Melaleuca pre-tour cost:
Only available if joining main tour
$990 pp (includes flights, guided tour and lunch) - based on 4 guests taking this option ( plus inala guide )
A guided tour to discover the 12 endemic birds and iconic wildlife in Tasmania. Southern Ocean pelagic & Maria Island excursions are included.
Our popular and comprehensive tour of Tasmania offers all of Tasmania’s 12 endemic birds plus iconic mammals including Eastern Quoll, Wombat and Platypus. This tour includes Southern Ocean pelagic and Maria Island excursions.
In addition, arrive a day early to join the 1-day special excursion to Tasmania's South West Wilderness Heritage area. Fly into Melaleuca and see the rare and critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot, and more.
9 nights en-suite accommodation, specialist guiding and transport for day and night tours as outlined above, all meals as outlined in the itinerary, activities outlined in the itinerary (including the pelagic cruise and Maria Island excursion), National Park entry fees, Bruny Island ferry fares, GST.
International or domestic Australian airfares, airport transfers on arrival, accommodation on the night before the Melaleuca excursion and breakfast on day 1, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and expenses of a personal nature (snacks, travel insurance, internet, laundry, tips etc).
Additional services: We can arrange either self-guided or guided extensions to other parts of Tasmania or Australia to compliment this tour. Please enquire at the Inala office and we will happily cater for you through our licensed travel agency.
Arrival in Hobart: There is a regular shuttle bus service between Hobart airport and the main hotels in the city. Details on the costs and timing of the shuttle can be found on the Skybus website. Alternatively, you may wish to take a taxi to the city – there is no need to pre book these, they are readily available outside the terminal building.
Meals and drinks: Breakfast generally consists of a continental style breakfast with cereal, fruit and yoghurt and tea/coffee. Full cooked breakfast is not generally offered at most locations. Lunch will generally consist of a packed lunch style meal eaten in the field, with sandwich/filled roll, fruit, and a drink. Dinner is usually two course and consists of several options for main with the choice of either an appetiser or dessert. Drinks (soft and alcoholic) are generally not included but at lunches and breakfasts juice may be made available.
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.
The South West flight and the pelagic: Both of these activities are weather dependent and there is no guarantee that we will be able to do either, we will follow the safety advice of the captain and the pilots.
If the south west flight is cancelled, we will refund the cost and you will have a free unguided day to explore Hobart, or we can organise some additional guided touring around the Hobart area for an additional price. ( If a minimum of four people choose this option ) We will be unable to reschedule the Melaleuca trip within the main timeframe of the tour unless everyone elects to take this as an optional extra.
If the pelagic is cancelled we will arrange a day of land based birding around the beautiful Tasman Peninsula.
Download the itinerary brochure for the Tasmania Endemic Birds and Wildlife tour.
Download (pdf 879.58 KB)There are terms and conditions relating to payments, cancellations, refunds, insurance and responsibility for our tours.
Here's what you'll see and do on the Tasmania Endemic Birds and Wildlife tour.
In order to join the Melaleuca excursion tomorrow, you will need to make your way to Hobart today and so you are free to arrive at any time that suits your travel plans. Please make your own way to your hotel. You may wish to book into the same hotel that the remainder of the participants will be staying at, so please discuss this with the office, who will be able to help you. Please note that no activities have been planned for today, but if you plan to arrive early and would like advice on options for the day, please contact our office.
Accommodation: Own expense
Meals Included: None
Only available if joining main tour
Today, in a pre-tour excursion, we will leave civilisation behind us and embark on a spectacular flight (weather dependent) to Tasmania’s remote South West World Heritage area. Inaccessible by road and breathtakingly scenic, this is one of the most remote areas in Australia and is famed, not only for its unspoilt wilderness and clean air (arguably the cleanest in the world), but also for its birdlife.
At Melaleuca, we have a chance to see one of Australia’s rarest birds, the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot. With less than 100 individuals left in the wild, this vivid parrot is teetering on the brink of extinction. Other specialties we hope to see are the elusive Eastern Ground Parrot, Striated Fieldwren, the delightful Southern Emu-wren, and the aptly named Beautiful Firetail. The area is also rich in history, and we will learn of the fabled adventurers who braved this region in a bygone era. When we return from Melaleuca, we will join the other tour participants at 6:30pm for a welcome dinner and orientation.
Please note that this flight is weather dependent and if cancelled, you will have a free unguided day to explore Hobart, or we can organise some additional guided touring around the Hobart area for an additional price. We will be unable to reschedule the Melaleuca trip within the main timeframe of the tour unless everyone elects to take this as an optional extra.
Accommodation: Hobart Hotel (en suite rooms)
Meals Included: Pre-tour participants: L D
Same Day as Melaleuca day if you opt for the pre tour extension
You will need to make your way to Hobart today to meet the group for dinner tonight and start the main tour tomorrow and so you are free to arrive at any time that suits your travel plans. Please make your own way to your hotel.
Please note that if you are not on the Melaleaca extension, no activities have been planned for today, but if you plan to arrive early and would like advice on options for the day, please contact our office.
Join your guide and the other tour participants at 6:30pm at the hotel for a welcome dinner and orientation.
Accommodation: Hobart Hotel (en suite rooms)
Meals Included: Hobart arrivals: D
We leave this morning to travel up the East Coast to Triabunna, where we will take the short 30-minute ferry ride across to Maria Island, an island with a rich history, a World Heritage Listed Probation Station, fossil cliffs and a great array of wildlife. On the way across to Maria Island, we shall look out for seals, dolphins and whales. Maria is a fascinating island with a wide variety of bird and mammal species. Of the mammals, we can expect to see Forester Kangaroo, Tasmanian Pademelon, Bennett’s Wallaby and Common Wombat. Maria Island also has an abundant bird assemblage, with 11 of the 12 Tasmanian endemics occurring here. We shall use our time to stroll slowly around the northern part of the island, with some outstanding scenery and the chance of seeing a large number of bird species including Cape Barren Geese, Australasian Pipit and Flame Robins on the grazed grasslands and the chance of Swift Parrot, migratory Cuckoos and several species of Honeyeaters in the wooded areas. In the late afternoon, we will head back on the ferry.
Accommodation: Hotel on Tasman Peninsula (en suite rooms)
Meals included: B L D
This morning we will board a charter vessel (weather permitting), making our way into the vastness of the Southern Ocean in our quest for pelagic birds. High species diversity and the nearness of the continental shelf have earned Tasmania an international reputation as an excellent place to see pelagic species.
Not long after we depart Pirate’s Bay, we will hopefully encounter Short-tailed Shearwater in considerable number. This is one of the finest places on the planet to see a diversity of albatross and Wandering, Royal, Shy, Campbell, Black-browed, and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross are all possible. With land still in sight we will reach the continental shelf and begin to lay a berley trail from the back of the boat. Possible petrels include White-chinned, Great-winged, Grey-faced, the striking White-headed, Gould’s, Cook’s and Mottled. Shearwater diversity is also good with Hutton’s, Fluttering, Sooty and Short-tailed Shearwater all possible. Wilson’s, Grey-backed and White-faced Storm Petrels and Fairy Prion are also regularly seen. Mammals we may encounter include Australian Fur-seals, Hump-backed Whale, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin.
On our return to shore there will also be a chance to visit some nearby geological formations and if time permits explore Tasman National park before heading back to our hotel.
If you choose not to partake in the Pelagic cruise, you can have the day to yourself to explore the lovely beaches and forests near by the hotel, please let us know your preference when you book the tour.
Accommodation: Hotel on Tasman Peninsula (en suite rooms)
Meals Included: B L D
Today we have a further chance to explore the Tasman Peninsula before heading back towards Hobart, visiting some wetlands and coastal locations enroute such as Marion’s Bay and Orielton Lagoon for a variety of waders and shorebirds. We will then head down to Bruny Island. Situated 40km south of Hobart, Bruny Island is separated from the Tasmanian mainland by the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and accessed by a vehicle ferry. The ferry trip takes approximately 15 minutes where one can enjoy some wonderful scenery.
This afternoon we will visit Bruny’s southern coastline to view the second oldest lighthouse in Australia, and search for species such as Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Olive Whistler and Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo. Here we also have a chance to see the Tasmanian sub-species of Short-beaked Echidna, one of Australia’s two egg-laying mammal (monotreme) species.
On one of our two nights on Bruny, depending on best weather conditions, we will visit the Short-tailed Shearwater (and occasional Little Penguin) colony to view these species at their burrows and will take an evening drive in search of Tasmania’s nocturnal marsupials. We will hope to see some species which are now restricted to Tasmania including Eastern Quoll (a relative of the Tasmanian Devil) and Tasmanian Pademelon, Bennett’s Wallaby and Brush-tailed Possum are also common here and rare golden/white colour morphs of both these species can sometimes be found. If we are lucky, we may also see Long-nosed Potoroo and some nocturnal birds like Tawny Frogmouth and Tasmanian Boobook.
Accommodation: Cottage style accommodation near and at Inala, south Bruny Island (en suite cabins)
Meals Included: B L D
Today we have a full day to explore Bruny Island. We will start the day birding at ‘Inala’, a privately owned 1,500-acre wildlife sanctuary which is home to all 12 Tasmanian endemic bird species, including one of the largest known colonies of endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote. Strong-billed, Yellow-throated and Black-headed Honeyeaters, Dusky Robin and Green Rosella are also regulars here. Several hides and platforms have also been built around the property which provide close views of some very special species, including a variety of raptors.
At this time of year, we can expect to see the endangered white colour morph of Grey Goshawk, White-bellied Sea-eagle, Brown Goshawk, Brown Falcon and if we are lucky, Wedge-tailed Eagle. We will also visit a variety of habitats on the island, from coastal beaches for Hooded Plover, Pied and Sooty Oystercatcher, Pacific and Kelp Gull, to rainforest areas in search of Pink Robin and the endemic Scrubtit, Tasmanian Scrubwren and Tasmanian Thornbill.
Accommodation: Cottage style accommodation near and at Inala, south Bruny Island (en suite cabins)
Meals Included: B L D
Today we depart Bruny Island and spend a bit of time exploring the reserves in the Hobart area including kunanyi (Mount Wellington). This mountain, at a height of 1,270m (around 4,150 feet), affords spectacular views of the city and surrounding landscape on a clear day.
Further endemic highlights we will look for today include Green Rosella, Tasmanian Native Hen, Black Currawong and Yellow Wattlebird. We will also visit a lagoon for the chance to see a variety of waterbirds like Australasian Shoveler, Australian Shelduck and Black-fronted Dotterel before heading to our accommodation for tonight at a national award-winning farm-stay, set in natural bushland overlooking picturesque Lake Meadowbank, close to Mt Field National Park.
Tonight, we will enjoy a hearty farm fresh barbeque dinner before settling into our cosy cottages.
Accommodation: Mount Field area (en suite rooms)
Meals Included: B L D
Today we will spend the entire day exploring Mount Field National Park and surrounding areas. This area is an excellent back up site for our endemic target species, notably Scrubtit and Black Currawong, and is also a great place to experience a range of habitats from fern gullies with waterfalls, to alpine heathland and cool temperate rainforest boasting some of the tallest trees in the world - the mighty Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans). Today we also have our first chance of seeing the bizarre Platypus, the other species of Australian monotreme. In the late afternoon we will return to our farm-stay for a relaxed second night.
Accommodation: Mount Field/New Norfolk area (en suite rooms)
Meals Included: B L D
This morning, we will travel north to Cradle Mountain National Park. While today is largely a travel day, we will enjoy wonderful diverse scenery and stop many times en-route to bird and stretch our legs including at an Alpine Lake with incredible flora and landscape and the possibility of Striated Fieldwren. If time allows, we shall incorporate a visit to a beautiful location near Latrobe with an excellent chance of seeing Platypus.
We will arrive at our accommodation within the Cradle Mountain National Park in the late afternoon. The accommodation provides a wonderful opportunity to view Wombats and Wallabies near your cottages. Echidnas and Platypus are also often seen in the area.
Based on weather conditions, on one of our two nights staying at Cradle we shall take a night drive into the National Park after dinner, where we will hope to see Spotted-tailed Quolls, Eastern Quolls or even the iconic Tasmanian Devils.
Accommodation: Hotel Cradle Mountain (en suite rooms). Meals Included: BLD
Today we have a full day to explore the spectacular landscape around Cradle Mountain. This should provide a good chance to see more of Tasmania’s endemic bird species which we may have missed previously, such as Black Currawong and Scrubtit. In addition to the great birding, we can view endemic Tasmanian rainforest flora with ancient Gondwanan connections such as Pencil and King Billy Pines, Myrtle and the famous Fagus (Nothofagus gunnii) which is Tasmania’s only deciduous tree.
The National Park is also a great area to view the adorable Common Wombat. While watching for Pink Robin alongside a beautiful river, we will also have more chances of spotting Platypus. During the day we shall include a visit to Walheim, the replica hut built in the site of Gustav Weindorfer’s original home, a naturalist whose passion was instrumental in the establishment of the National Park protection of this area.
Accommodation: Hotel Cradle Mountain (en suite rooms). Meals Included: B, L, D.
This morning, we travel to Launceston after breakfast where you will be able to connect with a flight of your choice to one of the capital cities. If time permits, we will visit some wetlands en route where there is a chance to view several wetland species including Purple Swamphen, Spotless Crake, Australian Shelduck, Black-fronted Dotterel and Little Grassbird.
Please note that flights from Launceston should be made from around 13:00 as the guide will deliver those clients there around 12:00. The guide will then be returning straight to Hobart.
Meals Included: B.
