Arafura Torr es Strait WILDLIFE discovery Timor Sea Sea Darwin 8 Cairns 1 AUSTRALIA WILDLIFE NORTHERN Coral TERRITORY Sea Australia is renowned for its unique wildlife and no trip would be complete 10 QUEENSLAND without taking the time to get up close and personal with some of its most WESTERN 5 famous residents. Whether its snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef, holding AUSTRALIA 2 SOUTH Brisbane a Koala or hand feeding dolphins, these experiences provide a unique AUSTRALIA opportunity to meet some of Australia’s most extraordinary creatures. NEW SOUTH Indian Perth WALES Ocean Sydney VICTORIA 3 9 Melbourne 4 Southern Ocean 7 Bass Strait TASMANIA Tasm an Sea 6 GREAT BARRIER REEF TANGALOOMA One of Australia’s most remarkable natural gifts, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed Just over an hour’s catamaran cruise from Brisbane is Moreton with the breathtaking beauty of the world’s largest coral reef. The reef contains an Island, home to the Tangalooma Wild dolphin resort. A abundance of marine life, including turtles, Whales, Rays, Barracudas and much1 more. highlight of any stay is the opportunity to interact with the To experience nature’s fi nest join Quicksilver on a cruise to the Outer Barrier Reef native wildlife. Each evening the Tangalooma dolphins eagerly where you can snorkel and discover the reef at your own pace. swim up to the beach where they are rewarded with fresh fi sh by the dolphin care staff and resort guests. 2 QUICKSILVER CRUISE FROM £149 PER PERSON TANGALOOMA WILD DOLPHIN RESORT 3 DAY PACKAGE FROM £248 PER PERSON TARONGA ZOO Overlooking Sydney’s famous harbour lies Taronga PHILLIP ISLAND Zoo with its collection of over 2500 exotic and native Experience Victoria’s wildlife island Australian animals. Taronga Zoo has been a leader featuring spectacular scenery, charming AUSTRALIA ZOO in wildlife conservation for over 90 years and offers a heritage and an abundance of4 Australian Home of the legendary crocodile hunter range of packages for you to be able to get up close 3 wildlife including the famous Phillip – the late Steve Irwin, Australia Zoo is and personal with its famous residents. The Roar N Island Penguin Parade. Phillip Island is the ideal place to visit if you want a Snore package allows you to spend the night camping home to one of the largest little Penguin host of interactive animal encounters, out with the animals in the heart of Sydney’s famous an action packed wildlife hospital5 and colonies in the world and each day at zoo. Enjoy up close animal encounters, buffet dinner sunset they emerge from the sea and over 1000 native and exotic animals and a night safari walk before retiring to your private waddle across the beach to their sand on display. Take your seat in the 5000 safari tent. dune burrows. capacity Crocoseum to watch one of the OVERNIGHT ROAR N SNORE FROM £195 PER PERSON DAY TOUR FROM MELBOURNE FROM £145 many interesting and informative shows. PER PERSON DAY TOUR FROM BRISBANE FROM £75 PER PERSON 48 We don’t just go there, we know there 048_049_AJO_12_1.indd 2 01/05/2012 17:01 Australia GREAT OCEAN ROAD TASMANIAN DEVIL Stretching from Geelong to Portland in South West Victoria the landscape With accessible wilderness and plenty of wildlife sanctuaries, along the Great Ocean Road is rich and diverse. Drive deep into the Otway Tasmania is the ideal destination to get up close with native Ranges to the Great Otway National Park to discover and oasis of fern Australian animals. See wombats, wallabies, pademelons,6 gullies, giant rainforest trees and abundant native wildlife. Wallabies, Koalas endemic birds and more. It’s also the one place on earth and Echidnas live in the Otway Ranges and you may be lucky enough to you’ll fi nd a Tasmanian devil in the wild. Take a visit to spot an elusive Platypus in a forest stream. Bonorong Wildlife sanctuary and join one of the unique DAY TOUR FROM MELBOURNE FROM £90 PER PERSON and in-depth guided tours. After meeting the Wombats, Tasmanian Devils and Koalas, watch them being fed and 7 learn about the work of the sanctuary to help the native animals survive. FROM £16 PER PERSON TOP END – CROCODILES The northern coastal area of Australia is a huge, diverse wilderness where the crocodile is king. This is the country made famous by Paul Hogan and his crocodile adventures in the fi lm Crocodile Dundee. See massive Saltwater Crocodiles leap from the natural waterway of the Adelaide River and explore Kakadu National Park; home to 3 species of crocodile. Darwin is also home to Crocosauras Cove bringing KANGAROO ISLAND together some of the largest Saltwater Crocodiles in Australia &8 Easily accessible from Adelaide is South Australia’s Kangaroo Island, boasting the World’s largest display of Australian reptiles. 9 a haven for wildlife lovers who want an intimate experience with 1 DAY KAKADU, NOURLANGIE ROCK & YELLOW WATER FROM £152 PER PERSON Australia’s beautiful native animals. Buffeted by the Southern Ocean, more than a third of Kangaroo Island is preserved as conservation or National Parks. Take time to explore while wallabies, echidnas, 267 species of birds, penguins, koalas and kangaroos relax in their natural environment. 3 DAY KANGAROO ISLAND SELF DRIVE FROM £300 PER PERSON. NINGALOO – WHALESHARKS The Ningaloo10 Coast is famous for the whalesharks that aggregate on Ningaloo Reef between April to August each year, which lends itself to one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of many people’s trip to the region – swimming with whalesharks. The whaleshark is the largest fi sh in the ocean reaching up to 18 metres long and snorkelling with these gentle giants is sure to be one of those experiences you will never forget. SNORKEL WITH WHALESHARKS FROM £242 PER PERSON AUSTRAVEL.COM | 0800 023 5760 49 048_049_AJO_12_1.indd 3 01/05/2012 17:02 WILDLIFE discovery 1 Paihia NEW ZEALAND WILDLIFE New Zealand is known as country bursting with nature and wildlife, and despite being Auckland just across the Tasman Sea from Australia, it offers an incredible diverse indigenous range to its neighbour. Once described as a ‘storehouse for discontinued zoological models’ it offers fl ightless Kiwi, ancient tuatara lizards and a bounty of marine life. NORTH Pacific Ocean ISLAND BAY OF ISLANDS WELLINGTON Travel north to the Bay of Islands in Seek out the elusive New Zealand 1search of playful bottlenose dolphins. 2mascot, the kiwi, at ‘Zealandia’. With 6 2 4 The best way to catch a glimpse of these over one hundred calling the sanctuary Wellington creatures in their natural habitat is to ‘home’, there is a high ‘spotting’ chance Nelson take a cruise to Cape Brett and the Hole as they rummage through the leaf litter. Kaikoura in the Rock, before going ashore to one In addition, view glow worms that of the most beautiful islands in the area will light up your path as you explore 7 3 to explore scenic walking tracks. Take two reservoirs and historical buildings. SOUTH your swimmers with the opportunity to Ancient tuatara lizards and kakapo ISLAND Christchurch Pacific Ocean swim with these magnifi cent mammals! native parrots can also be spotted. 9 DAY TOUR FROM PAIHIA FROM £68 PER TWILIGHT TOUR FROM £41 PER PERSON 5 PERSON Queenstown Dunedin BAY OF ISLANDS 8 STEWART ISLAND WELLINGTON CAPE PALLISER BAY Visit Cape Palliser Bay to spot the largest fur seal colony on the 4North Island – a truly unique experience. These wild sea coastlines are rich in Maori history; climb the 250 steps of the historic, candy- striped Cape Palliser lighthouse to take in stunning coastal views. Join a tour which also takes in the highlights of ‘Middle Earth’ from the Lord of the Rings trilogy on a day out from Wellington. DAY TOUR FROM £105 PER PERSON CAPE PALLISER BAY KAIKOURA Travel to Kaikoura to one of New Zealand’s leading eco-tourism destinations, renowned for its variety of marine mammals. Spot sperm & humpback3 whales, dolphins and seals which are all attracted by the rich feeding grounds. WHALE WATCH CRUISE FROM £79 PER PERSON 50 We don’t just go there, we know there 050_051_AJO_12_1.indd 2 01/05/2012 18:08 New Zealand DUNEDIN DUNEDIN Cruise the length of the beautiful Otago 5Harbour to experience the magnifi cence of the exciting diversity of wildlife, which abounds on spectacular Taiaroa Head. This is the only mainland nesting place for Northern Royal Albatross in the world, and is also home to New Zealand’s fur seals, eight other nesting bird species and a fascinating array of marine mammals in their natural environment. The Yellow-Eyed Penguin Reserve is an award-winning private conservation project, and visitors can experience undisturbed penguin activity at close range via a unique system of hides and tunnels. DAY TOUR FROM £72 PER PERSON NELSON Paddle through the 6coastal paradise of Abel Tasman National Park, NELSON heading out by kayak from Torrent Bay to the seal colony at Tonga Island. Combine your trip with lunch on a golden sandy beach, plus a walk along the coastline back to Kaiteriteri. KAYAKING TOUR FROM £80 PER PERSON CHRISTCHURCH If you have always dreamed of swimming with dolphins then this is an opportunity not to be missed! Travel to Akaroa for a cruise on the harbour, sighting dolphins, penguins and seals en route. On spotting the dolphins, you will join them in their natural habitat and swim with the rare and endangered Hector Dolphins in the open sea. 7 DAY TOUR FROM £126 PER PERSON STEWART ISLAND STEWART DOUBTFUL 8ISLAND 9SOUND Ulva is a real nature sanctuary Travel to Doubtful Sound in and a must for anyone the Fiordland National Park, to interested in New Zealand view awe-inspiring waterfalls, birds and fl ora.