Australia
Islands & Rain Forest
To adequately photograph any area takes time. Time to get a sense of place and time to experience the subtle nuances of light that occur from sunrise to sunset, as well as from season to season. 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 encompass an entire continent—so what is meant is that a number of iconic destinations visited in a short period of time are on your travel itinerary. Plus lots of in-country travel time on the road or on flights just getting between locations.
Our Islands and Rain Forest safari focuses on three of the most productive and diverse photography destinations in Australia—and allows ample time at each. Staying at resorts and lodges where images await—literally—just outside your door provides boundless shooting opportunities.
We concentrate on two of Australia's renowned—but very different—islands, plus the lush rain forests of Lamington National Park. On Kangaroo Island a brilliant blend of stunning coastal landscapes and abundant and unique wildlife vies for our lenses, while Lady Elliot Island's white sands and clear waters showcase nesting birds and present a vivid world of coral reef species at low tide. In Lamington, an abundance of subtropical birds and verdant plant life highlight the diverse rain forests of this premier region.
Across the southern waters off South Australia lies Kangaroo Island. Only 93 miles long and 35 miles wide, Kangaroo Island—or KI, as the locals call it—is one of the finest locations for wildlife in all Australia. The island is home to numerous species, including sea lions, koalas, New Zealand fur seals and, of course, kangaroos. Because of the lack of predators and the introduction of species under threat on the mainland, the wildlife here is diverse and abundant—and more easily seen in the wild than their counterparts on the mainland.
Kangaroo Island is also a land of wild and spectacular coastal scenery—soaring cliffs, towering sand dunes and arcs of bone-white beaches. In Flinders Chase National Park, the wind- and water-sculpted Remarkable Rocks, the Admirals Arch, and a towering cliff-top lighthouse—shot as sunset colors the sea and sky—all offer dramatic images.
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.
Lastly, 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 December several species, including Caspian and crested terns, silver gulls, osprey and white-bellied sea eagles, are incubating eggs or with chicks. Loggerhead turtles, measuring four to five feet in length, return to nest on 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.
Our carefully-chosen lodgings where abundant images are just steps away, and adequate time and a relaxed pace for photography, allow us to find that sense of place—the essence of Australia's islands and rain forest. Join us and explore some of the best landscape and wildlife photography this corner of the Australian continent has to offer!
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart from the US.
Day 2
Cross the International Date Line.
Day 3 (Dec 1)
Arrive in Adelaide this morning and transfer from the airport to our nearby hotel. We meet in the hotel lobby this evening for orientation followed by dinner. (D)
Day 4
This morning, we depart our Adelaide hotel in time for the ferry crossing to Kangaroo Island. After a stop at our lodging, we have time for a sunset shoot at nearby Flinders Chase National Park. (BLD)
Days 5–7
Three full days for photography on Kangaroo Island gives us time to explore the diversity of this unique island. Our lodging is perfectly-situated for morning and afternoon photography at best light. Landscape subjects include the iconic Remarkable Rocks where golden-orange lichen catches the changing light, Admirals Arch, lighthouses and rugged seascapes. Wildlife images of kangaroos—up close and in the wild, plus koalas and Australian pelicans, among others, are our targets. At Seal Bay Conservation Park, we photograph Australian sea lions and, nearby, explore the sweeping, white sand beaches of the southern coastline. (BLD)
Day 8
Early morning departure for the ferry back to the mainland. This afternoon we visit Cleland Wildlife Park in the Adelaide hills for opportunities to photograph rare kangaroos and other species difficult, if not impossible, to shoot in the wild. We return to our Adelaide hotel for an overnight. (BLD)
Day 9
We depart early for nearby Adelaide airport for our flight to Queensland's Gold Coast. The drive to O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat twists its way through spectacular forestlands into rugged mountainous terrain. Ascending the volcanic Lamington eucalypt plateau to 3,000 feet, we enter one of the finest rain forest environments in the world. Lamington National Park offers incredibly diverse habitats, hundreds of tumbling waterfalls—and is world renowned for its extraordinary photogenic birdlife. This afternoon, we photograph the colorful parrots near our lodging and tonight we look for red-eyed tree frogs. (BLD)
Days 10–11
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 a variety of landscapes and wildlife. Crimson rosellas, rainbow lorikeets, green catbirds are our targets, along with—and most outstanding—satin and regent's bower birds. A walk to photogenic Elebana Falls is a highlight. (BLD)
Day 12
After a final morning of photography, we depart for the airport and our private flight to 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 extra luggage. Lady Elliot Island offers a wealth of photo opportunities—thousands of nesting birds and a spectacular reef. This evening we look for giant sea 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 Caspian terns incubate their eggs or with chicks. Silver gulls and osprey and white-bellied sea eagles have begun to nest under small shrubs. A small colony of red-tailed tropicbirds nests here. At low tide, we walk the extensive reef for amazing images of coral and other photogenic sea life—including a remarkable 5-armed bright blue sea star. One snorkel tour in the island's warm clear waters is included. Our simple, but comfortable, lodging puts us just steps from the beach. (BLD)
Day 15
One final early morning for photography on Lady Elliot Island before our short midmorning flight to Hervey Bay. We pick up our stored luggage and have time to repack before our flight to Sydney. Our hotel is located in the Darling Harbour area—one the great waterfronts of the world. (BLD)
Day 16 (Dec 14)
Depart on flights home any time today. (B)
Trip Highlights
- Three full days on spectacular Kangaroo Island—a premier photo location for abundant wildlife and remarkable landscapes
- Photograph a wealth of colorful, human-habituated birds and other rain forest wildlife in Lamington National Park
- Experience thousands of photogenic nesting seabirds, plus nesting giant sea turtles on Lady Elliot Island—designated a Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
- Includes a visit to Cleland Wildlife Park for native bushland species difficult or impossible to shoot in the wild
Tour Details
Dates
Nov 29–Dec 14, 2012
Fee
$11,795 from Adelaide, Australia; departing from Sydney
Internal flights arranged at additional cost
Deposit
$800
Limit
16
Special Terms & Conditions Apply