September 8 22, 2017 866.900.1146 800.426.7781 520.558.1146 naturalistjourneys@gmail.com www.naturalistjourneys.com or find us on Facebook at Naturalist Journeys, LLC
All of Australia is incredibly unique, but few have explored its western side. Whether it s your first trip to see iconic kangaroos and wallabies, or a return to see the other half of the continent, this trip is a winner. We spend our tour looking for birds and mammals in varied and spectacular landscapes as spring emerges. Our journey with local birding and nature experts and guide Greg Smith starts in Australia s Top End at tropical Darwin, centrally located on Australia s northern coast. Explore monsoon woodlands and mangrove forests to see the first of many Australian endemics. Indeed, almost half of Australia s plants and animals are found nowhere else on Earth! Close by is spectacular Kakadu National Park, prized for its contrast of desert and lush wetlands, as well as Aboriginal culture. See the dramatic Arnhem Land Escarpment and discover the flora, fauna, and endemic birds of the region. Witness the return of thousands of Asian shorebirds to Broome, the shorebird capital of Australia. Experience the unique plants and wildlife of the Southwest s heath scrub and tall eucalyptus forests, including several notable endemics. Join us for an optional post-tour extension to Adelaide s wine country and museums, followed by a visit to Kangaroo Island to find penguins, numerous nature reserves, and stunning coastal rock formations! If you re interested in extending (pre- or post-tour) to other areas of Australia, Tasmania, or Daintree for example, we are happy to set that on an independent basis, with lodges and guiding. Tour Highlights Enjoy a relaxing harbor cruise and onboard lunch accompanied by great birding in tropical Darwin Explore ancient Aboriginal rock art galleries that are centuries old in Kakadu National Park Spend four days exploring the remote Kimberley s rugged landscapes and fascinating wildlife Take a two-hour flight over the awesome Bungle-Bungles Immerse yourself in the spectacle of thousands of shorebirds in Broome Discover the unique habitats of Perth and Australia s scenic South Coast, ranging from dry scrub to lush Eucalyptus forests; find Jarrah and Karri trees, the tallest flowering plants on Earth Observe Thrombalites: rock formations actually made of colonies of micro-organisms, the oldest living life-form in the world Tour Summary 14-Night / 15-Day Australian Birding & Natural History Tour with Greg Smith & Local Experts $6350 (includes internal flights), from Darwin, departing Perth Arrival Airport is Darwin International (DRW), Departure Airport is Perth International (PER)
Itinerary Fri., Sept. 8 Arrival in Darwin, Australia Today is arrival day! Plan to arrive in Darwin, the capital city of Australia s Northern Territory, by mid-day. Our recommended flight route is through Melbourne, a flight that lands at dawn, then connects to an 8:00 AM flight to Darwin, arriving at 11:00 AM. However, if you wish to arrive in Australia early to explore Sydney or other areas, it is easy to get a flight to Darwin to join the group by mid-day. To help us stay awake and change our clocks around, we enjoy a relaxing welcome lunch aboard a Darwin Harbor cruise while catching our first looks at Whiskered Tern, Brown Booby, and White-bellied Sea-Eagle. We then have the remainder of the day to rest up and explore this small, tropical city, where we see our first Australian land birds. The outdoor market in the suburb of Parap is a fascinating mix of a typical Aussie market infused with a heavy dose of Southeast Asian influence. As many are tired from travel and just want a quick bite before bed, dinner is at your leisure at the hotel tonight room service may be just right! Accommodations: Palms Resort (L) Sat., Sept. 9 Darwin Area We get an early start birding around tropical Darwin and its monsoonal and mangrove forests, but first, a quick check for seabirds from East Point. Then we are off to the nearby mangrove-lined sections of the bay in Charles Darwin National Park. The park has over thirty species of mangrove and is home to one of Darwin s most sought-after birds, the large Chestnut Rail, a mangrove specialist that can be very elusive. There are several other mangrove inhabitants we search for, including Mangrove Robin, Mangrove Grey Fantail, Broadbilled and Shining Flycatchers, and Mangrove Golden-whistler. After lunch we drive to the Darwin Botanic Gardens to explore the fascinating plants that are found in this far north section of the country, many of which are endemic. Birds that we may see are probably new to most of our group and include: Yellow (Australasian) Figbird, Yellow Oriole, Silver-crowned Friarbird, Little Friarbird, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Rainbow (Red-collared) Lorikeet, Blue-winged
Kookaburra, Red-backed Fairy Wren, Rainbow Bee-eater, Red-headed Honeyeater, and Double-barred Finch. Black Flying Foxes have a colony in the gardens and we look for this interesting fruit eating bat. Accommodations: Palms Resort (B,L,D) Sun., Sept. 10 Kakadu National Park Fogg Dam / Mamukala Billabong / East Alligator Area After breakfast, we start our drive to the south east and Kakadu National Park! Fogg Dam is one of the top 100 birding locations in Australia and boasts over 230 species. With two trails/boardwalks and two viewing platforms, we get stunning looks at some of the area s tropical waders. Today also includes a stop at the world-class Mamukala Billabong (wetlands)! The short walk to the bird hide (blind) gives us an opportunity to find and view Red-backed Fairywren, Paperbark Flycatcher, Lemon-bellied Flyrobin, and groups of Agile Wallaby. From the shade-covered hide, water birds such as the Comb-crested Jacana, Magpie Goose, two species of whistling-ducks and Radjah Shelduck should be easy to view. With so many different areas to bird in the East Alligator area, our next stops are your guide s choice (based on interactions with local wildlife specialists). This could include the Rainforest Walk looking for Rainbow Pitta and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, or maybe the Baradiliji Track (through sandstone formations), an area that Black Wallaroo, Mornbil (Torres Strait Pigeon), and Ngalarrangailarra (Short-beaked Echidna) call home. There are numerous other locations here to explore and view Jabiru, look for the endemic Brown-quilled Pigeon, and the ever-present Australian Crocodile! Our final stop for the day is at Ubirr, one of the two major Aboriginal rock art sites in Kakadu. The wildlife paintings are just stunning, and we take a look for Short-eared Rock Wallabies, but our other goal is to experience the tropical sunset over the Arnhem Land Escarpment from Nadab Lookout. This view is well documented by photographers around the world and is a wonderful place to finish our day. Accommodations: Jabiru Crocodile Hotel (B,L,D) Mon., Sept. 11 Kakadu National Park / Aboriginal Rock Art / Nourlangie / Yellow Water Billabong We just can t be this close to the Mamukala Billabong without one more stop to see if anything new dropped in since our last visit, so a short walk back out to the hide should give us a look at any newcomers.
Burrunggui (Nourlangie Rock) is on the edge of the Arnhem Land Escarpment and is well-known for its Aboriginal rock art. Short hikes get us into these sites, all while we look for Badbong (Short-eared Rock Wallaby), Black Wallaroo, Whitelined Honeyeater, Banded Fruit-Dove, and the tightly endemic Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon. Afterwards we walk into the nearby Anbangbang Billabong to search for Bush-Stonecurlew, Green Pygmy-goose, and Royal Spoonbill, among many other water birds. We continue to bird this area until we head off towards Cooinda and the Warradjan Cultural Center. Warradjan (named after the Pig-nosed Turtle) Aboriginal Cultural Center is where we can pull together the traditions, rock art, cultural, and natural history from our experiences over the past three days. An important learning center, we take some time to explore the exhibits, then head south to Cooinda. Cooinda, where we overnight, is in the South Alligator drainage and home to the Yellow Water Billabong. We spend the late afternoon on a boat tour of the billabong, the toprated birding site in Kakadu National Park. With many Australian Saltwater Crocodiles present, it is amazing just how abundant the different water bird species are. As we watch the sunset, we should see Black Bittern, Plumed Whistling Duck, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Azure and Little Kingfishers, and more during this two-hour cruise. Accommodations at Cooinda (B,L,D) Tues., Sept. 12 Kakadu National Park / Termite Mounds / Katherine This is our final day in the park as we make our way out the south road toward Katherine. In the southern part of the park we stop to admire giant termite mounds, some about eight feet high. These become a common site as we near Katherine. There are also smaller magnetic mounds, which, fascinatingly, all face the same direction, much like a compass. Learn more about spinifex termites and their complex societies; look for Hooded Parrot that excavate nests into the mounds; watch for Tree Goanna (large monitor lizards), Lace Monitor Lizard, Australian Kingfisher; and other species that can also be found using the mounds for foraging and nest sites. Depending on weather and temperatures, we may stop at the Gunlom Campground to look for Galahs and cockatoos.
Options for the day include doing one of the short Yurmikmik hikes to look for Antilopine Wallaroo and Gouldian Finch, or birding around Pine Creek and Katherine for Hooded Parrot and Red Goshawk on our way to tonight s lodging in Katherine, gateway to the Kimberley region. Accommodations in Katherine (B,L,D) Wed., Sept. 13 & Thurs., Sept 14 Katherine / Emma Gorge / The Kimberly Region From Katherine, we head across to Western Australia and the Kimberley, birding along the way. We overnight for the next two nights at Emma Gorge, both scenically beautiful and a good center to explore and discover the birds and other wildlife of the region. Species we hope to see over our three days here include Kimberley Flycatcher, the beautiful (but elusive) Purple-crowned Fairy-wren, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Australian Bustard, Silvercrowned Friarbird, Yellow-tinted and Bar-breasted Honeyeaters, Sandstone Shrike-thrush, the brunnea race of the Grey Shrikethrush, Northern Fantail, Great Bowerbird, Horsfield s Bushlark, Zebra, Masked, and Star Finches, Pictorella and Chestnut-Breasted Mannikins, Brolga, and some ten species of raptors. We could also find Diamond Dove, Crested and Spinifex Pigeons, ten species of parrots and cockatoos, the huge Channel-billed Cuckoo, Common Koel, Pheasant-Coucal, Barking Owl, Dollarbird, and many others. Reptiles including pythons, goannas, and frill-necked lizards, and we search for mammals like Rock Wallabies, Agile Wallabies, and Dingos. Accommodations: Emma Gorge (B,L,D) Fri., Sept. 15 Emma Gorge / Kununurra We continue to discover the Kimberley and its fascinating fauna and flora today, via both short drives and walks. Eventually we head back to civilization in the town of Kununurra, which we visited briefly on Wednesday, where we overnight. Accommodations in Kununurra (B,L,D)
Sat., Sept. 16 Emma Gorge / Flight Over the Bungle Bungles / Broome We start the morning with an early boat cruise on the Ord River, which offers the best chance to see many wading and water-loving birds up close. We then enjoy a tour highlight: a two-hour flight over the Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park. Our high-wing aircraft allows for great views and photo opportunities. After this excitement, we take a short flight to Broome, on the west coast, arriving at 2pm. Plan to catch a quick lunch on your own at the airport so your guides can facilitate the check-in. We then have the afternoon to bird the famous beach flats of Roebuck Bay, one of the richest shorebird areas in the world, and the best in Australia. We re here in the middle of migration! The beach basically runs north-south, and the sun will be behind us for our shore birding. After the flats we spend time watching the fruit bats depart from their roost in the mangroves from our hotel. We then have dinner at a popular brew-pub where we can slake our dusty throats with a variety of beers and ciders. Accommodations: Mangrove Resort Hotel (B,D) Sun., Sept. 17 Broome / Perth Broome is the shorebird capital of Australia; Roebuck Bay has the greatest diversity of shorebird species of any site on the planet around 150,000 of these birds visit annually. We have most of the morning to look for up to 18 species of shorebirds on the incoming tide along the north shore. Among the more likely shorebirds are Lesser and Greater Sand-plovers, Red-capped Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler, Far Eastern Curlew, Blackand the non-stop flyer from Alaska, the Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Broad-billed and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, and Red-necked Stint. Little, Gull-billed, Caspian, and Lesser-crested Terns should also be about. In the afternoon, we can concentrate on land birds and the birds of the nearby mangroves. In these and adjacent scrub we look for Singing Honeyeater, the local version of Brown Honeyeater, White-throated Gerygone, Olivebacked Oriole, Australian Yellow White-eye, Brush Cuckoo, Tawny Frogmouth, Red-headed Myzomela,
Dusky Gerygone, Mangrove Fantail, Little Bronze-cuckoo, Broad-billed Flycatcher, and White-breasted Whistler. Mammals we may find include Northern Nailtail Wallaby, Greater Bilby, and out to sea, the Australian Snubfin Dolphin. We have a day room(s) available to store our bags and clean up after our day s birding before we transfer to the airport and at 6:50 PM flight south to Perth, arriving at 9:30 PM. Accommodations in Perth: Hyatt Regency or similar (B,L,D in flight) Mon., Sept. 18 Perth / Wildflower Splendor / Search for Numbat / Cheynes Beach Today we head south for a very different wildlife and scenic experience. Southwest Western Australian has a Mediterranean climate, and ranges from dry scrub to lush Eucalyptus forest, supporting some of the tallest flowering plants in the world, the mighty Jarrah and Karri trees. It s also the start of the wildflower season in the south, so ground and bushes should be showing their colors. On the way south we stop at a small reserve set up to protect one of Australia s most unusual mammals, the Numbat. Not only is it an ant/termite-eating marsupial, but it is also completely diurnal, rare for Australian mammals. We also have the potential to pick up several new birds here, including Western Rosella, Red-capped Parrot, Carnaby s Black Cockatoo, Rufous Tree-creeper, Blue-breasted Fairy-wren, Inland Thornbill, White-browed Babbler, Red-capped Robin, Shining Bronze-cuckoo, Western Thornbill, and the western form of the Golden Whistler. After the reserve, we continue down to the coast to overnight in a small fishing and vacation community, keeping an eye out along the way for new birds. Our accommodations tonight are simple cabins in a small campground, wonderfully located next to the best area in the region for several endemics. There s usually a pretty tame Western Grey Kangaroo or two around the park, too. Accommodations: Cheynes Beach Caravan Park (B,L,D) Tues., Sept. 19 South Coast Endemics & Whales
This morning we concentrate on finding several rare and endemic birds that can only be found in this immediate area: Noisy Scrub-bird, Western Whipbird, and Western Bristlebird. The low heath vegetation is very thick and offers dense cover for the birds, so views can often be frustratingly fleeting. But with time and patience we do hope to spot them; the main technique is to watch and wait for a bird to pop out and hopefully cross a road or track. Often seen here are Sooty Oystercatcher, Western Wattlebird, Brush Bronzewing, Western Spinebill, New Holland Honeyeater, Red-eared Firetail, and Red-winged Fairy-wren. We keep an eye out on the beach for Pacific Gull, White-bellied Sea-eagle, and Australasian Gannet, and out to sea for Brown Skua and Flesh-footed Shearwater. Our day is spent on a bay that is home to Southern Right and Humpback Whales during the southern winter; females bring their calves here to grow fat before their journey south to more southern waters for summer. Although late in the season, with luck some still remain. During the afternoon, we drive the back roads in this coastal stretch looking for carnivorous plants such as the rare endemic Albany Pitcher Plant and numerous grass orchids. This area is short (in stature) eucalyptus scrub and has some other unique plants and communities. We visit at peak time for Banksia blooms a genus endemic to Australia with some amazing flowers. Spotted Pardalote, Crested Shriketit, and at least four species of fairy wren are present within these sandy corridors. Accommodations: Cheynes Beach Caravan Park (B,L,D) Wed., Sept. 20 South Coast / Inland in Search of Parrots & Their Relatives This morning we head west, taking an inland detour for the two endemic Black Cockatoos: Carnaby s and Baudin s. Western Corella, a distinct species from the more common eastern bird and the more widespread Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, can also be found. The two endemic cockatoos are tricky to separate, however their voices are a great help. Along with the cockatoos we hope to see Regent Parrot, Port Lincoln Parrot, Western Rosella, Purplecrowned Lorikeet, Gilbert s Honeyeater, Australasian Raven, and Western Gerygone.
We head back closer to the coast to spend the afternoon and night in the tall Jarrah forest, continuing our search for the southwestern birds, including Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Striated and Spotted Pardalotes, White-browed Scrubwren, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Gay Butcherbird, Western form of Australian Magpie, Tree Martin, and other swallows, herons, and ducks. We hope for a good show of orchids and wildflowers. We also check the bush at night for both Brush-tailed and Western Ringtailed Possums. Accommodations in the Pemberton area (B,L,D) Thurs., Sept. 21 Pemberton / Perth From the forest we head towards the west coast, slowly making our way north through a variety of habitats as we continue to look for a variety of species. Since we are in one of Australia s prime wine and food areas, we take advantage of both over a late lunch. Further north we stop at Yalgorup National Park to observe Thrombalites, a kind of Stromatolite. Although for hundreds of years these formations were thought to be rocks, it was eventually discovered they are actually colonies of micro-organisms, the most ancient lifeform in the world, originating some 3.5-billion years ago. Eventually we reach Perth and overnight. Tonight we have a farewell dinner to celebrate our two weeks in the west of Australia, and have a final tally of our wildlife lists. Accommodations: Hyatt Regency (B,L,D) Fri., Sept. 22 Perth / Departures or Kangaroo Island & Adelaide Extension For those returning to the US today, this is a free day to explore Perth, as most flights for Sydney and on to the US depart around 11:00 PM. However, this is a bonus! There are a number of things to do and see in this jewel of a city, including visiting the native botanic gardens of King s Park, or making a stop at Rottnest Island, home to hundreds of extremely tame Quokkas, an endemic, small wallaby. Hate to go? We invite you to stay on in
Australia to explore Adelaide and Kangaroo Island with us on a post-tour extension. If you do choose to stay on, we fly to Adelaide this morning. (B) Kangaroo Island & Adelaide Extension September 22 26, 2017 This is a five-day independent option with local guides, with two nights on Kangaroo Island and two nights in Adelaide. Fri., Sept. 22 Perth / Adelaide / Kangaroo Island For those that choose to continue on the extension, you transfer to the airport for a 9:30 AM flight to Adelaide, arriving at 2:50 PM. At 5:25 PM you take the short 30-minute flight to Kangaroo Island, arriving at 6:00 PM. You are met on arrival and transferred to your hotel that has lovely views of the mouth of the American River entering Ballast Head Harbor, one hundred yards away. The small hotel is surrounded by bush, and birdsong is your morning wake-up call. Echidnas, wallabies, and koalas may also be seen here. Tonight and tomorrow night, a flashlight might reveal a local Brush-tailed Possum in the trees. Accommodations on Kangaroo Island (B,L in flight,d) Sat., Sept. 23 Eastern Island / Wildlife Touring Sunrise is at 6:00 AM this morning, so a wander around the nearby bush likely reveals several species of birds and perhaps a kangaroo or two, and possibly even a koala. After breakfast, local guides pick you up at your hotel for a day of wildlife touring, concentrating on the eastern end of the island. As well as koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, and walking among sea-lions on the beach, you look for the island s birds that include Black Cockatoo and colorful fairy wrens. Lunch is a lovely picnic in the bush, and after more wildlife watching you are returned to your hotel in the early evening. Accommodations on Kangaroo Island (B,L,D) Sun., Sept. 24 Flinders Chase National Park / Adelaide Today, explore the western end of the island and Flinders Chase National Park. Wildlife should include Echidnas, fur seals, Cape Barren Geese, a variety of colorful honeyeaters, and Australian Robin. Once again, lunch is a delicious bush picnic. After today s many wildlife discoveries you return to the airport for your short 6.30 PM flight to Adelaide, arriving at 7:05 PM. Your lodgings for
the next two nights are in a well-located hotel, which is a very short walk from shops, restaurants, and Adelaide s best attractions. Accommodations in Adelaide (B,L,D) Mon., Sept. 25 Adelaide Today you are free to explore Adelaide, a small city located on the banks of the Torrens River. We do suggest a stop at the South Australian Museum, with its superb collection of Aboriginal material, the largest in the country. The small art gallery next door has art ranging from the earliest English painters of the Australian landscape to modern artists. The interpretation of the country by English artists compared to the later reflections of the actual Australian light and terrain is worth seeing. Tandanya, The National Aboriginal Cultural Centre, supports current Aboriginal artists and craftspeople, exhibiting their work and assisting in their development. Adelaide is at the gateway to many of Australia s best wine districts, and it is also famous for its produce, so make sure you take advantage of both. For those interested in wine, an optional cost day-tour through the Barossa or Adelaide Hills wine districts can be arranged. You may wish to add on more days! Accommodations in Adelaide (B) Tues., Sept. 26 Adelaide / Gateway City / Flights Home You have an early start this morning as you fly to either Sydney or Melbourne, then on to Los Angeles or your home city. Due to the Dateline, you recover the day you lost on the way out, arriving back in the US early this same day. (B) Plan Ahead! Protect yourself with Allianz Travel Insurance. In 2017, Naturalist Journeys will pay 50% of your carbon offset fee for air travel. Cost of the Journey The cost of this journey is $6350 DBL / $SGL please inquire, from Darwin, Australia, departing Perth, Australia, based on double occupancy. Cost of the post-tour extension is $1790 DBL / $SGL please inquire. If you would like to book a pre-trip hotel in Darwin, we can reserve one for you please let us know. All pricing is calculated on the exchange rate on Google.com. If a significant shift in this rate occurs we will need to adjust tour pricing accordingly, up to the time that final payment is made. As of January 9, 2017: 1 USD = 1.37 AUD Cost of the Journey The tour costs include: all accommodations, most meals as specified in the itinerary (B=breakfast, L=Lunch, D= dinner), professional guide services, ferry and boat day-tour fees, park and program entrance fees, internal flights (main tour only) and miscellaneous program expenses. Tour does not include: round-trip transportation from your home city to Darwin. It does not include optional activities or items of a personal nature such as laundry, luggage porterage, telephone charges, maid gratuities, or beverages from the bar.
Group Size Maximum of 12, minimum of 5 persons. Tour and extension prices are based on a group size of 6 persons, with fewer than 6, a small group surcharge (typically $100 $300) may apply. Photo Credits Australian Sunset, Greg Smith (GS); Blue-faced Honeyeater, Naturalist Journeys Stock (NJS); Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Alex Vargo (AV); Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, NJS; White-bellied Sea Eagle, GS; Flying Fox, AV; Spotted Pardalote, GS; Brown Booby, Peg Abbott (PA); Kookaburra, Lynn Feryus (LF); Australian Shelduck, PA; Freshwater Crocodiles, Ray Mendez; Black Swans, PA; Alex Vargo and Lynn Feryus, PA; Australian Botanic Garden Close Up, PA; Bungle Bungles, courtesy Tourism Western Australia (TWA); Emma Gorge, courtesy TWA; Cockburn Range, courtesy TWA; Banksia coccinea, GS; Birding Perth, LF; Pelican, NJS; Tawny Frogmouth, AV; Numbat, courtesy TWA; Western Grey Kangaroo, NJS; Cheynes Beach, PA; Black-faced Cormorant, GS; Southern Right Whale, AV; Australian Magpie, GS; Baudin s Cockatoos, PA; Echidna, AV; Koala, AV; Australian Forest Photo Op, PA.