Dates November 9–28, 2006
Leaders John Shaw and Darran Leal
Fee $7,495 from Sydney, Australia
Internal flights arranged at additional cost
Terms and Conditions
Billabongs and coolibahs, bandicoots and bimbils, barramundis and wallaroos! Australia is an island continent where all life and the landforms (to say nothing of the language) have evolved in their own individual patterns.

Our 20-day photography odyssey takes in a multitude of habitats and as much of the continent’s wildlife as possible—including some of the 45 species of kangaroos, photogenic and cuddly koalas in eucalyptus trees, and many of the 431 species of birds unique to Australia—all this plus some of Australia’s remarkable scenery!

We begin our “down-under” journey in beautiful Sydney, including a visit to the Botanical Gardens with dazzling views of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Opera House and city skyline.

On Kangaroo Island—one of the best locations for wildlife in all Australia—we’ll photograph threatened Australian sea lions, koalas, fur seals, little penguins, Cape Barren geese and, of course, kangaroos. Because of a lack of predators and the introduction of species under threat on the mainland, the wildlife here is diverse and abundant. Flinders Chase National Park, the Remarkable Rocks and the wild and spectacular coastal scenery will tempt your creative landscape skills.

We continue on to Alice Springs, the geographical center of Australia, and explore the rugged and remote gorges of the West MacDonnell Range, a landscape of vivid folds of sedimentary rock cut with steep-walled narrow chasms featuring deep permanent waterholes. These scenic oases should host a vast variety of birds and mammals.

The “Red Center” offers magical Ayers Rock, the world’s largest monolith, in Uluru National Park—a photographic highlight in this world of natural wonders. As the sun moves, there is a spectrum of changing colors—until sunset—when the changes occur by the minute! We’ll also spend ample time at the Olgas Range, or Kata Tjuta, known for outstanding landscape photography and search for “thorny devils”—extraordinary looking ant-eating lizards—along the roadway.

From the perspective of a treetop canopy walkway in Lamington National Park, we’ll experience remarkable close-up views of the birdlife of the area. And at O’Reilly’s Guest House, hundreds of flamboyant crimson rosellas and king parrots are literally hand fed and extremely tame, and at dusk wallabies hop about right outside your guestroom door.

Finally, we explore Lady Elliot Island. Located at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef the island provides a haven for over 50,000 seabirds during nesting season beginning in November. Beginning this month several species, including Caspian and crested terns, silver gulls, ospreys and white-bellied sea eagles will be incubating eggs or with chicks. Loggerhead turtles, measuring 4 to 5 feet in length, return to the same beaches on which they were born more than 50 years ago. At low tide the reef yields a diverse array of photo subjects, including brilliantly colored blue starfish.

Join us as we explore some of the best nature photography this unique island continent has to offer!



Day 1
Depart from the US.

 Day 2
Cross the International Date Line.
Day 3
Arrive in Sydney. Meet for dinner. (D)

 Day 4
Morning exploration of Sydney, including the Botanical Garden. Afternoon flight to Adelaide. (BLD)

 Day 5
Early departure for the ferry to Kangaroo Island. Afternoon exploration of Flinders Chase National Park for kangaroo and Cape Baron geese and the Admiral’s Arch. (BLD)

 Days 6–7
We spend these days photographing the diverse wildlife found in this spectacular location and the raw beauty of wind-carved granite monoliths and eroded limestone cliffs. Flinders Chase National Park, the Remarkable Rocks, gray kangaroos at Kelly Hill and the sea lion colony at Seal Bay, as well as local lighthouses are subjects for our cameras. (BLD)

 Day 8
We depart early for the ferry to Adelaide and flight to Alice Springs. After checking into our accommodations, we begin to explore “The Alice.” (BLD)

 Day 9
Spend the day in the West MacDonnell Range, a mountain range surrounded by desert where rivers have carved rugged steep-walled gorges. We photograph in Ormiston and Glen Helen Gorges, capturing the raw beauty of this rugged landscape. (BLD)

 Day 10
We drive to the “Red Center.” Sunset photography at Ayers Rock, Australia’s most iconic location. (BLD)
Days 11–12
Two full days of landscape photography, beginning with sunrise at Ayers Rock and continuing with exploration of the rounded domes of the Olgas. (BLD)

 Day 13
After a final opportunity to shoot the sunrise as it ignites the lithic beauty of Ayers Rock, we return to Alice Springs. Spend the afternoon at Alice Springs Desert Wildlife Park (a wildlife conservation zoo park) to photograph wildlife species—many nearly impossible to shoot in the wild—in their desert habitats. (BLD)

 Day 14
Following our flight from Alice Springs to Brisbane, we drive into the mountainous terrain of Lamington National Park in one of the world’s great rain forest regions. (BLD)

 Days 15–16
O’Reilly’s Guest House is famous for its extraordinary photogenic birdlife—crimson rosellas, king parrots, satin and regent bowerbirds. (BLD)

 Day 17
We fly to Hervey Bay and begin our exploration of Lady Elliott Island. This evening we search for nesting loggerhead turtles. (BLD)

 Day 18
A full day to photograph the island’s abundant seabird species and productive reefs. (BLD)

 Day 19
Final morning for photography before our flight to Sydney. (BLD)

 Day 20
Depart on flights home any time today.


Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc. P.O. Box 655, Vashon Island, Washington USA 98070
Phone: (206) 463-5383   Fax: (206) 463-5484    Email: info@photosafaris.com
Copyright © 2008, Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc.