Araucaria Ecotours is a family wildlife business run by Ronda, Denis and Darren Green since 1997, located in Southeast Queensland (just across the board from NSW) and in close proximity to a number of national parks. Our main guide will be Dr Ronda Green, who has conducted extensive research over the years in bird behaviour and ecology in Australian forests, and effects of habitat modification on wildlife largely in south-east Queensland.
Araucaria Ecotours aims to deepen visitors’ understanding of Australia’s wildlife while seeking kangaroos, platypus, fruitbats, birds, reptiles and much more with wildlife experts on eco-certified tours through coasts, mountains, and outback in areas of high biodiversity.
Southeast Queensland is one of Australia’s most diverse regions in terms of species and habitats, and what better way to explore it than with our wildlife experts who have conducted years of ecological research and fauna surveys in the area? If short on time, you can choose to see kangaroos, koalas, glow worms, fruitbats, rainforests, typical Australian bushland and waterfalls all in one day by exploring a scenic little island with many habitats very close to Brisbane, or go birdwatching in wetlands, bushland, and lush rainforest.
To get a substantial grasp of what makes Australia’s wildlife so different from the rest of the world, our wildlife overview tour is hard to beat. You will visit mountains, forests, wetlands, a wildlife park dedicated to conservation breeding and a sandy beach edged by woodland, instead of tourist accommodation. You will seek kangaroos, platypus, fruitbats, dolphins, birds, reptiles, and other wildlife as well as receiving a take-home book on Australia’s wildlife written by proprietor Ronda Green (PhD in zoology, many years’ experience in wildlife research and teaching all ages from kindergarten to university and adult education and author/editor of numerous publications on wildlife and wildlife tourism).
Outback tours run once or twice a year (autumn and spring), not to crowded tourist destinations but to wide open spaces way out west that maximise chances of red kangaroos, emus, Major Mitchell cockatoos, colourful parrots, sand monitors and other wildlife. Some of our other tours (on demand) include a three-day visit to the pre-historic-feeling tall forests of the Bunya Mountains, or to Girraween NP, with its massive granite boulders, many kangaroos and birds, and brilliant wildflower displays in spring.
All tours have advanced eco-certification, most are suitable for all ages and abilities, and all cater to special diets and many other individual needs. Most of the wildlife tours depart from Brisbane.
Araucaria Ecotours also offer custom Queensland wildlife day for multi-day tours with sufficient notice.
Araucaria Ecotours is a member of Ecotourism Australia, Wildlife Tourism Australia, Queensland Tourism Industry Council, Brisbane Marketing and Scenic Rim Escapes
The Araucaria team are heavily involved with the Scenic Rim branch of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland, and we also conduct fauna surveys for conservation groups and for local councils for conservation management.
Travelers wishing to book tours at a time when such projects are happening are sometimes invited to participate in such activities, with no additional costs except meals and sometimes accommodation or travel; that is separate from Araucaria Ecotours.
Guests on tour are encouraged to help find and photograph examples of animal/plant interactions, especially possibilities of pollination and seed dispersal, to assist with research by the proprietor which has conservation implications for designating, managing and enhancing local reserves and habitat corridors between them.
Coochiemudlo Coast Care is a conservation group conducting a weeding program, and guests on ecotours can, with prior notice assist, with this. Thus enabling the establishment of ephemeral orchids and other vulnerable plants and assisting the movements of small ground-dwelling lizards, frogs, and other native creatures.
Bags and gloves are often carried on tour for the collection of litter, including plastics that could otherwise end up in the sea to be swallowed by turtles, seabirds and marine mammals.
Unusual sightings of threatened species on the tours are reported to relevant bodies such as Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland, to research ecologists or to local councils to assist with conservation plans.
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