Posts from Naturaliste Charters
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Digging Deeper: Bremer Orcas Under the Microscope
In the remote reaches of Western Australia's Bremer Sub-Basin, few vessels spend as much time among orcas as the Alison Maree. For marine biologist Jennah Tucker, it's this consistent presence that's proving invaluable. "Naturaliste Charters provides a platform of opportunity in an area where dedicated research is somewhat limited," Jennah...
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Aerial Sharpshooters: Australia’s Iconic Birds of Prey
Australia is home to a remarkable diversity of raptors (also known as birds of prey), with 18 eagle and hawk species and six falcons distributed across its varied landscapes. These birds of prey are key indicators of ecosystem health, playing vital roles in controlling prey populations and maintaining ecological balance....
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Australia's Great Humpback Whale Migration
Each January, around 60,000 Humpback Whales leave the frigid, food-rich waters of Antarctica and begin the world's longest mammal migration, a 5,000-kilometre, three-month journey to the warm waters of northern Australia where they mate, calve, and nurture their newborns. Around 25,000 of these whales diverge around Tasmania and head up...
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12 Threatened Australian Species You Can See In the Wild
Australia is home to a remarkable array of wildlife, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth. However, numerous species are currently facing critical threats and are classified as endangered. In this article, we explore some of Australia's most vulnerable creatures that you can observe in their natural habitats....
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The Science of Killer Whale Sightings with Jennah Tucker
Naturaliste Charters has observed an increase in predation sightings year after year. While the exact reasons for this rise remain unclear, guide Jennah Tucker explains that it provides invaluable learning opportunities. "We're seeing predations more often, and because of this, we are learning more about the behaviours of this population...
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Tourism Meets Science: Four Ways Visitors Can Contribute to Research
As pressures increase from factors such as climate change, extreme weather events, urban or industrial development, plastics pollution and debris, it has never been more important for the tourism sector to unite with academic researchers to measure the impact of these pressures and the health of our ecosystems. Several tourism...
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Naturaliste Charters Announces 2024 Birdwatching Departures
The team at Naturaliste Charters have recently announced six dates for their popular pelagic birdwatching trips in 2024, with two Augusta departures in July, and four Bremer Bay departures in December. These trips are led by four expert onboard birdwatching guides, targeting a broad range of seabirds. While pelagic encounters...
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Top 5 Whale Watching Locations in Australia
Australia has become known as one of the world's best destinations for whale watching. With an enormous coastline spanning more than 34,000 kilometres (21,000 miles), combined with clean waters and sheltered bays, whale watching opportunities in Australia are plentiful. In addition to optimal whale watching conditions across the western, southern...
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At the Helm of the Alison Maree with Paul Cross
Naturaliste Charters owners Paul and Alison Cross have always felt connected to their home ground in Western Australia's South West, and in 2009 they purchased Naturaliste Charters with the aim of offering guests an opportunity to experience the awe-inspiring whales of the region while maintaining a strong commitment to responsible...
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Researching the Whales of WA with Jennah Tucker
Marine biologist Jennah Tucker has been in and around water since growing up in Broome, and has long been passionate about whales. "The Humpbacks come up to the Kimberley each winter to breed and calf, so I've always had Humpbacks in my backyard," she says. "And I started working in...
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Storyteller Series: Paul Cross from Naturaliste Charters
Paul Cross has travelled more than 52 countries, but if you ask him to pick the most beautiful place in the world, it's his ocean-lapped backyard every time. Growing up near Bunbury, south of Perth, Paul and his brothers spent every spare minute fishing, surfing and diving along the Western...
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Tour Spotlight: Bremer Canyon Killer Whale Expedition
Naturaliste Charters operate full day Killer Whale expeditions out of Bremer Bay in Western Australia. From January to April each year, these expeditions take guests out to the edge of the continental shelf to the submarine 'Bremer Canyon', where they get the opportunity to encounter pods of wild Killer Whales....
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Learning about the photo identification programs with Pia Markovic
There’s an iPhone feature that sorts photos using facial recognition, categorising frequently photographed faces into groups. Interestingly, it can work for Southern Right Whales too, albeit a little more haphazardly. “Basically, there are different ways of identifying all whales. And because Southern Rights have distinctive callosities (louse-covered callouses) on their...
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Hear the tales of Naturaliste history film maker, Dave Riggs
What life is hiding on the sea floor? Naturaliste history film maker and Naturaliste Charters tour guide, Dave Riggs, will soon find out. “I’m in the process of sourcing camera systems that will be capable of withstanding water depth to at least 800 metres,” Dave says. “And when I do...
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Recording the Behaviour of the Earth’s Largest Creature with Pia Markovic
When you ask Naturaliste Charters marine biologist Pia Markovic what she loves most about Blue Whales, there’s no wavering when she answers. “Blue Whales are the largest animal on the planet – bigger than dinosaurs,” she says. “And learning more and more about them every day is both thrilling and...
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Pelagic Birdwatching with Daniel Mantle and Plaxy Barratt
Seabird guides Daniel Mantle and Plaxy Barratt say there’s something extraordinary about observing birds while at sea. “Watching seabirds mastering the strong oceanic winds is just about the pinnacle of birding for both us,” Plaxy explains. “The spray, the wind, the rocking boat… it’s magic.” The two pelagic birdwatchers are...
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Tracking Orcas at the helm with Captain Dundee
As soon as Captain Andrew Johnstone (better known as Captain Dundee), a Naturaliste Charters skipper with a huge smile, starts talking, you realise that you’re in for a treat. “We know around 150 of the whales we see each season personally,” he says. “After seven years in the Bremer Canyon...
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Video: Whale Watching in Western Australia is back!
It's official! Naturaliste Charters are back out on the water and they're seeing plenty of Humpback Whales! The start of the whale watching season in Margaret River has begun, with local operator Naturaliste Charters already operating tours out of Augusta in south-eastern Western Australia. Check out recent footage here: Hear...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: April 2020
Rainbow Lorikeet - Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours Image credit: Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours (via Facebook: @echidnawalkabout) Recommended tour: Great Ocean Road (3D/2N) Australian Sea-lions - Australian Coastal Safaris Image credit: Australian Coastal Safaris (via Facebook: @auscoastsafaris) Featured tour: Port Lincoln Wildlife Encounters (2D/2N) Common Wombat - The Maria Island Walk...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: March 2020
Killer Whale - Naturaliste Charters Image credit: Naturaliste Charters (via Facebook: @bremercanyonkillerwhaleexpeditions) Recommended tour: Bremer Canyon Killer Whale Expedition Eastern Grey Kangaroos - Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours Image credit: Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours (via Facebook: @echidnawalkabout) Recommended tour: Great Ocean Road (3D/2N) Emus - Australian Coastal Safaris Image credit: Australian...
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Q&A With Guides: Pia Markovic
Bremer Canyon supports one of the most astonishing aggregations of marine life anywhere on the planet and Pia Markovic has a daily front row seat as Naturaliste Charter's marine biologist! We caught up with Pia recently to find out more about her role researching some of the world's most incredible...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: February 2020
Kangaroo Island Kangaroo - Exceptional Kangaroo Island Image credit: Exceptional Kangaroo Island (via Facebook: @exceptionalkangarooisland) Exceptional Kangaroo Island came across a couple of local Kangaroo Islanders who seemed to be getting into the spirit of Valentine's Day! Recommended tour: Kangaroo Island In Style (2D/1N) Killer Whale - Naturaliste Charters Image...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: November 2019
Life on the Reef - Exmouth Dive and Whalesharks Ningaloo Image credit: Exmouth Dive and Whalesharks Ningaloo (via Facebook: @exmouthdiveandwhalesharksningaloo) The Ningaloo Reef provides magical marine encounters throughout the year! Recommended tour: Deluxe Whaleshark Swim (full day) - available from March 4 until August 31, 2020. Figbird with Young -...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: October 2019
Red-bellied Pademelons - The Maria Island Walk Image credit: The Maria Island Walk (via Facebook: @mariaislandwalk) Extinct on mainland Australia, these cute creatures are widespread in Tasmania and Maria Island! Recommended tour: The Maria Island Walk - available until April 30, 2020. Whale Shark - Exmouth Dive and Whalesharks Ningaloo...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: September 2019
Rainbow Lorikeet - Australian Coastal Safaris Image credit: Australian Coastal Safaris (via Facebook: @auscoastsafaris) South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula region is home to a diverse range of birds, none more stunning than the Rainbow Lorikeet! Featured tour: Port Lincoln Wildlife Encounters (2D/2N) Common Wombat - The Maria Island Walk Image credit: ...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: July 2019
Grey-headed Flying-fox - Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours Image credit: Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours (via Instagram: @echidnawalkabout_) The Grey-headed Flying-fox is one of many wildlife sightings available in the East Gippsland region of Victoria. Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours offer multiple tours which visit this region. Recommended tour: East Gippsland Wildlife Journey...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: May 2019
Buffalo - Lords Safaris Image credit: Lords Safaris (via Facebook: @lordssafarisnt) Lords Safaris encountered some Buffalo out on the Mary River floodplain, north of Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. These tours are conducted using airboats, which offer great access to a diverse range of wildlife including Saltwater Crocodiles,...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: April 2019
Here are some amazing April images across the Australian Wildlife Journey group! Flinders Ranges Sunrise - Arkaba Conservancy Image credit: Brooke Saward (via Instagram: @worldwanderlust) The Flinders Ranges region of South Australia is famous for its stunning landscapes as well as it's wildlife diversity. As part of the Arkaba Walk...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: February 2019
Take a look at some of our favourite posts from our members in February 2019: Orca - Naturaliste Charters Image credit: Michael Haluwana (via Instagram: @aeroture_aus) Naturaliste Charters get you face-to-face (literally!) with Orcas in the Bremer Canyon region of Western Australia! The season operates from January through to April,...
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Killer Whale Season Starts in Spectacular Fashion!
The 2019 Killer Whale season has officially commenced for the Naturaliste Charters team! The endless hours of preparing, the weeks of build-up and the hype for the season had the whole crew in knots as we made our way out of the harbour today. As we ventured toward the canyon...
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Naturaliste Charters & Boutique Wildlife Tours join AWJ
Australian Wildlife Journeys is pleased to announce that Naturaliste Charters from Western Australia’s southwest region and Boutique Wildlife Tours from the Southern Highlands, just south of Sydney, have joined the group. Since the collective launched in February 2017, the membership base has grown to 13 independently-owned wildlife operators across Australia....
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Four Incredible Places to Spot Baby Whales around Australia
As whale watching Australia goes, it doesn’t get much better than observing a mother interacting with her calf, particularly Humpback Whales, which are known as the showmen (and women!) of the whale world. From humpies to orcas, here are four incredible places to spot baby whales around Australia before they’re...