Australia and New Zealand

Come watch wildlife with us! Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris' distinctive worldwide tours travel to destinations unique for abundant and photogenic mammals, birds and nature. We emphasize maximum field time and action-packed wildlife photography during the best season at each destination. Hand-picked leaders and local guides combine amiable personalities with extensive knowledge of each region. All our tours provide a non-smoking policy in small groups. As a small company, we provide a personal touch and attention to every detail - just as we have done for over thirty years. We are dedicated to delivering the best possible wildlife encounters to you. Join us for an amazing experience!

Reserve early! Our trips can fill fast. To reserve your space, follow the instructions in each itinerary. Please contact us if you have any questions. If a trip is full, ask us about our wait list and other options.

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Australia - The Tropical North

Eucalypt Forest
in Atherton Tablelands

September 9 to 24, 2010
Leader: Tonia Cochran
12 participants
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Trip now full! Please contact us for options

October 5 to 20, 2010
Leader: Tonia Cochran
12 participants
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Extend your stay in Australia by taking both the north and south tours back-to-back!

Begin your Aussie experience with a true outback adventure traveling by four-wheel drive from Alice Springs through Finke Gorge National Park to remote Kings Canyon. Spend four days in The Red Centre including Uluru National Park for beautiful views of Kata Tjuta and The Rock. Fly to Darwin for three days in the Top End at Kakadu National Park, featuring the best time of year for a Yellow Waters cruise at dawn. Visit ancient sites with beautiful rock paintings and incredible wildlife. The North Queensland journey begins on the Atherton Tablelands with fabulous birds, several species of kangaroos, and Platypus. Night spot in the Misty Mountains for owls, rare ringtail possums, tree kangaroos, and more on a beautiful forest reserve owned by our resident guide, Jonathan Munro. Then descend back to Cairns for snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef with the option of a second full day Reef trip or a free day in Cairns. We are really excited to have Australian biologist and superb guide, Tonia Cochran, leading throughout along with some of the best regional resident naturalists in these rich wildlife areas of Australia.

September-October is an excellant time to see wildlife on the "Top-side"!

• The summer migratory waders that migrate from places such as Eurasia/Siberia can be found along the shores of Darwin and Cairns. Most of these don't arrive in Australia until about September (Little curlew, Wood sandpiper, Grey-tailed tattler, Little-ringed plover, Oriental plover).
• Other summer migratory bird species (example: Pied Imperial Pigeon and Yellow Wagtail) move into the area during this time.
• There is also a chance of seeing New Guinea migrants such as the exquisite Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher which don't arrive into north Queensland until October.
• Sarus Cranes are also more common in north Queensland at this time of year, where it is possible to see large flocks.
• There is also a better chance of seeing more reptiles such as Boyd's Forest Dragon at this time of year and crocodiles would also be more noticeable than over the Aussie winter months.
• October is technically at the end of the dry season, so the waterholes and lagoons will be quite clearly defined and the wildlife (particularly birds) concentrated in these areas. During the wet season and into the early dry season (May), the water is everywhere and the wildlife is more dispersed and harder to view.
• The average temperature and humidity for September-October is just about the same as the winter months (April-May).

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Australia - The Incredible South

Galah on Kangaroo Island

September 22 to October 7, 2010
Leader: Tonia Cochran

12 participants
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Extend your stay in Australia by taking both the north and south tours back-to-back!

Enjoy some of the most incredible wildlife experiences possible touring these three wonderful regions of southern Australia. Begin in spectacular Lamington National Park with three days at famous O'Reilly's Mountain Resort. Close encounters with the resident wildlife will include amazing views of Crimson Rosellas, King Parrots, Satin and Regent bowerbirds, as well as endemic marsupials. Travel to Kangaroo Island for two days of remarkable wildlife, wonderful Aussie cuisine, and stunning scenery. Highlights will include Koalas, Echidnas, Sea Lions, a host of new birds and, of course, kangaroos. The grand finale is a full week in Tasmania for an in-depth look at its unique flora and fauna. We'll devote two evenings for night viewing of Tasmanian Devils, something few people on this earth have the chance to experience. Enjoy a beautiful forest reserve with perfect streams for Platypus then visit Narawntapu National Park for great views of Wombats, wallabies, and pademelons. Bruny Island, in southern Tasmania, is not only our guide Tonia's home, it is also the place to see the rare Forty-spotted Pardalote and other Tasmanian endemic birds as well as Eastern Quolls and Little Penguins after dark. Tonia will also be our guide throughout the Tropical North safari, immediately preceding this tour. Our outstanding resident naturalists will join Tonia to show you the amazing wildlife indigenous to the land down under!

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New Zealand

Hooker Sea Lion

November 9 to December 1, 2011
Leaders: Karen Baird and Chris Gaskin
12 participants
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Karen Baird and Chris Gaskin have been leading amazing wildlife rich adventures for us since 2001. As well as their expertise in guiding, they are both very important professionals in the field of biology,ecology and ornithology keeping New Zealand's fauna vibrant. New Zealand is very rich in seabirds and marine mammals, as well as a number of very enticing endemic land birds. We will visit reserves and parks and plan a number of boat trips, including overnight on Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park. We take full advantage of the ocean treasures with 10 boat trips! Some of the many highlights are a day on TiritiriMatangi Island, a native bird sanctuary, spotlighting for kiwis on Stewart Island and pelagic trips for the famous great albatrosses and bachelor sperm whales off Kaikoura, South Island. We begin in Auckland and at each place we go, the more spectacular the scenery becomes and the more havens for endangered species we encounter. The lodging and meals are wonderful and the "Kiwis" are fantastically friendly. With Karen and Chris as your guides, you will meet many New Zealanders on this trip who are working for the protection of nature.

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All material © Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris.
All photos © Doug or Ted Cheeseman, unless otherwise credited.
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