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.
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.
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.
woodland, tropical and temperate forest, swamps, riverine woodland, grasslands, coastal bush, estuaries and ocean
hot and humid in north, cooler in the interior mountains of the central areas
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
easy going, short trails with some hills
comfortable throughout
mostly easy birding with a few tricky species
370-400
good to excellent
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.
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.
We traveled through strangely beautiful and interesting areas and were able to get great birds – almost all the endemics of the area. Angus was good at finding the birds which often involved traveling to very remote and isolated places for 1 or 2 species. I love Australian birds – beautiful, unique, often loud and delightful. The Lake Argyle cruise was fabulous and the Yellow River cruise was a great break from riding in the van and seeing water birds from a distance.
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.
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.
Tour Leader: Steve Davidson
Tour price (Per person): AUD15,495 * USD9,984 * GBP8,152 * EUR9,387
Single Supplement: AUD2,200 * USD1,418 * GBP1,157 * EUR1,333
Flight costs: AUD1,100 * USD709 * GBP579 * EUR666
Tour Leader: Local Leader
Tour Leader: Erik Forsyth
Tour price (Per person): AUD14,695 * USD9,468 * GBP7,731 * EUR8,902
Single Supplement: AUD2,250 * USD1,450 * GBP1,184 * EUR1,363
Flight costs: AUD660 * USD425 * GBP347 * EUR400
Tour Leader: Steve Davidson
Tour price (Per person): AUD14,695 * USD9,468 * GBP7,731 * EUR8,902
Single Supplement: AUD2,250 * USD1,450 * GBP1,184 * EUR1,363
Flight costs: AUD660 * USD425 * GBP347 * EUR400
Tour Leader: Gregory de Klerk
Tour Leader: Local Leader
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): AUD16,000 * USD10,309 * GBP8,417 * EUR9,693
Tour Leader: Steve Davidson
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): AUD16,000 * USD10,309 * GBP8,417 * EUR9,693
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