AUSTRALIA: Queensland, New South Wales & Tasmania
AUSTRALIA: Queensland, New South Wales & Tasmania
Dates: 26 September – 27 October, 2019
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Australia has a unique avifauna with over 300 endemic birds, 8 endemic bird families and a total of over 800 species. With very little north/south migration, apart from shorebirds and a handful of New Guinea migrants, most Australian land birds can be seen nowhere else on Earth. Because few birders have unlimited time for exploration, we have developed this year’s itinerary to maximize the variety of habitats to be visited, thus the number of birds and animals to be seen, within a manageable geographic area. No small feat with a country this expansive—we’ll cover a distance more than 800 miles greater than that from Maine to Florida!
With 372 species of birds found nowhere else on Earth, Australia has more endemic birds than any other country, and nearly all of Australia’s remaining 500 regular species are likely to be new for first time visitors to Australasia. Taking place during Australia’s vibrant spring season, we cover the absolute best of Eastern Australia from top to bottom during our travels. We’ll follow spring’s southward journey across the “Island Continent” experiencing all that the Land of Oz has to offer during a singularly magical odyssey.
Itinerary
Northeastern Region Overview – We begin in Australia’s far northeast visiting Cairns, Cassowary House, Daintree, Kingfishers Park, Mareeba, Yungaburra and the Atherton Tablelands.
Various areas within the Tropical North Queensland region have their own special birding attractions. Upon arriving in Cairns, visiting birders have a selection of prime birding locations to enjoy within close proximity of town. Examples include: Cairns Esplanade and its world renowned waders, Cairns Botanical Gardens, Catana Wetlands and Centenary Lakes. We’ll visit them all.
Cairns Esplanade with Silver Gulls
The Coastal Lowland Rainforest areas from Mission Beach to Cooktown, including Daintree National Park host a number key species for the avid birdwatcher. These include the Southern Cassowary, Victoria’s Riflebird, Beach Stone-Curlew. Taking an early morning AND sunset cruise on the Daintree River, the visiting birdwatcher should be able to spot Great-billed Heron, Little Kingfisher, Papuan Frogmouth, Shining Flycatcher and Black Bittern. Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher is a highlight throughout the region from October through early April.
Papauan Frogmouth on its nest.
The Tablelands Region from upland rainforests around Atherton and Yungaburra to Mareeba’s dry savannas and Julatten’s mid-level and gallery forest habitats host species such as Blue-faced Parrot Finch, three varieties of Fruit Dove, Red-necked Crake, Sarus Crane, Australian Bustard, Black-necked Stork and a host of regional specialties. The tropical forests here are part of “The Wet Tropics” bioregion and house 13 endemic birds within their shadowed halls: Lesser Sooty Owl, Tooth-billed and Golden Bowerbirds, Bridled and Maclean’s Honeyeaters, Fern Wren, Atherton Scrubwren, Mountain Thornbill, Grey-headed Robin, Northern Logrunner (Chowchilla), Bower’s Shrike-Thrush, Pied Monarch and Victoria’s Riflebird. Repeating last year’s success, we expect to find them all.
Eastcentral Region Overview – We’ll travel to Brisbane, journeying both north and south of the city to cover the area’s highlights. Visiting Hervey Bay, Lady Elliot Island and O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.
From the small airstrip near Hervey Bay, a short 40-minute flight to Lady Elliot Island transports you to an azure wonderland. This postcard-perfect coralline island sits near the southern reaches of the Great Barrier Reef, and although fully protected as part of the Great Barrier Reef Green Zone, it is serviced by a small airstrip and has excellent infrastructure for tourists. At 45 hectares in size, the island supports an amazingly rich variety of sea life, including resident Manta Rays and large numbers of nesting Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtles. Of particular interest to birders, Lady Elliot Island holds the highest diversity of breeding seabirds along the Great Barrier Reef.
Lady Elliot Island
We’ll traverse mountains straddling the Queensland & New South Wales border to immerse ourselves in the breathtaking forests of Lamington National Park. Taking advantage of the fact that we’ll be driving through a wide spectrum of habitats enroute, stopping throughout the day to look for species that we might have missed farther north, we’ll have more time to search enjoy these primeval forests. During our time in Lamington we’ll be based at the justifiably famous O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. Beautiful accommodation, stunning views and unparalleled experiences with some of Australia’s most incredible birds will make our three-night stay at O’Reilly’s a favorite segment of our entire trip!
Southeast Region Overview – Returning to Sydney, we’ll visit several local sites around Sydney with longer visits to Olympic Park and Royal National Park. Additionally, we’ll have four full days to explore the striking Blue Mountains National Park and endemic rich, and thoroughly impressive, Capertee Valley from our base near Lithgow
Sydney Olympic Park comprises the primary facilities used for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. Of more immediate interest to birders, it supports a rich natural environment containing freshwater and salt-marsh wetlands, a mangrove boardwalk, several freshwater lakes, patches of indigenous woodland and lawns and gardens. A well situated blind overlooks a tidal lagoon that often holds a nice selection of waterbirds. A relaxed visit allows us to recharge our bodies and minds as we pass the midpoint of our tour. Goodies from past visits include Red-necked Avocet, Little Grassbird, White-fronted Chat and many waders & waterbirds.
Like Olympic Park, Centennial Park is situated near our hotel and offers close views of a nice variety of species. With woodlands, gardens, ponds, paperbark swamps and an extensive trail system it’s a low-key site that has much to offer the visiting birder.
Bell Miner
Royal National Park became Australia’s first national park when it was established in 1879. This makes it the second oldest national park in the world—after Montana’s superb Yellowstone NP. Situated 20 miles south of Sydney, more than 300 species of birds have been recorded over its 37,290 acres. Home to an amazing variety of habitats, RNP has a unique combination of coastal heathland, wet eucalyptus forest, rainforest and shrubby eucalyptus woodlands.
Tasmania Region Overview – Beginning in Hobart and a pelagic trip on the Southern Ocean, we’ll cross Tasmania from North to South, ending on scenic Bruny Island. Along the way we’ll visit Cradle Mountain National Park, Mount Field National Park, Mount Wellington, Bruny Island and Inala, a private wildlife reserve.
In addition to its currently recognized suite of twelve species of endemic birds, Tasmania is home to a number of endemic subspecies (26 give or take depending upon your systematics) and a smaller number of breeding endemics—species that can be found breeding only on Tasmania but migrate to mainland Australia outside the breeding season. The critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot and uncommon Swift Parrot are two prime examples of these breeding endemics.
During our visit, we’ll target all of Tasmania’s endemic birds: Tasmanian Native Hen, Green Rosella, Dusky Robin, Tasmanian Thornbill, Scrubtit, Tasmanian Scrubwren, Yellow Wattlebird, Yellow-throated Honeyeater, Black-headed Honeyeater, Strong-billed Honeyeater, Black Burrawong and Forty-spotted Pardalote. We expect to record them all during our extended stay on Tasmania and Bruny Island.
Tasmanian Native Hen
Like most of Australia’s mammals, Tasmanian mammalian fauna comprises many marsupials, or pouched mammals. Marsupials are remarkable for their method of reproduction, such as the production of very tiny young which complete their development in a pouch. Tasmania, like Australia in general, has many unique mammals found nowhere else in the world. Some, like the Tasmanian Devil and Tasmanian Tiger (extinct) are well-known. Others, such as Eastern Quoll, Pademelon and Bettong are less well-known, but equally fascinating. Tasmania has several mammals which have become, or are on the verge of, extinction on mainland Australia. Tasmania’s lack of introduced predators and relatively large amounts of intact habitat, make it a final refuge—a last chance for survival—for these species. While there are 33 native terrestrial mammals on the island, for a variety of reasons, many of them are not possible during our visit. We will search for more likely species like Tasmanian Bettong, Long-nosed Potoroo, Forester (Eastern Grey) Kangaroo, Bennett’s (Red-necked) Wallaby, Tasmanian Pademelon, Common Ringtail Possum, Sugar Glider, Common Brushtail Possum, Eastern Pygmy Possum, Little (Tasmanian) Pygmy Possum and Wombat.
Sugar Glider
The sole Australian state that’s an island, Tasmania is surrounded by water—Bass Strait on the North, Southern Ocean on the South and West and the Tasman Sea on the East. These rich marine waters regularly produce some of the most spectacular pelagic birding in the southern hemisphere. In early spring, schools of baitfish attract flocks of shearwaters, there are often lingering albatrosses from winter and a good mix of both warm and cold water oceanic birds occur regularly.
Cradle Mountain forms the northern border of the Cradle Mountain – Lake St. Clair National Park. Its lush forests, valleys and highlands provide habitat for many of Tasmania’s special birds—from mountain-dwelling Black Currawong to soaring Wedge-tailed Eagles and brilliantly colored Pink Robins.
Situated a short distance south of Hobart, Bruny Island is accessed via a short ferry trip. During our ferry crossing we’ll search for seabirds such as Black-faced Cormorant and Pacific and Kelp Gulls and marine mammals, with dolphins being our most likely encountered. The island is surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful bays and coves, dotted with inland waterbodies and clothed in vast stretches of rainforest. All of Tasmania’s endemic birds can be found here, and the Inala Conservation Reserve is the best place to find the critically endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote.
The name Inala derives from an aboriginal word meaning “a peaceful place.” A private 1500 acre reserve, approximately 80% of the property is covered in native vegetation. Ranging from tall wet eucalypt forest to wetlands and heathlands. Smaller pastures provide habitat for other native species such as Tasmanian Native Hen, Swamp Harrier and Red-necked (Bennett’s) Wallaby. Inala is home to 95 species of birds, including endangered species like Forty-spotted Pardalote, Tasmanian subspecies of Wedge-tailed Eagle, White-bellied Sea-eagle, the ghostly white morph of Grey Goshawk and Swift Parrot.
Swift Parrot
Ongoing conservation efforts on the property aid critically endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote and Swift Parrot. These efforts are proving highly successful as Inala is now home to one of the largest known colonies of Forty-spotted Pardalote and has become an important breeding area for Swift Parrot. Forty species of native terrestrial orchids, an amazing diversity of plant species and several species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians also occur on Inala. We’ll spend two nights, three days exploring this lovely reserve.
New Holland Honeyeater
Planned Itinerary
Sept 27 – Arrive Cairns, Esplanade and local birding. Usually our first point of call—and often our last, before flying out of Cairns—is a visit to the spectacular mudflats along the city’s Esplanade. One of the best spots for Asiatic shorebirds on Australia’s Eastern coast and the ease and close proximity of birds make it one of the best shorebird sites in the world. When tides are right, the shoreline mudflats teem with waders, with Australian Pelican, Far Eastern Curlew, Whimbrel, Sharp-tailed, Curlew, Terek, Broad-billed and Marsh Sandpipers, Red-necked Stint, Pacific Golden-Plover, Lesser and Greater Sand-Plovers, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, occasionally Black-bellied (Grey) Plover, Red and Great Knots, Gray-tailed Tattler, Pied Oystercatcher and Striated Heron being the usual suspects. Other waterbirds seen regularly here include Eastern Reef Egret (Heron), Gull-billed, Little, Crested and the odd Caspian Tern. Night Cairns.
Australian Pelicans and Silver Gulls
Sept 28 – Esplanade, Cairns Botanical Garden, Jack Barnes Mangrove Boardwalk, Cattana Wetlands and locally in Cairns. Morning’s first sun rays will find us admiring the profusion of blooming Plumeria and Eucalyptus trees along Cairns’ wandering Esplanade’s waterfront perch. One of Northeastern Queensland’s most interesting birding locales, the Esplanade is a superb location to observe nectar loving birds and common North Queensland resident species. More than 220 species have been recorded here, it is, perhaps, the easiest place in Australia to find Varied Honeyeater. Other birds typically seen here include Brown, Yellow-spotted, Yellow, Graceful and Lewin’s Honeyeaters, Spangled Drongo, Helmeted Friarbird, Pied Imperial-Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Australasian Figbird, Olive-backed Sunbird, and Nutmeg Mannikin. It’s not uncommon to see dozens of Rainbow Lorikeets flying up and down the Esplanade with the odd Doubled-eyed Fig-Parrot wandering about. Nearby mangroves hold Collared Kingfisher, Mangrove Robin, Pacific Reef Heron and roosting Nankeen (Rufous) Night-Herons. Spectacled Flying Fox are quite common around Cairns with a couple of well populated roosts within the city.
Double-eyed Fig-Parrot
The Cairns Botanical Garden and adjacent Centennial Lakes are beautifully maintained. A true tropical paradise, renowned as one of the best exhibitions of tropical plants in Australia. We’ll experience exotic plants and birds and a fresh and saltwater lake divided by a brackish creek fringed by mangroves. Surrounding the lakes is the largest area of palm and paperbark swamp left in Cairns, an area of littoral rainforest and extensive tropical rainforest. Truly an impressive variety of habitats in such a small area, and one can expect to see a large variety of rainforest species as well as some mangrove specialities and a variety of waterbirds on the lakes themselves.
We’ll look for Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Australian Brush Turkey, Magpie Goose, Pacific Black Duck, Radjah Shelduck, Grey Teal, Wandering Whistling Duck and other waterfowl, Australian Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, occasionally Black-necked Stork, Pied Heron, White-necked Heron, and Great-billed Heron, White-faced Heron, Nankeen Night Heron, Black Bittern, Royal—and occasionally Yellow-billed-Spoonbills, Pacific Baza, Grey Goshawk, Osprey, Red-necked Crake, Pale-vented Bush-hen, occasionally Dusky Moorhen, Rose-crowned and Superb Fruit Doves, Pacific Emerald Dove, Brush and Channel-billed Cuckoos, Pacific Koel, Pacific Kingfisher, Little Kingfisher, Noisy Pitta (from the boardwalk in winter), Lovely Fairywren,Large-billed Gerygone, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Spectacled Monarch, Leaden Flycatcher, Grey Fantail, Cicadabird, Yellow Oriole and Fairy Martin.
Australian Brush Turkey
Closer to the airport, the Jack Barnes Mangrove Boardwalk offers easy access to a thick grove of coastal mangroves. We’ll search for some of the more habitat restricted birds of this typically hard-to-navigate biome from the comfort of an elevated boardwalk. Birds we’ll search for include Lovely Fairywren, Large-billed Gerygone, Little and Collared Kingfishers, Hornbill Friarbird and Mangrove Robin.
Opened to the public only since 2009, the Cattana Wetlands house a series of both fresh and saltwater lakes and the reserve preserves one of the few remaining lowland rainforest remnants in close proximity to Cairns. It’s a great location for an interesting assortment of birds. We’ll look for Plumed and Wandering Whistling-Ducks, Whistling and Brahminy Kites, a fine collection of waterbirds topped by White-browed Crake and a variable collection of honeyeaters, trillers, friarbirds, starlings and finches.
We’ll return to the Esplanade in the late afternoon to take advantage of the beautiful afternoon light and changing tidal conditions. Night Cairns.
Sept 29 – Birding near Cassowary House, then northward to Daintree, Newell Beach, Mossman River. Cassowary House is a feast for naturalists! In addition to the many birds found around the property, Musky Rat Kangaroos are often seen as well. A Gondwana relict, this is Australia’s smallest macropod and its only fully diurnal one. We hope to see Victoria’s Riflebird, our first of Australia’s birds-of-paradise and other birds that come to feed near the house. If we’re fortunate, we’ll also see the iconic Cassowary which visits the property on a regular basis. Possible are interesting insects like Cairns Birdwing and Ulysses Butterflies.
Southern Cassowary
After our time at Cassowary House, we’ll return to the coast and turn north toward Daintree. Stops along the way are planned for Newell Beach and the mouth of the Mossman River to search the sandbars and beaches for wintering shorebirds and for Beach Stone-Curlew.
Daintree National Park and doing two boat trips, one in the evening, one at dawn the following morning. Floating on the water, enjoying the late afternoon light, watching wildlife foraging before sunset, there are few better places to be than out on the Daintree River. Late afternoon cruises give an opportunity to see the river in lovely light, sometimes with the setting sun coloring the sky, often with a multitude of egrets flying home to roost for the night. Crocodiles, snakes and birds such as kingfishers, flycatchers and herons are commonly seen. Night Daintree.
Daintree River
Sept 30 – Morning boat trip on Daintree River, local birding. Dawn cruises on the Daintree River provide the best conditions for those wishing to see the river at its most stunning, as well as the greatest chance to see the most sought birds of the river. You will find boat trips on the Daintree referred to in many birding books, as cruises on this famous river have been in operation for more than 20 years—testament to their enduring popularity. Key target species include White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Great-billed Heron, Papuan Frogmouth, Little and Azure Kingfishers, Black Bittern, Saltwater Crocodile, Green Tree Snake, Water Dragon and a profusion of butterflies. Night Daintree.
Oct 1 – 2 – Visiting Cape Tribulation, to Kingfishers Park Birdwatchers Lodge for two nights/three days. Fabulous birds & photography! A final morning to enjoy Cape Tribulation and Daintree, searching for Cassowary or others we need to see before beginning our journey inland to Julatten and Kingfishers.
Kingfishers Park Birding Lodge is our gateway to a number of fabulous birding spots…including their grounds itself! Upon our arrival, we’ll enjoy a nice variety of species as we explore Kingfisher’s grounds, experiencing rainforest, open woodland and riverine habitats in and around the lodge. Usually about 50 species are seen but this can vary depending on the season, weather conditions and fruiting and flowering trees and bushes. Our primary focus is on finding and identifying bird species. For a more detailed list of birds we are most likely to see on the morning walk click this eBird Link. You can choose to review the list by month or a complete list for all years, current year or last 10 years.
Mt. Lewis Road begins a short distance from the lodge (just over a mile) and winds its way up to the 950 meter level where the best birding locations on the mountain are found. Blacktop at its start, the road surface soon changes to gravel for the remaining 10 km, this section can become impassable after heavy rain, especially due to fallen trees, so you need to check the road conditions before you attempt to traverse it. The road has been well graded over the last few years so a 2WD vehicle will generally be fine to take up the mountain. We’ll try for higher altitude species like Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Chowchilla and Fernwren. This is the best place to look for other upland rainforest species such as Bower’s Shrike-Thrush, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Atherton Scrubwren and Mountain Thornbill. The main birdwatching area of Mt. Lewis forms part of the Brooklyn Wildlife Sanctuary, which we’ll also experience from the dry lowlands to the West. After lunch we head out for the drier habitats: Mt Molloy area for Squatter Pigeon, Red-winged Parrot and Double-barred Finch; to Mary Farms and Mt. Carbine for Australian Bustard, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo and Tawny Frogmouth. In season, admiring displaying male Australian Bustards strutting across the grasslands is a great way to end the day.
Australian Bustard
Part of one day will be spent exploring drier areas away from the lodge. There are lots of sites to choose from and where we go depends on recent sightings in the area and our guide’s intimate knowledge of the region. Areas covered generally include Mt. Molloy, Lake Mitchell, Mary Farms, Mt. Carbine and the MacLeod River. Apart from more common species, including Northern Fantail, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Australian Bustard and Blue-winged Kookaburra, there is always the chance of species like Cotton Pygmy-Goose, White-browed Robin, Squatter Pigeon, Square-tailed Kite, Red-winged Parrot, White-gaped Honeyeater and Black-throated Finch. Nights Kingfishers Park Birdwatchers Lodge.
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Oct 3 – Clean-up at Kingfishers, Mount Malloy, Lake Mitchell, Mareeba Wetlands. We’ll have time to search for any Kingfishers Lodge specialties missing from our lists before turning westward toward Mount Malloy. Nearly 300 species of birds have been recorded within the varied habitats surrounding Mount Malloy, thus earning the region a well deserved reputation as one of the most bird rich areas of Australia. All 13 Wet Tropics endemics have been recorded within a small radius of town and a diverse collection of dry and wet habitat species occur. Targets may include Brown Quail, Black Bittern, Pacific Baza, Little Eagle, Red-necked Crake, Buff-breasted and Painted Button-quail, Gould’s Bronze-Cuckoo, Lovely Fairywren, Maclean’s, Banded and White-faced Honeyeaters and Dusky Monarch.
Lake Mitchell, Big Mitchell Creek and the surrounding forest savanna hold Australian Bustard, Red-backed Fairywren, Brown Honeyeater, Yellow Oriole, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Weebill, Grey-crowned Babbler, Plum-headed and, if we’re lucky, Black-throated Finches. The wetlands themselves are good for Comb-crested Jacana and the lagoons often hold an impressive array of waterbirds topped by Black-necked Stork, Brolga and both Green and Cotton Pygmy-Goose.
While the Mareeba Wetlands were closed to public access in 2018, we’re hopeful they will reopen prior to our visit in 2019. Most of the 2,000 hectare site is composed of open tropical savanna woodlands and grasslands. An extensive wetlands complex consisting of eight interconnected lagoons further enhance the wetlands as a birding area. A number of species can be viewed here more easily than other sites, such as the scarce and local type of Black-throated Finch (the local black-romped race) and Brown Treecreeper (the darker northern race). Since its creation, the Mareeba Wetlands has become one of the most important roost sites for Brolga and Sarus Cranes and there is a continuing reintroduction project for the colorful Gouldian Finch. The list of notable species found here is extensive and includes avian gems as Emu, Brown and King Quails, Black Swan, Australasian Grebe, Australian Darter, Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants, Black-necked Stork, Royal Spoonbill, Black-breasted Buzzard, Brown Goshawk, Spotted Harrier, Brown Falcon, Nankeen Kestrel, Australian Hobby, Pale-vented Bush-hen, Dusky Moorhen, Australian Bustard, Comb-crested Jacana, Australian Pratincole, Whiskered Tern, Squatter and Crested Pigeons, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Red-winged Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Brush Cuckoo, Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo, Pheasant Coucal, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Forest Kingfisher, Rainbow Bee-eater, Dollarbird, Red-backed Fairywren, Little and Noisy Friarbirds, Blue-faced, Brown-backed and Scarlet Honeyeaters, Gray-crowned Babbler, Varied Sittella, Rufous Whistler, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-winged Triller, Olive-backed Oriole, White-breasted Woodswallow, Australian Magpie, Spangled Drongo, Torresian Crow, Mistletoebird, Tawny Grassbird and Golden-headed Cisticola.
Red-backed Fairy-wren
We’ll end our day enjoying the antics of kangaroos cavorting on the fields and fairways of Mareeba and a relaxing dinner in the quiet town. Night Mareeba.
Oct 4 – Granite Gorge, Mareeba Wetlands, to Yungaburra and Atherton Tablelands. The dry country between Mareeba and Granite Gorge is good for kangaroos and here we hope to find Eastern Grey Kangaroos and the very local Mareeba Rock Wallaby. If we’re lucky we may also see Agile Wallaby. Loud—and impressive!—Red-tailed Black Cockatoos are often seen in the area, and both Blue-winged and Laughing Kookaburras along with a host of other bush birds like Squatter Pigeon, Double-barred Finches, Red-winged Parrots and Red-backed Fairywrens call this arid landscape home. We’ll keep a close eye as we drive along these less travelled roads as goodies like Frilled Lizards, small mammals or sunbathing snakes are often seen.
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo
A return visit to the impressive Mareeba Wetlands is possible before we turn south toward the Atherton Tablelands. As we head towards Atherton, stately cranes can often be seen in the cut cane fields beside the road. During the summer the cane grows tall and most of the Sarus cranes fly to the Gulf of Carpentaria to breed. Keep your eyes open as we pass through patches of rainforest for fruit bat camps as we drive.
Spectacled Flying Fox with young.
As we travel south, the landscape changes rapidly into a range of mountains and a large plateau known as the Atherton Tablelands. An area of high biodiversity, the region contains a high number of bird and other wildlife species—much of which cannot found on the coastal region near Cairns. Quite sadly, and very typically, most of the rainforest that once blanketed this plateau is now completely gone. Lost, as these fertile rolling hills were converted into crop and farmland. However, much of what forest remains is well protected and harbors many interesting species. All 13 of the Wet Tropics’ endemic bird species can be found here and more than 370 species have been recorded.
Afternoon plans depend upon weather and how much time remains to us. Options are many, and we’ll take what the day gives us. An after dark outing to search for birds and animals is possible, targets would include Barking Owl, Rufous Owl, Southern Boobook, Lesser Sooty Owl, Barn Owl and Tawny Frogmouth. The Atherton Tablelands are rich in mammal possibilities with over 100 species occurring in the region, including a bakers dozen endemic species. Some of the more spectacular mammalian targets include Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, Northern Bettong, Atherton Antechinus, Lemuroid Ringtail, Long-tailed Pygmy Possum, Striped Possum and Mountain Brush-tailed Possum. Night Yungaburra
October 5 – 6 – Hasties Swamp, Curtain Fig National Park, Mt. Hypipamee and Crater Lakes National Parks, Chambers Rainforest Lodge. Beyond Atherton we’re likely to make multiple visits to the impressive Hasties Swamp (a quite busy wetland area), Australia’s most famous tree (the spectacular Curtain Fig) and the lesser known Cathedral Fig. Excellent venues for spotlighting birds and wildlife, but even during the day we sometimes see Tree Kangaroos. These unique arboreal mammals are most active at night but we have a few sites where we often find them during the day. Additionally, we have several sites for Platypus, perhaps Australia’s most iconic mammal.
Hasties Swamp became an important watering point in the 1880’s for livestock movements between the coast and the tin mines at Herberton. In 1980 118 acres of the swamp and surrounds were declared a national park. Their holdings were increased to nearly 140 acres in 1986. The water catchment itself is planned for agricultural and domestic use with an earthen dam at the outflow point to retain water in the swamp. The reserve is popular with birders and there is a two-story blind offering exceptional
views over the wetlands. As water levels drop late in the dry season (September-November) and other water bodies in the region dry up, wildfowl can congregate by the thousands. Herons, egrets and other waders move in to take advantage of Hasties’ shallower depths and exposed muddy margins. The main avian attractions of the site are wetland species, although bushland birds are readily observed as well. The birdlist is large with hoped for species including: Wandering and Plumed Whistling Ducks, Black Swan, Radjah Shelduck, Pink-eared Duck, Grey Teal, Australasian Grebe, Australasian Darter, Great, Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants, Black-necked Stork, Australian Pelican, White-necked Stork, White-faced Heron, Cattle, Little, Intermediate and Great White Egrets, Nankeen Night Heron, Straw-necked, Glossy and Australian White Ibis, Royal and Yellow-billed Spoonbills, a nice assortment of raptors with four species of kites, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Swamp and Spotted Harriers, Brown Falcon, Nankeen Kestrel and Australian Hobby are all regular.
Also known as “The Crater,” Mount Hypipamee is a small reserve sitting along the western edge of the Atherton Tablelands first designated as a national park in 1934 becoming part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in 1988. Here the landscape rises to nearly a thousand meters, providing the reserve with typically lower temperatures year round, even getting quite cold at night during the winter season. Vegetation here is primarily high altitude rainforest, although other vegetation types exist in relatively small areas. The park itself is of considerable interest to birders as it contains all twelve Wet Tropics endemics as well as an impressive variety of other species. Areas of high-altitude rainforest around the decayed volcanic plug at Mt Hypipamee is a great place to look for Golden Bowerbird, Grey-headed Robin, Fernwren, Atherton Scrubwren, Mountain Hornbill and Bridled Honeyeater. A number of Tablelands endemics are more easily seen here as they are not to be expected at lower altitudes—although there may be some altitudinal migration with certain species like Grey-headed Robin occurring at lower elevations during the winter. Spotlighting for nocturnal mammals is particularly good at Mt Hypipamee with commonly encountered species including: Giant White-tailed Rat, Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, Red-legged Pademelon, Common Brushtail Possum (Coppery race), Lemuroid, Common, Green and Herbert River Ringtails and Long-nosed Bandicoot. 
Striped Possum
Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodge is located deep within the boundaries of Crater Lakes National Park. With more than 1,200 acres, Crater Lakes, Lake Eacham and Chambers Rainforest Lodge all wrapped up into a single, beautifully forested package, our time here will rank high with everyone. Crater Lakes National Park was created in 1994 to consolidate two smaller national parks that independently protected Lakes Barrine and Eacham, both water-filled calderas formed from result volcanic activity thousands of years ago. The national parks were originally established to protect these small, isolated fragments of rainforest which had become completely surrounded by farmland. There are ongoing efforts to create a vegetated wildlife corridor linking the sites together. Crater Lakes National Park now also lies within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Birding trails within the park and surrounding rainforest for Wet Tropics endemics and other rainforest species will occupy much of our time…both day and night! Yes, night, as Chambers has a nocturnal feeding station, where honey is painted on the tree trunks each evening, attracting spectacular mammals like Long-nosed Bandicoot, Sugar Glider and Striped Possum to close range while we wait for more uncommon visitors like a Melomys, Uromys or Antechinus to appear. Night drives through the surrounding forest offer many possibilities including such goodies as Red-legged Pademelon, Musky Rat Kangaroo, Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, Herbert River and Lemuroid Ringtails, Coppery Brushtail, Green Possum and Giant White-tailed Rat. Nights Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodge.
Oct 7 – A final morning amid the scenic Tablelands before we depart eastward to spend a bit of time around Cairns, the Cairns Botanical Garden and local hotspots. A final morning to search for any of the tablelands forest species that may be missing from our lists. We’ll meander through Danbulla State Forest enroute to another gigantic strangler fig. Like the Curtain Fig, the Cathedral Fig is an impressive, 500 year old specimen that harbors an interesting assortment of birds. Last year we enjoyed our best looks at a pair of Chowchillas that were chasing each other around and under the boardwalk!
Our schedule for the afternoon will depend upon the tide schedule, as we wish to return to Cairns and a late afternoon of birding along the Esplanade during the optimum time during a rising tide. Night Cairns.
Oct 8 – Early morning near Cairns, fly to Brisbane, drive to Hervey Bay…our gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. We’ll have two options for the morning, a bit of last minute birding in Cairns OR a relaxed breakfast at our hotel before transferring to the airport and our flight to Brisbane. Once we arrive in Brisbane, and are loaded into our vehicle, we’ll begin our drive northward to Hervey Bay. We’ll make a few stops along the way. Night Hervey Bay.
Oct 9 – Lady Elliot Island. We’ll take a flight to a coral cay where we’ll spend a full day enjoying life along the southern edge of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Birding, snorkeling, diving, glass bottom boat, beaches and photography will fill our day…while the sand fills our shoes!
Noddies nesting everywhere!
Lady Elliot Island houses thousands of Black Noddies and Sooty Terns breeding in the shrubs around the island periphery, and we’ll look among them for smaller numbers of Brown Noddies and Bridled Terns. Other breeding seabirds here include the stunningly beautiful Red-tailed Tropicbird, Brown Booby, Roseate, Black-naped and Greater Crested Terns and Great Frigatebird. The island usually supports a nice array of waders, including both Sooty and Pied Oystercatchers, Pacific Golden-Plovers, and both Gray-tailed and Wandering Tattlers. Land birding here is also excellent, with Buff-banded Rails and Silvereye a common sight around the island. For those who wish, there will be opportunities to inspect the corals and fish from a guided glass-bottom boat cruise, go snorkeling from the beach, go swimming in the azure-colored waters or even, for anyone suitably qualified, go scuba diving. Take a look. Think you might enjoy ANY of this? Night Hervey Bay.
Glass bottom boat ready for a reef tour.
Oct 10 – Hervey Bay, to Brisbane, Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve, to Canungra Valley. We’ll have a chance to search for any local species still missing from our lists before we begin our trek southward to Brisbane. We want to have ample time to explore a pair of sites closer to Brisbane, so we’ll be on our way as soon as possible.
With nearly 1,000 acres of habitat squeezed between the Pine River and Bald Hills Creek, the Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve includes tidal flats, mangroves, salt-marshes, melaleuca wetlands, grasslands and open forest. Part of a larger network of coastal wetlands along the shores of Moreton Bay, Tinchi Tamba is a delightful location to spend several hours birding. Highlights from previous visits include a nice variety of waterbirds and waders, Pheasant Coucal, Red-necked Avocet, Red-capped Plover, Mangrove Honeyeater, Mangrove Gerygone, Rufous Fantail, several cuckoo species and just a nice variety of birds. You can see their eBird list here.
Our afternoon hours will be spent exploring valleys and rolling hills below Lamington National Park near the villages of Beaudesert, Canungra and Tamborine. An assortment of drier, mixed habitats below Lamington National Park bring several species that do not occur on the mountain into play. Some targets include Little Lorikeet, Tawny Grassbird, White-throated Gerygone, Striped Honeyeater and Speckled Warbler. Night near Canungra.
Oct 11 – 13 – O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, our gateway to Lamington National Park. Incredible birds, wildlife and photography! We’ll have the brilliant morning hours to find any species we may have missed the previous afternoon before pointing our noses south toward Lamington National Park and O’Reilly’s. The sheer brilliance of O’Reilly’s is something to behold. Four years after the arrival of the O’Reilly family in 1911 Lamington National Park was declared, effectively isolating the O’Reilly family from the outside world. While Lamington wasn’t Queensland’s first national park, it is its most significant, and is regularly referred to as “Queensland’s National Park.”
As impressive as Lamington NP may be, the grounds around O’Reilly’s retreat are equally impressive. Amazing birds with an interesting variety of mammals are found throughout the reserve. Only at O’Reilly’s do megapodes and bowerbirds come to the feeders and kangaroos, pigeons and parrots cover the lawn! We’ll enjoy a series of trails into birding areas of spectacular habitats. The breathtaking Tree Top Walk, the first of its kind in Australia, provides a bird’s eye view of the rainforest canopy as we walk along a series of suspension bridges 16 meters above the ground! For the more adventurous, climb a ladder heading up a Strangler Fig! Be sure to watch the video to view the story behind the construction of this iconic landmark of O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.
Regent Bowerbird male
O’Reilly’s Guesthouse is celebrated by birdwatchers worldwide for its amazing shows of multicolored tropical species, many of which are hand-tame and present fantastic photographic opportunities. Species that frequent the guesthouse feeders include bizarre Australian Brush-Turkeys, stunning Regent Bowerbirds (the guesthouse emblem)—the male being arguably Australia’s most beautiful bird—subtle, but equally attractive, Satin Bowerbirds, chunky Wonga Pigeons, cheeky Lewin’s Honeyeaters and ragged flocks of Crimson Rosellas and Australian King Parrots. But the feeding frenzies around the guesthouse are by no means the only ornithological attractions at O’Reilly’s. Set in the heart of Lamington National Park, the guesthouse has lengthy trails radiating in various directions through superb montane rainforest containing a wealth of specialties that will be new for us. These include Paradise Riflebird (our second bird-of-paradise), curious Green Catbirds, entertaining Australian Logrunners, both Bassian and Russet-tailed Thrushes, remarkably confiding Eastern Whipbirds, three species of scrub-wren all so tame they’ll feed within feet of us and many, many more. Perhaps the ultimate prize is Albert’s Lyrebird, a species with a tiny world range but also a very shy bird, usually heard singing but not always seen—and even then, often just a large dark shape bounding away through the undergrowth. And after dinner we’ll make a serious attempt to find Marbled Frogmouth, a seldom-seen denizen of the high rainforest canopy. Nights O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.
Marbled Frogmouth
Oct 14 – Morning at O’Reilly’s, drive to Brisbane, fly to Sydney. After an early morning at O’Reilly’s searching for any species still missing and enjoying the superb ambience of the location and its many approachable birds, we’ll drive back down to the mountain enjoying a slightly different habitat make-up. We’ll look for species more typical of drier habitats on these lower slopes like Red-browed Treecreeper, White-naped Honeyeater, Variegated Fairywren and Spotted Pardalote. We’ll make time to visit a Bell Miner colony, a treat for the aural senses, at times the birds can be frustratingly difficult to locate as they often remain motionless high in the tree canopy. A late afternoon flight from Brisbane gives us as much birding time as possible. Arriving in Sydney, we’ll get settled into our hotel and enjoy a quiet dinner. Night Sydney.
Oct 15 – Olympic Park, Sydney Botanical Gardens, local travels. With an evening arrival in Sydney the previous evening, today will have a more relaxed itinerary. Visits to local hotspots like Sydney’s Olympic Park and Botanical Gardens are likely. As is the chance to do laundry, run errands and collect ourselves for the last half of our Australian Odyssey. However we begin our day, we’re likely to spend part of day to the south of Sydney around Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, where we could see heathland birds such as Southern Emu-wren, Eastern Bristlebird, Beautiful Firetail, Pilotbird, and with some extreme luck perhaps even Eastern Ground-Parrot or Gang-gang Cockatoo. Night Sydney.
Oct 16 – Royal National Park, Royal Coastal Walk at Providential Point, to Katoomba. Our morning begins a bit south of Sydney walking riverside trails in the enchanting Royal National Park. These trails are, perhaps, the best and most reliable location to find Superb Lyrebird, one of the world’s truly impressive mimics. Other expected woodland possibilities include Topknot Pigeon, Eastern Whipbird, Black-faced Monarch, Bassian Thrush, Variegated Fairywren, Red-browed Treecreeper and Green Catbird.
Black-faced Monarch
We’ll visit RNP’s lovely coastal heathlands to find New South Wales’s only endemic bird—Rock Warbler—as well as to search for such heathland specialties as Southern Emu-wren, Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, New Holland and Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters and Beautiful Firetail. We expect to find a cross-section of southern Australian species at the northern limits of their range. While we may find some of these during our visit to Tasmania, you can never see too many goodies like Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Little and Red Wattlebirds and New Holland Honeyeater.
We’re likely to enjoy our lunch near Wattamolla Beach where, after a short hike along dramatic, scenic bluffs overlooking the ocean looking for Queensland’s only endemic bird, the thoroughly charming Rockwarbler, we’ll have time for a bit of a seawatch. Likely pelagic possibilities from shore (depending upon wind, weather and sea conditions) are Wedge-tailed, Short-tailed Shearwaters and, with good fortune, Fluttering Shearwater and an albatross with Black-browed or Shy Albatross being the most likely suspects.
After lunch, we’ll search for roosting Powerful Owls, the largest, and most impressive, of Australia’s collection of owls with our late afternoon hours spent on our short journey west into the Blue Mountains. We’ll enjoy what daylight we have before settling into our hotel and an early dinner. A nightdrive to spotlight mammals is possible.Night Katoomba.
Oct 17 – 19 – Blue Mountains National Park, Capertee Valley, Capertee National Park, Gardens of Stone National Park, Turon National Park, local areas. While our morning hours will be spent visiting
parts of the Blue Mountains closer to Katoomba, most of our time will be spent exploring the Capertee Valley and neighboring national parks a bit to the West. This little known valley, tucked into the rugged western slope of the Great Dividing Range is both a scenic wonderland and a superb birding area. The area’s potential is so high that we’ll have an extended stay here to maximize our birding as the avifauna here is quite different to that found closer to Sydney. Acting as an eastern limit for a number of inland species and near the western limit of some more typically eastern species, the region’s diversity is quite high for an area so small.
Woodlands along the valley’s basin provide habitat for woodland birds which are in decline elsewhere as these specialty woodlands are lost. Common species found throughout the valley include Red-rumped Parrot, Fuscous and White-plumed Honeyeater, Brown Treecreeper, Jacky Winter, Mistletoebird, Diamond Firetail and Restless Flycatcher to name but a few. In late spring and summer months we’re likely to see Rufous Whistler, White-winged Triller, Rufous Songlark, Rainbow Bee-eater, Dusky Woodswallow and, if conditions are right, numbers of White-browed Woodswallows.
During spring, when nectar-rich eucalypts and mistletoes are in bloom, the place comes alive with birds—Noisy Friarbirds, Little and Musk Lorikeets and a host of honeyeaters. These are the conditions we hope to encounter during our visit as this is when we are most likely to find the thoroughly impressive, and equally rare, Regent Honeyeater. Sites near Glen Davis are one of the few places in the world where birders can reasonably hope to see this most range restricted and critically endangered of honeyeaters. A sublimely beautiful honeyeater, its most important breeding area anywhere is the Capertee Valley, thus elevating the site’s conservation importance as there is now estimated to be only several hundred Regent Honeyeaters remaining in the wild.
Topped by Regent Honeyeater, the Capertee Valley has an impressive list of vulnerable to endangered species that regularly occur. Our targets include Swift Parrot, Spotted Harrier, Little Eagle, Square-tailed Kite, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Little Lorikeet, Turquoise Parrot, Barking Owl, Brown Treecreeper, Speckled Warbler, Painted Honeyeater, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Scarlet Robin, Flame Robin, Hooded Robin, Grey-crowned Babbler, Varied Sittella and Diamond Firetail.
Another reason for the valley’s popularity with birders (and its inclusion on our itinerary!) is that it’s the closest site to Sydney where many typically inland birds are found relatively easily. These include Southern Whiteface, Painted Honeyeater, Red-capped Robin, White-browed Babbler, Plum-headed Finch, White-backed Swallow and Brown Songlark. If we’re really lucky we might find some species associated with drier habitats further inland such as Budgerigar, Diamond Dove, Black-eared Cuckoo, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater or Gilbert’s Whistler.
It can also be a great place to see birds of prey with 17 diurnal species having been recorded. Wedge-tailed Eagle, Little Eagle, Brown Falcon, Australian Hobby, Black-shouldered Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, Brown Goshawk and Collared Sparrowhawk are all reasonably common, and with a bit of luck we might find less common raptors such as Square-tailed Kite, Black Falcon or the dapper Spotted Harrier.
We’ll search for mammals throughout our stay, and we are likely to do at least one night drive in order to increase our chances of finding more nocturnal species like Common Wallaroo (also known as Euro or Hill Wallaroo) and Red-necked or maybe Swamp Wallaby. Nights Lithgow.
Oct 20 – Clean-up near Lithgow, Sydney & flights to Hobart, Tasmania. A final morning to search for any missing targets before we transfer to Sydney and our continuing flights to Tasmania. Night Hobart.
Oct 21 – Pelagic trip from Tasmania. We’ll have a bit of time after breakfast to search for birds near our hotel before transferring to the marina to catch our boat. Among likely possibilities to be found during our boat trip are no less than four species of albatross including Black-browed, Yellow-nosed, Shy and the unbelievably huge Wandering. Without a doubt, these giants are some of the most beautiful of all seabirds. Other species we may encounter include Little Penguin (scarce here, but we should find them at their burrows on Bruny Island later in the tour), Wedge-tailed, Short-tailed, Fluttering, Hutton’s and Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Southern and Northern Giant-Petrels, Great-winged and Providence Petrels, Australasian Gannet (also likely from mainland), White-faced and Wilson’s Storm-Petrels and we’re hoping for Southern Skua and any rarity during our time at sea. There are many possibilities, but examples could be Kermadec Petrel, Red-tailed Tropicbird and perhaps a Buller’s or Royal Albatross. Whales can be common, and we have an excellent chance to encounter Humpback Whales and a variety of dolphins.
After returning to port, we’ll drive northward to Launceston for the night. This puts us closer to the following morning’s birding areas and gives us a more relaxed start to our time on Tasmania. Night Launceston.
Oct 22 – AM to Launceston, Tamar Island Wetlands, to Cradle Mountain. Our first stop of the day is at the nearby Tamar Island Wetlands. An extensive system of trails and elevated boardwalks provide superb access to grassy marshes, mudflats and ponds of this tidal wetland complex. With a number of birds easily found at close range, it’s a perfect start to our land-based birding on Tasmania. Expect to see colorful Chestnut Teal, Swamp Harrier, Tasmanian Native Hen, White-fronted Chat, Gray Fantail, Little Grassbird and a wide variety of wetland species.
Travel towards Tasmania’s northern coastline. En-route we’ll stop at a reserve where Platypus are seen on a regular basis as well as visiting a National Park where we have a great chance of seeing Tasmania’s form of Eastern Grey Kangaroo (known locally as Forester Kangaroo) which is the largest marsupial found on the island—males can top out at more than 6 feet in height. We’ll make our way to our accommodation near Cradle Mountain National Park during the late afternoon hours, birding enroute and upon arrival. Our lodge has wild Tasmanian Devils and Spotted-tailed Quolls come to the veranda to feed after dark. If we’re fortunate, we’ll have excellent opportunities to view and photograph these elusive creatures. Night at Mountain Valley Wilderness Cabins.
Oct 23 – Cradle Mountain National Park. Today we have a full day to explore one of Tasmania’s most popular natural areas, Cradle Mountain National Park. It’s a good area to search for Tasmania’s endemic bird species and we have our first chance to see a range of endemic birds including Scrubtit, Black Currawong, Tasmanian Thornbill and Tasmanian Scrubwren. In addition to the great birding, we’ll enjoy some of the interesting plants found here. Notable are ancient rainforest species and Gondwana relics such as Pencil and King Billy Pines, Myrtle and the famous Fagus, which is Tasmania’s only deciduous tree. This is also a good area to view Common Wombats. If time permits we’ll visit the replica of “Waldheim,” home of Austrian Gustav Weindorfer, whose love of the area inspired the establishment of Cradle Mountain National Park. We have another chance to view and photograph Tasmanian Devil and perhaps Spotted-tailed Quoll tonight. Night in Mountain Valley Wilderness Cabins.
Oct 24 – Cradle Mountain to Mt Field. After breakfast, we’ll depart Cradle Mountain for Mount Field National Park. This area is an excellent fall back site for many of our endemic targets, notably Scrubtit and Black Currawong and spectacular species like Pink Robin. It’s also a great place to experience an interesting variety of habitats ranging from fern gullies with waterfalls, to alpine heathland and cool temperate rainforest boasting some of the tallest Eucalyptus in Australia. Today, with a high number of streams and rivers to cross, we have another chance of seeing Platypus. By late afternoon we’ll have made our way out of the park to a nearby settlement where we’ll enjoy dinner and overnight. Night near Mt. Field.
Oct 25 – Mount Field National Park, Mount Wellington, to Bruny Island. Clean-up around Mount Field National Park before turning southward toward Hobart and Bruny Island. Nearing Hobart, Mount Wellington, at a height of 1,270 meters (around 4,150 feet), affords spectacular views of the city and surrounding landscape on a clear day. Here we’ll also take a walk through a fern glade with towering tree ferns. If time allows we’ll also a visit a wetland for a range of waterbirds including Freckled Duck, Hardhead, Australian Shoveler, as well as bush birds like Musk Lorikeet.
Situated about 40 km south of Hobart, Bruny Island is accessible only by vehicular ferry. The short ferry trip takes approximately 15 minutes, during which time we can search for wildlife (seabirds such as Black-faced Cormorant and Kelp Gull and possibly dolphins). After dinner, we’ll visit a Little Penguin and Short-tailed Shearwater rookery to view these species at their burrows. We’ll also look for a range of Tasmania’s nocturnal marsupials (including Bennett’s Wallaby and Brush-tailed Possums, both of which also occur rarely as almost albino mutations on Bruny Island, as well as Eastern Quoll and Tasmanian Pademelon which now only occur in Tasmania). There is also a possibility of seeing nocturnal birds such as Tawny Frogmouth and Morepork (Tasmanian Boobook). Night Bruny Island.
Oct 26 – Inala Nature Reserve, Bruny Island. After breakfast, we enjoy an early morning birdwalk at “INALA”, a privately owned 1,500-acre private wildlife reserve on south Bruny Island which is a refuge for several threatened birds and home to all of Tasmania’s endemic birds. Bird species we’re likely to see include endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote, Strong-billed, Black-headed and Yellow-throated Honeyeaters, Tasmanian Native Hen and possibly Swift Parrot. This afternoon we’ll explore several different habitats, from coastal beaches where there is a possibility of finding Hooded Plover, Pied and Sooty Oystercatchers and
Kelp Gull to rainforest areas to search for the endemic Scrubtit and Tasmanian Thornbill. If time permits, we’ll visit Bruny’s southern coastline to search for species such as Tawny crowned Honeyeater, Olive Whistler and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo. There is also a chance to see Short-beaked Echidna (Tasmanian endemic subspecies). Night Bruny Island.
Oct 27 – Inala Nature Reserve, Bruny Island, flight to Sydney. Return to Hobart in the afternoon to connect with our departure flights to Sydney. Our late afternoon flight to Sydney should allow us to get settled into our hotel near the airport with a bit of time before dinner. Our final dinner together in this magical land of Oz! Night Sydney.
Oct 28 – Flights Home. Our tour ends this morning with group members are on their own schedule. Transfer to Sydney’s Airport for return flights, enjoy Sydney’s many scenic offerings or just enjoy the day. We can assist with anyone wishing to experience other parts of Australia or Sydney’s iconic tourist sites. Bon Voyage!
Leader: Kim Risen
TOUR INFORMATION
Tour Cost: Tour cost for the 29 night Australia: Queensland, New South Wales & Tasmania tour, based on our expected final group size of four, is $ per person/double occupancy. Costs include 29 nights lodging, all ground transportation (we’ll bill for the six domestic flights indicated in the itinerary), all group admissions, round-trip flight to Lady Elliot Island and Great Barrier Reef day tour, expert guide service, local guide service at selected locations, nocturnal outings to search for mammals and some meals.
In order to make things as easy for folks as possible, tour cost will be paid in three installments: $1,625 deposit due with registration, $3,500 will be billed in May with the balance billed in June.
We do have five domestic flights during our time in Australia. Because of constantly changing times and rates it’s been impossible to budget closely. To keep your costs as low as possible, I’ll put those five flights into place with the best schedule and baggage policies for our group’s needs and bill you for them once purchased. BTW, if anyone is a Delta frequent flyer, please forward me your Skymiles number to include with our flights on Virgin Australia (a Delta partner). As I’ve followed schedules for our flights, total cost for these five flights is generally around $900.
ARRIVAL IN AUSTRALIA: Your tour begins upon your arrival at the Sydney airport the afternoon of Thursday, September 27, 2019. You will be met by your leader, Kim Risen, outside the baggage claim area. Sydney is located on the southeastern coast of Australia, while the airport is located just south of the city center.
ENTERING & LEAVING AUSTRALIA: After arriving in Sydney, you will be required to pick up your baggage before departing the airport. After picking up your baggage, we’ll meet you outside the baggage claim area where we’ll load our vehicle and depart immediately for a bit of light birding/sight-seeing before checking into our hotel…depending upon how folks feel. Checking into our hotel and getting as much rest as possible before returning to the airport and your flights to Alice Springs the next morning might feel like a better option once you arrive in Australia.
DEPARTURE FROM AUSTRALIA: Please note, upon our tour’s conclusion, your departure flights from Sydney on October 28, 2019 can depart any time of day that best fits your schedule or travel preferences. There are no group activities planned for this last day as most return flights to the US depart too early for us to provide group offerings. This tour ends the morning of October 28, 2019 at our hotel in Sydney or upon your return to the airport in Sydney.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: In order to visit Australia, a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond your planned date of departure and an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is required to enter Australia for citizens of most countries including the US and Canada.
Obtaining your ETA is easily accomplished on-line. Personally, I’ve found this website to be easy and intuitive to use and priced lower than other options. (I believe my cost was $20 USD last year.)
We recommend having your passport on your person while traveling from one location to another as it may be required to show it to authorities. Never pack it away where it is inaccessible. Good travel advice: you should have two extra copies of the photo page of your passport (one in your handbag and one in your luggage) to cover any situation that may arise. Passports are required to be valid for more than 6 months after the scheduled return date of your visit AND you are required to have at least three empty VISA pages.
TRAVEL WITHIN AUSTRALIA: We travel in vehicles with a window seat for each person, insuring there are no problems with space or comfortable riding for the duration of your tour. Australia is an enormous country and, even though we are limiting ourselves to eastern Australia, we do have some longer drives in order to get ourselves into the best areas for those localized and scarce birds that are so highly desired. As always, participants are welcome to take a morning or afternoon off from group birding activities when we are in those locations where we spend multiple days or at any time doing so does not interfere with the group’s itinerary. Australia’s roads we travel vary greatly in condition. Paved and ‘highway like’ along the coast and foothills, to dirt/rocky tracks through mountainous areas that seem more like bumps atop bumps when traveling in remote locations. Thankfully, these latter drives are not overly long and should pose no problems to our vehicles or our spines. Access roads change continuously under various conditions and can change greatly from month to month based on weather related events. We are prepared for almost anything that may arise so nothing we encounter should prove to be too difficult.
PACE OF TOUR: As is typical with most birding tours, most days will consist of early starts with a quick breakfast. Lunches will be picnic style when we are far from ‘civilization’, or at conveniently located restaurants. Dinner will be our most relaxing meal of the day, usually at a restaurant close to our hotel. Dinner usually begins with a ‘cocktail hour’ as we complete a checklist of the days bird sightings.
This birding tour is designed to find as many of the interesting Australian animals, birds and endemic or near endemic birds of eastern Australia as possible. We WILL attempt to see many of Australia’s nightbirds and nocturnal animals found in the areas we visit, so there will be some optional night outings to look for them. Remember, this may make some days a bit long but the avian and mammalian rewards can be quite high!
There is decidedly an emphasis placed upon seeing all of the special birds and animals found in each of the areas we visit. Accordingly, this tour has a fair amount of driving. In order to cover a wide range of habitats, we often need to travel longer distances to reach specialty habitat pockets. Fortunately, we have only a couple of these long drives on our route and they are broken up by birding breaks or meals so they shouldn’t prove to be too difficult. For your driver, guide OR participants! Fair warning, we WILL become quite familiar with our vehicles, packing lightly will enable you to enjoy your time more fully.
This tour is not a strenuous one. There are no particularly long walks and anyone with a reasonable degree of fitness will be able to participate fully in the tour. While visiting Tasmania’s mountains we reach altitudes of only around 5,000 feet. When we’re at these higher altitudes, some days may have fog, rain, snow and the ever-present wind, or any combination of these. Terrain and altitude can make these days of walking a bit more difficult than other locations we visit. Loose, rounded gravel and grass tussocks up high, snow, slush, puddles, hummocks may make walking a bit more difficult than normal. Elsewhere conditions are superb with no long or strenuous hikes required. Short walks along the beach may prove to be the most difficult terrain we encounter!
Unlike most NatureScape Tours events, there IS a bit of time available for sightseeing or shopping as a group activity in order to experience as much of Australia as possible. Your best chances of ‘non-birding time’ are going to be found during our multiple day stays throughout the tour OR in Sydney before or after the tour’s start.
INTRODUCTION: Due to the arrival time of our group, we’ll have our introductory meeting during dinner our first evening together in Sydney. This meeting provides the leader an opportunity to introduce himself to the group, make introductions among participants and let participants know what to expect during the tour (pace, conditions, daily routine, etc.)
HEALTH: While international travel often has a number of health concerns, travel to Australia is relatively straight forward with few hidden dangers.
While Australia has no required vaccinations for entry, it’s always a good idea to be sure your “Travel Shots” are up to date. Such vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine and your yearly flu shot. Please discuss your vaccination history with your personal physician in order to bring your routine travel vaccines up-to-date.
Most international travelers will find that the investment of time and effort put into obtaining the Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Typhoid Fever series of inoculations offer much and greatly reduce your risks while traveling. We personally use and highly recommend all of these.
Australia has no risk of malaria or yellow fever. The Australian government requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving FROM a country with risk of yellow fever. This does NOT include or apply to those arriving from the US or Canada.
In the tropics one can never completely escape the risk of parasites or fungal infections. And, as described in the miscellaneous column, topical repellants and ointments are recommended equipment to be brought from home.
Sanitary conditions are excellent throughout Australia. Incredibly so! Folks who have traveled across neotropical regions will be relieved to hear that drinking water is completely safe throughout Australia and that upset stomachs are a rare occurrence. Water served in restaurants and hotels is always safe and plentiful. We do recommended that you carry a water bottle with you that can be refilled as needed.
If you plan on participating on our pelagic boat trip and you are susceptible to motion sickness, medication to prevent seasickness may prove most helpful. Many will find that a partial dose the evening before and a full dose first thing in the morning the day of our departure works far better than taking your medication as we board the boat.
Generally, the most common problems we encounter during our Australia tour arise from clients not being prepared for the cold and wind on Tasmania, on our offshore pelagic trip or some nighttime outings. Warm, waterproof outer layer of clothing and comfortable waterproof footwear are essential gear for our Australia tour. Keep in mind, if you stay warm and dry…you’ll be comfortable!
Insects can be a problem at times in some localities along our planned route. Luckily, we’ll miss the worst by a good margin. Generally, this early in the year, biting and stinging insects (ants, wasps, and mosquitos) are only a minor problem. We recommend the use of standard insect repellents with DEET as an active ingredient for chiggers (virtually absent in Australia) and mosquitoes. Note that the Australian Bush Fly, a non-biting, nuisance insect similar to the house fly, can be quite troublesome in certain seasons. Repellents are ineffective against these irritating pests. While they should not pose a problem during our visit, a lightweight head net takes up very little space and will prove very useful if we do encounter swarms.
For years we’ve used the general health information for travelers provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. They operate a 24-hour Travelers’ Information Line (800) CDC-INFO. Of most use to us has been their information-filled website. You can checkout the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/travel.
Remember, your best source of medical advice should ALWAYS be your personal or family physician!
LANGUAGE: English is spoken throughout the areas we’ll visit and aboriginal dialects may be encountered. Travel to a new destination is best treated as an adventure! We encourage embracing the differences of a new culture and its language. Doing so will make your travel all the more enjoyable and memorable.
CURRENCY: Australia’s currency is the Australian dollar (AUD) which comes in polymer/plastic notes of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. Coins are in 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents as well as $1 and $2 denominations. Exchange rate between USD and AUD is relatively stable at around 1.4 AUD to 1 USD.
Remember, your basic expenses during the tour are covered but meals taken at restaurants are NOT. A credit or debit card is likely to be accepted at all of our selected meal venues. However, if you do not like to use a credit card while traveling internationally, you will almost certainly want to have cash money for gift purchases, tips for personal services, those meals not covered by the itinerary, liquor and beverages not included with meals.
Traveler’s checks may make you feel more secure, but recent years have shown them to be difficult to cash or even unaccepted in many areas.
Australian Dollar exchange facilities are available for all incoming and outgoing flights at all international airports. If you wish to exchange USD for AUD, you can easily change money at such airport locations or a city bank. However, the exchange rate is never the best. Remember, your best exchange rate to obtain local currency/AUD is always going to be from the now ubiquitous ATM machines found throughout Australia (as opposed to changing US dollars for Australian dollars at dealers in the airport or at a bank). Don’t forget to contact your bank before traveling, ask them if they partner with any banks in Australia that would allow you to use their ATM’s without a charge and to inform them of your travel plans.
Typical credit cards—Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted. Please note: Discover credit cards are generally NOT accepted anywhere in Australia. Rarely, credit card use may be a bit limited in small towns and “Outback” areas, but this improves every year.
As suggested in our Miscellaneous column below, you should keep your currency and identification/passport on your person at all times.
TIME: Our tour route lies entirely within the Australian Eastern Time Zone. Australian daylight savings, which begins at 2:00 AM on the first Sunday in October when clocks are put forward one hour, will take place just prior to our visit. Daylight saving is NOT observed in Queensland. We will adjust our time accordingly. Local time upon arrival at Sydney will be 14 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time, 13 hours ahead of Central Daylight Time, 12 hour ahead of Mountain Daylight Time and 11 hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time.
CLIMATE: As one might expect, Australia in Spring has an incredibly varied climate. In the north near Cairns, the September/October/November time of year is much less humid, which is quite intense during the summer (December to February) wet season. In general, September’s temperature average a low of 65º F and a high of 84º F with three days of rain. This warms a bit as Spring advances, with October’s averages rising to 69º F and 86º F and five days of rain. As we move inland and south from Cairns, the climate becomes a bit more patchy. Arid and warm around Mareeba, more wet and cooler amid the slightly higher elevations of Atherton’s Tablelands. Here temps average 54º F/77º F, in September rising to 58º F/81º F in October. Rainfall mirrors coastal regions with similar three and five days of expected rain respectively.
Our time on Lady Elliot Island is expected to be wonderful! More moderate temperatures, a low number of days with rain and sun, sand and beach attempting to distract you from the birds. Typical lows would be in the high 60’s rising each day to around 80º F. Fabulous beach-going conditions!
Moving further south and climbing into the mountains of Lamington National Park, weather conditions become more Spring-like. Rain becomes slightly more likely—five days in September, six days in October—on average, and temperatures fall to lows in the upper 30’s/low 40’s at night, rising to upper 60’s/low 70’s during the day. Perfect weather to be outside with only a light jacket necessary to be comfortable. You’ll want to keep your rain jacket handy as passing showers are possible any time of the day, any day of our visit.
October is a great month to visit Sydney. The weather is warm—but not too hot—and spring flowers are in full bloom and bird activity is quite high. The climate is temperate, with overnight lows down to the upper 50’s and daytime highs up to the low 70’s. Thunderstorms become more possible the later into October/November we go, but the area averages less than 7 days of rain per month at this time. Rain is likely at some point, but we’ll be in the field enjoying ourselves none-the-less.
Tasmania is a bit more of a challenge. You commonly hear that, “If you want to know about the weather in Tasmania, you need to keep asking every five minutes!” While such sentiments aren’t limited to Tasmania (we say that all the time here in Minnesota as well), it is astounding how often and quickly the weather can change. This rapidly changing weather is much different from the rest of Australia. When you consider that Tassie has marine climates influenced by the great Southern Ocean, coastal climates controlled by off-shore winds, mountain climates where you’re likely to find snow-covered peaks into October each year all mingled with the rolling hills, quaint farmsteads and friendly people who call this island state home. I’d expect overnight lows to be in the mid-to upper 40’s with daytime highs in the mid-to upper 60’s. Jeans, long-sleeved shirt and light jacket are all that’s usually required to be comfy. But keep your cap, gloves and rain-gear handy should the weather take a turn toward the wet. We are likely to encounter wind, rain and even snow patches on the ground during our time in Tasmania. All occur frequently, sometimes in rapidly changing combinations or even all at once! During our pelagic boat trip, we need to prepare for high temperatures in the low 40’s with cold, wet wind. Remember, it’s ALWAYS colder than you think when we go off-shore.
When visiting Australia’s Red Center sights near Alice Springs and Uluru, sun, red sand and wind become the overriding characters of the region’s weather. Let’s start with sun. On average this arid part of Australia sees less than an inch of rainfall for the month of October and less than two days with rain. Sand? It’s everywhere, as is are the winds that move it around. As is typical with desert climates, temperatures cool rapidly after sunset, falling to the low 60’s overnight. On average, daytime highs climb rapidly as the sun rises in the sky into the upper 80’s to low 90’s. But it often feels more warm than that as the sun is high in the sky and powerful. Sun protection is a must!
LODGING: Our lodging, for the most part, consists of lodge or standard hotel rooms close to our birding destinations. These facilities are uniformly clean, comfortable with the standard hotel amenities (two bedded rooms, private bathroom facilities, hot water, phone, etc.).
In order to be close to our birding destinations, some lodging is more simple. While the lodging is serviceable, the birding experiences one encounters in these remote areas are some of the best I have ever found! While such lodging may be simple, it’s perfect for our needs and goes a long way toward making your trip more enjoyable.
LAUNDRY SERVICE: Laundry service will be available during most of our multiple-day stays at lodges or in larger cities. That means we should have access to laundry facilities every five to six days. However, depending upon hours of operation, our schedule may not allow us to take advantage of laundry service until the evening hours. A couple of places we stay have access to a washer and dryer in our accommodations. Items that can be washed in your room’s sink and hung to dry overnight are always a good idea.
ELECTRICITY: When it comes to electrical service in Australia there are two issues that need to be addressed. First, the standard electrical plug in Australia is different from electrical plugs used in the US. The Australian electrical plug, often referred to as a “Type I” plug, is composed of two flat pins in a V-shape as well as a grounding pin. A version of the plug, which only has the two flat pins, exists as well. The Type I Australian plug also works with sockets China, Tuvalu, Tonga, Samoa, Nauru, Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and America Samoa. I verified my research from last year, and found the following adaptor on Amazon that should work for everyone.
Secondly, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the standard domestic power supply throughout Australia is 230 volts AC. This is TWICE the voltage of electrical service found in the US. If you are taking an appliance like a laptop, iPad, eReader, cellular phone, hair drier, coffee travel kettle or, most importantly, battery/electronic chargers it is important that your device is able to convert the higher voltage Australian power supply to the lower voltage US power supply your device requires. Please note (as stated above), because of the different voltage (doubled that of the US), your electronic device MUST have a voltage converter to step down the voltage or your device may be destroyed when you plug it in. Most internationally available products have such converters built into the recharging chord. You can check the small print on your device’s power chord to confirm its power compatibility. Please double check with me if you are uncertain about your particular device. You can also obtain power converters that will step down the current from 220V-250V to 110V-125V at many electronic stores. It’s a good idea to use a surge protector between the Australian plug and your device as well in order to protect your device in the event of an electrical power surge.
There is always the chance of a power outage and the current may be weak or fluctuate, particularly in some of the more remote areas on our itinerary. A short extension cord might be a good idea if you have items that you need to recharge at night as plug-ins in your hotel rooms may not be plentiful or convenient.
CLOTHING: The weather we’ll encounter in Australia is notoriously unpredictable. Even though we’ll arrive in late September (early Spring in Australia), it can still be quite cool in the evenings.
For clothing, the ‘layered’ method is your best defense against unpredictable weather. By building your wardrobe in layers you can add or subtract clothing to keep pace with weather conditions. For the average person, we suggest an undershirt or t-shirt, shirt, sweater/sweatshirt and coat or jacket. We’ve found that light to medium-weight material for shirts, slacks and sweaters work well. If you chill easily, either add another layer or increase the weight of your outermost layer.
Cold-weather gear, or sufficient layers to handle the colder temperatures in Tasmania’s mountains and on our pelagic tour off-shore. Your outer layer should be wind/water proof. Under that a fleece jacket/pullover with a warm hat, gloves, thermal underwear (tops and bottoms), wool or synthetic equivalent socks and warm shirts should keep you comfortable. As mentioned above, a rain jacket is vital for times when the weather turns misty. Rain gear constructed of a ‘breathable’ fabric such as Goretex works better and keeps you more comfortable. At times, particularly along the northeastern coast or the Outback’s Red Center, weather conditions can become surprisingly warm. Accordingly, you should be prepared with some lighter field clothing as well. I do bring a comfortable pair of sandals, a couple of pairs of shorts and some lightweight pants where the legs can be zipped off.
Comfortable, waterproof footwear will help insure that you stay comfortable during our time in the field. I find that ‘Goretex’ hiking boots work well for me, but a comfortable pair of walking shoes might do as well. Most importantly, footgear should be comfortable enough to YOU to spend the entire day in the field.
If you have any specific questions about clothing or equipment, please, call or e-mail me:
Phone – 218-426-3293 E-mail – kimwrisen@gmail.com
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT: You will want to have:
• hat, sunscreen and sunglasses to protect you from the Australian sun
• rain gear—a rain jacket or umbrella (if you like to use one while birding)
• comfortable boots/shoes for use in the field
• day pack for carrying miscellaneous items, water bottle, small flashlight or headlamp
• insect repellent (no aerosol cans) & cortisone cream for biting insects
EQUIPMENT:
Your NatureScape Tours leader will have a spotting scope for the group’s use, but feel free to bring your own if you wish. It would get a lot of use on more than half of our birding days. Note: your tripod may not be able to be carried on the plane as a carry-on item and may need to be checked as luggage. Some airlines do allow them…Good Luck!
Other items to bring should include a flashlight or headlamp, water bottle, alarm clock, and sunscreen. As always when traveling on birding trips, it’s a good idea to pack all your optics (binoculars, camera, scope), basic toiletry items, medications and travel documents along with a change of clothing in your carry-on bag in the event your checked luggage is delayed or lost.
LEADER’S EQUIPMENT: The leaders will have copies of relevant field guides for the region, additional references for the group, checklists for each participant to use during our tour and maps to the areas to be visited. We also have a complete selection of recordings to aid in finding many of the more uncommon species, tape recorder & microphone for use in the field, telescopes for the group’s use and spotlights for night time walks, owling or night drives for wildlife.
LUGGAGE: Bring what you need in order to be prepared, but please consider the usefulness of each item. If at all possible, soft-sided luggage is much preferred on this tour as it is more easily handled or loaded into vans. Our leaders are available to help with your luggage, but please do not bring excessively heavy bags. If you are unable to lift your bag yourself, consider bringing two lighter bags instead. Remember to attach an identification tag to the outside of your bags while not forgetting to insert a similar tag inside each piece of luggage.
SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited while in the vehicles or when in close quarters with the group such as mealtime, while doing the checklist or at group meetings. If you share a room with a nonsmoker there is no smoking in the room. While in the field we ask that you smoke away from the group, preferably downwind.
PHOTOGRAPHY: The scenery, activities, culture, people and birds we visit & witness are going to be extremely memorable. While scenery, people, and memory shots will be relatively simple to take, bird photography is a different matter. A birdwatching tour may not be the best means of pursuing professional bird photography, as the needs of the group will supersede an individual’s desire to stay behind for photography. HOWEVER, our tour will be visiting an extraordinary number of fabulous bird & animal photography locations, including several observation blinds, numerous feeders and the incomparable O’Reilly’s—where superior bird and nature photos are easily obtained. As always, any activity that does not interfere with the group’s schedule is certainly acceptable and assistance from leaders/staff is always available. Bring all of your film/digital media with you as it may be difficult to find your particular brand once we arrive. Precautionary measures should be taken with your equipment, moisture and dust-proof bags are a good idea.
MEDICAL & TRAVEL INSURANCE: First, you should verify your medical insurance coverage is effective in Australia. You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel internationally. It’s very important to find out BEFORE you leave whether or not your medical insurance will cover you overseas. Ask your insurance company two questions:
• Does my policy provide adequate coverage when I’m outside the United States?
• Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or a medical evacuation?
You might wish to seek overseas health insurance or travel insurance to protect you during your trip depending upon the answers that you receive.
Be sure to bring sufficient quantities of any prescriptions to last through your tour with a safety margin against an unexpectedly delayed return. It’s best if your prescriptions are in their original bottles with your name clearly indicated. Remember, you might find it difficult or be unable to obtain a refill should you run out of medication during your tour.
You will be responsible for all of your incurred medical expenses should you become ill. Some participants have lost substantial sums of money when illness or other circumstances prevented them from departing for a tour or completing a tour as scheduled. Therefore, we advise you to consider trip cancellation insurance which may reimburse the entire unrecovered amount if it becomes necessary for you to cancel or depart unexpectedly. We can’t offer refunds for unused portions of a tour unless agreed to before the tour and trip cancellation insurance may reimburse you your losses if you must leave a tour early for illness or other valid reason.
The loss of your belongings while traveling is a concern no matter where or when you travel. Most optical equipment used by birders is valuable and expensive. By insuring that your insurance is going to cover your losses in the unlikely event of a theft you will be providing yourself some inexpensive peace of mind.
REFERENCE & READING MATERIAL
A number of traditional booksellers and online stores list excellent inventories of field guides and other natural history resources that will help prepare you for this tour. We recommend www.amazon.com which has a wide selection; www.buteobooks.com and www.nhbs.com which specialize in ornithology and natural history books; and www.abebooks.com for out-of-print and hard-to-find titles. We also recommend Andrew Isles books for the Asia-Pacific region at http://www.andrewisles.com for difficult to find and out of print books for Australia. This list includes some basic field guides and reference volumes of use to the visitor. A great deal has been written about all aspects of Australia’s natural history. You will find a wide variety of choices in any library. Browse around a bit and you’re likely to discover many fine resources not listed here.
The Australian Bird Guide – Menkhorst, P., Rogers, D., Clarke, R., Davies, J., Marsack, P. and Franklin, K. CSIRO Publishing, 2017. Probably, the best available field guide to Australian birds with fantastic plates and a lot of information. More than a bit on the heavy side, but still highly recommended.
A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia – Pizzey, Graham and Knight, Frank. Angus and Robertson, (latest edition). Thorough text combined with excellent information about song, range, and behavior and very good plates make this field guide highly recommended. It’s the one I use most when I travel around Australia as it’s a bit lighter vs. Menkhorst et.al.
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia – Simpson, Ken, and Nicolas Day. New York: Viking Penguin, Inc. (latest edition). Outstanding plates, maps, with up-to-date and detailed information. The handbook section in the back contains insightful and valuable information. Recommended.
The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds – Slater, Peter, Pat Slater and Raoul Slater. Dee Why West, N.S.W.: Rigby Publishers, (latest edition). Excellent plates, maps, text and portraits organized similarly to the National Geographic guide to US birds. Not my favorite, but it still gets a recommendation.
A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia – Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. South Melbourne Oxford University Press, (2011). A concise field guide to Australian mammals we’ve all been looking to arrive. This is my personal favorite. Highly recommended.
Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia – Cogger, Harold G. AH & AW Reed Pty. Ltd., 2015. Technical but thorough account of Australian herpetofauna. Too large to be carried by travelers, but a great reference to study at home. Check your local library.
A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia – Wilson, Steve and Gerry Swan. Reed New Holland Pty. Ltd., 2003. Now a bit dated, but still a superb and quite usable and portable volume.
Leader’s Miscellaneous Suggestions
• Please tell me ahead of time if you have any allergies or medical conditions that may affect your well-being on the trip. Check with your physician or travel clinic regarding shots, etc. Bring Cipro and Immodium for traveler’s stomach.
• Important: see your insurance agent about out-of-area health or trip insurance.
• My personal preference is to carry cash, and to keep it and my credit card and identification on my person at ALL times.
• A rain jacket over a light sweater works well for warmer days.
• A good hat or cap and sunscreen are critical. Bring ‘em.
• Please, no bright or white clothing or hats.
• Alarm clock–you don’t want to miss the precious early morning birding hours!
• A daypack is handy for carrying your water bottle, rain jacket, repellent, first aid kit, etc. Put your name on it.
• Bring a small flashlight, and extra batteries for anything that uses them.
• Sunglasses, an extra pair of eyeglasses, and anti-fogging cloth or spray.
• If you use a washcloth, bring one. And a bit of liquid soap for hand washing.
• Other stuff I travel with: binocular rain guard, 15’ or 20’ of twine, Swiss army knife (in checked luggage), sink stopper, various-sized Ziploc bags (to keep books and TP dry), bandanna, notebook/pencil, a big plastic bag for dirty boots, ear plugs, ventilated tooth brush holder, Band Aids, hydrocortisone cream, anti-fungal ointment.
• Don’t plan on buying sunscreen, film, batteries, etc. Bring plenty.
• Keep in mind that remote parts of Australia aren’t that remote, not compared to South America. Our itinerary is subject to change based on the idiosyncratic nature of birds, weather, and transportation in the distant outposts of Australia. Expect things to be different, and enjoy the differences!
As always when traveling on a birding trip, it’s a good idea to pack at least one change of clothing in your carry-on luggage. In the event your checked luggage is delayed or lost you’ll still be able to carry on with a minimum of inconvenience. Carry-on restrictions are being enforced by the airlines much more strictly than in the past, but it may still be possible to pack all of your gear into your carry on luggage. The events of September 11th have changed air travel forever. Please be extra aware of what items you have packed in your carry-on luggage. I have had information that even the smallest scissors and clippers are confiscated by the airlines and there are newer security changes that affect electronics and liquids. Please check with your individual airline if you have questions.
If you have traveled a great deal, you know all this already—but it’s worth reviewing.
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