30/10/2026
Photo of the Day
Credit: Christopher john
Poppet Head Park Kitchener
The Milky Way over Poppet Head Park, Kitchener ? Hunter Valley, NSW
I captured this image during an astrophotography workshop I conducted in September at Poppet Head Park in Kitchener, near Cessnock in the Hunter Valley.
During September and October, the Milky Way Core is visible in the western sky during the evening, providing a wonderful opportunity to photograph one of the most spectacular features of our night sky.
Finding a location away from excessive light pollution is an important part of Milky Way photography. With extensive areas of State Forest and National Park stretching to the west, Poppet Head Park provides a relatively dark outlook towards the Milky Way.
What makes this location particularly interesting is the historic poppet head, a reminder of the Hunter Valley's coal mining heritage. Including it in the composition gives the photograph a strong foreground subject, transforming what might otherwise be simply a photograph of the stars into an image that connects the landscape, its history and the night sky.
There are challenges, of course. Lighting around the nearby picnic area spills onto the structure and foreground, making it more difficult to balance the exposure between the landscape and the stars.
But that's part of the enjoyment of astrophotography. It's not simply about photographing the Milky Way; it's about recognising the possibilities of a location, understanding the available light and making deliberate decisions about how to bring everything together in a photograph.
View and book upcoming group events
https://newcastlephotographygroup.com.au
Join our Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/newcastlephotography
Subscribe to be notified of upcoming events
https://newcastlephotographygroup.com.au/subscribe/
