Solar Eclipse Glasses for Councils: 2028 Guide

The short version. Budget for one certified pair per person at each council viewing site, plus about 10% spare, and set a separate allocation for libraries and community centres. Get a written quote (we reply within one business day), set us up as a supplier, and raise a purchase order: we put your PO number and ABN on the invoice. Branded runs need 6 to 8 weeks from proof approval and should be ordered by the end of 2027. Keep the certification pack on file, and send out one safety message: glasses on for the whole eclipse.

Which councils are in the path of totality?

On Saturday 22 July 2028 the path of totality crosses the East Kimberley, the Barkly in the Northern Territory, far south-west Queensland and NSW from Bourke through Dubbo and the Blue Mountains to Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong. These are some of the towns inside the path, with their local times. Totality is longest near the centre line and shorter towards the edges, so check your own sites on our eclipse map before you plan anything.

Town	Totality	Maximum (local time)	Council
Wyndham, WA	3m 22s	10:59am AWST	Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley
Kununurra, WA	2m 52s	11:01am AWST	Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley
Tennant Creek, NT	3m 21s	12:50pm ACST	Barkly Regional Council
Thargomindah, Qld	4m 15s	1:47pm AEST	Bulloo Shire Council
Bourke, NSW	4m 05s	1:52pm AEST	Bourke Shire Council
Dubbo, NSW	3m 50s	1:57pm AEST	Dubbo Regional Council
Orange, NSW	2m 14s	1:58pm AEST	Orange City Council
Bathurst, NSW	3m 02s	1:59pm AEST	Bathurst Regional Council
Katoomba, NSW	3m 29s	2:00pm AEST	Blue Mountains City Council
Penrith, NSW	3m 46s	2:01pm AEST	Penrith City Council
Sydney CBD, NSW	3m 48s	2:02pm AEST	City of Sydney
Gosford, NSW	3m 16s	2:02pm AEST	Central Coast Council
Wollongong, NSW	2m 52s	2:01pm AEST	Wollongong City Council

Councils outside the path still get a partial eclipse, and some get very close. Birdsville gets 99.9% of the Sun covered, Newcastle 99.7%, Halls Creek 98.3%, Canberra 96.1% and Alice Springs 95.3%. Even at 99.9% the eclipse is partial, so residents need glasses for all of it. Our guide to towns just outside the path lists more.

What are councils and state agencies already planning?

No one has published official visitor numbers, but every state on the path is preparing for crowds. The WA Government expects thousands of visitors in the East Kimberley and has announced $24.6 million in funding for the eclipse. Tourism and Events NT notes that totality crosses the Barkly Region and a working group is managing visitation. Destination NSW expects the eclipse to draw many more travellers because it is so accessible.

The closest Australian precedent is Exmouth in April 2023, when the town drew about 20,000 visitors and the local chamber of commerce bought just over 20,000 pairs of eclipse glasses ahead of the day. Roughly a pair per visitor is a sound starting ratio for a council in the path. Our guide for tourism operators in the path covers the visitor side.

How many eclipse glasses does a council need?

Plan two separate numbers.

Viewing sites. For each official site, the expected crowd plus staff and volunteers, plus about 10% spare. A park expecting 3,000 people with 60 staff and volunteers needs 3,366 pairs. Glasses go out at the gate, and spares sit with the site supervisor.
Libraries and community centres. A fixed allocation per branch, handed out in the weeks before, with a per-household limit so one early visitor doesn't empty the box. Hold some back for the final week, when demand peaks.

Our guide to how many eclipse glasses an event needs has the formula, and the eclipse viewing event checklist covers staffing, crowds and the day itself.

Diagram: how many eclipse glasses an event needs: expected guests, plus staff and volunteers, plus about 10% spares; for example 2,000 guests and 80 staff need 2,288 pairs — One certified pair per person, worn for the whole eclipse, plus spares. Place the base order early and top up. Aura Sight ordering guide. Diagram: Aura Sight.

How should libraries and community centres hand them out?

Libraries were the main hand-out point in the United States. For the 2023 and 2024 eclipses, a program run by the Space Science Institute supplied 5.6 million pairs of solar viewing glasses to 14,953 libraries. Many still ran out: the American Library Association reported one library fielding hundreds of calls once its glasses were gone. Lessons for an Australian council:

Tell residents when and where glasses will be available, and the per-household limit, before the first box opens.
Hand each pair out with a printed safety card, not loose.
Brief front-desk staff on the safety rules below, and on what to say when a resident asks if the glasses are safe: the QR code on each pair links to its batch certificate.
Store the cartons at room temperature and keep pairs in their packaging until hand-out, protected from scratches. Pull any pair that is scratched, torn or punctured.
Offer a safe way to watch for people who miss out. ARPANSA says indirect viewing, such as a pinhole projector or a livestream, is the safest way to watch an eclipse.

What safety message should a council put out?

Keep it short and the same everywhere: the website, social posts, library signage, the card with each pair and the announcements at viewing sites.

Never look at the Sun without certified eclipse glasses. Ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are never safe.
Glasses go on before the eclipse starts and stay on for the whole eclipse, totality included.
Check your glasses before use, and throw out any pair that is scratched, torn or punctured.
Never use eclipse glasses with a camera, phone lens, binoculars or a telescope.
Wear them over prescription glasses. Supervise children very closely.
If your vision is blurred, distorted or changed after the eclipse, see an optometrist or eye doctor.

ARPANSA warns that eclipse eye damage can happen in seconds, the retina feels no pain, symptoms may take hours to appear, and the damage can be permanent. That is why a council's message should invite people to watch the eclipse with glasses on, not just announce the event. Council staff working outdoors that day need the same controls as any other workplace: our WHS guide for employers covers toolbox talks and safety-critical work.

Timeline for a council buying eclipse glasses for 22 July 2028: plan the day to mid 2027, quotes and supplier set-up in 2027, purchase order by the end of 2027, delivery in early 2028, library hand-outs in June and July, eclipse day — A council's eclipse glasses timeline, from the budget line to eclipse day. Branded runs take 6 to 8 weeks from proof approval. Aura Sight ordering process. Diagram: Aura Sight.

How does a council buy eclipse glasses from Aura Sight?

The process fits a normal council purchase. Your procurement policy sets how many quotes you need for the value of the order.

Quote. Send quantity, delivery sites and date through our event quote form. We reply within one business day with a written quote for that exact order, with delivery shown.
Supplier set-up. Ask us for our supplier details for your new supplier set-up. Our details: AURASITE PTY LTD, trading as Aura Sight, ABN 42 688 792 494, Sydney NSW, cs@aurasight.com.au.
Purchase order. Give us your PO number and ABN and we put both on the tax invoice. Quoted orders are paid online by card or BECS direct debit.
Delivery. Cartons ship from our stock in NSW to the sites you list, with the certification pack.

Smaller orders, such as glasses for one library branch or a works depot, can be placed online as pre-orders, which ship by 31 May 2028.

What paperwork should go on the council's file?

The quote, PO and tax invoice.
The certification pack: ISO 12312-2:2015 certification with the filter tested by ICS Laboratories, an A2LA-accredited laboratory; CE documentation under EU PPE Regulation 2016/425 (Notified Body 2834, valid to May 2031); and batch-level QR tracking, with a QR code on every pair. The full test report and CE certificate are available on request.
The maker: Rainbow Symphony, which is on the American Astronomical Society's list of reputable manufacturers.
Your event risk assessment, the safety message as published, and a record of how many pairs went to each site and branch.

Australia's standard, AS ISO 12312.2:2020, is an identical adoption of ISO 12312-2:2015, so the requirements are the same. See how our glasses are certified for each document.

Should council glasses carry the council's logo?

They don't have to, but many councils will want to. A branded pair can carry the council crest on the front, and the rear panel or the safe-viewing card can list your official viewing sites and the local eclipse times. The certified filter, the maker's name and the QR code stay the same. Branded runs take 6 to 8 weeks from proof approval, and nothing prints until you sign off the proof. Our guide to custom-printed eclipse glasses explains how a run works, and the custom-branded glasses page takes the brief.

When should a council order?

Put the eclipse in the 2027 budget and place the order during 2027. Custom-branded runs should be ordered by the end of 2027, and stock already in NSW can be reserved now and topped up closer to the day. US libraries ran out in 2024, and specialist glasses sold out in the UK before the August 2026 eclipse. A council that orders in June 2028 is competing with schools, shops and events across the country. Order the confirmed numbers first and top up later: unsold stock can't be returned after the eclipse.

Tell us your viewing sites, library branches and dates. We reply within one business day with a written quote, and the certification pack goes with every order.

Get a council quote

FAQ

Can councils pay for eclipse glasses with a purchase order?

Yes, for quoted orders. Give us your purchase order number and ABN and we put both on the tax invoice, which is paid online by card or BECS direct debit.

How many eclipse glasses should a council order?

For viewing sites, one pair per expected visitor plus staff and volunteers, plus about 10% spare. For libraries and community centres, set a fixed allocation per branch with a per-household limit, and hold some back for the final week.

Which councils get totality on 22 July 2028?

Councils with towns in the path include the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley, Barkly Regional Council, Bulloo Shire Council, and in NSW Bourke, Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst, the Blue Mountains, Penrith, the City of Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong. Check exact sites on the eclipse map.

Do residents need eclipse glasses outside the path of totality?

Yes. Every part of Australia gets at least a partial eclipse, and even at 99.9% the uncovered part is bright enough to damage the eyes. Glasses stay on for the whole eclipse.

What certification should a council ask for?

ISO 12312-2:2015, tested by an accredited laboratory, from a maker on the American Astronomical Society's list. Our glasses are tested by A2LA-accredited ICS Laboratories, made by Rainbow Symphony, and carry a QR batch certificate on every pair.

When should a council order eclipse glasses?

During 2027. Custom-branded runs should be ordered by the end of 2027 and take 6 to 8 weeks from proof approval. Order confirmed numbers first and top up later.