Inala is excited to offer a small group tour for those who like to take things slow. This is a rare opportunity to be guided through some of the less travelled areas of our wild Tasmanian isle, camera or sound recording equipment in hand.
Starting your journey in Launceston, you’ll head north-east to survey some sensitive conservation areas in the region. Days will begin with an early start – after all, we are here for the dawn chorus! A slow paced morning session will finish as the birds begin to take shelter in the early afternoon, at which point the group can return to their accommodation and dedicate some time to processing and editing their morning’s work. This is an exciting chance to work with your peers, learn new techniques and be mentored by your guide. Ramit will also provide
lectures and workshops designed to assist you advance your skillsets. On a few occasions, the group will venture out after dusk, with the possibility to encounter some of Tasmania’s shy nocturnal species – bird and marsupial alike.
Who is this tour for?
This tour is designed for those interested in photography and acoustics recording, or for those who may feel that many group tours are too fast paced for them. Whether you are a beginner or a veteran birder, you’ll be gently eased into the Tasmanian landscape and introduced to the birdlife. Mentoring from your guide is an advantage of this tour, who has thoughtfully designed this tour and selected locations based on their own successes as a photographer and citizen scientist.
Meet your guide - Ramit Singal.
Ramit is an ecologist, photographer and sound recorder who has been based in Tasmania for over ten years. He has forged the way for recording bird call in Tasmania, and has a passion for citizen science initiatives, which he has participated in across the globe. He is a prolific contributor of sound and images to eBird/Macaulay Library and to spend any time researching Tasmanian birds on the Cornell University platforms will make his name a rather familiar one. Ramit lives in the north of Tasmania and has dedicated years to exploring the island’s best kept secrets.
Temperature: Daytime temperatures range from 20-28°C with warm and temperate conditions. Nights are cooler, dropping to 10-15°C. Expect plenty of early morning activity, with breaks around midday. Warm temperatures are usually tempered by the coastal breeze.
Rainfall: This period falls within the drier time of year for the island, however rainfall should be expected. The region is coastal, and occasional light showers are possible.
Sunshine: Expect abundant sunshine with clear blue skies most days. UV levels are very high—sun protection is essential. Early morning and late afternoon light is excellent for photography.
Tasmania’s endemics, including Scrubtit, Tasmanian Thornbill, Scrubwren and Native-Hen
Tawny-crowned Honeyeater
Cape Barren Goose
Olive Whistler
Bassian Thrush
Pink Robin
Australasian Masked Owl
Australian Owlet-Nightjar
Australasian Bittern
Banded Lapwing
Red-capped and Hooded Plover
Blue-winged Parrot
Painted Buttonquail
Spotted Quail-Thrush
Fairy, Caspian, Greater Crested and White-fronted Terns
Tasmanian Pademelon
Red-necked (Bennett’s) Wallaby
Short-beaked Echidna
Australian Fur Seal
Tasmanian Devil
Eastern Quoll
Forester (Eastern Grey) Kangaroo
Common Brushtail Possum
Today is set aside as an arrival day. Own arrangements for hotel connections. Early evening we will meet in the foyer of the Hotel Grand Chancellor for a predinner get together. Then we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner where we’ll discuss our plans for the tour.
Accommodation: Launceston (en-suite rooms). Meals: Dinner.
Starting from Launceston in the morning, we will explore the various wetlands and estuaries that the Tamar region has to offer. This morning serves as an easy introduction to Tasmanian birds, as well as beginning our practice of photographing and recording sounds around each other. We should see many of Tasmania’s waterfowl species - including Pacific Black Duck, Black Swan, Australasian Shoveler, Grey and Chestnut Teal, plus a chance of Crakes (Spotted and Baillon’s), Royal Spoonbill, Nankeen Night Heron, and Egrets (Great and Little). During our time at Tamar Island Wetlands, we will have a good chance at recording some delightful songbirds too, including Little Grassbird, Australian Reed Warbler and Superb Fairywren, as we traverse the boardwalks out to the island.
After a solid morning session with the wetland species, we will make our way north east to Bridport, stopping at a couple of woodland locations along the way to acquaint ourselves with common forest bird species, such as Pardalotes (Spotted and Striated), Tasmanian Scrubwren and Grey Fantail.
Accommodation: Bridport (en-suite rooms). Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Today we have a short drive east towards Icena, our base for the next two days. We will depart Bridport early, timing our arrival at Waterhouse Conservation Area with the dawn chorus. This spectacular area offers wetlands and heath typical of northeastern Tasmania, and some very exciting birding. Here, we have a chance to see Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Banded Lapwing, Cape Barren Goose, and with luck and patience on our side, the cryptic Australasian Bittern.
With cameras and sound recording equipment in hand, we will make ourselves comfortable by the reeds waiting for a chance to capture a glimpse of this shy species. After our fill of wetland and heath dwelling birds, we will make our way down to the beach, which plays host to myriad resident shorebirds - Hooded and Red-capped Plover, Pied and Sooty Oystercatcher and Greater Crested Tern.
In the afternoon we make our way to our accommodation for the next two nights - a thoughtfully renovated Shearer’s Quarters located on an original farm property. Once we have settled into our en-suite rooms, we will make use of the well-appointed living space to begin reviewing the images and sound recordings we have gleaned so far. Guests can choose to work collaboratively or independently, and seek advice from our guide Ramit. Settle in for a relaxing evening with a delicious dinner cooked by our hosts.
In the evening if the mood strikes, we may venture out in search of nocturnal birds and marsupials, such as Australasian Masked Owl, Eastern Quoll and with luck, the Tasmanian Devil.
Accommodation: Icena (en-suite rooms). Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Today we will be continuing our routine with an early morning to catch the earliest birds. Icena and the Musselroe Bay area is home to some iconic birds and mammals - by now you will be well acquainted with the charismatic Grey Currawong and Yellow Wattlebird, the curious Tasmanian Pademelon and Common Wombat.
We will use the morning to meander around Cape Portland, Musselroe Bay, Eddystone Point, and the dry woodland around Gladstone. We'll be on the lookout for migratory shorebirds and seabirds, and will hope to see Blue-winged Parrot, Flame Robin, Eastern Spinebill and Painted Buttonquail. Keeping an eye overhead, we may spot a Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagle or Brown Falcon circling in the thermal columns.
This afternoon we will have another opportunity to put our technical skills to the test, reviewing our recordings and photographs; otherwise we are free to wander the property. In the evening we’ll have another chance to spot those nocturnal visitors - we will look for Tawny Frogmouth and Common Brushtail Possum, and as always have our eye out for the local Devil and Quoll clans.
Accommodation: Icena (en-suite rooms). Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
This morning we farewell our idyllic farm stay and start to make our way to the east coast. We travel via the regions of Derby and Blue Tier Forest Reserve. Here we have our first chance of seeing wet forest specialties such as Scrubtit, Tasmanian Thornbill, Black Currawong, Bassian Thrush, Pink Robin and Olive Whister, and parrots such as the endemic Green Rosella. We’ll also be spending some time trying at several spots for Spotted Quail-Thrush.
After we’ve settled in at our coastal accommodation and enjoyed dinner, we can take a night drive to look for Australasian Masked Owl, Australian Owlet-Nightjar and Tawny Frogmouth.
Accommodation: St Helens (en-suite rooms). Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Today we will head back into the bush, this time closer to St Helens. These forests are particularly fruitful locations for locating Spotted Quail-Thrush, parrots such as Musk Lorikeets, all our Robin species (Flame, Scarlet, Dusky and Pink), all endemic Honeyeaters (Strong-billed, Yellow-throated and Black-headed) as well as Golden Whistler and Beautiful Firetail.
In the early afternoon we will also visit some sandbars for shorebirds as well as Fairy, Caspian and Greater Crested Terns. The marvelous red rocks and beaches around The Gardens and Binalong Bay give great views of Hooded Plover, and Australasian Gannets and Shy Albatross are possible offshore.
Accommodation: St Helens (en-suite rooms). Meals: Breakfast,
Lunch, Dinner.
Venturing further south down the coast, we continue to take in this iconic seascape. Along the way we’ll be searching for White-fronted Terns, Greater Crested Tern colonies, and Australian Fur Seal. We will make our way inland to Douglas-Apsley National Park and the surrounding region, a great location for Spotted Quail-Thrush, honeyeaters, robins and more forest birds.
After we have our fill of the forest birding, we will be drawn back to the coast, this time to iconic Freycinet National Park. While we may have missed the crowds of summer, we nevertheless will enjoy the same spectacular views. We’ll take this walk slowly, cameras and recording equipment out along the way.
If the mood strikes, we can head out again in the evening to watch the Short-tailed Shearwaters return to shore.
Accommodation: Bicheno (en-suite rooms). Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
On our final morning of touring, we will slowly head back to Launceston with stops to look for any species we might have missed.
Accommodation: none. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
7 nights’ accommodation | all meals shown in itinerary | excursions & entrance fees | specialist guiding services | ground transportation
Flights | personal items | laundry | tips | alcoholic beverages | activities not mentioned in the itinerary
Pace & Style of the Tour - Inala designs comfortable itineraries for small group tours, balancing a moderate pace with the goal of finding as many wonderful species as possible. A reasonable level of fitness is required for this tour. Is this tour suitable for all birding experience levels? Absolutely! Our guides cater to everyone, from beginners to lifelong birders. Their expertise extends beyond birds, covering topics like history, botany, insects, and reptiles.
Remoteness - For much of this tour we will be in a wonderful yet relatively remote part of the world. If you have medical conditions or health concerns, it is important you make us aware of these in advance of this tour.
Ethics - Inala prioritises respect, conservation, and wildlife protection. We take care not to stress or disturb animals, avoiding excessive proximity and unnecessary handling. Bird call-backs are used sparingly. Our guides, inspired by Dr. Tonia Cochran’s industry-leading ethical standards, practice patience and care, leading to incredible, natural wildlife encounters.
The Itinerary - We aim to follow the planned itinerary but remain flexible based on weather, wildlife activity, and local insights. Inala guides may adjust the schedule as needed to enhance the experience.
There are terms and conditions relating to payments, cancellations, refunds, insurance and responsibility for our tours.
Inala Nature
320 Cloudy Bay Road, Lunawanna
South Bruny Island 7150
Tasmania, Australia
Phone:Â +61 3 6293 1217
Inala Nature acknowledge and pay respects to the palawa people as the traditional and original owners, and continuing custodians of this land, lutruwita, and acknowledges Elders - past and present. Inala Nature Tours and the Inala Foundation Inc are located on lunawanna- alonnah, also known as Bruny Island, the traditional land of the Nuenonne people.
