This short tour is designed to target Cape York Peninsula in the Wet Season where we have the best chance of a small number of very special migrants from Papua New Guinea. These birds have a short migration window and visit our shores for a few months only. We take in the lowland rainforests of the incomparable Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park.
The birds we will be seeking in Kutini-Payamu NP are the Papuan Pitta (Erythropitta macklotii), Black-winged Monarch and Buff-breasted Paradise-kingfisher. Of course, there is a suite of additional amazing birds in this region that we’ll also target, like Palm Cockatoo, Papuan Eclectus, Magnificent Riflebird, Frill-necked Monarch, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Trumpet Manucode and Northern Scrub-robin, to name a few. Several of the species at the tip of Cape York also occur in New Guinea but are found nowhere else in Australia. They represent an ancient avifauna that harks back to the last Ice Age, when there was a land bridge between Australia and PNG.
We also offer a pre-tour extension for the first departure, or post-tour extension for the second departure, which visits the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, one of Australia’s most biodiverse regions. We will spend time in the Atherton Tablelands, which is home to many endemic birds and other wildlife, including some closely related to those of the rainforests of Kutini-Payamu/Iron Range on Cape York Peninsula. Among the specialties we will look for here are Southern Cassowary, Victoria’s Riflebird, Spotted Catbird, Tooth-billed & Golden Bowerbird, Bridled & Cryptic Honeyeater, Grey-headed Robin and Pied Monarch. This will also be out first chance of the stunning Buff-breasted Paradise-kingfisher. This is also a great location for mammals and we hope to encounter Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, Green Ringtail Possum, Striped Possum and Platypus among others. The spectacular but highly cryptic Boyd’s Forest Dragon is also possible here.
Extension + Main Tour combined price = $10,600
Extension + Main Tour Single supplement price = $11,730
Main Tour Departure 1: 27/01/2027, with the Atherton Tablelands pre-tour extension departing 24/01/2027.
Main Tour Departure 2: 31/01/2027, with the Atherton Tablelands post-tour extension departing 05/02/2027.
Birds: Papuan Pitta, Buff-breasted Paradise-kingfisher, Palm Cockatoo, Black-winged Monarch, Eclectus Parrot, Magnificent Riflebird, Frill-necked Monarch, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Trumpet Manucode, Northern Scrub-robin, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Black-eared Catbird, Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo. Mammals: Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo, Platypus.
This evening we will meet up and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before retiring early in readiness for start of the tour tomorrow.
Accommodation: Cairns hotel (en suite rooms).
Meals included: D
After a pre-breakfast walk along the Esplanade to look for shorebirds, we will head south of Cairns to look for one of Australia’s most amazing birds, the Southern Cassowary. If our good fortune is in, we should see at least one or two of these stately ratites on the roadside at a coastal rainforest location on our way. Other birds we might see here are Lovely Fairy-wren, Macleay’s Honeyeater, White-bellied Sea-eagle and Pheasant Coucal. From here we will head up towards the famous Atherton Tablelands, where with a few road-side stops we should pick up birds like Yellow-spotted & Cryptic Honeyeaters, Australian Swiftlet, Rufous (Little) Shrike-thrush, Australasian Figbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Metallic Starling, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Mistletoebird and Masked Lapwing.
Accommodation: Atherton Tablelands for 2 nights (en suite cabins).
Meals included: B L D
We’ll spend a full day in the Atherton Tablelands. In the high-altitude rainforest we’ll target Blue-faced Parrot-finch, as well as Victoria’s Riflebird, Golden Bowerbird, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Spotted Catbird, Fernwren, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Atherton Scrubwren, Bower’s Shrike-thrush, Pied Monarch, Mountain Thornbill, Bridled Honeyeater, Lovely Fairywren and Macleay’s Honeyeater. Other species in the area include Pale-vented Bush-hen, Red-necked Crake, Double-eyed Fig-parrot (subsp macleayana), Barred Cuckoo-shrike, Cotton & Green Pygmy-goose, White-browed Crake, Great Bowerbird, Northern Fantail, Black Bittern, Grey Whistler, Black-faced, Spectacled & White-eared Monarchs, Scarlet Myzomela, and White-cheeked, Lewin’s, White-throated & Brown-backed Honeyeaters.
At night we can try for Lesser Sooty Owl and possibly the rainforest-inhabiting race of Australian Boobook, subsp lurida, known as Little Red Boobook. Nocturnal mammals include a range of different possums like Green Ringtail, Striped, Lemuroid, Herbert River Ringtail Possums and Long-tailed Pygmy-possum, and gliders such as Yellow-bellied and Krefft’s (Sugar Glider).
Accommodation: Atherton Tablelands as for previous night (en suite cabins).
Meals included: B L D
After a final morning’s birding in the rainforest looking for any bird species we may still be missing, we will leave the higher altitude rainforests of the Tablelands and head back to Cairns via a range of open woodland habitats. Birds we hope to connect with today include Australian Bustard, Black-necked Stork, Red-tailed Black- Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Squatter Pigeon, White-throated Honeyeater, Grey- crowned Babbler, Noisy & Little Friarbirds, White-throated Gerygone, Red-winged Parrot, Great Bowerbird, Cotton Pygmy-goose, Pale-headed Rosella, Blue-winged Kookaburra and Yellow Oriole.
Accommodation: Cairns hotel (en suite rooms).
Meals included: B L.
We will meet in Cairns this afternoon and check in to our accommodation. If time allows, we can have a look along the Esplanade for shorebirds and other tropical species. In the evening, we will enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before retiring early in readiness for start of the tour tomorrow.
Accommodation: Cairns hotel (en suite rooms)
Meals included: D
Today we will board a flight to Lockhart River on the boundary of one of Australia’s most treasured, yet remote, birding destinations: Kutini-Payamu, home to a host of range-restricted species found nowhere else in the country. On arrival we will collect our vehicle and settle into our accommodation. If time allows, we’ll head off into the national park for a look around, hopefully picking up a few birds including Black-winged Monarch, Trumpet Manucode, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Yellow-billed Kingfisher and, with luck, hear a Papuan Pitta calling.
Accommodation: Portland Roads (shared toilet/bathroom).
Meals included: B L D
We have 3 full days to search the Kutini-Payamu NP, searching for the migrant Papuan Pitta, Black-winged Monarch & Buff-breasted Paradise-kingfishers. Other specialties of the area include Magnificent Riflebird, Noisy Scrub-robin, Palm Cockatoo, Red-cheeked & Eclectus Parrots, Trumpet Manucode, Black-eared Catbird, Frill-necked Monarch, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Green-backed, Graceful, Tawny-breasted & White-streaked Honeyeaters, White-faced Robin, Yellow-legged Flyrobin, Tropical Scrubwren, Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo, Double-eyed Fig-parrot (race marshalli), Noisy Pitta, Fairy Gerygone (race personata), Spectacled Monarch (race albiventer), Shining Flycatcher, Pied Heron, Black-naped, Sooty & Lesser Crested Terns, Great & Lesser Frigatebird and Spotted Whistling-duck.
At night we’ll try for a few night-birds like Marbled Frogmouth, Large-tailed Nightjar and Rufous Owl, as well as some mammals found nowhere else but here and PNG, such as Common Cuscus and Spotted Cuscus. The incredible Green Tree Python is also a possibility in the rainforest, as well as Spotted Python, Amethystine Python, Brown-headed Snake and Orange-naped Snake.
Accommodation: Portland Roads (shared toilet/bathroom) for 3 additional nights.
Meals included: B L D each day
This morning, we will depart Lockhart River on a flight back to Cairns airport where the tour will end.
Accommodation: None.
Meals included: B
All accommodation as per the itinerary, specialist guide and transport, return flight between Cairns to Lockhart River, all meals, entrance fees and activities as mentioned in the above itinerary. Includes GST.
Airfares other than the Cairns - Lockhart River return flights, airport transfers, alcoholic beverages, snacks, internet, tips, laundry or other items of a personal nature.
Jan 2024 Trip Report
Summer Migrants - Cape York & Wet Tropics -Trip Report
The itinerary: Whilst we aim to follow the itinerary as planned, please note that the itinerary provided should only be used as a guideline. Depending on individual trip circumstances, weather, and local information, the exact itinerary may not be strictly adhered to. The guides reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary as they see fit.
Remoteness: Please note that for much of this tour we will be birding in a wonderful yet remote part of Australia. Most of the roads are unsealed and rough and travel will be in 4WD vehicles. If you have medical conditions or health concerns, it is important you make us aware of these in advance of this tour.
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.
