Detailed
Itinerary
Pre
Tour Option - Great Barrier Reef
Arrive in Cairns 30th September and meet for dinner at 6.00pm for full
day on the Great Barrier Reef starting early on Day 1. From Cairns we board
the MV Seastar II [or Ocean Sprit I] for a relaxing two hour cruise out
to Michaelmas Cay, a true coral cay and bird sanctuary
located 40km north-east of Cairns, and part of the 2000 km long Great Barrier
Reef. On the cruise out to the Cay we keep an eye out for the many seabirds
crossing our path. The low, sandy, and vegetated cay is home to thousands
of ground-nesting seabirds and is one of the largest colonies on the Great
Barrier Reef. You can expect to see Sooty Terns, Common Noddies, Crested
Terns, Silver Gulls, Brown Boobies, Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds, probably
some over-wintering Little Terns, and with luck Lesser Crested, Black-naped,
Bridled and Roseate Terns, and Masked and Red-footed Boobies. We spend
several hours at the Cay, including lunch, with the option of a refreshing
dip or snorkel in the beautiful waters of this pristine environment.
Part
1: Tropical Cairns
Day 1- Arrival in Cairns
For those
not participating in the pelagic, meet at 7.00pm in the lobby for introductions
and welcome dinner.
Day
2 - Atherton Tableland
Leaving
Cairns we pass through fields of sugar cane before winding our way
up the dramatic range
to Julatten, more than
450m above sea level. The altitude tempers the tropical heat and
the abundant rainfall and rich volcanic soil make the area one of
the greenest
places
in Queensland. The Tableland is a region of beautiful scenery with
lakes and waterfalls, national parks and state forests,
and Queensland’s
two highest mountains rising to 1657m. The area forms a colourful
mosaic of superb World Heritage listed rainforest interspersed
with vivid
green pastures, savanna, open woodlands and scattered wetlands.
This rich and
varied habitat attracts a fascinating range of birds including
Sarus Crane, Black-necked Stork, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Forest
Kingfisher, Pale-yellow
and Grey-headed Robins, Pied Monarch, Chowchilla, Red-backed Fairy-wren,
Atherton Scrubwren, Mountain Thornbill, Macleay’s and Bridled
Honeyeaters, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Golden Bowerbird, Tooth-billed
and Spotted
Catbirds, Victoria’s Riflebird, Red-necked Crake and Bush-hen.
We
stay at the well-known Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers’ Lodge,
on the northern edge of the Tableland, which caters exclusively
to birders.
It is nestled in its own rainforest with a stream running along
the boundary and adjacent farmland. It offers excellent birding
within the grounds and
it’s possible to view rainforest birds at close range.
These include Pied Monarch, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Emerald Dove,
Noisy Pitta,
Red-necked
Crake, Buff-banded Rail, Lesser Sooty Owl, and an array of honeyeaters
in the grounds.From Kingfisher Park we visit nearby Mt Lewis
- the largest block of upland rainforest remaining in Australia.
Much of this area is
above 1000m and it’s possible to see high-altitude rainforest
species such as Golden Bowerbird, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Atherton
Scrubwren, Fernwren
and Mountain Thornbill. Dinner is at the nearby tavern; it has
a definite feel of being one of the last outposts before heading
into the station
country and wilderness of Cape York. The hotel offers hearty
meals and a pleasant courtyard to dine in.
Day
3 - Daintree River Cruise and Atherton Tableland
We depart
very early and head one hour north to the Daintree River. We
head down
the range
back to sugar cane country, glimpsing the coast near Wonga
Beach before heading
inland again. We pass through attractive farmland and pockets
of remnant rainforest before reaching picturesque Daintree
Village, where knowledgeable
Chris Dahlberg joins our cruise. We drift down the Daintree
River, luxuriant vegetation arching overhead, searching for two of
Australia’s
rarest birds, Great-billed Heron and Little Kingfishers. Close
encounters with
Wompoo Fruit-dove, White-rumped Swiftlets, Cicadabird, Large-billed
Gerygone, Spectacled Monarch, Pied Imperial-Pigeon, Shining
Flycatcher, Black-necked
Stork and Black Butcherbird are all anticipated, as well as
many other sightings. Some 430 bird species have been recorded in
the Daintree region
(as well as more than 1000 plant species) and October is the
best month for seeing them! It is the end of the dry season
and the start of the breeding
season for many passerine species. Birds are more active and
vocal and are therefore easier to locate, especially noticeable
in the rainforest.
If we are lucky, we may encounter a saltwater crocodile or
two. Cruising the Daintree River will undoubtedly be a highly rewarding
and memorable
experience. We return to Julatten and leave for Yungaburra
-
our next destination in the southern part of the Tablelands.
Places like Lake Barrine, Mt Hypipamee
and Hastie’s Swamp (water birds) are the spots for endemic
highland rainforest birds and many others. Chowchillas, Spotted
Catbirds, Victoria’s
Riflebirds, Yellow-breasted Boatbills are some target species.
At night we look for rainforest Possums with possible nocturnal
birds.Most birding
regions are between 700 and 1000 metres above sea level, so
temperatures can be 10 degrees C lower than coastal Cairns
and Mission Beach.
We stay
in Yungaburra, a small, delightful village of National
Trust classified buildings and beautiful gardens, set in
the heart of the
Atherton Tableland.
The village also has a platypus viewing platform.
Day
4 - Yungaburra to Mission Beach
After
an early morning birdwatch and breakfast, we
head south to Mission Beach,
which has the
highest population
of the elusive Southern Cassowary in north-east Queensland.
Travelling via the Palmerston Highway, we drive through
the Wooroonooran
NP, part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and
one of the richest
biological
regions in Australia. Its fertile soil and huge rainfall
of 3,500mm annually support some of the oldest continually
surviving
upland
rainforest in
Australia. Crawford’s Lookout has breath-taking
views of the North Johnstone River far below.
As we
approach Mission Beach we are suddenly thrust into
the most beautiful and lush coastal tropical rainforest.
The huge
road signs
warning of
Cassowaries alert us to the fact that we are in Cassowary
country. Mission Beach itself
is a very laid back village on a beautiful palm-fringed
sandy beach, with views of Dunk Island and the Family
Islands offshore.
Several
times we
walk in the lowland rainforests with its spectacular
Fan Palms, where we also look for Noisy Pittas, White-eared
Monarchs, Pied Monarchs
and Fruit-doves.
October is one of the best months to spot a Cassowary
along
roads and forest tracks, when the males are leading
chicks
around.
Day
5 - Cassowaries and Cairns Esplanade
Early morning walk looking out
for other tropical
rainforest species
such as
Fig Parrot,
Yellow-spotted Honeyeater, Topknot Pigeon and Varied
Triller. Travelling north
towards Cairns, depending on time, we’ll
visit Eubenangee Swamp and the mangroves at Edmonton.
They
are a good place to look for the Mangrove Robin,
Collared
Kingfisher and Lovely Fairy-wrens among others
and is the last stop before reaching Cairns. Our
afternoon
destination will be the mangroves and salt
marshes of the Cairns Esplanade. Within walking
distance of the city centre, the Esplanade is one
of North
Queensland’s best
areas for observing migratory waders from September
to March, with 220 bird
species recorded
on the mudflats and in adjacent parkland. Some
of the many birds to be seen are Beach Stone-curlew,
Bar-tailed
Godwit, Sharp-tailed
Sandpiper,
Striated Heron, Red-capped Plover, Varied Honeyeater
and Royal Spoonbills. At the northern end of the
Esplanade there is a substantial
nesting
colony
of Pied Imperial-Pigeons in the mangroves.
Day
6 - Breakfast at the motel and Part 1 tour concludes.
Part
2: Lamington National Park to Sydney
For those continuing on to Part 2 we catch
early morning flights to Coolangatta and drive
a couple
of hours
to Green Mountains
in the Lamington
National
Park. The drive up to O’Reilly’s
Guesthouse where we stay is fascinating. As
we leave the lovely village of Canungra, the
road starts
to narrow and climb steeply upwards, with multiple
switchbacks and breathtaking views below. We
climb the open woodland changes to green pasture
and then
suddenly we are in dramatic and awe-inspiring
rainforest. The road weaves in and out of magnificent
trees and buttresses, enclosed by the canopy
high above. O’Reilly’s is the end
of the road. It would be hard to beat these
six days of optimum
birding. Australian and
overseas
visitors
together will enrich the tour with a variety
of viewpoints and experiences.
Day 6 - Arrive at wonderful O’Reilly’s
during the day and meet for introductions at 7:00pm and Dinner
We start this journey in the world famous Lamington
National Park at the very popular O’Reilly’s
Guesthouse.
Day
7 - Lamington National Park
This park covers most of the spectacular
Lamington Plateau that
reaches 1,100m
in
places
and drops into
the caldera of a vast, extinct volcano. Erosion
of the soft volcanic rocks has resulted
in extremely rugged terrain with a high plateau
and many deep, beautiful
gorges, caves, and waterfalls. Much of the
vegetation is subtropical rainforest, with
tracts
of temperate
rainforest dominated by
moss-cloaked Antarctic
Beech growing on misty heights, a remnant
from Gondwana. Less fertile soils favour the growth
of eucalypt woodland,
montane
heath and
mallee. This
diverse vegetation supports a rich wildlife
and about 150
bird species have been recorded. It is one
of the best places to
see Albert’s
Lyrebird, Logrunner, Red-browed Treecreeper,
Regent Bowerbird, Paradise Riflebird, Rufous
Scrub-bird, Wompoo
Fruit-Dove,
Marbled Frogmouth
and many others. A number of uncommon species
are easily seen in the guesthouse
grounds. The park has 160km of walking tracks
and an excellent tree-top canopy walk along
a series of suspension
bridges, as well
as a wonderful
botanic garden.
Day
8 - Border Ranges to Iluka
Today we venture through the remote back
roads
of the Border
Ranges into New
South Wales,
and then
along the coast
to Iluka. The Border Ranges, which adjoin
Lamington National Park, also form part
of the rim of
the ancient massive
volcano with Mt
Warning at
its centre. This is the largest caldera
in the Southern Hemisphere. Following the rim
of the
caldera, the
Tweed Range Scenic
Drive through the World
Heritage listed Border Ranges National
Park, is memorable. Remote, often mist enshrouded,
you will
see some
of the lushest and untouched
subtropical
and temperate rainforest in existence,
with Antarctic beeches more than 2000 years old,
as well as
breathtaking lookouts
over the
Tweed Valley
to Mt Warning and the coast. It has been
estimated that a quarter of all bird species
in Australia
can be found
in
the park including
Logrunner,
Albert’s Lyrebird, Rufous Scrub-bird
and various fruit doves. We may also see
White-headed Pigeon, Russet-tailed Thrush,
Pale-yellow Robin
and Eastern Whipbird in the rainforest.
We also pass through beautiful tall wet
Eucalyptus
forests where we hope to see Lewin’s
Honeyeater, Rufous Fantail, Satin Bowerbird
and Large-billed and Yellow-throated
Scrubwren. There is a fabulous Nature Reserve
at Moore Park that we visit as well
as a stunning wetland at Kyogle, before
making our way down to the coast.
Day
9 - Iluka Nature Reserve
Iluka is a sleepy
little fishing community on the
northern
side of the Clarence
River mouth.
Our main destination
here is the important Iluka Nature Reserve.
It is the largest stand of littoral rainforest
in
New South
Wales
and was
World Heritage
Listed in 1986 as a valuable remnant
of what was once an extensive coastal
rainforest.
It is a rich and diverse ecosystem adapted
to a harsh environment of salt-laden
winds and sandy soils. Walking quietly
beneath Riberry and Broad-leaved Lilly
Pilly, we
hope to spot Rufous
Shrike-thrush, White-eared
Monarch, Brown Gerygone and Regent Bowerbird,
with a chance to see Barred
Cuckoo Shrike. These are just a few of
the birds we’ll be targeting. As
the Iluka Nature Reserve is an important
koala corridor for the adjoining Bundjalung
National Park, we may even encounter
a koala. We’ll
also see plenty of shore birds such as
the Large and Lesser Sand Plovers on
the tidal estuaries, as well as Ospreys
and Brahminy Kites over the beaches.
A Southern
Emu Wren in the
sedges is also quite possible.
Day
10 - Iluka to Barraba
From Illuka we head inland on a fairly long drive
to Barraba,
located
in the
north-west slopes
and
plains region
of NSW.
On this scenic route we climb up the
escarpment of the high New England
tableland with
dramatic, forested
and
wild country,
then
pass through
beautiful pastoral sheep and cattle
grazing country, and
attractive highland towns.
Barraba town is a charming agricultural
and pastoral centre, on the Manilla
River and
surrounded by
the magnificent mountain scenery
of the Nandewar
Range. We will be staying on an historic
grazing property with a
beautiful homestead and an award winning
B&B.
The 1700 ha property has plenty of
Box Woodland where we
will expect to see birds like
Little and Musk
Lorikeets, Brown Treecreeper, Striped
and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, Striated
and Spotted Pardalotes,
and Grey and Pied Butcherbirds.
We will wander
through the lovely native and European
homestead garden and visit the two
large dams on the
property that attract
a large diversity
of birds
and
waterfowl.
Day
11 - Barraba District.
Barraba District is transitional country where
east meets west. It
falls between
the densely forested
highlands of the
Great Dividing Range and the sparsely
vegetated inland plains. The area’s
remarkable geological variation has
resulted in wide range of vegetation,
from the most
westerly rainforest
in NSW to Mugga Iron Bark and
White Box. The outcome is an area
rich in birds, so prolific in fact,
that
you barely
need to take a step from the bus
without having
birds flocking to you. Barraba is
also famous for the Regent
Honeyeater, and there
are many
possible locations where we may see
one. Among the multitude of species
to be seen,
we will also be looking for Turquoise
and Red-winged Parrots, Plum-headed
Finches, Black-chinned
Honeyeaters, and the noisy Rufous
Songlark that should be in full spring
song.
Day
12 - Pillaga Scrub.
‘
Scrub’ is
a most unimpressive name for
which is in fact a rich mosaic
of dense forests in the
Baradine
area, containing a large variety
of trees, among them Pilliga
box, white box,
yellow box, narrow-leaved ironbark,
cypress pine, belah and brigalow.
Bird enthusiasts
could spend many days
exploring this vast 800,000ha
area where
at least 240 different species
have been recorded. So many of these are
interesting birds, the
list is mouth-watering!
Among them,
we will be targeting
Speckled Warbler, Diamond Firetail,
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Glossy
Black Cockatoo, Spotted
Bowerbird and Double-barred
Finch.
Day
13 - Warrumbungle National Park.
We then head to the dramatic
Warrumbungles
with its
jagged
pinnacles, barren
spires, and
rocky domes towering
above lightly wooded countryside
profuse with grass trees. There
are not many
places where you can find rainforest
plants a stone’s
throw from the outback, but
this park is one of them. Similarly,
wildlife
from
inland and coastal regions
converges
here. Not only is it an unusual
and diverse
mix, it is extremely abundant
and much of it can be seen
without moving far. The park
is
well known as
a top birding
spot, with
over 190 bird
species recorded, including
the magnificent Wedge-tailed
Eagle
and Peregrine Falcon
and an incredible 19 species
of parrot. The distribution
of parrot species within the
park
echoes the east-west
divide: the drier
western plains and
foothills are home to Galah,
Red-winged Parrot,
Australian (Mallee) Ringneck,
Cockatiel, Budgerigar and Blue
Bonnet,
while the moist
eastern forests
harbour Crimson and Eastern
Rosellas, Rainbow Lorikeet,
Sulphur-crested
Cockatoo and, along
the waterways,
Turquoise Parrot. In addition
to raptors and parrots, Emu
are easily viewed from the
road,
and Sacred
Kingfisher,
Common Bronzewing, Jacky Winter,
Varied Sitella, Spiny-cheeked,
Striped, Fuscous and Brown-headed
Honeyeaters and White-throated
and Brown Treecreepers
are just a few of the expected
sightings. If
we are extremely lucky we may
come across Turquoise Parrot,
Chestnut-rumped
Hylacola,
Speckled Warbler,
Regent and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters,
and Plum-headed
Finch. Large numbers of mammals
are easily seen in the park
and at this time
of year, we will
also be treated to a remarkable
display of wildflowers.
Day
14 - Coonabarabran to Hunter
Valley
An early departure
for the drive
to the beautiful
Hunter
Valley. We travel
through Box
and Ironbark
Woodland,
cattle grazing country and
wheat farming areas, with
several stops
along the
way. These include
the Castlereagh
River,
the historic
towns of Cassilis
and Merriwa, and Battery
Rocks. Among the birds we are likely
to see are
Pallid Cuckoo,
White-throated
Gerygone,
Noisy
Miner, Laughing
Kookaburra,
Crested Pigeon, and Whistling
Kite. As we approach the
picturesque upper Hunter Valley, the rolling hills
of wheat
and pasture gradually shift
to vineyards,
horse
studs and
more intensive
farming.
Day
15 - Hunter River Cruise and Ash Island.
Today
we
travel only
a short
distance
following the
Hunter River
through
the beautiful
Hunter
Valley to its estuarial
mouth, where we leave the bus
by the jetty and cruise the
Hunter River.
This
mangrove-lined estuary
is a haven
for thousands
of waders,
and at high tide
it is alive with Bar-tailed Godwit,
the more unusual Black-tailed
Godwit,
Whimbrel,
Little Tern,
Curlew, Red and Great
Knots, Grey-tailed
Tattler and Greenshank,
plus many other non-waders. We
also drive over to Ash
Island where
we wander
through
the
fascinating
Kooragang
Reserve looking
for marsh
birds such
as the Marsh Sandpiper,
Black-fronted Dotterel and White-fronted
Chat.
Day
16 - Pelagic Trip
This
is an all-day optional pelagic trip out
of Newcastle
Harbour to
the edge of the continental
shelf.
Beyond
the
shelf, the ocean
floor drops abruptly to depths
of
more than 4000 metres
resulting in
some spectacular
changes in the avifauna.
Most seabirds never go ashore
except to
breed and then
often only
to islands,
so this trip
proves to be very
exciting, providing
a wonderful
opportunity to witness seabirds.
Australia hosts
more species of
seabird than anywhere
else in the world with over
120 species
recorded.
Similar
pelagics have recorded
over 75 species, over
a third of the world’s
seabirds. With seabirds
at our fingertips on
this full day excursion,
we will expect
to see Flesh-footed,
Fluttering, Short-tailed
and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters,
Pomarine Jaeger,
Skua, Crested and Common
Terns, Great-winged
and Solander Petrel,
and even Shy
and Wandering Albatross are
quite
common.
Day
17 - Newcastle to Sydney
Down the
coast
birding along
the way,
including
stops
at Pambalong Nature
Reserve
and Lenaghans
Flat
Swamp at Minmi.
We can expect to see a
good range of coastal waterbirds
such as
Black Ducks,
Chestnut
Teal,
Swamphen, and if we are
lucky, both Wandering and Plumed
Whistling-Ducks even
a Black-necked
Stork
is possible. Drop off at
Killara and the city for Sydney participants. Our last night’s
accommodation is at the
Coogee Bay Hotel with a Farwell
Dinner at 7.00pm
Day
18 - Departure.
Breakfast before the tour ends at
9.00am. This
hotel has easy
access
to Sydney’s
Kingsford Smith airport
and we suggest flight
bookings for overseas
visitors
and out-of-towners after
12:00noon.
What
to expect
Our daily
travel schedule varies. Most days involve
a full day
of birding, usually
with a picnic
lunch in a
prime
birding spot.
Driving
distances
vary from short
to moderate on some
days and long on
a few days. We make
frequent stops during each
day’s travel,
and at least every
2 to 2.5 hours
on the long drive days.
You can
expect some early morning
walks. This tour
involves easy to
moderate walking and
hiking, as well as
short forays away
from the van.
Most days we return
in late afternoon
to our
accommodation, and
in the evening we
have arranged
a restaurant with good food and
comfortable
atmosphere. After-dinner
activities are optional.
The climate of these
regions
ranges
from seasonably
warm to mild as we
head further
south. October is
normally settled,
with
temperatures in Cairns
averaging 75°F
with a humidity of 54%, very
pleasant for birding. In
Cairns
a light jacket
is
recommended for our
trip to the
reef in case onshore
winds are cool. The sun can
be intense, so sunscreen
and a brimmed hat are
advised. Wet weather protection
is recommended
with light waterproof
pants
and jacket
ideal. The list of birds
and other wildlife seen will
be reviewed
each evening, and plans for
the next day will be discussed.
Those plans
could
change slightly
if reports of vagrant or
accidental species, within
reasonable driving
distance, are received. Spotting
scopes will be useful
on this trip,
especially at
coastal locations; the leader
will have a scope for the
group to share.
|
It
is home to beautiful birds and odd mammals, wildlife is not shy, infrastructure
for traveling is excellent, climate is generally pleasant, and it harbors
a diversity of habitats and possesses the world’s longest coral
reef (the 1260-mile long Great Barrier Reef). It is impossible to see
the whole country in a single tour, so this tour focuses on eastern Australia,
visiting in the dry season (the northeast can be very rainy at other
seasons). From the northeast, where we visit the Great Barrier Reef and
have a chance for cassowary and platypus, to the southeast’s lyrebirds,
wallabies, albatrosses, bowerbirds and even whales, this tour will sample
a good portion of Australia’s scenery, avifauna and other wildlife.
Five non-passerine families (10%) and 15 passerine families (nearly 50%)
are endemic to Australasia. Australia is the land of diversity of marsupials,
pigeons (26 species), parrots (53 species) and seabirds (79 species).