Marsupial and Bird Photography Safari

Tasmania - Private Tour

Day 1: Launceston. This morning is at leisure before you meet your private local guide at noon in the lobby of your accommodation or airport. Your  Tasmania adventure starts with a scenic drive to Hawley Beach or The Tamar Wetlands. Your guide will introduce you to the local fauna and flora, as you take the opportunity to spot wildlife along the way.

Accommodation: The Verge Launceston

Day 2: Cradle Mountain National Park. After breakfast, venture to the internationally acclaimed, UNESCO World Heritage Cradle Mountain Wilderness. Travel through lush rolling farm pasture before reaching the alpine bush of the Cradle Valley. Begin to unwind to the harmonic sounds found only in this true wilderness. Along the way, you may see birdlife species such as Forest Ravens, Currawongs and Wedge-tailed Eagles. In the late afternoon, visit Devils@Cradle Wildlife Sanctuary to gain insights about the world's largest carnivorous marsupial and witness the feeding of this unique species.

Accommodation: Cradle Mountain Hotel

Day 3: Cradle Mountain National Park: On a clear day the rugged grandeur of Cradle Mountain is reflected in the tranquil waters of Dove Lake, or you may experience the drama of its craggy peaks through swirling mist. This morning's activity is a bush walk in the National Park on the Dove Lake Circuit (2.5 hrs), where you will immerse yourself in the beauty of this majestic setting (weather-dependent) for optimal photographic opportunities. Along the way, learn about native flora and fauna with highlights including the ballroom forest and lakeside beaches. Enjoy an interpreted bush walk through the National Park among the Tasmanian rainforest and the native Pandani, the tallest heath plant in the world.

Accommodation: Cradle Mountain Hotel

Tasmania - Private Tour

Day 4: Mountain Valley Wilderness: Depart from Cradle Valley and travel to Mole Creek Karst National Park, for a tour of Marakoopa Caves. Explore this miraculous underground world with its glow worms, large caverns, rim pools and underground streams. You will then continue in the Leven Canyon region and to Mountain Valley Wilderness. Mountain Valley is a sanctuary for wildlife. This lost valley is home to many species of birds from tiny wrens to the Tasmanian subspecies of the Wedge-tailed Eagle, Masked Owl and the white morph of the Grey Goshawk. Eleven of the twelve Tasmanian endemic birds inhabit the reserve making it ideal for bird watching at any time of the year.

Accommodation: Mountain Valley Wilderness

Day 5: Mountain Valley & Tasmanian Arboretum. Start your day with a visit to the Tasmanian Arboretum. A large conservation land with an abundance of wildlife. You may have the chance to see the elusive platypus and many other species. After lunch, visit the Leven Canyon regional reserve. High-elevation alpine vegetation, fresh mountain air, well-maintained tracks and informational displays that educate you on Tasmania's wild flora and fauna await in this regional reserve. And it's a great way to photograph an entirely different landscape from the north coast. As darkness descends You will be visited at your door by wallabies (Pademelon), brushtail possums, as well as Tasmanian Devils and Quolls, both on the threatened species list.

Accommodation: Mountain Valley Wilderness

Day 6: Mountain Valley to Launceston or Hobart. This morning, leave the Mountain Valley area and travel back into civilization. The tour ends either in Launceston at around 1 pm or in Hobart at around 3 pm, before your flight to Melbourne.

Accommodation: Flexible Options Available*

East Gippsland - Private Tour

Day 7: RAMSAR Lakes. Depart Melbourne in the morning and venture east to the beautiful Lakes District in Gippsland. This region, protected by the International Ramsar Convention, is a key habitat for waterbirds such as Black Swans, Chestnut Teals, Australian Shelducks, Musk Ducks, and Fairy Terns. Next, you will board a ferry to Raymond Island, a sanctuary for native animals, where you will assist in setting up a wild koala research project; gathering data for a local conservation group, including tree species preference, behaviour, and koala identification.

As you walk through local forests, you may spot koalas, echidnas, Swamp Wallabies, Eastern Grey Kangaroos, parrots, honeyeaters, and seabirds. Driving through lush eucalypt forests, pristine estuaries, and white sandy beaches, you help the wildlife guide record species for conservation and keep a lookout for endangered Little Terns at their nesting sites.

Accommodation: Snowy River Homestead

Day 8: Rugged mountain forests of Australia's coastal wilderness. After a relaxing breakfast, travel into the rugged mountain forests of East Gippsland. This is one of the few regions in the world that has a large unbroken chain of forest stretching from the Alps to the sea. The abundance of wildlife is due to the diversity of these forests; from giant Alpine Ash forests, native cypress pines, Mountain Plum Pines to Shining Gum and Cut-tail Gums, many of the trees are hundreds of years old. You will have the opportunity to visit both dry and wet mountain forests, visit the famous Snowy River, and walk beside a wilderness creek where the landscape changes dramatically from dry slopes to fern-filled rainforest. Your Wildlife Guide will help you search for animals to photograph such as wallabies, Superb Lyrebirds, cockatoos, parrots, goannas and honeyeaters. Birds and reptiles are abundant, but other human visitors are few. Finish the day with a classic Aussie dinner at the Homestead.

Accommodation: Snowy River Homestead

East Gippsland - Private Tour

Day 9: Wilderness Coast. The day commences walking through large warm temperate rainforests in search of birds such as King Parrots, Eastern Whipbirds, Satin Bowerbirds, Eastern Robins, Golden Whistlers, Rufous Whistlers, Eastern Whipbirds and Flame Robins. You will then traverse through a heathland and along a forest-lined river to its estuary in Australia's Coastal Wilderness. This is an opportunity to spot White-bellied Sea Eagles, various parrots, Black Swans, Sacred Kingfishers, and huge goanna lizards including the Lace Monitor and Sand Goanna.

The next stop is a visit to a quiet beach with a complex dune system to observe beach and ocean-going birds, followed by a walk on the nearby rocky headland, peering into rock pools, walking past wind-sculpted coastal shrubs looking at the expanse of the 90-mile beach. Spend a little time on a beautiful beach removing old fishing nets that have washed up from the sea, that sometimes wash back out, where they trap and kill sea creatures. Dinner tonight is a picnic in the bush overlooking the beach (weather permitting). On your way back to the Homestead, search the plains for wallabies, kangaroos and wombats.

Day 10: Snowy River. Depart East Gippsland after one last visit to the beach at the Mouth of the Snowy River. On the way back to Melbourne, you will visit the Krowathunkoolong Keeping Place, an informative Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Bairnsdale that provides an opportunity to learn about how the Aboriginal people have lived amongst these captivating landscapes for thousands of years. Following this, venture to a river in Bairnsdale to spot Grey-headed Flying-foxes in their daytime roosts, before arriving in Melbourne for your flight to Adelaide.

Accommodation: Flexible Options Available*

Kangaroo Island - Private Tour

Day 11: Cygnet Valley and North Coast. After arriving on your flight from Adelaide, start by visiting Duck Lagoon, a freshwater habitat for ducks, swans, and other species, with stately red gums that attract pardalotes and honeyeaters. It's also a prime spot for spotting koalas. Continue to Cygnet Park, a private sanctuary focused on rewilding former pastureland into diverse wildlife habitats. You will then enjoy a delicious barbeque of fresh local fish, halloumi, and salad with a choice of local wines, followed by an exploration of the island's coastal landscapes aboard a Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures boat, offering photo opportunities of raptors, fur seals, and dolphins, with a seasonal "swim with" experience. Conclude the day at Stokes Bay Valley, photographing Kangaroo Island Kangaroos as they emerge to feed.

Accommodation: Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge

Day 12: Flinders Chase National Park. Start your day at a private wildlife refuge on Kangaroo Island, where you'll participate in conservation efforts for lesser-known native animals. As you travel west, spot Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos before enjoying a picnic lunch in the bush. At Flinders Chase National Park, explore Remarkable Rocks, Cape du Couedic, and Admiral's Arch, where you can photograph unique landscapes and a large fur-seal population. Finish your day by visiting the historic lighthouse precinct, featuring well-preserved Federation architecture and impressive stonemasonry.

Accommodation: Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge

Kangaroo Island - Private Tour

Day 13: Seal Bay & D'Estrees Bay. Your day begins at Seal Bay, where you'll photograph Australian sea lions basking on a white sandy beach, protected by offshore reefs and headlands. The beach is also frequented by hooded plovers, terns, and cormorants. Next, explore Murray Lagoon, the island's largest wetland, known for its diverse bush and water birds. Proceed to D'Estrees Bay, a sweeping beach with a marine meadow, where you can spot an active osprey nest at Point Tinline and enjoy reflections of roosting terns in a protected lagoon.

From November to March, the area attracts waders like Golden Plovers and Ruddy Turnstones, and surfers often frequent the bay for action shots. Conclude your day around American River, where the bushland is home to glossy-black cockatoos, galahs, and other vibrant birds. The shoreline hosts black swans, pelicans, and musk ducks, and late afternoon boat reflections in the channel offer excellent photography opportunities.