curious how or why australia doesn’t feature in this given their extensive unpopulated outback seems relevant.
> The designation was given by DarkSky International, an organization dedicated to protecting the nighttime environment and preserving dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting. The project is the work of the Oregon Dark Sky Network, an ad-hoc group of state, local and federal officials, private individuals, business owners and tourism agencies.
If only a nonprofit is claiming it, unless they purchased the land, this isn't legally enforceable without a heavy-handed backing of state government. Such protections have to get cemented by some legislation as the next step.