Australian Natural Adventures

Birding in Australia

BIRDING TASMANIA

 

TASMANIA 8-DAY BIRDING TOUR
North, South, East & West

 

Day 1: Arrive late this afternoon in Hobart. You are met and transferred to your hotel near Hobart’s historical waterfront. Tasmania produces Australia’s best shellfish and cold-water fish, and we suggest these as the focus of your meal tonight, accompanied by one of the excellent Tasmanian wines.

Day 2: Your guide will meet you this morning your hotel for breakfast, and to discuss the week’s events. We take a short tour to see the historic buildings and waterfront dating from Australia’s convict settlement. We then drive up Mount Wellington and surrounds for spectacular aerial views and a wonderful walk through a fern glade with giant tree ferns, which provides our first chance to see the endemic Scrubtit as well as Pink Robin. An alternative (additional expense) this morning is a flight to the South West World Heritage Area to search for such species as the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot, Ground Parrot, Southern Emu-wren, Beautiful Firetail Finch and Striated Fieldwren (this flight is weather dependent and half or full day options are available). After the Hobart area we drive and ferry south to Bruny Island and the scenically beautiful Adventure Bay, one of Australia’s most important historic places. Here we learn about the historic significance of the area, both Aboriginal and early European, and visit coastal and cool temperate rainforest to see a range of Tasmanian endemic flora including Gondwana relics. A night tour tonight to see the Little Penguin/Short-tailed Shearwater rookery finishes our day. We overnight for the next two nights at Inala, a cottage style wildlife resort. (B,L,D)

Day 3: This morning after breakfast, we explore Inala, a privately owned 500 acre Land for Wildlife property which is a refuge for a number of threatened birds and home to all of the Tasmanian endemics. Bird species we are likely to see include the endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote (Inala is one of the best places to find this species), Strong-billed, Black-headed and Yellow-throated Honeyeaters and Tasmanian Native Hen. We then join a 3 hour eco-cruise out of Bruny for the chance to see a variety of seabirds, Australian Fur Seals, the fourth rarest in the world, and the possibility of dolphins. This afternoon after a late lunch we will visit Bruny’s southern coastline to view the second oldest lighthouse in Australia, and search for species such as Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Olive Whistler and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo. This area also offers a chance to see Echidnas (Tasmanian subspecies) in the wild. After dinner we look for a range of Tasmania’s nocturnal marsupials and birds, including Eastern Quoll, Golden (Bennertt’s) Wallaby, Ring-tailed and Brushtail Possums, Tawny Frogmouth and Southern Boobook Owl. (B,L,D)

Day 4: We leave Bruny Island after breakfast and travel to Mount Field National Park, near Hobart, and spend the day exploring the area, which includes an alpine environment carved by glaciation. This area also provides another chance to see Pink Robin, Scrubtit and Black Currawong if we miss them on Bruny Island, and there is also a very good chance of seeing Platypus in the wild. We will then travel to our accommodation, which is situated near the National Park. (B,L,D)

Day 5: We leave Mt Field after breakfast and travel north. Along the way we will be looking out for species such as Banded Lapwings and Wedge-tailed Eagles (endangered Tasmanian subspecies). There will also be more opportunities to view platypus and the option of taking a cave tour to search for some wonderful cave fauna including glowworms, endemic Tasmanian cave spiders, cave crickets and the mountain shrimp which is believed to be a “living fossil”. Alternatively, you may like to visit a rehabilitation centre that specializes in Tasmanian Devil research. Our destination today is a National Park where Common Wombats and Forester kangaroos can usually be found in daylight hours. We overnight in a B&B near the Park. (B,L,D)

Day 6: We will explore part of Tasmania’s northern coastline this morning, where there is a chance of viewing a variety of shorebirds – an opportunity to become familiar with some of North America’s extreme rarities. Local reserves and streams offer good birding and wildlife opportunities, including a chance for Blue-winged Parrots. Late afternoon we will head to a hide where we will settle in before dusk to wait for wild Tasmanian devils to come in to feed. A truly wonderful experience and may also provide the chance to see the Spotted tailed Quoll which is also related to the Tassie devil. As with all wildlife experiences, weather or other factors may influence our sightings tonight. However, we stay in this area another night as a safeguard should we be unsuccessful tonight. (B,L,D)

Day 7: After an early look around our accommodation we head south to the Arthur River, in the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area, for a river cruise through temperate rainforest and ecotonal forest. This offers good wildlife opportunities, including Azure Kingfisher and White-bellied Sea-eagle. And a chance to explore this remote and seldom-visited area of Tasmania. Continue to explore the region late this afternoon. (B,L,D)

Day 8: After breakfast, and a recap of the week’s birds and other wildlife, we travel to Burnie airport and leave Tasmania for our next destination. (B)

 

What’s Included
All meals from breakfast (B) on Day 2 until breakfast on Day 8; accommodation from Day 1 to Day 7 inclusive (7 nights), transfer from Hobart Airport Day 1 and return to Burnie Airport Day 8; boat cruises, entry fees, GST, specialist guiding, bird list, and pre-tour information kits.

In Hobart and Inala several levels of accommodation are available, and we will be pleased discuss your preferred level with you. The tour cost is based on 4-star accommodation where available, and best available elsewhere.

Not Included
Travel to and from Tasmania, but our fully qualified travel staff will be happy to arrange this at very competitive rates and we strongly suggest contacting us before any air arrangements are made; meals Day 1; drinks with meals or during the day other than water; snacks along the way, personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls or internet fees; or tips to guides.

Cost
Due to seasonal variation in hotel and other costs, and the custom nature of these tours an exact cost in is not possible until number of participants and time of travel is known. Approximate costs are $5985 per person for two participants, $4800 per person for four participants, and $3400 for 6 participants. Single Supplement is $800

Due to Tasmania’s southern location we do not recommend visiting Tasmania in the winter months of June, July or August; October to April are preferred.

 

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