(1) Australian Tour 2008
Where: Darwin, Kakadu, Cairns, Daintree, the Atherton Tablelands and Lamington National Park.
Dates: 25 August - 11 September 2008
Leaders: Roy Sonnenburg and Barry Davies
Regent Bowerbird (Clive Kaplan)
Australia has been separated from the rest of the world's landmasses for over 60 million years and an amazingly different avifauna has evolved with over 400 species of endemic birds. Unfortunately it is impossible to see all of these on a 17 day tour so we will concentrate on three of the most biologically diverse and scenically attractive parts; the Northern Territory, Queensland’s Wet Tropics and Lamington National Park in South-east Queensland. To keep road travel down to the minimum, we will take two internal flights so that we spend as much time birdwatching as possible. We also won't miss the opportunity to see some of the famous marsupials and, of course, the world famous Great Barrier Reef.
Tour Leaders
Roy Sonnenburg has been studying and observing Australian birds for over 30 years. He is a Past-President of Birds Queensland (Queensland Ornithological Society) and a long-term member of most ornithological and conservation groups in Australia.
Roy has completed graduate studies in ornithology, consults as an ornithologist and is an experienced bander (ringer).
He operates Birding Services Brisbane with his wife Helen and leads birding tours throughout Australia.
Barry Davies is a very experienced Naturalist Guide who leads birding, wildlife and walking tours in Australia and New Zealand. In 2005 he was the Australian Ecotourism Association’s Australian EcoGuide of the Year. He has been a bird watcher since childhood initially in NZ then for the past 30 years in Australia.
He operates a tour and consulting company called Gondwana Guides.
Tour Summary.
Monday 25th August Darwin
Day 1: Assemble in Darwin early today for the start of the tour. We will tour the local area visiting Holmes Jungle, East Point, Knuckey's Lagoons and Buffalo Creek. Birds likely to be seen include Australian Pratincole, Azure Kingfisher, Rainbow Pitta, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Emerald Dove, Lemon-bellied & Shining Flycatchers, Red-headed Honeyeater and several species of finches. Various seabirds and waders are also possible. In the evening we will visit the Botanical Gardens to look for Rufous Owl.
Accommodation: Mirambeena Resort
Tuesday 26th August Kakadu
Day 2: After breakfast, we will drive 'down the track' from Darwin heading for Kakadu National Park, stopping at Fogg Dam for Comb-crested Jacana, White-browed & Baillon's Crakes, Black-necked Stork, Royal Spoonbill, Green Pygmy-goose, Grey Whistler and Broad-billed Flycatcher. The next stop will be at Mamukala Wetlands for waterfowl including large flocks of Magpie Geese. Time permitting, we may visit East Alligator River at Mangarre and walk in monsoon rainforest or climb Ubirr (Obiri Rock) to view the vast floodplains to the north-west. Other birding stops may yield Partridge Pigeon, Rose-crowned Fruit-dove, Blue-faced Honeyeater and Black-tailed Treecreeper. Various raptors including Spotted Harrier, Red Goshawk, Whistling Kite and White-bellied Sea-eagle are likely to be seen today.
Accommodation: Gagudju Lodge Cooinda (2 nights)
Wednesday 27th August Kakadu
Day 3: This morning we will take a cruise on Yellow Water, one of Australia's most important areas for waterfowl. It is possible to see up to 70 species here including Darter, Great-billed & Pied Herons, Straw-necked Ibis, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Black-fronted Dotterel, Forest & Little Kingfishers, Plumed & Wandering Whistling-ducks and Restless Flycatcher. Later, we will visit Nourlangie Rock to view the famous aboriginal rock art and possibly see Banded Fruit-dove, Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeon, Great Bowerbird and White-lined Honeyeater. Pacific Baza and Australian Hobby are likely around the lodge as well as Varied & Rainbow Lorikeets.
Tawny Frogmouths
Thursday 28th August Katherine
Day 4: An early start today as we head south out of Kakadu National Park with several stops looking for finches including Crimson & Long-tailed as well as Hooded Parrot, Northern Rosella, Red-collared Lorikeet, Dollarbird, and Silver-crowned Friarbird. From Pine Creek we drive south towards Katherine. In the afternoon we will stop at Edith Falls in Nitmiluk National Park where Gouldian, Double-barred and other finches and Banded Fruit-Dove are found. There is also an opportunity for a cooling swim here!
Accommodation: Knott’s Crossing Resort (2 nights).
Friday 29th August Katherine Gorge
Day 5: Today we visit the spectacular Katherine Gorge in the Nitmiluk National Park, taking a boat to view the spectacular scenery and observe wildlife including Freshwater Crocodiles. In the afternoon we will bird around Katherine looking for Red-backed Kingfisher, Peaceful Dove, Little Corella, Apostlebird and Grey-crowned Babbler.
Saturday 30th August Darwin
Day 6: We have a 320 km (200-mile) journey back to Darwin today. En-route we visit the spectacular Litchfield National Park with its weathered sandstone and perennial rivers. Many spectacular birds are also found here including Blue-winged Kookaburra and Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. We will also visit Howard Springs to look for Rainbow Pitta.
Accommodation: Mirambeena Resort
Sunday 31stAugust Cairns
Day 7: Morning flight to Cairns. On arrival we will look for Bush Stone-curlew, Buff-banded Rail, Welcome Swallow, Willie Wagtail, Australian Magpie-Lark, Mangrove Robin and Mangrove Golden Whistler when we stop at a mangrove boardwalk on the way to the hotel. After lunch we will walk to the famous esplanade to look for waders. Although it is too early in the year to see large numbers, we may see a number of Asiatic species that have over-summered together with Australian Pelicans and Eastern Reef-egrets. Later in afternoon, we will visit the Centenary Lakes area to look for Helmeted Friarbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Yellow-bellied Sunbird and Yellow Oriole and White-rumped Swiftlet. As evening draws in, we will look for Papuan Frogmouth.
Accommodation: Fig Tree Lodge (2 nights)
Monday 1st September Great Barrier Reef.
Day 8: We will spend most of the day at sea on a large sailing catamaran visiting the seabird colony on Michaelmas Cay on the world famous Great Barrier Reef. Brown Booby, Great & Lesser Frigatebirds, Black & Common Noddies and Black-naped, Bridled & Sooty Terns can all be seen amongst 14 species of seabirds. The island is unique and we will also have a chance to go in a semi-submersible vessel for coral, Giant Clam and fish viewing or enjoy an optional guided snorkel or scuba dive tour with a marine naturalist.
Tuesday 2nd September Daintree
Day 9: After breakfast we will explore the northern parts of and also north of Cairns including Botanic Gardens area before heading north to Yorkeys Knob. Metallic Starling, White-rumped Swiftlet, Bar-breasted, Brown-backed, Dusky, Lewin's & Yellow Honeyeaters, Cicadabird and Spice Finch are all possible. We will then continue on to Daintree Village by the river with various birding stops along the way with the possibility of Southern Cassowary.
Accommodation: Red Mill House (2 nights)
Southern Cassowary
Wednesday 3rd September Daintree
Day 10: Before breakfast we will take a two-hour boat cruise with Chris Dahlberg on which we could see Estuarine Crocodiles and a good selection of birds including Radjah Shelduck, Little Kingfisher, Great-billed Heron and Double-eyed Fig-parrot, White-bellied Sea-Eagle and Little Bronze Cuckoo. We will spend the rest of the day birding in the beautiful Daintree area.
Thursday 4th September Julatten
Day 11: After breakfast we head up the range to Julatten and Kingfisher Park, a rainforest reserve that caters exclusively for birdwatchers and naturalists. Abundant birdlife includes Red-necked Crake, Grey-headed Robin, Pied & White-eared Monarchs Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Wompoo Fruit-dove and Victoria's Riflebird. After dark we will try some spotlighting for Lesser Sooty & Barking Owls and nightjars. There is also the possibility of Platypus along the stream.
Accommodation: Kingfisher Park (2 nights)
Friday 5th September Mt Lewis and Mt Carbine area
Day 12: This morning we will drive up a road that ascends Mount Lewis to try to see the rare Blue-faced Parrot-finch as well as many other species including Chowchilla, Fernwren, Bassian Thrush, Satin Flycatcher and Golden Bowerbird. After lunch we will drive north through a more arid area towards the old Wolfram mining town of Mount Carbine looking for Australian Bustard, Squatter Pigeon and Black-throated Finch.
Saturday 6th September Atherton Tablelands
Day 13: We head south again this morning to the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, dedicated to preserving and presenting authentic Aboriginal culture. We then travel to Kuranda on the Skyrail, an enclosed cable car which takes us skimming over the rainforest canopy with breathtaking views over the Coral Sea and Green Island. Continuing on to the Atherton Tablelands, we visit Lake Mitchell and Mareeba Wetlands, which have many waterbirds, pass through drier areas, and the Atherton Township, to several fine rainforests including Wongabel State Forest where possible species include Painted Button-quail, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Noisy Pitta, Bower's Shrike-thrush, Superb Fruit-dove, Eastern Yellow Robin, Spotted & Striated Pardalotes, Olive-backed Oriole and abundant raptors.
Accommodation: Malanda Caravan Park Units (2 nights)
Sunday 7th September Atherton Tablelands
Day 14: Today we will visit a number of birding hotspots including Hasties Swamp, Mount Hypipamee (Crater) National Park, Lake Eacham & Lake Barrine where we will take a birdwatching cruise. Species we might see in these varied habitats include Dusky Moorhen, Hardhead, White-headed Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-dove, Atherton Scrubwren, Mountain Thornbill, Lovely Fairy-wren, Macleay's & Bridled Honeyeaters, Brolga and Sarus Crane.
Monday 8th September Brisbane and Lamington NP
Day 15: We take a morning flight to Brisbane where we will visit various birding spots including Boondall or Tinchi Tamba Wetlands and Brisbane Koala Bushlands to see wild Koalas. Birds we may see en-route include Pied Butcherbird, Pale-headed Rosella, Little Friarbird and perhaps Glossy Black Cockatoo. Continuing on we will enter the Lamington National Park where we will be staying at the famous O'Reilly's Guest House, an international known birding spot set in upland rainforest. Birds here include Regent and Satin Bowerbird, Albert’s Lyrebird, Noisy Pitta, Paradise Riflebird, Green Catbird, King Parrot and Crimson Rosella. The beautiful mists of these mountains and the friendly people will make this a memorable stay.
Accommodation: O’Reilly’s Guesthouse (3 nights)
King Parrot
Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th September Lamington National Park
Days 16-17: O'Reilly's is set in over 20,000 hectares of diverse virgin forest, from the temperate beech on high ground down through sub-tropical rainforest around the guesthouse to dry Eucalypt forests in the lower valleys. The park provides food and shelter for Australia's largest array of sub-tropical wildlife including many reptiles and mammals. There are spectacular views over mountain ranges and cascading waterfalls in this World heritage site. Oh, and the birds, Australian Brush-turkey, Wonga, Wompoo, White-headed & Topknot Pigeons, Eastern Spinebill, Logrunner, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Bassian Thrush and Striated Thornbill are just some of the many specialities that await us during these two full days.
Day 18: Today, we must leave O'Reilly's to bird our way back to Brisbane using Duck Creek Road and visiting the Boonah/Kalbar area.
Accommodation: Comfort Inn, Northgate (close to Airport).
Day 19: Depart Brisbane for your journey home.
General Information
The climate can vary from cool in the mountains of South-east Queensland to hot and humid in the Northern Territory and North Queensland. Rain is not common at this time of year but possible. There will be a moderate amount of walking, mainly on good terrain, but on hot days this can be quite tiring. There are no special medical requirements and insects are not a major problem. Distances are quite long, but the roads are good and driving is relaxed, with plenty of opportunities to stop. Accommodation standards vary but all are motel and lodge rooms having en-suite. Food is relatively cheap where we have to purchase meals. Expect to see around 260 species.
Maximum group size: 16 with 2 leaders.
What’s included?
- All land transport within Australia.
- Boat trips and other excursions.
- Accommodation in twin bedded rooms.
- All breakfasts, most lunches and four dinners.
- Entrance fees to National & State Parks.
- Professional guiding services
- Tour production costs.
What is not included?
· Airfares to Australia.
· Airfares within Australia - it is usually much cheaper to book these fares in association with international flights. We will advise you which flights to book when you make a tour booking.
· Travel insurance.
· Visas – visas are required by most travellers to Australia.
· Lunch on 2 travelling days and dinner on most nights. Most dinners have not been included because we have found that guest’s tastes vary and group dinners don’t always satisfy all individual requirements.
· Gratuities and items of a purely personal nature.
Tour Cost
$A5600 per person twin share
Single supplement $A750
For single people who prefer to share we will try to find a suitable roommate but if this is not possible the single supplement will apply.
Bookings and enquiries
To request a booking form and a copy of terms and conditions. or make a further enquiry contact:
Roy: royson@uq.net.au or Barry: barry@gondwanaguides.com.au
An $A500 deposit will be required when making a booking.
NB: Whilst it is unlikely any changes will be required to the itinerary the organisers reserve the right to do so if necessary.