Australia
Program Summary
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Australia
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| Accommodations |
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| Trip Highlights |
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Adventure Highlights
Melbourne, Australia
- Meet some of Australia’s iconic wildlife—platypus, koalas, emus, Tasmanian devils, lyrebirds, wombats, sugar gliders, and more—at the Healesville Sanctuary.
- Learn about the endangered animals protected in the sanctuary, such as helmeted honeyeaters, mountain pigmy possums, rock wallabies, and northern quolls.
- Enjoy a close encounter with an unusual animal—perhaps a snake, lizard, green tree frog, stick insect, or a tawny frogmouth (which is actually an owl-like bird).
- Gain behind-the-scenes access to the Australian Wildlife Health Centre, and watch as a veterinarian performs a procedure.
- Explore Queen Victoria Market, the largest and oldest market in the Southern Hemisphere. Opened in 1878, its historic buildings are unchanged from days gone by. Rub elbows with the locals as you experience your first immersion into Australian culture.
- Try your hand at being wildlife keeper to such unique species as kangaroos, sugar gliders, koalas, quolls, and wallabies.
- Explore the Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park in small groups to observe the uniqueness and diversity of Australia’s fauna.
- Assist with the conservation of the animals in the Moonlit Sanctuary, perhaps by building nest boxes or preparing an enclosure.
- Take an exclusive tour of the sanctuary as you watch sanctuary staff feed the animals—and maybe lend a hand yourself!
- Meet the leading figure in Australian frog conservation to learn about efforts to preserve unique local species.
- Help researchers study the “little penguin” at the Phillip Island Research Station, and find out how modern technology is saving this threatened species.
- Get up close and personal with little penguins, guided by a station ranger.
- At sunset, experience the amazing penguin parade as the birds waddle from the sea to their burrows.
The Outback—Alice Springs, Australia
- Discover authentic skills in your Outback Bush Camp, such as damper making, boiling billy tea, and whip cracking. Be your own myth-buster as you test if boomerangs actually return to you, if you can make bread without yeast, and if you can break the sound barrier with nothing but a bit of leather.
- Learn from the locals about their lifestyle and how they survive in this remote area. Listen to “yarns” and learn about the history of the station (what Americans would call a “ranch”).
- Learn about the southern night sky, including how to find the Southern Cross and the Pointers, identify the planets, and locate the signs of the zodiac and other constellations.
- Snuggle into your swag (a unique canvas cover and sleeping bag rolled into one neat bundle) for a good night’s sleep under the starry sky.
- Experience one of the natural wonders of the world at Ayers Rock—also known by its Aboriginal name, Uluru. Wake early to see Uluru at first light, when its colors are most spectacular.
- Discover how this landscape provides spiritual and economic sustenance for the indigenous Anangu people (out of respect for the Anangu beliefs, your group will not climb the rock).
- Visit the caves of the Mala people and learn from your Anangu guide about how early peoples lived and prepared for ceremonies at the base of Uluru.
- Explore the 36 steep-sided domes of Kata Tjuta (also known as The Olgas).
- Ride a camel into the sunset for breathtaking views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta National Park.
- Learn about aboriginal art and culture from aboriginal artists.
- Join the artists to complete your own dot painting, which you can take home as a memento of your experience.
Cairns, Australia
- Have a close encounter with a crocodile, as you observe it feeding. Learn about crocodile biology and their behavior during a detailed talk from the keeper as you shadow him through his duties.
- Hear from a speaker who is making a difference—a knowledgeable wildlife keeper who will share his vast insights with you, on everything from environmental management to snakebite treatment.
Mungalli, Australia
- Enjoy a day of fun and adventure in the Atheraton tablelands, a picturesque plateau that is abundant with lush vegetation, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls.
- Challenge yourself to complete a jungle obstacle course, build a raft, practice your archery, and “land-slide” down a hillside to end with a splash!
- Take a tour of a banana plantation and then get your hands dirty in the processing and packing line.
- Learn about an eco-friendly technology created in Northern Queensland to make paper from banana by-products.
- Take in a picturesque waterfall and have the opportunity for a swim.
- Try to spot a platypus as the sun falls.
- Search for glowworms in the dark at the bottom of a waterfall.
Great Barrier Reef—Townsville, Australia
- Spend two days in the waters surrounding the Great Barrier Reef, studying alongside experts and enjoying the underwater experience of a lifetime.
- Begin an intensive study program with scientists from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and observe their current research projects.
- Perform your own experiments and challenge yourself to understand the reef’s history, its species, and how it’s managed.
- Take Snorkeling Safety 101—you will be fitted with the gear to be a marine researcher for a day, plus receive a lesson on snorkeling and water safety.
- Enjoy the ultimate sleepover in an aquarium at Reef HQ: once the lights go out, you’ll explore the staff-only areas and visit the turtle hospital.
- Bunk in at Orpheus Island’s research station with marine biology students from James Cook University.
- Snorkel the fringing reef off of Orpheus Island and collect data: you may be observing fish feeding behavior, identifying different types of coral, or recording other observations.
- Review your data, learn how scientists analyze it, and review your findings as a group back at Reef HQ.
* Trip itinerary subject to change.
