Bird Watching, Wildlife and Photography Tours in the Tropical North Queensland region.
Wild Watch offers the visitor an unparalleled opportunity to observe some of Tropical North Queensland’s unique wildlife in a diversity of habitats. With tours spanning elevations from coral cays within the Great Barrier Reef to highland tropical rainforest at over 1000 metres elevation.
This exceptional diversity of environments encompasses lowland, foothills, upland and highland rainforests, tall wet sclerophyll forest, dry sclerophyll forest, savannah, extensive wetlands, arable lands, mangroves, mudflats, inter-tidal zone and coral cays.
Of particular interest are the World Heritage listed rainforests which are considered to be one of the most ecologically rich and evolutionary significant sites in the world.
These restricted forests support a unique assemblage of flora and fauna, and contain the highest amounts of biological diversity and endemism within Australia.
Fifty-four vertebrate species are unique to the region, including five endemic possums and two species of tree kangaroos. The charismatic platypus is found throughout most of the region’s freshwater wetlands.
Tropical Bird Watching
The Tropical North Queensland region is internationally recognized as a major destination for birdwatchers from around the world.
Over half of Australia’s bird species have been recorded from the eleven distinct habitats which occur from the Great Barrier Reef to Highland Tropical Rainforest. Remarkably all within a 150 kilometre radius of Cairns! Twelve species are locally endemic to the region. Most of which occur in the highland rainforests of the Tablelands region. All are regularly recorded at Warrigal, our private highland rainforest preserve.
A 4-5 days fully accommodated/all-inclusive tour visiting a diversity of habitats at different elevations, usually averages about 200+ species; a single day 100+ species (full species list available).
Wild Watch Australia offers a wide range of bird watching, wildlife, plant and photography tours, either scheduled or tailor-made to suit your interests . Tours are usually fully accommodated and all-inclusive. However if requested tours can also be just guided only, either in vehicles approved for commercial tours or in the clients own vehicle. We offer trips for just one day to several days or even several weeks in duration. Destinations are either in the tropical north Queensland region or inter-state. Other destinations include the Northern Territory, Darwin, Kakadu/Litchfield NPs, Lamington NP, Tasmania, Victoria, the Grampians, Little Desert, Hattah-Kulkyne, Wyperfeld and South Australia etc.
All tours are led by experienced professional naturalist, Jonathan Munro.
The tropical North Queensland/Cape York and the Gulf Savannah regions. A wide range of destinations with a diversity of habitats are offered in this area. These certainly include Cairns, Daintree, Southern Tablelands; Atherton and Evelyn Tablelands/Cairns Highlands, Ravenshoe and the Misty Mountains. As well as Ingham, Lucinda, Halifax, Mission Beach, Moresby Range, Cooktown, Cape York/Lakefield/IronRange NPs, Valley of Lagoons, the Gulf Savannah, Georgetown, Normanton/Kurumba and Lawn Hill NP.
Some suggestions, which make the most economical and productive use of time in the tropical North Queensland and Cape York regions include the following:
Tropical North Queensland Fauna and Flora Tours with opportunities for photography.
Wildlife Tours include:
Platypus, Lumholtz’s and Bennett’s Tree-kangaroos, Kangaroos, rare Possums, Southern Cassowary, Golden, Satin, Great and Tooth-billed Bowerbirds at bowers, Victoria’s Riflebird, Reptiles and Amphibians, Butterflies and Dragonflies, to list just a few. Also included are visits to a number of quite different habitats and vegetation types at different elevations.
Habitats include:
Above all, the very best areas for viewing mammals/marsupials in Tropical North Queensland are the Misty Mountains/Ravenshoe, Southern Tablelands/Atherton and Evelyn/Cairns Highlands. These areas have the greatest diversity of habitats, landforms and elevations in Tropical North Queensland. The main populations of arboreal mammals occur above 900 metres elevation. They inhabit in the climax highland rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests of the Misty Mountains and Southern Tablelands.
To maximize the opportunity of seeing wildlife, timing, temperature and lighting situation are critical. Platypus are crepuscular and nocturnal. Therefore the very best time we will be able to observe them is very early morning around 6-7am before the sun reaches the water and before there are too many people moving around! They are relatively common and easy to find and see, providing certain procedures are observed. Possums and tree-kangaroos are also mostly nocturnal. We can often find Tree kangaroos in favourite trees during the morning, warming themselves after a cool/cold night. They disappear in to vine thickets as the day warms up and as a result are impossible to find. We will be able to best observed Kangaroos either early morning, late afternoon or early evening. Unlike the rarer arboreal marsupials which are mostly nocturnal and can be best observed with the aid of a spotlight during the night.