Limosa - Birdwatching and Wildlife Hoildays Worldwide

Australia is truly a world apart. Isolated from the rest of the world's land-masses for over sixty million years, here evolution has taken a quite separate path. Most famous perhaps are the continent’s two mammal groups: the marsupials and the monotremes, including the peculiar egg-laying Platypus, which we have been lucky enough to see on previous trips. Even more remarkable, almost half of Australia’s six hundred and fifty or so regular bird species are unique to the region - a greater proportion of endemics than any other country.

Journeying from the northern tropics to the southern temperate zones, our Classic Australia tour commences in Cairns - one of Australia's best birding spots. Shorebirds are outstanding here, with everything from Great Knot to Beach Thick-knee. We continue inland to explore the jungles of the Atherton Tablelands, haunt of Golden Bowerbird, Tooth-billed Catbird and the iridescent Victoria’s Riflebird. An early morning cruise on the Daintree River may reward us with Little Kingfisher and Great-billed Heron, whetting our appetites for a fitting finale to our stay in tropical North Queensland: a trip out from Cairns aboard Ocean Spirit, to savour the marvels of Michaelmas Cay and the Great Barrier Reef, with their breeding seabirds and exuberant marine life.

Leaving Cairns, we next fly south to Sydney, where a visit to Sydney Botanic Gardens followed by a sightseeing boat trip around Sydney Harbour should provide an excellent introduction to the birds of southeast Australia. Driving on up into the beautiful Blue Mountains, the gorgeous Turquoise Parrot, Flame Robin, Superb Lyrebird and the endangered Regent Honeyeater are among many specialities, along with rowdy flocks of impressive Glossy and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos.

As we head back down to the New South Wales coast, the famous Barren Grounds heathland should be near the peak of its spring wildflower displays. The range-restricted Eastern Bristlebird and Pilotbird frequent this habitat and we’ll make a special effort to find the mysterious Ground Parrot, a seldom seen species that’s active only at daybreak and dusk.

Flying north to Brisbane, our tour concludes with a three-night stay at the incomparable O’Reilly’s Rainforest Lodge - where the birding is superb! Red-necked Pademelons forage on the lawn, while well-stocked feeders (not to mention inattentive birdwatchers with food in their hands) attract immaculate Regent and Satin Bowerbirds, along with crowds of colourful Crimson Rosellas and Australian King Parrots. This really is Classic Australia. Pack your swags and join us Downunder!

Please note: This tour can easily be incorporated into your own private visit to Australia. For those who’d prefer to travel out early and rest up a little ahead of the tour, or stopover in Australia after our tour, we can organise your flights out on almost any day you choose, or leave you to make your own arrangements. Please ask our office for details, or if you would like a ‘land only’ price for this tour.