Australia
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The Wildlife of Queensland & The Outback
Australia is an extraordinary continent with incredible landscapes, remarkable people and fantastic wildlife – most of which is unique to the Land Down Under. Australia is blessed with vast tracts of wilderness – from the rainforests of coastal Queensland to the temperate woodlands of Tasmania; from the arid deserts of the “red center” to the tropical wetlands of the far north; and from the warm seas of the Great Barrier Reef to the cold waves of the Southern Ocean. Once it broke away from Gondwanaland, Australia remained isolated and this isolation led to the evolution and specialization of many unusual lifeforms – the great majority of which are endemic to Australia with a few shared with neighboring New Guinea.
Most of us are aware of Australia’s unique mammals – the egg-laying monotremes like the Platypus and Echidna; and the pouched marsupials like kangaroos, Koalas and Tasmanian Devils. However, the birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates and plants found in Australia are also unique and varied.
EcoQuest Travel is proud to invite you to join us on this special wildlife odyssey to explore the Land Down Under. Australia is vast and no single trip can fully encompass the breadth of wildlife experiences Australia has to offer. With this in mind we have chosen to concentrate our efforts in two of the most diverse regions – Queensland and the Northern Territory. In Queensland, we will begin in the subtropical forests of Lamington National Park south of Brisbane and work our way north to the tropical rainforests of Daintree National Park lying just below the Cape York Peninsula. This part of the trip should provide some exciting experiences – stalking elusive Albert’s Lyrebirds in Lamington; finding Platypus in the clear streams of the Atherton Tablelands and searching for Southern Cassowaries in the dense forests of the Daintree just to name a few.
From Queensland we will fly to the “Top End” of the Northern Territory and the wonders of Kakadu National Park. This huge park filled with billabongs, eucalyptus woodlands and aboriginal rock-art sites will be a great way to end our trip. We will also offer a pre-trip extension to explore and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef at Lady Elliot Island. The Great Barrier Reef is spectacular with a dazzling diversity of marine life. Lady Elliot Island lies on the outer edge of the reef and as such is a great place to see pelagic species like Manta Rays mix with the denizens of the reef.
17-Day Natural History Trip Itinerary
with Optional Great Barrier Reef Pre-Extension
AUSTRALIA
The Wildlife of Queensland & The Outback
Day 1 & 2 – Saturday & Sunday, November 5 & 6: Home Cities to Los Angeles and on to Brisbane, Australia
Day 3 – Monday, November 7: Brisbane to Lamington NP
Days 4 & 5 – Tuesday & Wednesday, November 8 & 9: Lamington NP
Day 6 – Thursday, November 10: Brisbane to Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands
Day 7 – Friday, November 11: Atherton Tablelands
Day 8 -Saturday, November 12: Atherton Tablelands: Granite Gorge, Shared Earth Reserve & Kingfisher Park
Day 9 – Sunday, November 13: Mount Lewis, Mount Carbine & Maryfarms
Day 10 – Monday, November 14: To Daintree
Day 11 – Tuesday, November 15: Daintree National Park/Cape Tribulation
Day 12 -Wednesday, November 16: Daintree/Cape Tribulation to Cairns
Day 13 – Thursday, November 17: Departure for Darwin
Day 14 & 15 – Friday, Saturday & Sunday, November 18 – 20: Kakadu National Park
Days 16 – Sunday, November 21: Kakadu to Darwin and Darwin to Brisbane
Day 17 – Monday, November 22: Departure for the US
GREAT BARRIER REEF
Trip Pre-Extension
Days 1 & 2 – Wednesday & Thursday: Home Cities to Los Angeles and on to Brisbane, Australia
Day 3 – Friday : The Great Barrier Reef – Scenic Flight to Lady Elliot Island
Day 1 (of the main trip) – Saturday: Lady Elliot Island & the Great Barrier Reef
Day 2 (of the main trip) – Sunday: Lady Elliot Island and back to Brisbane
Please note that EcoQuest Travel will make every effort to adhere to this itinerary, but dates, times, activities and prices are subject to change depending on scheduling and availability.
Australia | freeworldmaps.com
