02/8 I met with the group at Sydney airport but by the time we had all got together and sorted out the vehicle hire there was no time left to see anything. We then drove down to Wollongong where we stayed overnight in the Downtown Motel.

03/8 Today we did our pelagic trip and although the conditions were rather calm we did see quite a few species. I even managed to get three new birds but two of these could not be picked up by any of the group which was rather unfortunate.

04/8 Most of the day was spent in Royal National Park and then the rest of the time we used up driving from here to Lithgow. This was our base for two nights and we stayed in the Zig-Zag Motel.

05/8 All day in the Capertee Valley (or Glen Davis Road) with our local guides and my personal friends Gerry and Lucy Richards. Although we saw many good birds during the day the highlight must surely have been the Regent Honeyeaters which after some searching performed fairly well and were seen by all the group. Tonight was the second night in the Zig-Zag Motel.

06/8 Most of today we spent travelling. First we had to drive from Lithgow back to Sydney airport. Then we flew from Sydney to the Gold Coast from where we drove to the O’Reilley’s Guest House on the edge of Lamington National Park which was our accommodation for the next two nights.

07/8 All of today was spent birding in Lamington National Park.

08/8 After some final birding in Lamington, along the Python Rock Track, we had breakfast and then drove to Brisbane airport where we caught a flight to Cairns. After checking in to our motel, the Tropical Gardens Resort, we had about 30 minutes birding along the esplanade before it got dark.

09/8 Our time today was taken up with a boat trip out to Michaelmas Cay and Hastings Reef where as always we enjoyed the spectacle of hundreds of breeding Sooty Terns as well as a few other of the seabirds that breed on the Barrier Reef. Night in the Tropical Gardens again.

10/8 I had arranged to meet up with Andy Anderson today who is one of the local bird guides in the Cairns area. Andy has a good knowledge of the local avifauna and with his help we found a few species which otherwise we might not have seen. Perhaps the most notable was the Rufous Owl in the central swamp area which without assistance would have been almost impossible to track down. We visited the Centennial Lakes, the Crocodile Farm and Edmonton as well as the customary start to the day which was on the Esplanade. A great day was had by all and Andy’s help was most appreciated. Night again in the Tropical Gardens.

11/8 After some early birding around Centennial Lakes we went back to the motel for breakfast before checking out. We then tried the Mangrove Boardwalk near the airport, without much luck, before driving up to Kuranda and our arranged lunch stop at Cassowary House. Here our target species was the Southern Cassowary which comes into the garden on most days to be fed. We were met by the owner, Sue Gregory, who unfortunately informed us that the birds had been already and had left about 10 minutes before we arrived. Still we made the most of our time here and still had some stunning views of some of the other rainforest species which come to the various feeding stations on or near the balcony. The Cassowary did not return during our available time and so we continued our drive to Yungaburra where we stopped at the Kookaburra Lodge which was our base for the next three nights. During the early evening we visited a nearby site for the strange Duck-billed Platypus which we all saw very well.

12/8 Today we spent all our time birding on the Atherton Tablelands. We visited the Curtain Fig, The Crater, Longlands Gap, Wongabel State Forest, Hasties Swamp and Lake Eacham. We returned to Kookaburra Lodge for our evening meal and a few beers in the Lake Eacham Hotel.

13/8 As yesterday we spent all our time on the Tablelands but today we visited the Cathedral Fig and then drove back to Cassowary House to try again for the Cassowary. Again we failed and afterwards we visited Lake Mitchell, Mount Malloy, Big Mitchell Creek and the Tinaroo Creek Road.

14/8 After an early look at the Cathedral Fig we drove out to Georgetown where we arrived in time to have an hour or so at Cumberland Dam before it got dark. Overnight at the Latara Resort in Georgetown.

15/8 This morning we birded both Cumberland and Durham Dams before heading off on the long drive to Mission Beach. As planned we met up with those of the group who had been on Dunk Island and then with the news of a Southern Cassowary seen by Mauro and those in his bus my bus load decided to give it a try. We succeeded and in fact we saw two different birds during our hour in the evening. Night at the Mission Beach Resort.

16/8 Alot of today was taken up with travelling but we did manage to get some birding at Mission Beach before we left to catch our flight from Cairns to Darwin. We arrived in Darwin too late for any chance of birding so we went direct to the Phoenix Motel where we were staying for the night. Mind you this was after our first logistical hick up in the form of not the correct hire cars, still this was soon sorted and really didn’t lose us much time. In the evening I met up with Niven McCrie, one of the local birders, for a chat about sites and a few beers.

17/8 All of the morning plus an hour or two in the afternoon was spent in the Darwin area in the capable hands of Denise Goodfellow. We visited the famous Darwin Sewage Ponds and nearby mangroves, Buffalo Creek, Lee Point and Howard Springs. But all too soon it was time to move on again, this time a drive south to the Fergusson River before getting to Katherine where we arrived an hour or so after dark but had no trouble in finding our motel, the Pine Tree Motel.

18/8 We started early today at the Fergusson River but it was not as productive as I had hoped it would be. So we continued to Pine Creek where more by luck than judgement we discovered a few Hooded Parrots feeding on the ground by the road up to the lookout. So with this success under our belts we headed onwards into Kakadu National Park and the area around Gunlom Falls. Some of us tried on top of the escarpment for the White-throated Grasswren but unfortunately the birds were not as keen to give up their presence. Then onto the lodge at Cooinda where we were staying for the next two nights.

19/8 The whole of today was spent within the boundaries of .with most of our time spent in the region of Cooinda, on the Yellow Waters Cruise and around Nourlangie Rock.

20/9 After some final birding in Kakadu at the Mamukala Billabong we headed back towards Darwin. We stopped briefly for lunch at Fogg Dam before reaching Darwin and catching our afternoon flight to Alice Springs. Once we had picked up the vehicles I tried to get a quick look at the Sewage Ponds but the setting sun had beaten me and it was just too dark to be able to see anything. So onto the Elkira Motel where we had reservations for the next two nights.

21/8 This morning we explored the Kunoth Bore area and then in the afternoon it was off to Simpson’s Gap and then to finish the day a look around the Alice Springs Sewage Ponds.

22/8 Today we drove out to Ayres Rock, with a few stops on the way. We arrived in time for a look around the rock and then the customary wait at the sunset parking lot. The colours on the rock were not as impressive as on other occasions but it is still a memorable event. Night in the Outback Pioneer Hotel.

23/8 After spending the early morning around the rock we headed back to Alice Springs and took a late afternoon flight to Melbourne via Adelaide. Then in the dark we drove from the Melbourne airport out to Healesville where we stopped for the night in the Sanctuary House Motel.

24/8 We explored the area around Healesville and Toolangi State Forest during the morning and then most of the afternoon was taken up with our drive from Healesville to Philip Island. On Philip Island we dropped our cases at Banfield’s Motel and then went to collect our tickets for the Penguin Parade. We still had time to go and have a quick look at Seal Rocks and returned to watch the Penguins. Although this is now a huge tourist attraction it is still nice to get really good close-up views of the stars of the show.

25/8 Today after some early birding on Philip Island we returned to Melbourne and caught a flight to Sydney where the tour finished. From here the Italians caught their flight back to Italy and I stayed overnight with friends before flying off to Fiji.