Located in eastern Victoria not far from the border with New South
Wales in the south eastern corner of Australia, is a superb wilderness
region known as East Gippsland. This is an area with abundant wildlife and
dramatic scenery and yet is rarely visited by international tourists. The
incredible diversity of East Gippsland has been recognised by the creation
of one of the largest concentrations of National Parks in Australia,
covering over 1.5 million hectares.
This three night, small group expedition is guided by a naturalist and the
overnight stays are in B & B accommodation. A reasonable degree of
fitness is required for this vehicle based expedition, with approximately
2-4 hours per day of walking and you are out of the vehicle for most of the
morning and nearly all of the afternoon and evening. The maximum number of
passengers is 10 your vehicle will usually be be either a 6 seater
Volkswagon Transporter with cloth seats and air conditioning or a 12 seater
Toyota minibus.
Day 1 :
Melbourne
Fly out of Melbourne by light aircraft in the early afternoon to the East
Gippsland region. Following a briefing from the guide you visit the
internationally acclaimed RAMSAR wetlands of the Lakes District. Look for
birdlife before travelling to ferry to an island sanctuary in the wetlands
which hosts a thriving colony of koalas. Your overnight stay for tonight and
the next two nights is in Orbost at a B & B chosen from the following:
Riverview, Kuna Kuna or Bargadoo Dinner tonight is in a local restaurant
before travelling deep into a eucalypt forest with a spotlight in search of
three species of rare gliding possums.
Day 2
: Cape Conran
View towering eucalypt forests while your guide provides detailed
information on the formation of these forests. Traverse the fascinating
transitional zone between the eucalypts and the rainforests before moving
into a great stand of Cabbage Tree Palms. Bird life is prolific in these
areas. Head back to the coast at Cape Conran, a place steeped in Aboriginal
history and home to the common Wombat. Dine outdoors tonight and then go
spotlighting in search of wombats and possums before heading back to the
small township of Orbost for your B & B accommodation for the night.
Day 3 : Bemm River
Travel
to the great estuary of the Bemm River on the wilderness coast. Meet a local
bird watching guide and cruise the forest lined lakes and rivers of this
great estuary in search of Black Swans, Musk Ducks, Sea Eagles and
Kingfishers. Visit an untrodden beach with a complex dune system before a
picnic and walk through the nearby coastal forest. After dinner there is
more spotlighting before returning to your B & B accommodation.
Day 4 : Melbourne
This morning after a leisurely breakfast, depart East Gippsland and
transfer by road or rail back to Melbourne, arriving late afternoon.
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Australia Tour Packages
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Wildlife in
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