Australia
Queensland’s Islands and Rain Forest
To say you are going on a trip to photograph Australia is comparable to saying you are traveling on a photo tour to shoot the United States. Both countries are vast—and in Australia’s case encompassing an entire continent—so unless you have a very large block of time and unlimited money to spend, what is usually meant by these remarks is a few iconic destinations are on the travel itinerary. And lots of in-country travel and associated hassles punctuate the choice shooting days.
To adequately photograph any area takes time. Time to get a sense of place and experience the subtle nuances of light that occur from sunrise to sunset, as well as season to season. For this trip we concentrate our travels in northeast Australia’s Queensland—the land of the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, comprising a diverse assortment of photogenic World Heritage Sites and Marine Parks. Our compact itinerary ranges from the high rain forests of Lamington National Park, with their colorful abundance of subtropical birds and verdant plant life, to Lady Elliot Island where white sand and clear waters showcase nesting birds and a present a vivid world of coral reef species at low tide. And with shorter travel times than on a typical “Australia tour,” we have ample time for photography!
Lamington National Park is only a few miles from the sea-level Gold Coast, but at 3,000 feet in elevation, we enter another world. Traveling the steep, winding road through Lamington’s lush rain forest we reach O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. Diverse vegetation, stunning waterfalls and an outstanding population of birds, plus mammals, reptiles and amphibians, are hallmarks of this World Heritage site. From a treetop canopy walkway, we experience remarkable close-up views of the subtropical birdlife of the area. At the retreat, the hundreds of flamboyant crimson rosellas, regent bowerbirds and king parrots are extremely tame—and at dusk wallabies hop right outside your guest room door.
Fraser Island has a unique topography. This national park and World Heritage site is the world’s largest sand island—where uninterrupted brilliant white beaches are defined by colorful sand cliffs and rain forest that grows amidst 600-foot-high dunes. Seventy-Five Mile Beach provides a huge expanse of drivable hard-packed sand with crashing waves, white-bellied sea eagles, a photogenic shipwreck, and dingoes hunting along the shore. During our travels we stop to shoot white-faced herons, spur-winged plovers, pied oystercatchers, Brahminy kites, pelicans, kookaburras, honeyeaters, gulls and a variety of migrant shorebirds. Seashells along the strandline present further photo opportunities.
Finally, we explore Lady Elliot Island. Located at the southernmost end of the Great Barrier Reef, the coral cay provides a haven for as many as 200,000 seabirds during nesting season. In November several species, including Caspian and crested terns, silver gulls, osprey and white-bellied sea eagles, are incubating eggs or be 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 earlier. At low tide the reef yields a wonderfully diverse array of photo subjects, including impossibly-colored brilliant blue sea stars.
Join us on a laid-back Queensland photo shoot and explore some of the best landscape and wildlife photography this corner of the Australian continent has to offer!
A weeklong pre-trip to spectacular Kangaroo Island is available as an addition to this tour.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart from the US.
Day 2
Cross the International Date Line.
Day 3 (Nov 3)
Arrive in Sydney this morning and transfer from the airport to our hotel by taxi. Relax this afternoon or use the time for independent exploration of the city from our conveniently-located Darling Harbor hotel. We meet in the hotel lobby for introductions, orientation and dinner. (D)
Day 4
Early this morning we fly to Queensland and the Gold Coast. Our drive to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat twists its way through spectacular forestlands into rugged mountainous terrain. Ascending the Lamington eucalypt plateau to 3,000 feet, we look for eastern grey kangaroos and pretty-faced wallabies often seen feeding along the road. Lamington National Park offers incredibly diverse rain forest, hundreds of tumbling waterfalls—and is world renowned for its birdlife. November is a peak time for nesting and fledging birds. Brush turkeys, crimson rosellas, rainbow lorikeets, green catbirds and regent bower birds are easily photographed in the late afternoon light. (B, Lunch airport snack on your own, D)
Days 5–6
Two full days in Lamington National Park provide an amazing array of unique photo subjects. Queensland’s rain forests contain an extremely large proportion of Australia's biodiversity within their boundaries and moderate walks at Lamington bring us to shooting locations for diverse landscapes and wildlife—possibly including leaf-tailed gecko, red-shouldered padimelon (a tiny kangaroo), and the incredible Lamington blue spiny crayfish. Remarkable bird photography and glorious sunsets at O’Reilly’s end each day. (BLD)
Day 7
This morning we depart for the Sunshine Coast and Coolum Beach. We have time to photograph the wide white sandy beaches and rocky headlands in the afternoon. (BLD)
Day 8
We capture the fiery sunrise over the rolling Pacific swells early this morning. Following breakfast we drive to the world famous Australia Zoo. Here, on the zoo’s 72 acres, wildlife species from all over Australia—including kangaroos, koalas, wombats, possums, Tasmanian devils, echidnas, dingoes, crocodiles and many species of parrots and other exciting birds are easy to shoot. Of course the zoo is also home to numerous exotic species from all over the world that help to maximize our shooting opportunities. (BLD)
Day 9
An early morning departure for Hervey Bay and the ferry to Fraser Island transports us to one of Australia’s iconic and unspoiled nature locations. Afternoon photography at this World Heritage site takes place after our hotel check-in. (BLD)
Days 10–11
Enjoy two full days photographing the “sandscapes” of Fraser Island in special four-wheel drive vehicles. At 710 square miles (1,840 square kilometers) Fraser is the largest sand island in the world. Images of endless white sand beaches, high cliffs of red and yellow sands, tranquil lakes, unique rain forest habitat with towering kauri trees and wildlife, including birds of prey and dingoes, abound. White-bellied sea eagles—a close relative of bald, Steller’s and white-tailed eagles—soar the skies.
Our lodging is the award-winning Kingfisher Bay Resort—surrounded by colorful flowers and birds. A nearby jetty provides access to an amazing diversity of marine life and, each evening, we capture the sunset over the bay. (BLD)
Day 12
Following a ferry ride back to the mainland, we fly to beautiful Lady Elliot Island located at the very southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. Weight restrictions apply on the flight, but we have time to repack and store unneeded luggage. A small island with a limited population, Lady Elliot offers a wealth of photo opportunities—thousands of nesting birds and a spectacular reef. This evening we search for nesting loggerhead turtles nesting on the beach. (BLD)
Days 13–14
Two full days to photograph Lady Elliot Island’s abundant seabird species and productive reefs. At this time of year thousands of pairs of crested and bridled terns incubate their eggs. Silver gulls have begun to nest under small shrubs. Little and black-naped terns may be seen on the island, along with brown boobies and lesser frigatebirds. A small colony of rare red-tailed tropicbirds nests here. At low tide, we wade the extensive reef for amazing images of coral and other photogenic sea life—including a unique 5-armed bright blue sea star. Snorkeling in the island’s warm clear water is optional. (BLD)
Day 15
One final morning for photography on Lady Elliot Island before our midmorning flight to Hervey Bay. We pick up stored luggage and drive to Brisbane for our flight to Sydney. (B, Lunch airport snack on your own, D)
Day 16 (Nov 16)
Depart on flights home any time today. (B)
Trip Highlights
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Photograph a wealth of colorful, human habituated birds and other rainforest wildlife in Lamington National Park
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Shoot crashing waves, snow white beaches, colorful sand cliffs, birds of prey and dingoes at Fraser Island National Park
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Experience thousands of photogenic nesting seabirds, plus nesting loggerhead sea turtles at Lady Elliot Island—designated a Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
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Enjoy a full day of photography at Australia Zoo concentrating on iconic Australian wildlife in spacious, natural enclosures
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A week-long pre-trip to Kangaroo Island is available
Australia Photo Tour Details
Dates
Nov 1–16, 2010
Fee
$7,795 from Sydney, Australia
Deposit
$800
Limit
16
Special Terms & Conditions