrop.
• Virtual Star Parties Online stargazing experiences streamed via YouTube Live, allowing remote audiences to participate in Southern Sky observation through the observatory's telescopes.
• Gift Vouchers Gift certificates available for purchase that allow recipients to book observatory tours and experiences of their choice.
• Astroshop On-site merchandise store offering astronomy-themed products, books, and gift items for visitors.
• Star Adoption and Private Tour Program allowing visitors to symbolically adopt a star, combined with a private guided tour experience and an educational adoption certificate.
• Offsite Stargazing Nights Astronomy observation events held at external venues away from the Bickley observatory, extending the observatory's outreach to broader geographic audiences.
• Perth Sky Sculpture Park Cultural attraction featuring fine art sculptures and installations throughout the observatory's heritage-listed buildings, domes, and bushland trails, with a biennial awards exhibition set to open in Spring 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 125 years of continuous operation as Western Australia's premier astronomical institution
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2015Government partnership agreement since July 2015 between the Department of Parks and Wildlife (now DBCA) and Perth Observatory Volunteer Group for operation and management of the observatory facilities.
• Rotary Club of KalamundaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal service club providing community support, volunteer assistance, and promotional support for observatory events.
• Aussie BroadbandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology sponsor providing connectivity and communications support for observatory digital initiatives.
• MicrosoftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology partner providing software and cloud services support for observatory operations.
• National Library of AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on archival preservation, digitisation of historical records, and access to national collection resources.
• City of KalamundacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government support for Perth Sky Sculpture Park initiative and broader regional tourism development.
• BurgtecminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor providing support for observatory programs and events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Royal Observatory Greenwich: Historic UK observatory operating as a public attraction with ticketed tours, school programs, venue hire, and an astronomy-focused museum. Highly comparable as a heritage-listed observatory monetized through tourism and education.
• Mount Stromlo Observatory (ANU): Australian National University observatory offering visitor experiences, public astronomy events, and research programs. Comparable as an Australian observatory combining active research with public engagement and school outreach.
• Sydney Observatory: Australia's other heritage-listed public observatory, operated by the Powerhouse Museum (Museums Discovery & History). Offers night tours, school programs, and venue hire, making it the closest Australian analogue to Perth Observatory's mix of heritage tourism and astronomy education.
• Lowell Observatory: Historic US research observatory operating a public visitor center with day/night programs, school tours, and venue hire. Comparable as a heritage observatory balancing active research (including near-Earth object work) with public tourism revenue.
• Melbourne Planetarium (Scienceworks): Planetarium and science center within Museums Victoria offering ticketed astronomy shows, school programs, and public education. Comparable visitor attraction focused on astronomy engagement and STEM learning.
• Griffith Observatory: Los Angeles public observatory offering free and ticketed programming including telescope viewing, planetarium shows, and school programs. Closely comparable in mission (public-facing astronomical education and observation) and tour/experience product mix.
• Stardome Observatory & Planetarium: Auckland-based observatory and planetarium operating ticketed shows, school programs, and venue hire. Closely comparable business model combining public astronomy experiences with education and events in a regional market.
• CSIRO Parkes Observatory (The Dish): Iconic Australian radio telescope site operated by CSIRO with a visitor center offering tours, school programs, and exhibitions. Closely comparable as a heritage Australian observatory monetized through tourism and education.
• Adelaide Planetarium (UniSA): University-hosted planetarium in South Australia offering public shows, school programs, and astronomy outreach. Comparable as a regional Australian planetarium/observatory focused on education and ticketed public programs.

Broad incumbents

• Questacon: Australia's National Science and Technology Centre operating large-scale interactive exhibits and school programs. Comparable as a science-education attraction targeting similar school and family segments, though broader in scope than astronomy-only.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/PerthobservatoryAu
• Facebookfacebook.com/PerthObservatory
• Instagraminstagram.com/perthobservatory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/perth-observatory

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Perth Observatory