Rare Aurora Australis lights up skies across Australia's east coast

Sydneysiders were treated to a rare glimpse of the spectacular Aurora Australis, with the explosion of colour lighting up the night sky right along the nation’s east coast.

The Aurora Australis, also known as the southern lights, stretched as far north as Queensland in a dazzling display that brought the dead of night to life on Tuesday.

From Tasmania to Adelaide, the phenomenon put on a show across the country’s famous beaches and coastal areas.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Southern lights put on a show across Australia.

In Victoria, the bucket list viewing triggered a huge rush of traffic as hundreds of stargazers flocked to a coastal lookout to catch a glimpse of the dancing hues.

The light show is the product of a collision between charged particles from the sun and natural gases in our atmosphere.

“So it is rare overall to get to see the aurora this far north, but during this period of solar activity, it is a bit more common,” Dr Rebecca Allen from Swinburne University said.

One this spectacular is relatively rare, usually only visible once every five years.

But space experts say if you missed it, you might be able to see it again on Wednesday night.

They say it’s best viewed through photos and videos taken on a smartphone.

“What I recommend is for people to go out around 10pm and starting at 10 and take your phone and just kind of look towards the southwest because obviously they’re heading towards the South Pole,” Allen said.