Birdwatching Australia - A directory of Cairns District birding information.

Jabiru Safari Lodge at Mareeba Wetlands lies in the heart of the 5000 acre Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve - a sanctuary for the wildlife of the Australian savanna and a haven for the nature lover.

African style tented safari cabins with en suite bathrooms and timber verandahs provide visitors with a touch of comfort whilst enjoying the sights and sounds of the Outback. Each tented cabin is fully insect screened with tea and coffee making facilities, queen and single beds, and self-catering BBQ facilities are provided for overnight guests as well as meals on the Lagoon Deck.

Guests at Jabiru Safari Lodge have exclusive access to the Reserve's 12km of self-guided walking trails and wildlife at dawn and dusk, (the Reserve has a bird species list of 222 as well as many mammal species) and may also join one of the many tours from the Interpretive Centre overlooking Clancy's Lagoon or hire a canoe. Sunrise and Sunset Wildlife Safaris operate daily in a specially-designed wildlife-viewing 4wd, as well as the bird focused 'Early Birders' or Private Guiding with a local expert. Jabiru Safari Lodge provides an ideal base from which to enjoy many of the Tableland attractions including local coffee plantations and wineries, the amazing regional birdlife, and is just an hour by car from Cairns or Port Douglas.

There is tariff all-inclusive of twin-share accommodation, meals, wildlife safaris and all activities or a B&B rate. The Reserve is managed by the Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland with income from sustainable tourism reinvested into the Conservancy's ongoing education, land management and conservation programmes. By visiting the Reserve you are contributing to the protection of Australia's precious natural heritage.

Web: www.jabirusafarilodge.com.au
Tel: +61 7 4093 2514
Email: info@wildlifequeensland.com.au

Rainforest Inn, Paluma

Paluma is about one hours drive North of Townsville . It is unique because of it's altitude (just under 1000 metres), rainforest and abundant birds.

Roy Mackay of Paluma, who records sightings of birds and other wildlife in the Paluma area, said recently that 202 species of birds have been sighted in Paluma.

Common sightings include Victoria's Riflebird, Macleay's Honeyeater, Satin Bowerebird, Chowchillers, Grey headed Robin, King parrots, Spotted Catbird and many more. Other birds in the area include the Golden Bowerbird, Cassowary, Buff Breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Lessor Sooty Owl, Bower's Shrike Thrush, Eastern Whipbird, Eastern Spinebill and Tooth-billed Bower bird.

Several rainforest walks are located in Paluma as well as lookouts with spectacular views of the coast and islands. The Rainforest Inn has a licensed Cafe/ Restaurant and motel style units.

The units are spacious and are AAA 3.5 star rated. they have reverse cycle air-conditioning and room service breakfast is available.

Our licensed restaurant is open daily, except Tuesdays, from 10am to 7.30pm. The menu features a variety of cakes, snacks, pizza, light meals and meals.

1 Mt Spec Rd, Paluma Qld 4816

phone 47708688
fax 47708655

E-mail rainforestinn@bigpond.com
website www.rainforestinnpaluma.com

Alligator Creek Bed and Breakfast, near Townsville

Alligator Creek Bed and Breakfast is a small solar-powered homestay on acreage just south of Townsville. We have built our gardens with birds in mind so attract visitors such as Red-winged Parrots, Blue-faced Honeyeaters and Forest Kingfishers within metres of the house. Our resident Bush Stone Curlews manage to raise a chick or two each year (despite the Lace Monitor's efforts at securing a meal) and we often have a Sunbird nest on the back patio. At night a cheeky bandicoot or two will sometimes visit, possum families come and go and there is always a Green Tree Frog to smile calmly at you, while Barking Owls and Large-Tailed Nightjars can often be heard.

Further afield we have constructed wildlife corridors and leave the paddocks and creek slopes to the birdlife and wallabies. The creek supports a family of turtles and of course attracts herons, egrets and spoonbills as well as Sacred Kingfishers.

Guests have a choice of cooked breakfast and can also enjoy home-baked bread and home-made jams made from our own pesticide-free fruit plus our lovely yoghurt and muesli. We support locavore principles in our food purchases and special diets are happily catered for. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast here or ask about a breakfast picnic so you can 'Breakfast with the Birds' in the National Park just 4 Km up the road - you might see a Noisy Pitta.
See the website for our birdlist and the many other birding opportunities nearby including Townsville Common, Ross River Dam and the Bowling Green Bay National Park.

http://www.alligatorcreekbedandbreakfast.com.au/pages/birding.php

helen@alligatorcreekbedandbreakfast.com.au

Bustard Downs

Bustard Downs comprises of over 200 acres of privately owned ex-tobacco growing farms, at Maryfarms, situated between Mt. Molloy and Mt. Carbine, on the Mulligan Hwy/Peninsula Development Road within easy access to Mt. Lewis, Julatten, Mt. Carbine, Lake Mitchell and is surrounded by Brooklyn Station.

Bustard Downs offers a variety of accommodation options from Camping with fire-place & facilities to king size beds at our crisp and clean Bed & Breakfast, to your own private self-contained Farm Cottage on the bank of the Mary Creek.

An excellent variety of inland bush and wet-tropic species to be found throughout the area and the property, including the Australian Bustard, Squatter Pigeon, Black, Black-shouldered & Whistling Kites, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Spotted Harrier, Blue- winged Kookaburra, Forest Kingfisher, Pale-headed Rosella, Red-winged Parrot, Rainbow Lorikeets, Rainbow Bee-eater, Red-browed (Firetail) Finch, Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, Australian Brush-turkey, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Lewin's, Blue-faced and Dusky Honeyeaters, Spangled Drongo, Black Bittern, Straw-necked Ibis, Masked Lapwing, Dollarbird, and Brown Goshawk.
We would love an avid birdwatcher to confirm a rare Red-Goshawk sighting.

Also see Agile Wallabies, Green Tree Frogs, starlit night-sky and perhaps a Dingo.
Get away from it all with no mobile phone service or Internet access.

Hosts: Jo Clark & Will Dixson
Address: 61-93 East Mary Road
MARYFARMS
Phone: 07 4094 3110 (Int. +61 7 4094 3110)

E: info@bustarddowns.com.au
Website: www.bustarddowns.com.au

Kuranda Birdwatchers' Cabin

Kuranda Birdwatcher' Cabin is located near Kuranda National Park in the Wet Tropics World Heritage rainforest in Far North Queensland, 30 minutes from Cairns International Airport and an easy walk from Kuranda Village.

The self-contained pole home cabin has a veranda and is laid out for 1 or 2 adults (fully equipped kitchen, en-suite, queen-sized bed). It is the only guest accommodation on the property, set well apart and screened from the main house. We offer privacy, tranquillity and undisturbed birdwatching and viewing of wildlife.

Being situated between Cairns and Mareeba you will have easy access to a multitude of attractions and activities between Cairns and Daintree and on the Atherton Tablelands.

Our property consists mainly of rainforest and there are a small pond and a permanent creek within metres of the cabin. Thus birdwatchers and naturalists can easily observe an abundance of birds, butterflies, frogs, mammals and reptiles. Regular visitors or residents are, for example,: Southern Cassowary, Victoria's Riflebird, Macleay's Honeyeater, Chowchilla, Red-necked Crake, Spotted Catbird, Noisy Pitta, Fig-parrots, Fruit-doves, Musky Rat-kangaroos, Striped Possums, Red-legged Pademelons, Amethyst Pythons, more than a dozen frog species, and, of course, Ulysses and Cairns Birdwing butterflies.

Elevation (approx. 400m above sea level) and rainforest setting result in a considerably cooler climate than in Cairns.

Please visit our website for further information: www.kurandabirdwatcherscabin.com.au

Email: info@kurandabirdwatcherscabin.com.au

25 Butler Drive
P.O. Box 1022, Kuranda, QLD 4881
Ph./fax.: 07 40939154, from outside Australia: +61 7 40939154

Michaelmas Cay trip from Cairns

Seastar conducts reef trips to Michaelmas Cay, one of the best cays in North Queensland for Frigatebirds, Boobies, Terns and Noddies. Daily departures, and as the Cay is a Marine National Park only a small section is open to the public and birdwatchers. However, if the tide is high enough the skipper of the Seastar will find time to take birdwatchers around the Cay in a dinghy to view the birds on the other inaccessible side.

Seastar is a fast, modern, air-conditioned catamaran. This will enable our passengers to enjoy two and a half hours free time at Michaelmas Cay. We will arrive first at Michaelmas cay with time to enjoy before the crowds arrive.

Then we travel onto Hastings Reef and also have another two and a half hours free time. We have a registration time of 7:30am with a departure time of 8.00am and we will return at 4.30pm.

The standard cruise is $165 per person with EMC/Port admin fee $15 p/p.

The standard cruise will include:

� Five hours at the reef

� Fast, modern, air-conditioned Catamaran

� Morning/afternoon tea

� Hot & Cold Buffet Lunch

� Reef Interpretation & guided snorkel tour

� Snorkel equipment & instruction

� Buoyancy Vest, Floatation Device, Wetsuit

� Glass Bottom Boat Tour

We are fully locally owned and family operated business.

Contact: Ph: 07 4041 6218 Fax: 07 4041 6349

Mareeba Wetlands Boat Cruise

For a truly peaceful experience it is hard to beat the boat cruise at the Mareeba Wetlands in the electrically operated Buralga. Sit back and watch the lilies float by, get up close and personal to the resident Jacanas and Pygmy-geese, and, for the lucky ones, a close up of the Freshwater Crocodiles! The cruise takes 30-40 minutes in the company of one of the Wetlands guides, and can be tailored to all ages and interests. Boat tours depart throughout the day from the timber Visitor Centre overlooking Clancy�s Lagoon, in the heart of the 5000 Reserve. The Mareeba Tropical Savannah and Wetland Reserve is located an hour from Cairns of Port Douglas, �where the outback begins�.

Web: www.jabirusafarilodge.com.au
Tel: 1800 788 755
Email: info@jabirusafarilodge.com.au

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Queensland-based Tour Operators and Tours

Kirrama Wildlife Tours, Japoonvale, south of Cairns.

Owner/operators, Klaus and Brenda Uhlenhut have offered fully accommodated birdwatching tours in tropical North Queensland since 1988, specialising on Cape York. This includes the highly popular 'Cape York Bird Week', a yearly event at the most northern point of Cape York Peninsula, and each year several tours to the remote, pristine rainforests of Iron Range.

Most tours are small (6 max.), personalised and packed with wealth of knowledge and experience of all the birds and other wildlife. On all tours we concentrate on the endemic and specials birds of each region.

Other visited areas include the Gulf and Mount Isa, and of course the local region around Cairns, the Atherton Tablelands and Mission Beach. Most tours begin and end in Cairns and suit both the experienced birder or the beginner.

Other tours lead to Northern Territory, Western Australia and to Papua New Guinea.

Please look at our tour itineraries on the web page. http://www.kirrama.com.au

Phone: (07) 4065 5181
International Phone: 61 7 40655 181

Email: info@kirrama.com.au

Sicklebill Safaris

Sicklebill Safaris arranges bird and wildlife orientated tours throughout Australia. We specialise in customised private tours for individuals and small groups. We have a number of tours available around Queensland including short local ones around our home base on the Atherton Tablelands to those going further afield to Cape York in the Far North, the Lamington Brisbane area in the south east and the Channel Country of the south west We also regularly visit most of the major birding areas in Australia including the Eastern Seaboard, The Northern Territory, Tasmania, Western Australia, and the desert and mallee regions of the south. Please visit our website at www.sicklebillsafaris.com for further information and feel free to contact us if you have any queries. We are happy to make suggestions and work with you to set up the best tour possible for your interests and budget.

Phil and Sue Gregory
Cassowary House, PO Box 387, Kuranda, Queensland 4881

Phone Intl: 61 7 4093 7318 Within Australia: 07 4093 7318
Fax Intl: 61 7 4093 9855 Within Australia: 07 4093 9855
Eddress: info@sicklebillsafaris.com

WILD WATCH AUSTRALIA with experienced professional naturalist, Jonathan Munro.

Personalised bird watching and wildlife excursions for individuals and groups. Excursions can be fully accommodated and are tailored to your interests. Destinations include Cape York, Lakefield and Iron Range, Georgetown and the Western Gulf Savannah, Darwin, Kakadu and Litchfield NPs, Lamington NP, Tasmania, Victoria and most other notable birding areas within Australia. Clients include well-known international birding companies, Audubon societies, university and zoo groups and film crews.

Please visit our web site for more details:

Wild Watch Australia
http://www.wildwatch.com.au

email: info@wildwatch.com.au
or      munro.jonathan@gmail.com.
or      jmunro@wildwatch.com.au
or      jmunro@austarnet.com.au

P.O. Box 707 , Ravenshoe,
Queensland 4888
Australia
Phone/fax: (07) 4097 6747 or 4097 7408
International: +(617) 4097 7408
Mobile : 0429 438 064

Gondwana Guides Based at Beechmont on the edge of Lamington National Park.

We offer full day and extended birding tours from the Gold Coast and Brisbane in South-east Queensland, including Lamington National Park, to a variety of habitats, including rainforest, mangroves, mudflats, wetlands, open forests and woodlands. We also run a 5 day (4 nights) tour to Lamington and Girraween National Parks during which over 200 species of birds can be seen. Customised short tours, longer tours and group tours can be organised anywhere in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Norfolk Island.
All tours are designed to suit the needs of the individual clients.

Scheduled birding tours in 2010 in association with Birding Services Brisbane to Western Queensland in June and the Northern Territory, Cairns region and Lamington NP in August. Tours to New Guinea and Namibia are scheduled for 2011.

Specialist bird watching interests e.g. photography, interpretive birding, twitching and focusing on particular bird groups are catered for.

We also sub-contract to other tour operators to lead specialised walking and wildlife tours.

All tours are conducted in an air-conditioned 4wd, with meals and accommodation provided where required. Chartered buses are used for larger groups. We hold all the required transport operators permits and licenses and permits to operate in national parks.

Our principal guide is Barry Davies, who has over 25 years experience as a bird watching, natural history, bushwalking and interpretive guide. In 2005 and 2009 Barry received the Australian EcoGuide of the Year Award from the Ecotourism Association of Australia. He holds advanced and wilderness first aid qualifications.

Gondwana Guides offers a friendly, personalised service and an unforgettable birding experience.

Please visit our website at www.gondwanaguides.com.au/Birdwatching.htm for more information
and contact us at info@gondwanaguides.com.au

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Interstate Tour Operators visiting Queensland

Australasian Ornithological Services Pty Ltd
Australian Ornithological Services (formerly Inland Bird Tours) started in Deniliquin in the southern Riverina area of N.S.W. 15 years ago.
The main focus of those tours was the Plains-wanderer. While the Plains-wanderer is still our flagship species we have increased our repertoire to include all States of Australia and New Zealand, specialising in difficult skulkers and nocturnal birds.
We are the inland specialists for serious birders. We endeavour to ensure that the whole group see the birds and not just a lucky few.

Tour leader, Philip Maher, is interested in all aspects of natural history.
The Strzelecki Track 2000 trip report and other trip reports can be found at:
http://www.philipmaher.com/main.htm

Patricia Maher Australian Ornithological Services P/L
P.O. Box 385
South Yarra Victoria 3141
phone/fax: +61 3 98204223
mobile 0417310200
Email: enquiries@philipmaher.com
http://www.philipmaher.com/

Birding Tours Australia Sydney and Newcastle. NSW. Australia.

Australia has about 780 endemic/migratory species and our tour area is home to over 300 of these at different times of the year.
Our 1 or 2 day tours are an excellent way of seeing many of Australia's unique bird species. Birding Tours Australia operates many different trips around Newcastle, The Hunter Valley and Sydney. We can also organise tours around New South Wales, anywhere in Australia or in fact anywhere around the world. All our tours can be conducted at a pace to suit your needs from relaxed to extreme, but all will concentrate on locating as many species as possible across various habitats.
The secret to several of our tours is the variety of habitats that we can take you to in a short period of time. We usually try to finish with an hour or two looking for the local night birds where ever we end up.
Birding tours - Australia is based in Newcastle, New South Wales, an easy 1.5hrs drive north of Sydney International Airport.

Brisbane Sydney OR Sydney Brisbane Tour.
This five day fully accommodated tour visits beautiful beaches, waterfalls, lakes, lush rainforest, high altitude forests, coastal heaths and eucalypt forest. As we travel down the coast we will see many fantastic birds and animals at a pace to suit you. This tour requires a minimum of two people.
(Excludes evening meals) Cost 5 days $1500 US. (Per Person)

Outback Queensland Tour
This tour Starts in Sydney and can finish in either Cairns, Brisbane or Sydney. This outback tour visits areas of desert, gibber plains, river systems and inland lakes. The birds in this part of Australia are different to those on the coast and some species we can expect to see include, Budgerigar, Gibberbird, Bourke's Parrot, Inland Dotterel, Letter-winged Kite, Pink Cockatoo, Cockatiel, Mulga Parrot, Mallee Ringneck Parrot, Spotted Bowerbird, Blue-bonnet Parrot, White-winged fairy Wren, Halls Babbler and many other species.
Cost 11days $2100 US (per person) This tour requires a minimum of two people.

For further information visit our website at www.birdingtours.com.au

Outback Track Tours Pty Ltd

Outback Track Tours has operated tours throughout Australia for over 30 years. We specialise in Australian remote outback tours for special interest groups such as: Birdwatchers, Bushwalkers, Botanists, Photographers, Artists as well as remote 4WD expeditions. Our guides offer specialist knowledge in flora, fauna and geology on each tour. Each year we have different tours, so it is worth checking back to our website to see what is on offer.

As well as a full schedule of departures each year, we can organise a custom made itinerary for groups. We can organise dates to suit you as we have access to many 4WD vehicles that can accommodate 2 – 50 people. Within our resources, we have access to camping and accommodation in many areas. We can provide local guides, and cooks along with our modern fleet of vehicles.

We work closely with many other organisations to create unique itineraries every year. These include ‘Birds Australia’, ‘Birding NSW’, ‘Australian Wildlife Conservancy”, We understand their needs and can accommodate them to suit their members. Often they require different tours every year, so it keeps us researching new areas to visit.

We have also managed numerous other groups, family groups, clubs and overseas groups, customising itineraries between 5 – 50 people. Those that choose to travel with us, choose to travel Australia with us!

For more information:

www.outbacktracktours.com

Contact details:

68 Whiting Street
Artarmon
NSW 2064

PH: +61 2 9439-3010
FAX: +61 2 9439-3050

email: resobt@aapt.net.au

Endemic Bird Tours Australia

Endemic Bird Tours Australia specialises in customised birdwatching tours throughout Australia. Our focus is to provide you with the most rewarding birding experience possible - whether you wish to see numerous species at a faster pace or fewer species at a gentler pace, we are here to arrange a tour that suits you.

We are based in the Hunter Valley (on the east coast of New South Wales, 2 hours from Sydney International Airport) though are able to arrange extended tours that take in the many unique birding areas around Australia, including the Top End, South-west WA, Queensland Wet Tropics, the arid interior and Tasmania. These are just examples of places we can take you – please tell us what you wish to see and we will customise an itinerary to suit you at very competitive prices.

With over 330 endemic species of birds, Australia is a country not be missed for seeing unique birds found nowhere else on Earth. Indeed, Australia is considered a world ‘hotspot’ of endemism, not only in terms of birds, but in biodiversity in general (for example Australia ranks as the country with the most endemic reptiles and mammals and second in terms of birds – only Indonesia ranks higher).

Keep in mind that we are not restricted to just birdwatching tours - we are able to show you many unique facets of the Australian environment. Please take a look around our website and feel free to contact us if you have any queries.

Contact:
Mick Roderick
61 2 4023 0322
61 421 761 237
info@endemicbirdtours.com.au or mickhhb@yahoo.com.au
www.endemicbirdtours.com.au

Birdwatching Clubs and Other Interesting Sites

A newsletter, Contact Call, is issued four times a year and regular field trips are organized at least once a month in the various regions. We have campouts at least twice a year where the emphasis is on fun as well as worthwhile projects which cater for all levels of expertise from beginner to professional.