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Australia Sunday, September 21 - Wednesday, October 8, 2008 | |||||||||||
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This will be the birding and natural history trip of a lifetime. Designed to sample a big chunk of eastern Australia from north to south this itinerary takes place during the southern spring. In addition to wildly colorful lorikeets and rosellas, bizarre Chowchillas, and exciting cockatoos, we'll be making special efforts to see Platypus and Koala as well. Roosting Owlet-Nightjars and nighttime forays for owls, mammals and other critters and the surreal experience of the Penguin Parade will also be highlights. In the end, we will have seen representatives of nearly every family of birds unique to the Land of Down Under. We're also making an effort to ensure that all of our local hotels and guides are gay friendly. We're even including a couple days at a famous gay resort in tropical Queensland as well as an open day to visit the sights and sample the cultural and nightlife offerings of Sydney. In Detail Day 1: The tour begins at 1:00 p.m. as the group assembles in the international airport in Cairns, Queensland. After an introductory meeting we'll load the van and begin birding right away. Our goal is the famous Atherton Tablelands, an isolated highland area that hosts many endemics and regional specialties. But first we'll check the mudflats of the Cairns Esplanade for wintering and migrant shorebirds such as Terek Sandpiper, Greater Sand Plover, Eastern Curlew and Great Knot; we might get lucky and find the rarer Asiatic Dowitcher or Broad-billed Sandpiper. Night in Yungaburra. Days 2-3: There are many birding sites on the Atherton Tablelands. We'll start our birding this morning not far from our hotel, but we'll eventually venture farther afield to sample the amazing tropical birds and mammals in this region. The wet forests harbor such jewels as Noisy Pitta, Spectacled Monarch, Victoria's Riflebird (a bird-of-paradise) and Double-eyed Fig Parrot. The drier eucalypt forests are home to Australian Bustard, Squatter Pigeon and Black-throated Finch. The Mareeba Wetlands are home to a diverse set of waterbirds such as Cotton and Green Pygmy Geese, Pink-eared Duck, Brolga and White-bellied Sea Eagle. We'll also make a special effort for Duck-billed Platypus as well as going out at night in search of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Nights in Yungaburra. Day 4: This morning we'll depart early for a return to Cairns for a boat ride to Michaelmas Key in the Great Barrier Reef, famous for its seabird colony as well as snorkeling opportunities. With luck we could see as many as 12 species of terns, with Sooties and Brown Noddies nesting in abundance. It will be relaxing all-day trip, including a nice lunch. In the late afternoon we'll retreat to our new hotel, a celebrated gay resort right on the beach, Turtle Cove. Night in Smithfield. Days 5: It's another early morning for a dawn boat ride on the Daintree River for birds of the mangroves and freshwater riparian growth, as well as the famous Saltwater Crocodiles. This is a shorter trip, and later in the morning we will bird the tropical lowland forests with a special search for Southern Cassowary. Night in Smithfield. Day 6: After a final morning in the rainforests, perhaps to the south of Cairns in case we still are searching for cassowary, and perhaps just a leisurely stroll on the grounds of our lodge, we'll board the flight to Brisbane and then head inland to Lamington National Park. Night at O'Reilly's. Days 7-8: We'll have two full days to explore Lamington National Park and nearby birding hotspots. The region is famous for flocks of tame Crimson Rosellas, Regent Bowerbird, Australian Brushturkey, Bassian Thrush, Logrunner, Wompoo Fruit Dove and Albert's Lyrebird among many others. If we're lucky we may get to see a Satin Bowerbird decorating his bower. A guided nightwalk could result in a sighting of Marbled Frogmouth or Sooty Owl. Nights at O'Reilly's. Day 9: After a final morning in the Lamington area, we'll return to Brisbane and board our flight to Sydney. Night close to the gay district in Sydney. Day 10: After several early mornings and long birding days, a break will be welcome in the schedule. Today will be a free day to tour the various sites of Sydney on your own. There are several websites that list cultural events (use Google), but one option worth looking into would be the Sydney Opera House with Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd, an all-male opera, showing this night. Theres is also the Drama Theatre with The Narcissist, with a "fabulous figure" of a gay man as the lead character showing both tonight and the next. (With thanks to Donald and Carmon for the suggestions.) Day 11: This morning we'll convene early for a full-day boat ride to deeper waters off the continental shelf out of Sydney. Wandering, Shy and Black-browed Albatross are expected, and there are often large numbers of Cape Petrels, Fairy Prions and Wedge-tailed and Short-tailed Shearwaters. Several species of marine mammals are also a distinct possibility. You are own your own this evening to enjoy the city one last night. Night in Sydney. Day 12: With a final morning in Sydney, where we may have time to do some birding at Sydney Royal National Park or another nearby hotspot, we'll take a mid-day flight to Melbourne. From Melbourne we'll set out to nearby birding areas to finish the day, including some marshes where Latham's Snipe might be found. Night in Melbourne. Days 13-14: This first day we will drive northwest to Chiltern for a two-night stay, birding along the way. Near town is Chiltern-Mt. Pilot National Park, where the remnant box-ironbark forest that once covered much of northeast Victoria is home to the rare Regent Honeyeater. We'll look for it on our full day here, and oher birds we hope to see here include Turquoise Parrot, Little Lorikeet, Speckled Warbler, Black-chinned and Fuscous Honeyeaters and many more. Nights in Chiltern. Day 15: We'll depart early this morning to visit the Yarra Ranges National Park where Superb Lyrebird is one of the star attractions. We'll also have the chance to visit the Dandenong and Sherbrooke Forest areas in search of Gang-gang and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, Olive Whistler and Pilotbird. Night in Healsville. Day 16: With a final morning in the Dandenong area, we'll work out way to the southeast to Wilson's Promontory National Park, an area of spectacular scenery. Ground Parrot and many other birds of the coastal scrub will be our focus here. Night near Wilson's Promontory. Day 17: We'll have a final birding day near Wilson's Promontory before we work out way back to Melbourne for our farewell dinner. Night in Melbourne. Day 18: Today is the final day of the tour, which ends at the airport with our international flights home. Note: Group size is limited to 7 with one leader. Price: currently $6800 with one more person, $6100 with two, $5600 with three, and $5200 with four | |||||||||||
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