nature travel, wildlife tours, adventure travel and general travel to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific

Continue with your Australian adventure....

Day 9: Thursday, January 25: King’s Run / Launceston / Freycinet National Park This morning depart Marrawah, and head all the way to the east coast – about 5 hours - to Freycinet National Park and the comfort of Freycinet Lodge. The road takes you along the very scenic coast, with some very good vantage points along the way to look out to sea for seabirds, interesting and historic small towns, and coastal Rocky Cape National Park. At Devonport turn southeast and inland, heading through Launceston and across to Bicheno and Freycinet.

Day 10– Friday, January 26: Freycinet National Park
Spend the day exploring the Park and nearby areas. There is some good shorebirding, watch for seabirds, and also plenty of bush for the rest. The Lodge can advise about places to go, and there are also guided activities as well. The headlands and bays – especially Wineglass Bay – of Freycinet National Park are some of the most photographed features of Tasmania, and this pristine and beautiful area is one of Tasmania’s best. Today is a national holiday, Australia Day, Australia’s equivalent of July 4, celebrating both January 26, 1901, when the various states, previously colonies, became the Commonwealth of Australia; and the anniversary of the day Captain Phillip took formal possession of New South Wales in 1788 and had earlier been celebrated as Foundation Day.            (B)

Day 11 – Saturday, January 27: Freycinet / Hobart / Bruny Island
This morning head south to Hobart, about two hours away, then Kettering, about 20 miles away, where you take the short ferry hop to Bruny Island. Bruny is a wonderful place to find all of Tasmania’s endemic birds, and a number of mammals as well. You stay at Inala, a small wildlife lodge operated by one of Tasmania’s leading birders. This afternoon you are led on a birding tour by Tonia, which should find you all the Tasmanian endemics and several endemic forms. You will see many of up to 90 bird species found in the area, including the endangered Forty-spotted pardalote, Swift parrots, beautiful firetail finches and the spectacular white color morph of the Grey goshawk. All 12 endemic Tasmanian bird species are found on the property. You will also see enormous eucalypt trees and tree ferns, a magnificent stand of Blackwood trees, and some native terrestrial orchids.As the daylight hours are long in January, tonight at dusk Tonia leads you on a tour to observe the Little penguin and Short-tailed shearwater rookeries as the birds return to their burrows from the ocean. After dark you visit other areas of Bruny Island, looking for nocturnal mammals and birds, such as Bennett's wallabies, Tasmanian pademelons, Brush-tailed possums, Eastern quolls and Tawny frogmouths. Return to Inala for your overnight.            (B,D)

Day 12 – Sunday, January 28: Inala / Hobart / Brisbane / O’Reilly’s Rainforest Lodge
After an early bird search on your own, or a restful lie-in, head back to Hobart and the airport this morning to fly to Brisbane on Virgin Blue flight DJ705 at 12.55pm, arriving in Brisbane at 2.30pm. Pick up your rental car to drive to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Lodge, in Lamington National Park, arriving about noon. Along the way you may see parrots and possibly Pretty-face (whiptail) wallabies along the road. The Lodge is one of Australia’s original wildlife lodges, and has been sharing its bounty with visitors since the 1930’s. The same family still owns and operates the Lodge. In addition to the birds there are wonderful forest walks, short trips to other parts of the Park, wonderful food and friendship, and plenty of wallabies, possums and other wildlife all around. Special birding groups are carved out of the main visitors to ensure a good experience here. After lunch you begin your birding here with an orientation about the upcoming days. The exact activities will depend on your own choices and those thought best for the season by the nature guides at the lodge; several typical walks are described, but your actual walks may be different. This evening after dinner (included tonight only) you may wish to look for glow-worms, take it easy or enjoy the more rustic entertainment, and certainly watch for the possums and pademelons (small rainforest wallabies) around the lodge.          (B,D)

Day 13– Monday, January 29: O’Reilly’s
An early start for a 1½ hour wander along the Border Track and botanic gardens searching for a number of rainforest species. Return for breakfast and then walk to Python Rock and Pat’s Bluff (5 km, 3 hr), a good area for rainforest specialties (including lyrebird, riflebird and others) and also a small area of eucalypt forest and cliff edge. After lunch back at the Lodge you’ll take a lodge bus to the eucalypt country of Kurrajong Lookout, and wander around looking for Spotted Quail-thrush, Red-browed Treecreeper and maybe even a Glossy Black-Cockatoo, as well as several species of honeyeater. Return for a welcome and hearty dinner. After dinner go out spotlighting, looking for, among others, Boobook Owl and Marbled Frogmouth. And of course, any mammals (including sugar gliders) that are often about. Likely to start off is a walk to Cedar Tree via Wishing Tree (2 km, 2hr), a gentle stroll featuring excellent rainforest and finishing at the rainforest edge along Moran’s Creek, and good for sorting out those little brown birds. Again overnight at the lodge.          (B)


Day 14– Tuesday, January 30: O’Reilly’s
Continue to add to the list today. The Kerry Valley is a rich farming area that has always provided great birdwatching opportunities, including excellent patches of dry woodland which are home to Speckled Warblers, Weebills and Striped Honeyeaters and other species of the drier forests. These valleys are also dotted with dams and lagoons that attract a multitude waterbirds for to find. Return to the Lodge, and drive back to Brisbane to overnight. Keep the car as it’s easier to get to the airport that way.          (B)

Day 15– Wednesday, January 31: Brisbane / Gladstone / Heron Island
This morning drive to the airport, return your car and fly this morning to Gladstone, where you are met and transferred to the jetty for your 11am catamaran cruise across to Heron Island (or helicopter transfer at added expense). Arrive about 2pm. The actual journey is 2 to 2.5 hours, but Heron beats to the time of a different drum. If you choose the helicopter alternative, you will fly directly from the airport after arrival, and be on the island by 11am. Heron is a true coral atoll on the reef, and you can walk out from the beach to the reef. It’s also a major seabird rookery, and a sea turtle nesting site. Both of these natural phenomena will be in full swing while you are there.             (L,D)

Day 16– Thursday, February 1: Heron Island
Continue your stay on Heron. There is superb diving at several reefs nearby; one, Swain Reef, is famous for breeding congregations of sea snakes. A single reef on the great barrier Reef has more fish species than the entire Caribbean. In the evening join a small group, led by a turtle researcher, to watch the turtle nesting activity.             (B,L,D)

Day 17 - Friday, February 2: Heron Island
Continue your stay on Heron.              (B,L,D)

Day 18– Saturday, February 3: Heron Island / Gladstone / Sydney
SSpend the morning and lunchtime on Heron, then return to Gladstone on the 2pm ferry, arriving at 3.45pm. You are transferred to the airport for your 5.25pm Qantas flight QF2307 to Brisbane (arrives 6.35pm), connecting with Qantas flight QF559 departing at 7.45pm for Sydney, arriving at10.15pm (there’s a one hour time difference). Overnight at the airport Holiday Inn. Due to the time of the flight you will not be able to dive today, but will of course be able to make several dives Thursday and Friday. Of course, much of the reef is very shallow – even exposed at low tide – and snorkeling is excellent.            (B,L)

Day 19: Sunday, February 4: Auckland
Fly to Auckland at 9.40am today on Air New Zealand flight NZ102, arriving at 2.45pm. (Auckland / Kerikeri arrangements to be discussed further.)       (*L)

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