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Activity Tour of Tropical Australia

This trip has been designed for more general interest and younger student groups. It visits a range of iconic regions, from the Great Barrier Reef, to the rainforests and rivers of the Daintree, to the caves and bush of the outback, and to the mountains, lakes and waterfalls of the Atherton Tablelands. We conduct a range of activities within the trip including hikes, ‘bushwalks', boat cruises, snorkeling to wildlife viewing and night-spotlighting. We see tropical rainforest, coal reefs, kangaroos, shops and beaches. With sufficient lead time, the trip can have it's focus and design changed to suit the…
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Plants

Syzygium: australian 'apples' and lilly-pillies

There are about 500 species in the genus Syzygium, with almost 60 species in Australia. The flowers are often showy, and dominated by many colourful shaving brush like stamens. They develop fleshy fruits that are also often colourful.
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Birds

Boobies and Gannets

Boobie and baby

Boobies and Gannets are rather large, robust seabirds. They have big heads, strong beaks and look a little bit like a large, ocean going duck. Their feet are big and fully webbed. Their walk is a cute, duck-like waddle. When flying, their body is often described as ‘torpedo’ or ‘cigar’ shaped. The 9 species are found all over the world. While Boobies are more tropical in distribution, Gannets inhabit the colder, temperate seas. They are essentially an ocean going bird, and are only really found on land when nesting. They were given the derogatory name of ‘Booby’ from the Spanish word bobo which means fool or clown. They may plunge dive for prey from heights of up to 20 or 30 metres, with heights of 100 metres reported. Their nostrils are small and not externally visible and close to prevent seawater entering the nostrils when hitting the surface at high speeds. The air sacs under their skin are particularly well developed in the frontal region of the body and likely serve to cushion the body during their steep dives.

Mammals

Koala

The Koala needs little description as it so well known. It's cute, with fluffy ears and a big black nose. It is covered in soft fur, which tends to be greyer in the north, and more brownish and thicker in the south. The koala is an animal that is well adapted for life in the trees.
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