THE MAGIC DOWN UNDER! A PRIVATE SAFARI IN AUSTRALIA DESIGNED FOR AND HOSTED BY TOM STALF PRESIDENT & CEO, COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM OCTOBER 8-23, 2017 ©World Safaris, 5306 Villas Ct., Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 9990 Riverside Dr., Powell, OH 43065 [email protected] 336-776-0359 703-981-4474(mobile) [email protected] 614-724-3558 Please join me as I travel westward – almost half-way round the world – to explore some of Australia’s most enchanting destinations. We will venture out on the Great Barrier Reef to experience its majestic beauty, and we’ll have a “devil” of a time in Tasmania. TOM STALF, PRESIDENT AND CEO, COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM As President and CEO, Tom Stalf leads the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Zoombezi Bay, Safari Golf Club and the Wilds conservation center with a single focus – inspire people to make a difference for wildlife and wild places. Tom brings to his leadership role more than 20 years experience gained by first working as zookeeper and then advancing quickly through every aspect of zoo management – from animal care to exhibit design to financial management to strategic visioning. He became the youngest zoo director in the country when tapped to manage Niabi Zoo in Illinois in 1995 and guided that zoo to gain national accreditation for the first time. Tom joined Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in May of 2010 as the Senior Vice President of Operations and one year later was promoted to Chief Operations Officer. The Board of Directors appointed him President and CEO in February 2013. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Western Illinois University. Tom places a high priority on animal welfare and conservation, and he has traveled to several countries where the Zoo supports programs that help people help protect wildlife. A tireless champion for wildlife, Tom uses his gift of storytelling and love of education to help inspire people to join the Zoo’s mission to protecting animals globally and locally. ©World Safaris, 5306 Villas Ct., Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 9990 Riverside Dr., Powell, OH 43065 [email protected] 336-776-0359 703-981-4474(mobile) [email protected] 614-724-3558 THE MAGIC DOWN UNDER! AUSTRALIA – The name of the smallest continent brings forth images of exotic creatures – animals unlike those found anywhere else on earth. Kangaroos are probably the first creatures that come to mind - upright animals with impossibly large feet and a pouch for carrying babies. Or cuddly-looking koalas that look like something a toy company would produce. For some, maybe it’s the platypus, with its unexpected duck-billed snout. And, perhaps, the most famous (or infamous) of Australian animals in American culture is the Tasmanian devil, although most of us probably think of the Warner Brothers cartoon character. It is estimated that the Australian land mass separated from Antarctica about 96 million years ago. As it moved north toward the tropics, the earth experienced overall global cooling. The continent’s journey toward the tropics counteracted the cooling, allowing Australia’s temperatures to remain relatively constant over an exceptionally long period of time, giving rise to its enormous diversity of life. When cooler global temperatures caused a loss of species in most of the world, Australia’s consistent climate allowed more species to evolve and flourish. The majority of the indigenous mammals of Australia are marsupials – animals that give birth to incompletely developed young, which are nourished in a protective pouch. Current scientific thought focuses on the arrival of marsupials in Australia about 50 million years ago. It is theorized that a single species may have traveled from Antarctica to Australia on a raft of debris, from which the diversity of species spread. The reasons for Australian marsupials becoming the dominant mammal species remain unclear. The exceptional diversity of species isn’t limited to mammals. According to The Wilderness Society, Australia has more species of vascular plants and non-fish vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians) than 94% of the world’s countries. As we explore portions of this vast country, we will discover an incredible world of new life wherever we travel. ©World Safaris, 5306 Villas Ct., Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 9990 Riverside Dr., Powell, OH 43065 [email protected] 336-776-0359 703-981-4474(mobile) [email protected] 614-724-3558 Our Magic Down Under Itinerary: Oct 8 (Sun) - Depart USA Suggested flight Qantas QF16, departs Los Angeles at 11:50pm (flight not included). International flights are not included in order to provide flexibility in making your flight arrangements. We have an air travel professional available to assist you with your flight arrangements. Oct 9 (Mon) - Lose a day in flight, crossing the International Dateline Oct 10 (Tue) – Brisbane Our expected arrival time in Brisbane will be 7:55am. Upon clearing immigration and customs, we’ll be met in the arrival hall and driven to our accommodations at the Royal On The Park Hotel, where arrangements have been made for immediate check-in. The rest of the morning is set aside for rest and relaxation after our extended flights. However, for those who wish to stretch their legs, we will have an option to explore the habitats of the adjacent Brisbane Botanic Garden. ROYAL ON THE PARK HOTEL After lunch, we will travel to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary for a private tour and a personal introduction to Australia’s most engaging marsupial – the koala. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary with over 130 koalas. The staff of the sanctuary is dedicated to the conservation of koalas and all native Australian animals and operating in an environmentally friendly manner. Their extensive research programs include ground-breaking investigations into the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten the population of koalas. DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS During our tour, we will also meet kangaroos and enjoy our first encounters with a number of species of Australia’s diversity of wildlife, including one of the Earth’s strangest creatures – the duck-billed platypus, one of two egg- laying mammal species in Australia. Accommodations at the Royal On The Park Hotel (LD) ©World Safaris, 5306 Villas Ct., Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 9990 Riverside Dr., Powell, OH 43065 [email protected] 336-776-0359 703-981-4474(mobile) [email protected] 614-724-3558 Oct 11 (Wed) - The Australia Zoo After breakfast we will travel to the Australia Zoo, home of The Crocodile Hunter – the late Steve Irwin. Terri Irwin and her family carry on Steve’s passion and dedication to the preservation of wildlife in Australia and throughout the world. STEVE IRWIN BINDI, TERRI & ROBERT IRWIN Started in 1970 as a two acre wildlife park, the Australia Zoo has grown to 1500 acres – largely due to the revenue generated by Steve Irwin’s television programs. While Australian wildlife is the zoo’s specialty, our private tour will introduce us to creatures from around the world that call the zoo their home. One of the highlights of our visit will be a close encounter with one of the zoo’s residents – perhaps a wombat, a white rhino or a Komodo dragon! Accommodations at the Royal On The Park Hotel (BLD) WOMBAT ENCOUNTER CROCOSEUM DEMONSTRATION WHITE RHINO GALAPAGOS TORTOISE Oct 12 (Thu) - Cairns This morning we return to the airport for our flight to Cairns, in tropical north Queensland. After arriving at the Doubletree by Hilton Cairns Hotel, we will take a short walk to the new Cairns Aquarium, which is scheduled to open in May 2017. The world’s newest aquarium is the only aquarium dedicated to the conservation of the Queensland’s wet tropical habitats. After lunch in the AquaLuna restaurant, the Curator will personally introduce us to the Aquarium team’s focus on sustaining these unique ecosystems and show us some of the aquarium’s fascinating residents, including Australia’s only school of scalloped hammerhead sharks. And this will be the perfect introduction in preparation for tomorrow’s voyage onto the world-famous Great Barrier Reef. ©World Safaris, 5306 Villas Ct., Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 9990 Riverside Dr., Powell, OH 43065 [email protected] 336-776-0359 703-981-4474(mobile) [email protected] 614-724-3558 GREAT BARRIER REEF EXHIBIT CAIRNS AQUARIUM STING RAYS SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD SHARKS We’ll return to the hotel to finish checking in. Around 6:30pm, we will venture out on the streets of Cairns and walk to the Cock & Bull, a bustling blend of a traditional English tavern and an Australian country bar – and a favorite of the locals. Its décor can best be describes as “eclectic” – and displays of some of the largest saltwater game fish caught in Australian waters. Its extensive menu offers a wide variety of hearty meals, including tasty selections from the Carnivore Grill. The Cock & Bull isn’t a restaurant that was built for tourists – and that’s one of the reasons we’ve selected it for this evening’s meal. (BLD) THE COCK & BULL The Doubletree by Hilton Cairns Hotel will provide us with comfortable and convenient accommodations for the next two nights. Oct 13 (Fri) – Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system - and probably the most famous. The reef covers over 133,000 square miles off the northeastern coast of Australia. We will explore two destinations within the reef system during our approximate five hour excursion, with opportunities to explore these shore and underwater wonderlands by snorkel and scuba diving.