West Coast & Islands Birdwatching

Perth & Penguin Island - Shared Tour

Day 1: Perth. On arrival in Perth, you will be transferred by private vehicle to your downtown accommodation. 

Accommodation: Flexible Options Available*

Day 2: Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. Immerse yourself in the stunning Shoalwater Islands Marine Park on this captivating wildlife cruise. Departing from Penguin Island, you'll encounter dolphins, sea lions, cormorants, Australian Pelicans, terns and Osprey. Enjoy a 60-minute glass-bottom boat cruise, offering a glimpse into the vibrant underwater world of limestone reefs, seagrass meadows, and diverse marine life. Conclude your adventure with a 30-minute guided walk on Penguin Island, where you'll gain exclusive insights into the local Little Penguins, the island's breathtaking landscapes, and its rich natural history.

Accommodation: Flexible Options Available*

Christmas Island - Private Tour

Day 3-9: Christmas Island. After your flight from Perth to Christmas Island, you will be picked up by your private guide to commence your 7-night adventure with an orientation tour. You will discover the rich history, multicultural community and a diverse range of activities available on the island with a two-hour guided experience. Aside from covering the places of interest, suitable shopping and eating places, you will learn about the layout of the island, the history of settlement, subsequent developments and discussion of activity options according to your passions or interests.

Christmas Island Birdwatching is a 7-night inclusive package that features a range of tours designed to immerse you in the island's incredible landscapes, history, culture and of course wildlife! The order of the tours below can be adjusted according to your needs.

Accommodation: Villa Papaya

Nature Tour

Venturing through Jurassic rainforests, spotting a myriad of bird species and learning about the island's most famous clawed residents are the focus of this tour. Your first stop is The Dales, a highlight on the western side of the island which has been designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.

This network of seven watercourses is characterised by incredible forests, gorges and streams that are sourced from underwater caves that flow into the ocean. Natural springs weave through to a mystical rainforest, canopied by gigantic Tahitian Chestnut trees. This is a terrific opportunity to spot Christmas Island's endemic blue crabs, the Brown Gudgeon (the island's only native freshwater fish), herons, egrets, and tropicbirds.

The next stop is The Blowholes. Nowhere else on the island are the forces of nature so evident. You will feel the rhythmic waves, forcing water through the myriad of eroded cliffs that provide a theatrical experience. You will then head to the peace and tranquillity of Margaret Knoll to view the rugged coastline from above, giving us stunning views across the Eastern Coast of the island. This is a hotspot for seabirds including frigatebirds, Golden Bosuns and Brown & Red-footed Boobies.

Departures 9:00 am or 2:00 pm

Christmas Island - Private Tour

Full-day Twitch Tour

On this epic day of birdwatching, you will visit all the mainstay hangouts to identify as many of the endemic and regular visitors as possible with your expert local guide. The itinerary can be adapted depending on which species are on target lists and based upon the window of time guests are prepared to dedicate to finding unusual birds, especially if looking to build an Australian list.

Typical targets for the day include:

• Frigatebirds (Greater, Lesser, Christmas Island)
• Boobies (Brown, Abbott's and Red-footed)
• Tropicbirds (Red Tailed, White-tailed/Golden Bosun) 
• Emerald Dove and Imperial Pigeon
• Christmas Island Thrush & Christmas Island White-eye
• Common Noddy

We also look for the more elusive birds such as the Christmas Island Goshawk and any rare or visiting vagrants. To view the full Christmas Island bird list, please click here.

Full Day (7 hours)

Christmas Island - Private Tour

Hawk Owl Tour

The subject for this experience is one of Australia's rarest raptors, the endemic Christmas Island Hawk Owl. Measuring less than 30cm in height, this bird boasts extremely beautiful plumage and piercing large yellow eyes. These territorial birds only breed once per year, with a current population of approximately 1,200 individuals, placing them on the vulnerable bird list.

The best way to view the Christmas Island Hawk Owl is to go with your local expert guide who knows where this elusive species likes to hang out amongst the dense forests and coastal terraces.

Please note: rain during the day and into the evening can reduce chances of sightings and the tour may have to be cancelled/rescheduled at short notice.

Time: Dependent on the season and location of the owls
Schedule: Evening

Snorkelling tour (shared)

Snorkelling opportunities are plentiful and spectacular around Christmas Island, with this tour providing you the chance to see the incredible drop-offs, a war wreck and countless marine species. You will be mesmerised by the fringing reefs, with 90 coral species and 650 species, including parrotfish, surgeonfish, wrasse, butterflyfish, groupers, angelfish and reef sharks. Dolphins, turtles, Manta Rays and Whale Sharks can also be seen on an opportunistic basis.

Departures Thursday at 2 pm

Day 10: Perth. After your flight from Christmas Island, you will be transferred to your Perth accommodation.

Accommodation: Flexible Options Available*

Bremer Bay - Shared Tour (December - late April)

Day 11: Perth & Albany. Take your flight to the beautiful coastal city of Albany. Stroll through the historic maritime town of Albany, discovering convict jails, old taverns, whaling ships, settlers' cottages, and grand National Trust homes. Later, unwind at one of the area's beautiful beaches like Middleton Beach or Salmon Beach. In the afternoon, visit Torndirrup National Park to witness the Indian Ocean clashing with blowholes and rock formations, especially at 'The Gap

Accommodation: Flexible Options Available*

Day 12: Bremer Canyon. Today, you will explore the Bremer Canyon, one of the most sought-after whale watching expeditions across the globe, with over 100 Killer Whales (Orcas) returning to the submarine canyon each year from December to April. This is the only place in Australia where you can regularly encounter Killer Whales in the wild.

After an early morning transfer from Albany, you will board the Naturaliste Charter's long-range expedition vessel purpose-built for the Southern Ocean, ready for an 8:30 am departure. From Bremer Bay, the landscape of scenic bays and cliffs along with sparkling turquoise waters will shortly give way to the deep blue expanses of the Southern Ocean.  On departure, guests should keep an eye out for dolphins, Australian Sea-lions and numerous seabirds.

The expert crew will commence an exciting and informative multimedia presentation, delving into the Killer Whale's biology and ecology, as well as information about the other marine life the expedition is likely to encounter. After a journey of approximately 1.5 hours, the vessel will arrive in the Bremer Canyon area, one of the most amazing marine environments on earth, where guests will commence the search for the apex predator in the ocean, the Killer Whale.

The Bremer Canyon is a pelagic birdwatcher's dream, with an astonishing array of seabirds. Large swirls of Flesh-footed Shearwaters often indicate the presence of Orcas, and other common seabirds include Wilson's and White-faced Storm-Petrels, Great-winged Petrels, Indian Yellow-nosed, Black-browed, Shy, and the mighty Wandering Albatrosses. Furthermore, if guests are lucky enough that the Orcas have made a kill, the large oily slicks generated from these predation events can attract hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of seabirds to feast on the scraps.

Bremer Bay is the only Australian pelagic location that semi-regularly reports Barau's Petrels, whilst other summer rarities have included Cory's and Great Shearwaters, Cook's and Pycroft's Petrels, and Chatham and Amsterdam Albatross. Such rare sightings are the exception rather than the rule, but there are still many learnings due to this area being new to science and tourism.

On arrival back to the marina, drive to the delightful town of maritime town of Albany.