kenner7683

My parents and I are planning a 2 week trip to Australia for the end of September (really 12 days once you factor in travel to and from the U.S). I am mostly interested in seeing the wildlife (especially birds). I know I want to go diving at the GBR, and I don't want to spend the whole time moving from hotel to hotel (I could see us staying at no more than 3 different hotels). Does anyone have any suggestions for what to do on the 11 days I'm not diving the GBR? We would be arriving in Cairns and leaving out of Sydney.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

The birds are the GBR are fantastic as is the local fauna. As I said to someone else regarding birds and animals you could do not better than staying at www.daintreewild.com.au which is a little zoo with Australian animals and birds which you can play with and get close to as well as a B&B. I stayed there and had breakfast with their pet black cockatoo sitting on my husband's shoulder eating from our hand. I fed the little sugar gliders ( beautiful little nocturnal animals) from my finger dipped in honey and we all fed the kangaroos and wallabies left-overs. Its a wonderful experience at that place and free if you are staying there. They have a lot of different birds as well.
Also there is a large bird place in Port Douglas and you walk into the Aviary - also can have breakfast with the birds but that is a paying thing.
I will let others give you some extra suggestions but being a Bird person myself I am so happy to see someone else who is interested in them.
If you want to move to another location which is fantastic for birds then South East Queensland is a region that is full of birds - in that small area along I think there are 250 species. The area around Binna Burra, O'Reily's or Mount Tamborine in particular is abundant with birds and has the beautiful Lyre Birds and of course the Bower Birds - when I lived there I had a resident Bower Bird in my garden which stole everything that was blue from my neighbours and myself. Had his bower within 15 feet of my house.
Enjoy our beautiful birds

AlanJG

Kenner7683,
I would suggest that for that length of time you cannot see more than those two areas to any depth. While zoos have their place and I like them too it much prefer to see the wildlife wild.

So I would recommend that you explore the area around Sydney and Cairns.

South of Sydney is the Royal National Park and to the west are the Blue Mountains. An excellent guide for that area who has a special interest in birds is Carol Probets who is also a wonderful person. [email protected] http://www.bmbirding.com.au/

When in the Cairns area you should get up to the Atherton Tablelands where most of the endemic wildlife is. In two days you should be able to see 200 birds, 5 species of kangaroos, platypus and many other tings as well. see www.yungaburra.com With a bit more time and a good guide you can increase on that too.

If going to the Daintree area, which many equate with the Wet Tropics but it is only a small section, I would recommend Ellen Terrell as a guide because like Carol she has a wide knowledge of natural history but specializes in bird guiding. [email protected]

Diamantina

Australia is so rich in birdlife--even the cities are full of birds--but my favorite region for birdwatching has been the area outside of Darwin: Kakadu/Arnhemland/Litchfield National Park. September is a good time to visit as it is the dry season. Plenty of other wildlife, too.
http://en.travelnt.com/explore/kakad...dwatching.aspx
http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/...oodplains.html

Diamantina

I should have added that you would have to add Darwin to your list of destinations, if you would like to visit the Kakadu, which you may not want to do, as it will take away time from your other destinations.

You will see many birds in Northern Queensland and in and near Sydney. In Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens, you can spot species such as the Sacred Ibis, the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, the White-faced Heron and the Rainbow Lorikeet. Sacred Ibises can be seen in many parts of the city; they walk around on the pavement like rock pigeons. The Daintree Rainforest of Queensland is just as rich in birdlife as the Kakadu, but the birds might be harder to see because of the thick foliage; it might require some patience. But you will hear them for sure! It is absolutely glorious there. And September is a good time to be there.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

Whilst I agree with AlanJG above that zoos have their place and seeing wildlife in the wild is the best possible thing, I have to add that for those of us who are bird and wildlife lovers and not a wildlife guide as Alan himself is, getting up-close and personal with a bird and watching its trust and love in me/us is just the biggest buzz any human can have, though this does not seem to be the aim of the purists in our midst.
When I suggested www.daintreewild.com.au it was not as a zoo but more because you can interact with the animals that are roaming wild on the property and have contact with the birds that are there. There is nothing like feeding a kangaroo with a baby joey in its pouch with its little head sticking out wanting something to eat as well, nothing can beat that. Nor can watching a flock of wild birds flying over beat being able to talk to and touch and be touched by a bird who puts 100% trust in you. The owners of this establishment have a wealth of knowledge to boot.
Both activities are possible in the poster's timetable and the Daintree Wild zoo gives the tourist something that no other place can. I have even known a young guest who was staying there being allowed to take a little Joey to bed with him. Can you imagine that child's excitement with being able to do that? I bet that child will be an animal lover for ever.
Alan, I am aware that you are a wildlife guide and I am also aware that you come up on one of the links that you provided in your post. Whilst I am not going to condemn you for self-promotion I do think that there are other opportunities for tourists other than having to pay for guides to show them around and that doing one's own thing can be great. Please allow others to suggest activities in the far north as I have always done in the past as well as suggesting people visit the Atherton Tablelands, a place that I love and always include in a visit to your area.

AlanJG

Sorry if you felt any disrespect from my posting, it was not intended.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

I am sure that it was not intended Alan and your apology is accepted of course.
If you have not been to this little zoo may I suggest that you take the time when you are down that way to drop in and introduce yourself because I am sure that you would be welcomed with open arms as a fellow animal/bird lover. I am sure that you will find that this place is unique and gives something to tourists that no other place does and in that its unique. I am sure too that they would only be too happy to talk to you about your side of things and I am sure that people who go there are equally interested in the wilder side of things and could well be interested in someone as knowledgeable as you are about birds and animals and the Atherton Tablelands itself. There is room for all aspects of nature appreciation in the north and I really hope that someone somewhere will get the message out about our native birds and animals which are a tourist attraction in themselves in Australia.

shanek

I am currently in Katherine after spending the last 3 days in Kakadu and I must say that the Yellow Waters Wetlands at Cooinda in Kakadu must be the absolute "mecca" for bird watchers.

In a 2 hour cruise on the wetlands last evening, we saw nesting Jaiburu's, Sea Eagles, Whistling Kites ( inc 1 that was feasting on a freshly caught barramundi), numerous ducks and scores of other species that would take too long to mention.

Add to this, several salt water crocs, feral pigs, wild horses, pig nosed turtles and fish jumping all over the place, it was just a feast for the senses.

I have travelled all over Australia in my 45 years of residency and would have to place this on the very top of all wildlife experiences that I have had.