There's nothing like standing under the Milky Way to put your problems into perspective, according to professional photographer Michael Goh.

Key points: Nine towns in Western Australia's mid-west region have formed an astro-tourism trail

Nine towns in Western Australia's mid-west region have formed an astro-tourism trail Perth is the most isolated city in the world, making it ideal for viewing the Milky Way, says Astrotourism WA founder Carol Redford

Perth is the most isolated city in the world, making it ideal for viewing the Milky Way, says Astrotourism WA founder Carol Redford Western Australia's isolation has helped it win the contract to build the world's largest telescope, with 13 countries working on it

"The humility of being under the stars, realising that whatever our problems are down here the universe doesn't care, is very rewarding and humbling," Mr Goh said.

The Western Australian photographer spends a fair bit of time stargazing in his specialty as an astro-photographer — and he's not alone.

The state is becoming a hub for stargazers, with nine towns in the mid-west region recently forming an astro-tourism trail.

WA offers chance to see Milky Way 'as intended'

The founder of Astrotourism WA, Carol Redford, says the state is ideal for viewing the Milky Way because Perth is the most isolated capital city in the world.

Photographer Michael Goh says stargazing helps put problems into perspective. ( Supplied: Michael Goh )

"That means most of our population is concentrated in just one small spot of our state," Ms Redford said.

"It leaves this vast area with a low population and hundreds of welcoming small country towns with low levels of light pollution which makes it better for stargazing.

"Even our climatic conditions are really great.

Carol Redford, left, says the first stargazing events have attracted people from all walks of life. ( ABC News: Glyn Jones )

"The weather in Western Australia is really dry [and] we have clean air, low air pollution as well, [so] all of that helps for making a really great stargazing experience."

Ms Redford said the first stargazing events had attracted a broad range of participants, from astronomy professionals to curious beginners.

"People can come either with their technology or with their favourite chair or picnic rug and lie under the Milky Way and see it as it's truly supposed to be experienced," she said.

Western Australia's weather makes for clear stargazing conditions. ( Supplied: Michael Goh )

Mr Goh, whose award-winning pictures have been used to promote Western Australian tourism, said astro-photography does not require sophisticated camera gear.

He's even experimented with his mobile phone.

"You can have an entry-level camera, anything that basically shoots on manual settings," he said.

Hopes for tourism on the horizon

A local council has adopted a lighting policy to ensure street lights would not affect the region's low light. ( Supplied: Michael Goh )

Carnamah, 300 kilometres north of Perth, is one of the mid-west towns hoping tourists bring new economic opportunities.

The local council adopted a lighting policy this year to ensure a planned upgrade of street lights wouldn't affect its low light.

Karen Oborn says protecting the dark night sky is a priority for the town. ( ABC News: Glyn Jones )

Carnamah shire's chief executive officer, Karen Oborn, said Western Power's plan to install LED lights in the town had the potential to make more night glow.

"The new policy is to make sure any new infrastructure is shielded in a way that we're still getting full lux [illumination] on the ground for people and safety in the community, but protecting the dark night sky," Ms Oborn said.

WA's isolation helps state win big

Western Australia's isolation has also helped it win the contract to build a billion-dollar telescope in the Murchison region as part of the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.

It will be the world's largest radio telescope, and 13 countries are working to realise it.

The radio telescope is set to have the capacity to explore the so-called Big Bang, when the universe was created.

"It can survey an enormous amount of the sky at once," said the executive director of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, Professor Peter Quinn.

"We're going to be able to capture the universe at a resolution and a depth we've never been able to do before, see billions of new galaxies we haven't seen before, so it's a census of the universe."

Both NASA and the European space agencies have built observatories in the region.

"It's a great time to be doing astronomy here in Western Australia, particularly for students who are studying at university right now," said Professor Quinn.

The new radio telescope is set to have the capacity to explore the Big Bang. ( Supplied: CSIRO )

"These telescopes are not just about astronomy.

"They're also about technology, so some of the technology problems we have to solve to build this telescope are going to breed a whole generation of data scientists and engineers as well."