The Best of Brazil

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA October 24 to November 16, 2015

Led by Mark Smith and Australian Naturalists

AUSTRALIA, the island continent, is home to the most distinctly different assemblage of organisms on earth. Plant and animal groups, long-since declined or extinct over the rest of the world, have persisted and diversified during 60 million years of Australian isolation. Over half the birds and most of Australia’s mammals are endemic, occurring nowhere else. Marsupials are the most obvious feature of the fauna, and during our visit we’ll see several species of kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots, delightful possums, and the popular koala. Among the spectacular birds we’ll view are Emus, lyrebirds, mound-builders, bowerbirds, penguins, woodswallows, honeyeaters and a slew of colorful parrots. Expert local naturalists will co-lead in each region. Australia’s geography is varied and spectacular, from temperate to tropical, from desert to rainforest. We visit four major regions. Beginning in the temperate southeast, we sally out from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide into forested parks and along rugged, rocky coastline. Out of Melbourne we visit the penguin colony on Phillip Island, hike through open forests and fern gullies in the craggy Grampian Mountains, pass through wheat and sheep farms, and search out the secretive Malleefowl and the brilliant parrots of Wyperfeld National Park. We cross the Murray River by Adelaide, then fly north to Alice Springs in the arid “Red Center.” Mysterious Ayer’s Rock and the Olgas are both eroded monoliths of religious importance to the Aborigines. On easy hikes in and around them we’ll see cave paintings and desert flowers and wildlife. Flying north to Darwin, we enter the tropics. Kakadu National Park protects a mixture of eucalyptus forests, marshy billabongs (lakes) and abrupt escarpments; this is the land of Crocodile Dundee. Giant Saltwater Crocodiles (Saltys) and water birds like the Magpie Goose are approachable by boat, and on excellent paths we’ll find Blue-winged Kookaburras, Red-tailed Black-cockatoos, Rainbow Pittas and Fruit Bats. Next we fly east to the lush coast of Queensland. From Cairns and Port Douglas we boat out to the Great Barrier Reef and spend one night on a beautiful coral caye. Exploring the dazzling coral reef is easy because the water is calm and warm. West of Cairns are the Atherton Tablelands, where many endemic plants and animals occur in the cool forests. On walks through lowland rainforest we’ll search for Birds of Paradise and bowerbirds and enjoy the unique ancient flora. By boat we explore the famed Daintree River with mangrove, marsh and lowland rainforest habitats. From Cairns we return Stateside via Sydney.

LEADERSHIP Mark Smith has led numerous Audubon and Nature Conservancy international tours during the past twenty years. Since his studies in Biology at Oregon State University, Mark has worked as a researcher and educator for a variety of organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the Public Schools, and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. His wide travels have carried him many times to Central America, Asia, Europe, and Africa, and 10 times to Australia. In Australia four regional naturalists will join us to co- lead in their regions of expertise. Jon Starks has co-led Australia tours with Mark Smith for 17 years. A professional ornithologist, Jon does research for Birds Australia, having conducted dozens of projects on endangered birds, and other wildlife. His detailed knowledge of Aussie economics, politics and history are remarkable and he will be presenting us to several interesting lectures. Jon will be guiding us for 7 days, from Melbourne through Adelaide. TOUR PRICE Ground Fare $8675 (limit 5 passengers) Includes double occupancy accommodations in hotels and lodges, all group land and boat transport, entrance fees, and 80% of meals—the remainder paid individually are inexpensive, in towns, airports or on Qantas domestic flights. Air Fare $2375 approximately, from Seattle and Portland via LA to Sydney on Qantas. This includes 5 flights in Australia. By using Quantas, our 4 internal flights are reduced in cost. All travelers must be on the same internal flights. Using the trip agent is optional. International: $1550 approximately from L.A. or San Francisco Domestic: $1350 (five flights)

Tour flight agent: Pam Davis, Willamette International Travel 1314 NW Irving St. #101 Portland, OR 97209-2721

Single Supplement The Single Supplement for this tour is $1750. 503/224-0180 or 1-800-821-0401 Fax: 503/242-3867 — Email: [email protected]

RESERVATIONS and FINAL PAYMENT A deposit of $1000 made out to Mark Smith Nature Tours and sent to: Mark Smith PO Box 3831 Portland, OR 97208 will ensure you a place on this tour. Spaces will be reserved in the order which checks are received. By June travelers will be sent a packet of preparation materials. The visa is easy to get and costs $115 US currently. A second payment of $2000 per person is due on June 24, four months before departure. The final payment of $4675, plus the single supplement if applicable, is due August 24, 60 days before trip departure. If you have any questions, please call Mark at 360-566-0458 or send email to marksmithnaturetours@hotmail.

CANCELLATIONS and REFUNDS Any cancellation made more than 90 days prior to departure receives a full refund. Cancellations for which replacements are not found are subject to the following fees: $1500 if cancellation is made between 90 and 30 days prior to departure date, and $3000 if cancellation is made fewer than 30 days before departure. We recommend that participants consider trip cancellation insurance, which can be bought through Willamette International Travel. ITINERARY (Meals paid separately by participants are indicated by “individual dinner,” etc.)

Day 1-2 Sat.-Sun., Oct. 24- Oct. 25 ______US to Sydney Travelers depart Los Angeles to Sydney around 10:20 PM on various flights. We cross the international dateline and lose a day that we’ll make up on our way home.

Day 3 Monday, October 26 ______Sydney Our flights arrive in Sydney around 7:05 AM. After airport formalities, we go immediately to our hotel in the historic harborside Rocks District, overlooking the Opera House, where we spend two nights. After a rest we begin our exploration of beautiful Sydney. Since several people will be in Sydney before the main group, we will set 12:30 as a meeting time at the hotel. You should have lunch before we meet. Breakfast will be very early on the plane. Snacks can be found on our walk. Our activities today are all local, done by walking and ferrying. Persons could choose to do them independently. After the long flight and time zone changes travelers often are tired this day. And tomorrow we have an early departure, so dinner will be individual too. There are infinite eateries near the hotel. Tomorrow night we will have our welcome banquet. Today we’ll visit the splendid Opera House, ferry across the harbor, and view historic buildings and the botanical gardens. Individual lunch and dinner.

Day 4 Tuesday, October 27 ______Royal National Park Our bus picks us up at 6:00 AM for a grand day exploring spectacular Royal National Park near Sydney. We will have breakfast on the bus during the 1 ¼-hour drive. Short walks will provide an excellent introduction to Australian birds and plants. Forests of varied eucalyptus trees are also home to such beautiful plants as banksias, paperbarks, tea trees and tree ferns. Kookaburras, Crimson Rosellas, whipbirds, cockatoos, honeyeaters and Fairy Wrens are common, as well as diverse waterbirds. We return this evening to Sydney. If persons wish to spend this day further investigating Sydney, that’s fine.

Day 5 Wednesday, October 28 ______Sydney to Melbourne This morning at 9:30 AM we fly to Melbourne, arriving at 11:05. From our downtown hotel in Melbourne we can walk out and explore the city; trams (streetcars) run nearby. This afternoon we’ll have a city tour featuring some of Melbourne’s Victorian buildings and history then continue on a birdwatching outing to Werribee, where waterfowl like Black Swans, endemic ducks, and migratory shorebirds crowd the marshes and lagoons. Individual lunch and dinner.

Day 6 Thur., Oct. 29 _____ Phillip Island and Little Penguins This morning we depart by bus for Phillip Island, where we’ll search for Koalas and seabirds. The island supports a large colony of Little Penguins, and we’ll watch the flocks emerge from the surf at dusk and march to their breeding burrows. Dinner at Cowes on the Island and a late return home to Melbourne. Individual lunch. Day 7 Friday, Oct. 30 ______Ballarat and the Grampians We depart this morning by bus for the Grampian Mountains National Park. En route we’ll pass through gold-mining towns like Ballarat which date from the mid-1800s. This afternoon we will walk on scenic trails in these ancient sandstone faulted mountains. The Grampians are justly famous for the color and variety of the fall wildflower bloom. In eucalyptus forests and treefern gullies we’ll find orchids, lilies, grevillias and more, some of them endemic to these rugged ranges. Common woodland birds include honeyeaters, Yellow Robins, Gang-gang Cockatoos and scrub wrens. Koalas and kangaroos can also be found. Individual lunch.

Day 8 Sat., Oct. 31 ______The Grampians to Rainbow An early morning nature walk through the sculpted rocks and carved gorges of the Grampians, and then we depart for Rainbow to the northwest in an arid region of wheat and sheep farms. We dine tonight in the agricultural town of Rainbow at the local pub-restaurant where we have a traditional “counter tea.” We spend two nights at the Pot-of-Gold Motel in Rainbow. Individual lunch.

Day 9 Sunday, November 1 ______Wyperfeld National Park We leave early for a full day in Wyperfeld National Park, home to Emus, kangaroos, the Malleefowl and fantastic parrots. Beautiful trails pass through the forests of river red gums and around old lake beds. Before clearing for farms, this entire region was covered by mallee, a type of dwarf eucalyptus forest maintained by natural fires. For dinner we again have “counter tea” at the local pub-restaurant in Rainbow.

Day 10 Monday, November 2 ______Rainbow to Adelaide This morning we pass through wheat and sheep country and cross the Murray River on a five- hour drive to Adelaide, where we’ll do a short tour in the late afternoon. Our hotel is in the center of town, and we can walk to restaurants along the mall for dinner. Individual lunch and dinner.

Day 11 Tuesday, November 3 ______Adelaide to Alice Springs, Simpson’s Gap We fly to Alice Springs this morning at 10:50, arriving at 11:55 AM. From our central Alice hotel we can wander in the town. At 3:00 PM we drive out by bus to explore and birdwatch the spectacular flashflood gaps of the arid MacDonnell Range. Rock wallabies and large lizards can be seen and the desert birds include trillers, cockatiels, budgies and Zebra Finches. Ephemeral creeks have worn gorges in the ancient MacDonnells, and the pools in the dry creeks attract wildlife for miles. Dinner on the town. Individual lunch and dinner. Day 12 Wednesday, November 4 ______Alice to Ayer’s Rock (Uluru) We depart this morning on the five-hour desert drive to Uluru. At the edge of Alice Springs we stop at the sewage ponds to see stilts, avocets, Hoary-headed Grebes and Whistling Ducks. We’ll have lunch en route, and check in at our fine hotel in the government developed tourist town of Yulara, where all visitors to Uluru stay. In the evening we take a walk at the base of the rock, investigating aboriginal cave paintings and desert ecology. At sunset we watch the changing colors of the rock. Individual lunch and dinner.

Day 13 Thursday, November 5 ______Uluru and the Olgas (Katatjuta) Twenty miles away from Ayer’s Rock rise the Olgas, similar sedimentary outcrops with a maze of gaps and canyons between. We’ll leave early for a long morning of beautiful hikes amongst these sacred red rocks. Wildflowers will depend on recent rains. The story of many desert creatures can be read from their tracks in the orange dunes. We return to the hotel for lunch, and have a relaxed afternoon for swimming and viewing the visitor center. Our last afternoon another walk around Ayer’s Rock; those that like may climb the Rock. Tonight an optional desert night walk. Individual lunch and dinner.

Day 14 Friday, November 6 ______Ayers to Alice We drive back to Alice Springs today with interesting stops en route. After hotel check-in, this evening we will visit the Telegraph museum at the original “Springs,” celebrating the settlement of the Outback. Varied wildlife gather at this pleasant park. Dinner on the town. Individual lunch and dinner.

Day 15 Saturday, November 7 ______Alice to Darwin An early morning optional birdwatch, and then we catch our 11:40 AM flight to tropical Darwin arrives at 1:40 PM. In the late afternoon we visit mangrove and mudflat natural areas teeming with land and waterbirds. Our hotel is in the center of the small city overlooking the bay. Individual dinner.

Day 16 Sunday, November 8 ______Darwin to Kakadu National Park We depart early for Fogg Dam, a bungled rice project that is now one of the finest waterbird areas in Australia. Jacanas, spoonbills, various herons, storks, pelicans, swans and geese throng the marshes, and many are easily photographed. The nearby forests support pittas, cuckoos and bee- eaters. We spend the night at Cooinda in Kakadu National Park, with excellent woodland and plains habitats surrounding our lodge. Day 17 Monday, November 9 ______Kakadu At 6:00 AM we’ll board a boat to cruise the Yellow Waters area in search of giant saltwater crocodiles, goannas (monitor lizards) and spectacular waterbirds like Black-necked Storks and Sea Eagles. The boats approach close, and photo opportunities are excellent. In mid-afternoon we move deeper into the park, investigating the billabongs (oxbow lakes) and monsoon forests of this vast park. This evening we have an interpretive walk to the Aboriginal cave paintings of Ubiri. Sunset over the marshes, and then we drive south in the dark to dinner at another lodge farther south. Individual lunch.

Day 18 Tuesday, November 10 ______Kakadu to Darwin An early birdwalk, then we depart to Darwin. En route we will explore more rock art sites and billabongs, arriving this evening. Individual lunch and dinner on the town.

Day 19 Wednesday, November 11 ______Darwin to Cairns to Green Island We’re up early to catch our 6:20 AM flight to Cairns, where we are met at the airport at 9:10 by naturalist Murray Hunt. We have picnic lunch on the famous esplanade while watching thousands of Asian shorebirds, then board a large, stable catamaran for the 40-minute voyage 15 miles offshore to Green Island, a sandy caye on the Great Barrier Reef. Our resort lodge is deluxe and surrounded by lush vegetation. We have this afternoon and tomorrow morning to walk the trails and beaches and swim. The corals and fishes of the Great Barrier Reef comprise the world’s most diverse marine ecosystem. The white coral beaches of Green Island are the perfect setting to practice and apply our snorkeling skills. Other activities available include an underwater observatory, glass bottom boats, a semi-submersible (you sit below the water’s surface with glass on both sides), a pool and a museum of South Pacific Islands and Crocodiles. The leader can teach you how to snorkel. Picnic dinner or individual dinner.

Day 20 Thursday, November 12 ______Reef to the Atherton Tablelands After a morning of snorkeling and walks viewing diverse terns, shorebirds and pigeons, we ferry to the mainland and are met by Murray for our scenic journey inland to Yungaburra. We ascend the Coast Range and then cross the fertile 3,000 foot Atherton Tablelands, the rich farmland broken by rainforest preserves, where we walk in search of Spotted Catbird, Victoria’s Riflebird (a bird of paradise) and myriad colorful honeyeaters. We settle for the night at the historic Lake Eacham Hotel, hosted to traditional Aussie hospitality. At dusk we’ll wait for a platypus at a frequent watery haunt. Day 21 Friday, November 13 ______The Atherton Tablelands We depart early to The Crater, a volcanic formation with surrounding forest trails where we’ll search for exotic specialties like Golden Bowerbird, Green Catbird, Chowchilla and King Parrot. We return to Yungaburra for lunch and continue north to delightful Kingfisher Lodge, nestled in the forest and rich with wildlife. Birds like Red-necked Rail and several honeyeaters are attracted to the feeders, and the spectacular Noisy Pitta and Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher will have recently returned from Asia. The Red-legged Pademelon (a small roo type) is a frequent visitor, and on our night walk we may find Striped and Green Possums, Bandicoot, and even the Lesser Sooty Owl. Individual lunch.

Day 22 Saturday, November 14 ______Rainforest to Daintree An early rainforest walk before we descend from the Tablelands and drive along the Queensland coast, old haunt of Captain Cook, to the village of Daintree for an optional evening walk in forest along the river.

Day 23 Sunday, November 15 ______Daintree & Port Douglas We begin early with a boat trip to see wildlife along the Daintree River. After breakfast we visit various coastal sites for waterbirds. The nearby town of Port Douglas has many attractive shops and lunch. This evening another walk and early farewell dinner. Individual lunch.

Day 24 Monday, November 16 ______Daintree to Cairns to Brisbane to US We depart Daintree very early to reach Cairns in time for our 6:00 AM Qantas flight to Brisbane, connecting with our 11:40 PM flight to L.A. We should all reach home evening this same day. Australia is magnificent!