Australia is a vast continent harbouring many fabulous, endemic birds and bizarre wildlife found nowhere else on our planet. During this exciting trip, we will cover an incredible range of habitats ranging from lush expanses of dense tropical rainforest, tall and stunted (mallee) Eucalypt woodland and sclerophyll forest to coastal heath, mudflats, rocky shorelines, grassland, spinifex, Mulga woodland and saltmarsh near the edge of the desolate outback. We can therefore expect a fantastic collection of endemic birds and incredible mammals.

Exploring the east of this vast country, we begin in northern Queensland where highlights include Victoria’s Riflebird from the bird-of-paradise family, Golden and Tooth-billed Bowerbirds, Spotted Catbird, Chowchilla, Beach Stone-curlew and the outrageous Southern Cassowary among a suite of Atherton Tableland and wet tropic endemics. We then continue to the world-famous Lamington NP in search of rainforest specialties such as Albert’s Lyrebird, Australian King Parrot, the brilliant Regent and Satin Bowerbirds, Australian Logrunner, Paradise Riflebird and Noisy Pitta amongst numerous other potential highlights. Flying south, we then stop in at Sydney, birding into the interior through New South Wales and Victoria all the way to Melbourne. During this final week of the Eastern tour, we hope to find several wet and dry-country specialties like the spectacular Superb Lyrebird, unique Pilotbird and Rockwarbler, the strange Plains-wanderer, a plethora of colourful parrots and cockatoos, Chestnut Quail-thrush, Striated Grasswren, Mallee Emu-wren, Rufous and Eastern Bristlebirds and the endangered Hooded Plover among many other mouth-watering species. We’ll also no doubt encounter many of Australia’s bizarre and iconic mammals such as Koala, Wombat, Echidna, Platypus and a large selection of possums, gliders, kangaroos and wallabies.

Please note that a Rockjumper leader will not accompany this tour unless a minimum of 9 participants are signed up. In the case of insufficient sign-ups, professional and experienced local guides will lead independent sectors of the tour instead.

Tour Facts

Top Birds

Emu; Southern Cassowary; Black-necked Stork; Great-billed Heron; Wedge-tailed Eagle; Spotted Harrier; Black Falcon; Brolga; Sarus Crane; Pink-eared & Musk Ducks; Plainswanderer; Australian Bustard; Beach Stone-curlew; Hooded Plover; Red-necked Avocet; Banded Stilt; Inland Dotterel; Australian Pratincole; Victoria's & Paradise Riflebirds; Noisy Pitta; Superb & Alberts Lyrebirds; Rose-crowned, Wompoo & Superb Fruit Doves; Bar-shouldered Dove; Topknot & Squatter Pigeons; Torresian Imperial Pigeon; King Parrot; Eastern Ground Parrot; Powerful & Rufous Owl; Australian Owlet-nightjar; Yellow-tailed & Red-tailed Black Cockatoo; Major Mitchell's Cockatoo; Golden, Regent, Satin & Great Bowerbirds; Regents, Mangrove & Macleay’s Honeyeaters; Lovely, Superb & Splendid Fairywrens; Diamond Firetail.

Top Mammals

Platypus; Short-beaked Echidna; Northern Brown & Long-nosed Bandicoots; Koala; Short-eared, Coppery & Common Brush-tailed Possums; Stiped Possum; Yellow-bellied & Sugar Gliders; Lemuroid, Common, Green & Herbert River Ringtail Possums; Musky Rat Kangaroo; Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo; Agile, Whiptail, Red-necked, Mareeba Rock & Swamp Wallabies; Western Grey & Eastern Grey Kangaroos; Red-legged & Red-necked Pademelon; Spectacled Flying Fox.

Habitats Covered

woodland, tropical and temperate forest, swamps, riverine woodland, grasslands, coastal bush, estuaries and ocean

Expected Climate

hot and humid in north, cooler in the interior mountains of the central areas

Max Group Size

12 with 1 Rockjumper leader and 1 local leader

Tour Pace & Walking

easy going, short trails with some hills

Accommodation

comfortable throughout

Ease of Birding

mostly easy birding with a few tricky species

Number of Species Expected

370-400

Photographic Opportunities

good to excellent

What our clients say about us

RP, Australia 2022

Glen was excellent at finding the birds and keeping track of who had not yet seen specific birds. By the end of the tour there were very few birds not seen by all in the group.

MT, Australia - East Coast 2025

I have waited a while before responding. Firstly I should like to say this was one of the best birding trips I have ever been on.(20+ and counting) Before I went I was concerned that 12 clients were too many. However Greg worked extremely hard with Hu and Richard to try to get everyone on every bird. He quickly summed up our respective birding abilities and responded to that with the help he provided. Thankfully there were very few 'narrow jungle paths' where the number inevitably restricted opportunities. I particularly appreciated the regular ebird lists which left me more time to concentrate on the actual birds and not scribbling in my notebook.

MR & MB, Australia 2018

Erik Forsyth is a wonderful guy, so enjoyable to travel with. He is knowledgeable, down to earth and quite humorous! We did New Zealand with Erik a few years ago and would definitely go with him on other Rockjumper Trips in the future. Also, we would recommend Erik to others considering him as their leader.

MW, Australia 2022

Steve Davidson is a superb guide. He has a vast knowledge of Australian birds, other wildlife, and plants. He has a keen ear and I appreciated that he described what he was hearing. We had challenges in terms of Covid and flooding, and he very responsibly addressed both issues. I truly don't know how he had the stamina to guide, drive the extra miles on detours, and organize the needed diversions from the itinerary.

KH, Australia 2018

Erik Forsyth did a great job, and both his remarkable knowledge and his unflagging good humor were indispensable; I look forward to traveling with him again in the future.

Australia - East Coast 2026

Australia - East Coast I: Queensland’s Tropics & Lamington Rainforests 2027

Australia - East Coast II: Forests & Outback of New South Wales & Victoria 2027

Australia - East Coast I: Queensland’s Tropics & Lamington Rainforests 2028

Australia - East Coast II: Forests & Outback of New South Wales & Victoria 2028