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, Golden, Satin, Great and Tooth-billed Bowerbirds at bowers, Victoria’s Riflebirds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Butterflies and Dragonflies.
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. Including 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. As Platypus are crepuscular and nocturnal, the very best time to observe them is very early morning around 06:00-07:00am. In other words before the sun reaches the water and before there are too many people moving around! They are relatively common and therefore easy to find and see, providing certain procedures are observed. Possums and tree-kangaroos are mostly nocturnal. Tree kangaroos can also be found in some locations sleeping 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 are impossible to find. Kangaroos are best observed either early morning or late afternoon or early evening. The rarer arboreal marsupials are mostly nocturnal and are best observed with the aid of a spotlight.
Tablelands and Misty Mountains Wildlife Tour
Fully accommodated 3-days/2-nights.
Areas includes:
spotlighting at Warrigal Highland Rainforest Preserve.
Species include:
Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Common Wallaroo, Pretty-face Wallaby, Agile Wallaby, Swamp Wallaby, Mareeba Rock-wallaby, Red Legged Pademelon, Rufous Bettong, Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo, Musky-Rat-kangaroo, Platypus, Spectacled Flying-fox (fruit bat), Lemuroid Ringtail Possum, Herbert River Ringtail Possum, Green Ringtail Possum, Common Ringtail Possum, Striped Possum, Coppery Brushtail Possum, Longtailed Pygmy-possum, Feathertail Glider, Fluffy Glider, Greater Glider, Sugar Glider, Squirrel Glider, Northern Brown Bandicoot, Long-nosed Bandicoot, Red-legged Pademelon, Swamp Wallaby, Rufous Bettong, Northern Leaf-tailed Gecko, Chameleon Gecko, Pink-tongue Lizard, Boyd’s Forest Dragon, Eastern Water Dragon and nocturnal birds etc
Nocturnal Wildlife ‘Spotlighting’ Tour
Fully accommodated (1-night) or afternoon and evening with pick-up from Tablelands only.
Areas include:
The main populations of arboreal mammals occur above 900 metres elevation in primary rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests of the Misty Mountains and Southern Tablelands.
Species include:
Lemuroid Ringtail Possum, Herbert River Ringtail Possum, Green Ringtail Possum, Common Ringtail Possum, Striped Possum, Coppery Brushtail Possum, Longtailed Pygmy-possum, Feathertail Glider, Fluffy Glider, Greater Glider, Sugar Glider, Squirrel Glider, Northern Brown Bandicoot, Long-nosed Bandicoot, Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo, Red-legged Pademelon, Swamp Wallaby, Rufous Bettong, Northern Leaf-tailed Gecko, Chameleon Gecko, Pink-tongue Lizard and last but not least, nocturnal birds etc
Lumholtz’s and Bennett’s Tree-kangaroo Tour
Fully accommodated 4-days/3-nights. Misty Mountains, Southern Tablelands and Cooktown.
Kangaroo Tour
Species include:
Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Common Wallaroo, Pretty-face Wallaby, Agile Wallaby, Swamp Wallaby, Mareeba Rock-wallaby, Red Legged Pademelon, Rufous Bettong and occassionally Antilopine Wallaroo.
Platypus Tour
As mentioned previously, Platypus are mainly nocturnal and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) but can occasionally be observed during daylight hours. They are particularly active during winter and early spring when females feed frequently to build up fat reserves in preparation for breeding and egg laying.
Also sensitive to sudden noise, vibrations and movements, this secretive animal usually disappears at the first sight or sound of disturbance. Even though the platypus is a shy and elusive animal, we regularly have excellent views of it on our excursions. In fact we have often observed interesting interactions between individuals and with other species
Lakefield and Iron Range
7-14 days
Wild Watch offers excursions to the Cape York wilderness region, with the cooler, drier months being the best times for observing wildlife. The wetlands of this region support large populations of Estuarine and Freshwater Crocodiles.
In Lakeland and Lakefield National Park areas we also frequently see Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Common and Antilopine Wallaroo, Agile and Northern Nailtail Wallabies, Godman’s rock-wallaby, Dingo and Northern Quoll. Reptiles such as Gould’s Sand Monitor, Yellow Monitor, Bearded Dragon and Frilled Lizard are also often encountered.
Further north, the monsoon forests of the Iron Range offer some exciting species, including Spotted and Southern Common Cuscus, Striped Possum, Rufous Spiny Bandicoot, Cinnamon Antechinus, and the beautiful Emerald Python and Emerald Monitor
Rainforest Natural History Tours
Orchids and rare and primitive plants